Apparatus, systems and methods for video game controllers

Abstract

A handheld video game controller comprises one or more user-operable input elements such as buttons 122L, 122R and joysticks 124L, 124R. The controller also includes lights such as LEDs located adjacent or integrally with the buttons, lights located adjacent the joysticks and actuation mechanisms located with the joysticks. In response to user game play signals received at e.g. a game console a processor located in the console sends control signals to the game controller to provide game assistance to the user. The signals may illuminate LEDs associated with buttons which the user should push or to indicate a direction in which to move a joystick in order to advance the game. The signals may also control the actuators to move the joystick in the required direction. The assistance may be generated from previous game play. At least some of the assistance information may be stored in the controller.

Claims

1. A handheld video game controller comprising:one or more user-operable input elements;first control circuitry to generate controller data indicative of operation of one or more of the user-operable input elements;communication circuitry to output the controller data for use by an external processing device;one or more controllable elements associated with one or more of the user-operable input elements; andsecond control circuitry to control one or more of the controllable elements in dependence on controller guidance information for providing operation guidance for one or more of the user-operable input elements.

2. The handheld video game controller according to claim 1, wherein the second control circuitry is configured to control a respective controllable element in dependence on the controller guidance information for providing operation guidance for a user operable input element associated with that respective controllable element.

3. The handheld video game controller according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the one or more controllable elements comprise one or more light emitting devices.

4. The handheld video game controller according to claim 3, wherein the one or more user-operable input elements comprise one or more buttons, and wherein the one or more light emitting devices comprise at least a first light emitting device associated with a first button for providing operation guidance for the first button.

5. The handheld video game controller according to claim 4, wherein the first light emitting device is either arranged on an exterior surface of a housing of the controller and adjacent to the first button or arranged within the housing of the controller and the first button comprises an optically transmissive area for transmission of at least some of the light emitted by the first light emitting device.

6. The handheld video game controller according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more user-operable input elements comprise at least one control stick, and the handheld video game controller comprises a plurality of light emitting devices arranged on an exterior surface of a housing of the controller to extend around a circumference associated with the control stick for providing operation guidance for the control stick.

7. The handheld video game controller according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more controllable elements comprise one or more actuators associated with at least one of the one or more user-operable input elements.

8. The handheld video game controller according to claim 7, wherein the one or more controllable elements comprise one or more actuators associated with a control stick for providing operation guidance for the control stick.

9. The handheld video game controller according to claim 8, wherein the second control circuitry is configured to control one or more of the actuators in dependence on the controller guidance information to re-position the control stick to a position different from a default position for the control stick.

10. The handheld video game controller according to any preceding claim, wherein the controller guidance information is indicative of a control sequence for controlling a set of the controllable elements, and the second control circuitry is configured to control the set of the controllable elements in dependence on the controller guidance information for providing operation guidance for at least one of the user-operable input elements associated with the set of the controllable elements.

11. The handheld video game controller according to claim 10, wherein the controller guidance information is indicative of a control sequence for at least one of:a first set of controllable elements associated with a respective control stick; anda second set of controllable elements associated with a plurality of directional buttons.

12. The handheld video game controller according to any preceding claim, comprising: storage circuitry to store at least some of the controller guidance information, the stored controller guidance information indicative of at least one condition and an associated control sequence for controlling a configuration of one or more of the controllable elements,wherein the second control circuitry is configured to control a configuration of one or more of the controllable elements using the control sequence in response to the generated controller data satisfying the condition.

13. The handheld video game controller according to any preceding claim, wherein the communication circuitry is configured to receive at least some of the controller guidance information from the external processing device and the second control circuitry is configured tocontrol one or more of the controllable elements in response to receiving the controller guidance information.

14. The handheld video game controller according to any preceding claim, wherein the controller guidance information is indicative of a control sequence for controlling at least some of the controllable elements for providing operation guidance for one or more of the user-operable input elements based on a recording of previous controller data from one or more video game sessions.

15. A system comprising:the handheld video game controller according to any preceding claim; andthe external processing device,wherein the external processing device is configured to execute a video game in dependence on the controller data indicative of operation of one or more of the user-operable input elements; andwherein the external processing device is configured to input the controller data to a machine learning model trained to output the controller guidance information in dependence on the input controller data.

16. A method for a handheld video game controller comprising one or more user-operable input elements and one or more controllable elements associated with one or more of the user-operable input elements, the method comprising:generating controller data indicative of operation of one or more of the user-operable input elements;outputting the controller data for use by an external processing device; andcontrolling one or more of the controllable elements in dependence on controller guidance information for providing operation guidance for one or more of the user-operable input elements.

17. Computer software which when executed by a handheld video game controller causes thehandheld video game controller to perform the method according to claim 16.

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