Electronic controller with linear hand strap adjuster

Abstract

A controller for an electronic system may include a linear hand strap adjuster to accommodate different hand sizes of users who may hold the controller in their hands. For example, a linear slot may be defined in the handle at a proximal end of the handle adjacent a neck region where the handle meets the head. The linear slot may extend longitudinally along the handle. An anchor disposed within the linear slot may protrude from an outer surface of the handle to provide an attachment point for an end of the hand strap. As a result, a first end of the hand strap is configured to be coupled to the anchor, and the anchor is movable along the linear slot to adjust the first end of the hand strap.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to commonly assigned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17 / 303,016, filed May 18, 2021, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. [Background technology]

[0002] A variety of handheld video game controllers have been designed for a variety of gaming systems, including virtual reality (VR) systems. Some VR controllers include a lanyard that can be wrapped around the wrist to prevent the controller from dropping to the floor when released, thereby preventing damage to the controller. Nevertheless, the lanyard does not prevent the controller from falling out of the hand when released. Although aftermarket hand strap accessories are available for some VR controllers, such controllers tend to be difficult to use and uncomfortable to wear for extended periods of time. The disclosure made herein is presented with respect to these and other considerations. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0003] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an example controller having a linear hand strap adjuster.

[0004] [Diagram 2] 1 illustrates a perspective exploded view of example components of a controller, including a support, an adjustment mechanism, and a front portion of the controller body.

[0005] [Figure 3A] 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the components depicted in FIG. 2 when the components are assembled and the adjustment mechanism is in a first adjustment position.

[0006] [Figure 3B] 3B illustrates the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3A with the adjustment mechanism in a second adjustment position that is different from the first adjustment position depicted in FIG. 3A.

[0007] [Figure 4A] 1 illustrates a top view of the exterior of an exemplary hand strap.

[0008] [Figure 4B] 4B illustrates a plan view of the inner surface of the hand strap depicted in FIG. 4A.

[0009] [Figure 5A] 1 illustrates the insertion of an anchor into a cavity of an anchor attachment mechanism on a first end of a hand strap.

[0010] [Figure 5B] 1 illustrates an operation of coupling a first end of a hand strap to an anchor.

[0011] [Figure 5C] 13 illustrates the act of threading a first portion of a hand strap through an eyelet at a distal end of a handle of the controller body.

[0012] [Figure 5D] 1 illustrates the act of attaching a first portion of the hand strap to an outer surface of a second portion of the hand strap by pulling the first portion of the hand strap around an eyelet.

[0013] [Figure 6] 1 illustrates an exemplary anchor attachment mechanism at a first end of a hand strap.

[0014] [Figure 7A] 13 illustrates another exemplary anchor attachment mechanism for the first end of the hand strap.

[0015] [Figure 7B]7B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the exemplary anchor attachment mechanism of FIG. 7A. FIG. 7C illustrates the anchor attachment mechanism attached to an exemplary anchor of the adjustment mechanism of the controller.

[0016] [Figure 8] 14 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another exemplary anchor attachment mechanism for the end of a hand strap;15 illustrates an anchor attachment mechanism attached to an exemplary anchor of an adjustment mechanism of a controller;16

[0017] [Figure 9] 13 illustrates another exemplary anchor attachment mechanism for the first end of the hand strap.

[0018] [Figure 10] 13 illustrates another exemplary anchor attachment mechanism for the first end of the hand strap.

[0019] [Figure 11] 1 illustrates a flow diagram of an exemplary process for attaching and adjusting a hand strap to a controller body of a controller.

[0020] [Figure 12] 1 illustrates exemplary software and hardware components of the controller disclosed herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Disclosed herein, among other things, is a controller for an electronic system, the controller having a linear hand strap adjuster. The linear hand strap adjuster of the controller is an ergonomic solution to accommodate different hand sizes of users who may hold the controller in their hands. In an exemplary implementation, the electronic system is a virtual reality (VR) system, such as a VR gaming system. However, it should be appreciated that the controller disclosed herein may be used to control applications in a wide variety of systems, such as an augmented reality (AR) system, an industrial machinery system, a defense system, a robotic system, and the like. Although many of the examples described herein relate to a controller for a VR gaming system, it should be appreciated that the controller disclosed herein is not limited to use with a VR gaming system, and that the controller may be used outside the video game industry and / or in non-VR systems.

[0022] The controllers disclosed herein may include a controller body. The controller body may include a head and a handle that contacts the head at a neck region. The head may include at least one thumb-operated control (e.g., thumbstick, button, etc.) and / or a tracking member extending from the head. In general, a user may hold the controller in his / her hands by gripping the handle, and the user may use the controller to interact with an electronic system (e.g., play a VR game) in a variety of ways. It should be appreciated that a user may hold two of the disclosed controllers at once, i.e., one controller in each hand. Accordingly, while many of the examples described herein relate to left-handed controllers, it should be appreciated that right-handed controllers may have certain features of the disclosed left-handed controllers reversed, such as hand straps configured to be coupled to opposite sides of the controller body, reversed adjustment mechanisms for adjusting the hand straps, reversed placement of thumb-operated controls, etc.

[0023] The hand strap of the controller is configured to physically bias the palm against the outer surface of the handle, thereby holding the controller in the user's hand. Accordingly, the hand strap allows the user to let go of their hand gripping the handle without any risk of dropping the controller to the floor. Thus, the hand strap alleviates concerns that the controller will be damaged during use. The hand strap also allows a wide range of actions to be performed, such as throwing actions, where a user's natural instinct is to let go of the handle at the end of the throwing action. In one illustrative example, a user may play a VR game that involves throwing an object, such as a baseball, an axe, or a similar object, and the user may perform a throwing action in which the user lets go of the controller at the end of the throwing action. In this scenario, the hand strap of the controller prevents the controller from falling out of the user's hand, since the user's palm remains in contact with the outer surface of the handle, even when the user's hand is open.

[0024] To accommodate different hand sizes of users, the controllers disclosed herein include a mechanism for adjusting the hand strap in a linear fashion. For example, a linear slot may be defined in the handle at a proximal end of the handle adjacent a neck region where the handle meets the head. Furthermore, the linear slot may extend longitudinally along the handle. An anchor disposed in the linear slot may protrude from an outer surface of the handle to provide an attachment point for the first end of the hand strap. Accordingly, the first end of the hand strap is configured to be coupled to the anchor, which is movable along the linear slot to adjust the first end of the hand strap. That is, the first end of the hand strap may be adjusted toward or away from the distal end (or free end) of the handle. To accommodate hands with longer thumbs, the first end of the hand strap may be adjusted toward the distal end of the handle, thereby positioning the end of the thumb directly above an area including a thumb-operated control disposed on the head of the controller body. Conversely, the first end of the hand strap can be adjusted away from the distal end of the handle to accommodate hands with shorter thumbs (e.g., a child's hand), thereby extending the end of the thumb so that it can be positioned directly above the area containing the thumb-operated controls disposed on the head of the controller body.

[0025] As described in detail herein, the adjustment of the first end of the hand strap is constrained to a linear path extending longitudinally along the handle, which allows the user to adjust the hand strap to optimize the spacing between the thumb-operated control and the metacarpophalangeal joint at the base of the thumb without having to twist the hand strap laterally across the handle. The act of twisting the hand strap across the handle during adjustment tends to twist the user's grip circumferentially around the handle. The disclosed linear hand strap adjuster does not change the user's grip on the handle, which helps maintain consistent finger placement on the handle and, as a result, aids in the calibration of finger tracking sensors in the handle. Furthermore, the adjustment of the first end of the hand strap is decoupled from a separate adjustment of the tightness of the hand strap around the back of the hand. In this way, the adjustment of one does not adversely affect the adjustment of the other. Additionally, the hand strap is removable from the controller body, thereby allowing the user to replace the hand strap with another hand strap, clean the hand strap, etc. Additional technical advantages may also be realized from implementations of the techniques disclosed herein.

[0026] Also described herein are processes for attaching a hand strap to a controller body of a controller and for adjusting the hand strap. An exemplary process may include attaching a first end of the hand strap to an anchor disposed in a linear slot defined in a handle of the controller body at a proximal end of the handle where the handle abuts the head of the controller body, the linear slot extending longitudinally along the handle, and adjusting the first end of the hand strap by moving the anchor along the linear slot. The process may include threading a second end of the hand strap through an eyelet disposed at a distal end of the handle, pulling the second end of the hand strap through the first portion of the hand strap while gripping the handle with a hand until an inner surface of the second portion of the hand strap contacts the back of the hand, and attaching the first portion of the hand strap to an outer surface of the second portion of the hand strap. The linear hand strap adjuster will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0027] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary controller 100. The controller 100 may be utilized as part of an electronic system, such as a VR video game system, a robot, a weapon, a medical device, or any suitable type of electronic system. The controller 100 depicted in FIG. 1 may be a left controller (or left-handed controller) of a pair of controllers that includes a similar right controller (or right-handed controller). In certain embodiments, the controller (including the controller 100) may track the motions and grips of a user's two hands (together) to enhance the VR experience.

[0028] The controller 100 may include a controller body 102 having a handle 104 and a hand strap 106 (sometimes referred to herein as a "hand retainer 106") for holding the controller 100 in a user's hand (e.g., the user's left hand), such as by physically biasing the palm of the user's hand against the exterior surface of the handle 104. The handle 104 may comprise a tubular housing, which may optionally be substantially cylindrical. In this context, a substantially cylindrical shape need not have a constant diameter or a perfectly circular cross-section. The word "perimeter" is used herein regardless of whether the tubular handle 104 has a circular cross-section. As used herein, the term "perimeter" means the entire circumference around the handle 104, which may be circular if the tubular handle 104 is a hollow right cylinder, but which may be a closed shape other than circular if the tubular housing is shaped as a non-cylindrical cylinder or a hollow prism.

[0029] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, controller body 102 may include head 108, which may abut handle 104 at a neck region, and may include one or more thumb controls 110, 112(1), and / or 112(2). In the embodiment of FIG. 1, first thumb control 110 is in the form of a thumbstick (or joystick). First thumb control 110 may be disposed at or near the center of head 108 for manipulation by the thumb of a user holding controller 100 (e.g., actuated by deflecting the thumbstick, pressing the thumbstick, etc.). In FIG. 1, second thumb control 112(1) and third thumb control 112(2) are represented as buttons, such as an "A" button and a "B" button. Second thumb-operated control 112(1) and third thumb-operated control 112(2) can be disposed adjacent to first thumb-operated control 110 and adjacent to each other to allow a user to quickly reposition their thumb from one control (e.g., 110) to the other control (e.g., 112(1) or 112(2)).

[0030] The controller body 102 may include a tracking member 114. In the example of FIG. 1, the tracking member 114 is in the form of a tracking ring (e.g., having a circular shape), where the tracking member 114 extends from the head 108. For example, the front of the head 108 may begin to curve upward at a side of the head 108 and continue to curve with a substantially constant radius of curvature until the two sides meet at a point spaced apart a distance in front of (or on) the head 108, thereby forming a ring-shaped tracking member 114. The tracking member 114 may include a number of tracking elements 116 disposed therein and / or thereon. The tracking elements 116 may be spatially distributed around the tracking member 114 as an array of tracking elements 116. The tracking elements 116 are not necessarily of equal size, and do not necessarily have equal spacing between the tracking elements, but an array of equally sized tracking elements 116 may be evenly spaced around the tracking member 114. The tracking element 116 is described in more detail with reference to Figure 12. In general, the tracking element 116 may be used as part of a positional tracking system that allows tracking the position and / or orientation of the controller 100 in space. Such positional tracking may enhance the VR experience.

[0031] In some examples, the hand strap 106 may be biased to the curved open position depicted in FIG. 1. This may be made possible by a curved elastic member (e.g., an internal or external elastically deformable strip, such as a metal strip) of the hand strap 106. In other words, the curved elastic member may provide the hand strap 106 with a structure to keep it in the curved open position depicted in FIG. 1. This curved open position may facilitate the insertion of a user's left hand between the hand strap 106 and the handle 104 when the user is attempting to grip the controller 100 with vision obstructed by a head mounted display (HMD) (e.g., a VR headset, goggles, etc.). In some examples, the curved elastic member may be an elastically deflectable flexible metal strip, or may be made of a plastic material, such as nylon, that may be substantially elastically deflectable. Such a curved elastic member may be partially or completely internal to the hand strap 106 for user comfort, or the hand strap may be covered by a textile material. Alternatively, the elastic member may be disposed (e.g., glued) to a fabric side of the hand strap 106. The hand strap 106 may be configured to contact the back of the user's hand after the hand strap 106 is tightened onto the hand. When tightened, the hand strap 106 physically biases the palm of the user's hand against the outer surface of the handle 104. In this manner, when tightened around the hand, the hand strap 106 may hold the controller 100 in the hand even when the hand is not gripping the handle 104.

[0032] When the hand strap 106 is fastened around or on the hand, the hand strap may serve to prevent the controller 100 from dropping from the hand as well as to prevent the fingers of the hand from translating too far relative to the array of proximity sensors on the handle 104 in order to more reliably sense the finger movements. The electronic system may include algorithms that embody anatomically possible movements of the fingers to render the opening of the controlled character's hand, finger orientation, or other movements of the fingers relative to the controller or relative to each other using sensing from the proximity sensor array. In this manner, the user and / or finger movements of the controller 100 may help control a VR gaming system, a defense system, a medical system, an industrial robot or machine, or another device. In an application of the VR system (e.g., for gaming, training, etc.), the system may render a throwing motion based on the movement of the tracking elements 116, and may also render the release of a thrown object based on sensing the release of the user's fingers from the outer surface of the handle 104 of the controller 100. The functionality of the hand strap 106 (to allow the user to "let go" of the controller 100 without actually releasing it from their hands or throwing or dropping it on the floor) may enable additional functionality of the electronic system being controlled. For example, if a release and return of the user's grip on the handle 104 of the controller body 102 is detected, such release or grip may be incorporated into a game to display (e.g., in VR) an object being thrown or grabbed. The hand strap 106 may allow such functionality to be accomplished repeatedly and safely.

[0033] The hand strap 106 may be adjustable in a variety of ways. When discussing the methods of adjusting the hand strap 106, reference is made to opposing ends of the handle 104. The proximal end 120 (or top) of the handle 104 is adjacent the head 108 and the neck region that contacts the handle 104. The distal end 122 (or bottom) of the handle 104 is the end of the handle 104 that is furthest from the head 108. The distal end 122 of the handle 104 is sometimes referred to herein as the "free end 122" of the handle 104. In a first method of adjusting the hand strap 106, a user may adjust the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 closer to the proximal end 120 of the handle 104 by moving the first end 118 along a linear path. In one exemplary embodiment, a linear slot 124 may be defined in the handle 104 at the proximal end 120 of the handle 104. The linear slot 124 may extend in a longitudinal direction 126 along the handle 104 (as opposed to a lateral direction across the handle 104). The first end 118 of the hand strap 106 is coupled to an anchor 128 disposed within the linear slot 124 and configured to protrude from an outer surface of the handle 104 such that the anchor 128 is accessible for coupling and uncoupling the first end 118 of the hand strap to and from the anchor 128, as desired. The anchor 128 may be movable along the linear slot 124 to adjust the first end 118 of the hand strap 106. For example, the anchor 128 may be movable along the linear slot 124 to adjust the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 toward or away from the distal end 122 of the handle 104. In other words, the anchor 128 may be movable along the linear slot 124 to adjust the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 longitudinally (or in the longitudinal direction 126 ) along the handle 104 .This allows a user with larger hands (longer thumbs) to grip the handle 104 lower on the handle 104 (e.g., closer to the distal end 122 of the handle 104) and adjust the anchor 128 toward the distal end 122 of the handle 104 until the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 contacts the purlicue of the hand. Meanwhile, a user with smaller hands (shorter thumbs) may grip the handle 104 higher on the handle 104 (e.g., closer to the proximal end 120 of the handle 104) so ​​that their relatively short thumbs can reach the thumb-operated controls 110, 112(1), 112(2). The hand strap 106 also prevents the user's hand from moving relative to the handle 104 while using the controller 100, thereby helping to maintain consistent finger placement on the handle 104, which helps to calibrate the finger tracking sensors (e.g., proximity sensors) of the handle 104.

[0034] In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the second linear slot 130 may be defined in the handle 104 at the proximal end 120 of the handle 104. The second linear slot 130 may extend in the longitudinal direction 126 along the handle 104. In this embodiment, the handle 104 includes a front side that faces the user when the controller 100 is held in the hand, a rear side opposite the front side, and two side surfaces between the front and rear sides of the handle 104, and the first linear slot 124 is defined in one of the two side surfaces of the handle 104, while the second linear slot 130 is defined in the front of the handle 104. In other words, the first linear slot 124 and the second linear slot 130 may be circumferentially spaced apart from each other at the proximal end 120 of the handle 104. The second linear slot 130 may be offset from the center of the front of the handle 104 such that the slot 130 is positioned at a location on the handle 104 where it is unlikely to encounter inadvertent or erroneous contact by any part of the hand. For example, the location of the second linear slot 130 is far enough away from the first linear slot 124 such that the base of the palm or thumb of the user cannot reach the second linear slot 130 while using the controller 100, and further such that the slot 130 remains in a position where the fingers of the hand can easily wrap around the handle 104 to reach the second linear slot 130. FIG. 1 depicts the sliding knob 132 (or push button) disposed within the second linear slot 130 and protruding from the outer surface of the handle 104 such that the sliding knob 132 is accessible. In this manner, the sliding knob 132 may be actuated by the fingers of the user's hand. The sliding knob 132 may be moved along the second linear slot 130 by the user. The sliding knob 132 may be coupled to the anchor 128. For example, an adjustment mechanism having the sliding knob 132 and the anchor 128 may include an interior portion disposed inside the handle 104 that connects the sliding knob 132 to the anchor 128.In this manner, movement of the sliding knob 132 along the second linear slot 130 causes movement of the inner portion of the adjustment mechanism within the handle 104, which causes movement of the anchor 128 along the first linear slot 124, which adjusts the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 in a linear fashion. FIG. 1 also illustrates indicia 134 on the handle 104 (e.g., on a front side of the handle 104) adjacent the second linear slot 130. The indicia 134 may indicate to a user that the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 is adjustable between a number of discrete positions. For example, the indicia 134 may correspond to size adjustments for different hand sizes, such as extra small (XS), small (S), medium (M), large (L), and / or extra large (XL). In this embodiment, the size adjustment for the largest hand size (e.g., XL) may correspond to the marking 134 closest to the distal end 122 (or bottom) of the handle 104, while the size adjustment for the smallest hand size (e.g., XS) may correspond to the marking 134 furthest from the distal end 122 (or bottom) of the handle 104.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows the hand strap 106 when coupled to the anchor 128 at the proximal end 120 of the handle 104. The hand strap 106 may also be coupled to the distal end 122 of the handle 104. For example, the distal end 122 of the handle 104 may include an eyelet 136 to receive a second end 138 of the hand strap 106. As the user continues to pull the hand strap 106 through the eyelet 136, a first portion of the hand strap 106 passes through the eyelet 136 and the user may attach the first portion of the hand strap 106 to an outer surface of the second portion of the hand strap 106. In other words, the user may thread the second end 138 of the hand strap 106 through the eyelet 136 and wrap the hand strap 106 around the eyelet 136 and back onto itself to tighten and secure the hand strap 106. In this second method of adjusting the hand strap 106, the user may pull harder on the second end 138 of the hand strap 106 while fastening the second end 138 of the hand strap 106 to the dorsal (outer) surface of the hand strap 106 to tighten the hand strap 106, or the user may release the tension on the hand strap 106 to loosen the hand strap 106. That is, the hand strap 106 is configured to be tightened around the hand by the user threading the first portion of the hand strap 106 through the eyelet 136 and then pulling the first portion of the hand strap 106 around the eyelet 136, and in this manner, the hand strap 106 is configured to physically urge the palm of the user's hand against the outer surface of the handle 104 when the hand strap 106 is tightened around the hand.By tightening the hand strap 106 to a desired amount of tightness around the hand, and by adjusting the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 to a desired position in the longitudinal direction 126 along the handle 104, the fingers of the user's hand will consistently grip the handle 104 in the same position, so that the hand strap 106 provides an ergonomic and functional portion of the controller 100, allowing for the efficiency and effectiveness of providing input to the controller (e.g., via thumb controls 110, 112(1), 112(2), via finger tracking, pressure sensing, etc.). Furthermore, it prevents the controller 100 from falling out of the user's hand, even if the user lets go of the handle 104. The adjustable nature of the hand strap 106 also means that a wide variety of user types - ranging from small children to large adults - can use the controller 100 without sacrificing ergonomics, comfort, and functionality for any one group of users. Additionally, the releasable nature of the coupling between the hand strap 106 and the controller body 102 allows a user to replace the hand strap 106 with another hand strap 106 (e.g., if the hand strap 106 wears out due to heavy use, if the user wants to use a different hand strap 106, etc.) and / or clean the hand strap 106 (e.g., if the hand strap 106 becomes sweaty, odorous, and / or dirty).

[0036] It should be appreciated that the hand strap 106 may be coupled to the controller body 102 in different ways. It should also be appreciated that the hand strap 106 may be adjustable in different ways. For example, instead of the eyelets 136 at the distal end 122 of the handle 104, the hand strap 106 may include a drawcord that is squeezed by a spring-loaded chock at the distal end 122 of the handle 104. In another example, a cleat may be used to couple the hand strap 106 to the distal end 122 of the handle 104. In yet another example, the hand strap 106 may be in the form of an elastic band (e.g., an elastic band that temporarily stretches when a hand is inserted) to apply an elastic tension to press against the back of the hand.

[0037] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective exploded view of exemplary components of the controller 100, the components including the support 200, the adjustment mechanism 202, and a front portion of the controller body 102. The controller body 102 may be made of a substantially rigid material, such as hard plastic. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, a substantial portion of the controller body 102, such as the front portion of the controller body 102 depicted in FIG. 2, may be molded together by a single injection molding process step to result in one integral hard plastic component comprising at least a portion of the tracking member 114, the head 108, and the handle 104. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the rear portion of the controller body 102 (not shown in FIG. 2) may be manufactured separately and then coupled to the front portion of the controller body 102 to encapsulate the support 200 and the adjustment mechanism 202 inside the controller body 102 (e.g., within the handle 104).

[0038] The exploded view of FIG. 2 exposes the adjustment mechanism 202 inside the controller body 102 when the controller 100 is assembled. As depicted in FIG. 2, the anchor 128 (introduced in FIG. 1) is part of the adjustment mechanism 202. Because the anchor 128 is disposed within a first linear slot 124 defined in the handle 104 and configured to protrude from an outer surface of the handle 104, the anchor 128 may be considered an outer portion of the adjustment mechanism 202. Because the sliding knob 132 of the adjustment mechanism 202 is disposed within a second linear slot 130 defined in the handle 104 and configured to protrude from an outer surface of the handle 104, the sliding knob 132 depicted in FIG. 1, which is hidden in FIG. 2, may also be considered an outer portion of the adjustment mechanism 202. The remainder of adjustment mechanism 202 other than anchor 128 and sliding knob 132 may be considered the interior portion of adjustment mechanism 202, as the interior portion is configured to be disposed inside controller body 102 when controller 100 is assembled.

[0039] FIG. 2 further illustrates a plurality of detents 204 defined on an inner surface of the handle 104 (e.g., under the front surface of the handle 104). The plurality of detents 204 (or “ratcheted detents 204”) may be disposed longitudinally 126 along the handle 104 to allow the adjustment mechanism 202 to move between a plurality of discrete positions. Although FIG. 2 depicts equally sized and evenly spaced detents 204, the detents 204 are not necessarily equally sized and do not necessarily have equal spacing between them. In the example of FIG. 2, the detents 204 are disposed in a single row (or column) extending longitudinally 126 along the handle 104. Additionally, while four detents 204 are shown in FIG. 2, in other examples, fewer than four detents 204 (e.g., two detents 204) or more than four detents 204 may be implemented. In some examples, the detents 204 may correspond one-to-one with the indicia 134. 1 illustrates three markings 134, while FIG. 2 illustrates four detents 204, and the number of markings 134 may be the same as the number of detents 204. Accordingly, the detents 204 may correspond to size adjustments for adjusting the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 in the longitudinal direction 126 along the handle 104. For example, the size adjustments may range from extra small (XS) or small (S) to large (L) or extra large (XL). In this scenario, the detent 204 closest to the distal end 122 (or bottom) of the handle 104 may correspond to the largest size adjustment (e.g., L or XL), while the detent 204 furthest from the distal end 122 may correspond to the smallest size adjustment (e.g., S or XS). The total adjustment range from the detent 204 closest to the distal end 122 to the detent 204 furthest from the distal end 122 may be approximately 18 to 20 millimeters (mm). Additionally, the detent 204 may be disposed below a second linear slot 130 defined in the proximal end 120 of the handle 104 forward of the handle 104 .In other words, the end of the second linear slot 130 closest to the distal end 122 of the handle 104 may be positioned a first distance from the distal end 122 of the handle 104, and the individual return detents 204 may be positioned a second distance from the distal end 122 of the handle 104, the second distance being shorter than the first distance.

[0040] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the adjustment mechanism 202 further includes teeth 206 configured to engage with respective detents of the plurality of detents 204. The teeth 206 may be disposed at an end of the adjustment mechanism 202 (e.g., a bottom end closest to the distal end 122 of the handle 104) and may protrude from the adjustment mechanism 202 toward the front of the handle 104 for engaging with respective detents 204 defined on an inner surface of the handle 104 (e.g., below the front of the handle 104). The support 200 is configured to be mounted inside the handle 104 and to support the adjustment mechanism 202 within the handle 104. In this configuration, the adjustment mechanism 202 is interposed between the support 200 and the front of the handle 104 when the controller 100 is assembled. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the mounting post 208 protrudes inwardly from the inner surface of the front of the handle 104 and is configured to receive a fastener for mounting the support 200 to the controller body 102. The support 200 may include an aperture (or hole) for receiving a fastener 210 (e.g., a screw) therethrough, and the fastener 210 may be tightened by threading the fastener 210 into the mounting post 208, thereby attaching the support 200 to the controller body 102, with the adjustment mechanism 202 interposed between the support 200 and the front face of the handle 104.

[0041] 3A and 3B illustrate cross-sectional views of the components depicted in FIG. 2 along section line AA of FIG. 2 when the components are assembled. FIG. 3A illustrates the components when the adjustment mechanism 202 is in a first adjustment position. FIG. 3B illustrates the components when the adjustment mechanism 202 is in a second adjustment position that is different from the first adjustment position depicted in FIG. 3A. FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate the adjustment mechanism 202 as having a sliding knob 132. FIGS. 3A and 3B also illustrate how the adjustment mechanism 202 is movable between a plurality of separate positions by a user moving the sliding knob 132 along the second linear slot 130. For example, a user may depress (e.g., push) the sliding knob 132 in the direction indicated by the arrow 300 in FIG. 3A. Depressing the sliding knob 132 disengages the tooth 206 from the first of the plurality of detents 204. The user may then move the sliding knob 132 along the second linear slot 130 while the sliding knob 132 is depressed until the tooth 206 is aligned with a second detent 204 of the plurality of detents 204 by disengaging the tooth 206 from the first detent 204, and then the user may release the sliding knob 132 (e.g., stop pressing or applying pressure to the sliding knob 132) to engage the tooth 206 with the second detent 204. The adjustment mechanism 202 may be made of a resilient material (e.g., plastic, steel spring, etc.) that allows the user to disengage the tooth 206 from the detent 204 (with which the tooth 206 is now engaged) when the user presses the sliding knob 132. The resilient material of the adjustment mechanism 202 is further configured to bias the tooth 206 into engagement with a particular detent 204 when the user presses the sliding knob 132. For example, the inner portion of the adjustment mechanism 202 may act as a "spring board" to move the teeth 206 away from the detents 204 (with which the teeth 206 are currently engaged) when the user presses the sliding knob 132, and may cause the teeth 206 to bounce back into engagement with a particular detent 204 when pressure is released from the sliding knob 132. During this adjustment, the user may feel and / or hear a "click" type of feedback when the adjustment mechanism 202 is adjusted along the second linear slot 130 to the desired position.The engagement of the teeth 206 with the particular detents 204 effectively "locks" the adjustment mechanism 202 in place and prevents translational movement of the adjustment mechanism 202 within the handle 104, which prevents the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 from moving longitudinally 126 along the handle 104 during use of the controller 100.

[0042] It should be appreciated that the linear adjustment of the hand strap 106 may be implemented in other ways. For example, the anchor 128 may be movable along the first linear slot 124 and held in place between the adjustment mechanism 202 and the interior of the handle 104 by friction. For example, the adjustment mechanism 202 may be press-fitted into the handle 104 such that the frictional force between the adjustment mechanism 202 and the handle 104 is sufficient so that the adjustment mechanism 202 does not move during use of the controller 100. In this alternative embodiment, a user may manipulate the hand strap 106 and / or the first end 118 of the anchor 128 to adjust the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 along the first linear slot 124 by applying a greater force to overcome the frictional force. In this embodiment, the second linear slot 130 may be omitted and the adjustment mechanism 202 may not include the sliding knob 132 or the teeth 206.

[0043] FIG. 4A illustrates a plan view of an exterior surface of the hand strap 106. FIG. 4B illustrates a plan view of an interior surface of the hand strap 106. The interior surface of the hand strap 106 shown in FIG. 4B is configured to contact the back of a user's hand when the hand strap 106 is fastened around the hand. The hand strap 106 is shown as having a first portion 400 and a second portion 402. As described elsewhere herein, the first portion 400 of the hand strap 106 is configured to thread through an eyelet 136 at the distal end 122 of the handle 104 and then attach to the exterior surface of the second portion 402 of the hand strap 106. FIG. 4A illustrates the exterior surface of the second portion 402 of the hand strap 106 as having an area 404 of a "hook-type" fastener (e.g., Velcro®). The outer surface of the first portion 400 of the hand strap 106 may include a fabric, such as cotton, polyester, etc., that when pressed against area 404, attaches the first portion 400 of the hand strap 106 to the outer surface of the second portion 402 of the hand strap 106. FIG. 4B illustrates that the inner surface of the second portion 402 of the hand strap 106 may include a pad 408 (or cushioning material), such as a foam pad. Because the inner surface of the second portion 402 of the hand strap 106 is configured to contact the back of the user's hand, the pad 408 may provide added comfort to the user while using the controller 100 over extended periods of time.

[0044] 5A-5B illustrate exemplary operations that may be performed to couple the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 to the anchor 128. It should be appreciated that the operations of FIGS. 5A-5B may be performed in reverse order to decouple the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 from the anchor 128, which may be useful when removing the hand strap 106, replacing the hand strap 106, cleaning the hand strap 106, etc. In FIGS. 5A-5B, a user may insert the anchor 128 at the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 into a cavity 500 of the anchor attachment mechanism 502. A hole 504 may be defined in the anchor attachment mechanism 502 such that the cavity 500 is accessible through the hole 504. Another hole 506 may be defined in the anchor 128. The holes 504 and 506 may be of similar size (e.g., diameter). 5B, after insertion of the anchor 128 into the cavity 500 of the anchor attachment mechanism 502, the holes 504 and 506 may be aligned with one another. A fastener 508 may be inserted into the aligned holes 504 and 506 and used to couple (e.g., fasten) the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 to the anchor 128. In some embodiments, the holes 506 and / or 504 are threaded (e.g., with female threads) to allow for fastener 508 (e.g., a screw having male threads) to be secured to the anchor 128.

[0045] 5C-5D illustrate example operations that may be performed to couple the hand strap 106 to the distal end 122 of the handle 104. In FIG. 5C, the second end 138 of the hand strap 106 may be threaded through the eyelet 136 at the distal end 122 of the handle 104. The user may then grasp the second end 138 of the hand strap 106 from the other side of the eyelet 136 and continue to thread the first portion 400 of the hand strap 106 (see FIGS. 4A-4B) through the eyelet 136, pulling the hand strap 106 further through the eyelet 136. FIG. 5D illustrates how the first portion 400 of the hand strap 106 may be pulled (or wrapped) around the eyelet 136 and attached to the outer surface of the second portion 402 of the hand strap 106 (see FIGS. 4A-4B). A user may pull the hand strap 106 with the desired amount of force (or tension) to tighten the hand strap 106 to the desired tightness. If adjustment is desired, the user may loosen or tighten the hand strap 106 by removing the first portion 400 of the hand strap 106 from the outer surface of the second portion 402 of the hand strap 106 and pulling the hand strap 106 in either direction through the eyelet 136 before reattaching the first portion 400 of the hand strap 106 to the outer surface of the second portion 402 of the hand strap 106.

[0046] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary anchor attachment mechanism 502 at the first end 118 of the hand strap 106. The anchor attachment mechanism 502 is configured to be removably coupled to the anchor 128 for coupling the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 to the controller body 102. For example, as described above with reference to FIGS. 5A-5B, the anchor 128 can be inserted into the cavity 500 (see FIG. 5A) of the anchor attachment mechanism 502 until the hole 506 (see FIG. 5A) of the anchor 128 is aligned with the hole 504 defined at the top of the anchor attachment mechanism 502. With the holes 504 and 506 aligned, a fastener 508 can be inserted into the aligned holes 504 and 506 and used to couple the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 to the anchor 128. With the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 coupled to the anchor 128, the user may move the anchor 128 along the first linear slot 124 to adjust the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 (e.g., toward or away from the distal end 122 of the handle 104). As depicted in FIG. 6, when the user holds the controller 100, this adjustment of the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 may adjust the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 toward or away from the purlicue of the user's hand. When the user wishes to use the controller 100, and when the sliding knob 132 is positioned at the top of the second linear slot 130, the user may thread his or her fingers through the space between the hand strap 106 and the handle 104 and grasp the handle 104 at a desired position on the handle 104 such that the thumbs can reach the thumb-operated controls 110, 112(1), 112(2). The user may then adjust the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 by sliding the sliding knob 132 downward (i.e., toward the distal end 122 of the handle 104) along the second linear slot 130 until the first end 118 fits snugly against the purlice of the hand.Alternatively, if the user already knows the desired adjustment position, the user may adjust the sliding knob 132 along the second linear slot 130 to the desired position and then insert their fingers into the space between the hand strap 106 and the handle 104 to grip the handle 104 as shown in Figure 6. The user may then tighten the hand strap 106 around the back of their hand as described herein (see, e.g., Figures 5C-5D).

[0047] 7A-7B illustrate another exemplary anchor attachment mechanism 702 at the first end 118 of the hand strap 106. The anchor attachment mechanism 702 is configured to be removably coupled to an anchor 128 for coupling the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 to the controller body 102. In the embodiment of FIGS. 7A-7B, the anchor 128 includes a post 708 (or cleat) protruding from the anchor 128. A through hole 704 is defined in the anchor attachment mechanism 702 such that the anchor attachment mechanism 702 can be hooked (or wrapped) over the post 708 of the anchor 128. The through hole 704 can include features such as a locking portion 706 to secure the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 to the anchor 128 and prevent the hand strap 106 from uncoupling from the anchor 128 during use of the controller 100. For example, the locking portion 706 can be a portion of the through hole 704 having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the cap on the post 708. Figure 7B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the example anchor attachment mechanism 702 depicted in Figure 7A. Figure 7B also illustrates the anchor attachment mechanism 702 as it is attached to the anchor 128 of the adjustment mechanism 202. Figure 7B shows how the anchor attachment mechanism 702 can be hooked (or wrapped) around the post 708 of the anchor 128 by inserting the post 708 through the through hole 704 until the post 708 is disposed within the locking portion 706 of the through hole 704 and then pulling the anchor attachment mechanism 702.

[0048] FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another exemplary anchor attachment mechanism 802 at the first end 118 of the hand strap 106. FIG. 8 also illustrates the anchor attachment mechanism 802 when attached to the anchor 128 of the adjustment mechanism 202. The anchor attachment mechanism 802 is configured to be removably coupled to the anchor 128 to couple the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 to the controller body 102. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the anchor 128 includes a captive nut 806 (or a recessed nut) at a bottom of the anchor 128. A through hole 804 is defined in the anchor attachment mechanism 802. The through hole 804 can be aligned with the hole 506 of the anchor 128, and then a fastener 808 can be inserted through the aligned holes 804 and 506 and fastened to the captive nut 806. For example, the fastener 808 can include threads (e.g., male threads) that screw into corresponding threads (e.g., female threads) of the captive nut 806.

[0049] 9 illustrates another example anchor attachment mechanism 902 at the first end 118 of the hand strap 106. The anchor attachment mechanism 902 is configured to be removably coupled to the anchor 128 for coupling the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 to the controller body 102. In some embodiments, the anchor attachment mechanism 902 can be similar to the anchor attachment mechanism 502 described herein with respect to FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 6, except that a fabric cover 904 can be configured to cover the holes 504 as well as the fasteners 508 (see, e.g., FIG. 6) when the anchor attachment mechanism 902 is attached to the anchor 128. The fabric cover 904 can be stretched to access the fasteners 508 to tighten or loosen them.

[0050] FIG. 10 illustrates another example anchor attachment mechanism 1002 at the end of the hand strap 106. The anchor attachment mechanism 1002 is configured to be removably coupled to the anchor 128 for coupling the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 to the controller body 102. In some examples, the anchor attachment mechanism 1002 may be similar to the anchor attachment mechanism 502 described herein with respect to FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 6, except that a flap 1004 may be configured to cover the holes 504 as well as the fasteners 508 (see, e.g., FIG. 6) when the anchor attachment mechanism 1002 is attached to the anchor 128. This flap of fabric 1004 may be fastened to an exterior surface of the hand strap 106 (e.g., via hook and loop) and may be loosened by lifting the flap 1004 to access the fasteners 508 to tighten or loosen the fasteners 508. The flap 1004 may allow for easy access to the fasteners 508.

[0051] The processes described herein are illustrated in logic flow diagrams as a collection of blocks that represent a sequence of operations. The order in which the blocks are described should not be construed as limiting unless otherwise stated. Any number of the described blocks may be combined in any order and / or in parallel to implement the process, or alternative processes, and not all blocks need to be performed. For purposes of discussion, the processes are described with reference to the environments, architectures, and systems described in the examples herein, although the processes may be implemented in a wide variety of other environments, architectures, and systems.

[0052] 11 illustrates an exemplary process 1100 for attaching the hand strap 106 to the controller body 102 of the controller 100 and for adjusting the hand strap 106. For purposes of discussion, the process 1100 will be described with reference to the previous figures.

[0053] At 1102, the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 may be attached to an anchor 128 disposed in a linear slot 124 defined in the handle 104 of the controller body 102 at the proximal end 120 (or top) of the handle 104 where the handle 104 abuts the head 108 of the controller body 102. The attachment operation of the block 1102 may be performed in a variety of ways depending on the type of anchor attachment mechanism of the first end 118 of the hand strap 106. For example, at 1104, a first hole 504, 804 defined in the anchor attachment mechanism 502, 802 disposed at the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 may be aligned with a second hole 506 defined in the anchor 128. At 1106, this hole alignment operation may include inserting the anchor 128 into the cavity 500 defined in the anchor attachment mechanism 502 until the hole 506 of the anchor 128 is aligned with the hole 504 of the anchor attachment mechanism 502. At 1108, to fasten the anchor attachment mechanism 502, 802 to the anchor 128, a fastener may be inserted into the aligned holes 506 and 504, 804, which in turn couples the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 to the anchor 128. For example, the hole 506 and / or the hole 504 may be threaded and the fastener 508 may be threaded so that the fastener 508 can be threaded into the hole 504 and / or 506. As another example, the captive nut 806 embedded in the underside of the anchor 128 may be threaded to receive a threaded fastener 808 to fasten the anchor attachment mechanism 802 to the anchor 128. As an alternative example, at 1110, the anchor attachment mechanism 702 of the first end 118 of the handstrap 106 may be hooked (or wrapped) over a post 708 that protrudes from the top of the anchor 128. It should be appreciated that the first end 118 of the handstrap 106 may already be attached to the anchor 128 when the controller 100 is purchased, and in this scenario, block 1102 may be omitted from the process 1100.

[0054] By moving anchor 128 along first linear slot 124 at 1112, first end 118 of hand strap 106 can be adjusted to a desired position on handle 104. For example, a user with larger hands can grip handle 104 lower on handle 104 (e.g., closer to or at the bottom of distal end 122 of handle 104) so ​​that their thumbs are properly positioned over thumb controls 110, 112(1), 112(2). A user with smaller hands can grip handle 104 higher on handle 104 (e.g., closer to or at the top of proximal end 120 of handle 104) so ​​that their thumbs can reach thumb controls 110, 112(1), 112(2). In either case, the user may adjust the first end 118 by, for example, moving the sliding knob 132 along the second linear slot 130 to a desired position, which causes movement of an inner portion of the adjustment mechanism 202 within the handle 104, which in turn causes movement of the anchor 128 along the first linear slot 124 to adjust the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 in the longitudinal direction 126 along the handle 104. To ensure that the palm of the hand does not move substantially relative to the handle 104 while the controller 100 is in use, the user may move the sliding knob 132 downward (e.g., toward the distal end 122 or bottom of the handle 104) along the second linear slot 130 until the first end 118 contacts the purlice of the hand and is adjusted to a position that snugly fits the hand. The user may already know the desired position of the sliding knob 132, in which case the user may adjust the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 without gripping the handle 104, in block 1112. If the user wants to determine the best position for the sliding knob 132, the user may adjust the first end 118 of the hand strap 106, in block 1112, while the user is gripping the handle 104 with a first hand (e.g., the left hand in the case of a left-handed controller 100).In some cases, such as when the controller 100 is used by a single user, the first end 118 of the hand strap 106 may already be adjusted to the desired position when the controller 100 is removed for use, in which case block 1112 may be omitted from the process 1100.

[0055] At 1114, the second end 138 of the hand strap 106 may be threaded (or wrapped) through an eyelet 136 disposed at the distal end 122 of the handle 104. This may be done using a second hand (i.e., the hand opposite to the hand that may grasp the handle 104). In some cases, the hand strap 106 may already be wrapped through the eyelet 136 when the controller 100 is removed for use, in which case block 1114 may be omitted from the process 1100.

[0056] At 1116, the second end 138 of the hand strap 106 may be pulled to thread the first portion 400 of the hand strap 106 through the eyelet 136 while gripping the handle 104 with the hand until the inner surface of the second portion 402 of the hand strap 106 contacts the back of the hand. This tightens the hand strap 106 around the back of the hand gripping the handle 104, and if desired, the user may pull the hand strap 106 harder to tighten it with more tension.

[0057] At 1118, the first portion 400 of the hand strap 106 may be attached to an outer surface of the second portion 402 of the hand strap 106. For example, a hook-and-loop fastening mechanism, such as Velcro®, may be utilized such that the fabric of the outer surface of the first portion 400 may be coupled to the hook-type fastener area 404 disposed on the outer surface of the second portion 402 of the hand strap 106. At this point, the controller 100 may be used with the thumbs optimally positioned over the thumb-operated controls 110, 112(1), 112(2), finger tracking optimized, and there is no risk of the controller 100 falling out of the user's hand even if the user releases his or her hand from the handle 104.

[0058] FIG. 12 depicts exemplary components of a controller 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The controller 100 may include one or more input / output (I / O) devices 1200, such as thumb controls 110 (e.g., a joystick), 112(1), 112(2) (e.g., a depressible button) depicted in FIG. 1. Although three exemplary thumb controls 110, 112(1), and 112(2) are depicted, the controller 100 may include a single thumb control, two thumb controls, or three or more thumb controls. Regardless of the number of thumb controls, the thumb controls may be positioned on the head 108 within a threshold distance of one another to allow the user's thumb to reach all of the controls with the thumb without moving the palm of the user's hand relative to the controller 100. Further, although exemplary types of thumb-operated controls are illustrated in FIG. 1, the controller 100 may include any suitable type of thumb-operated control, such as a trackpad, tilt button, knob, wheel, trackball, and / or any other type of input or output device, or any other suitable type of control that may be conveniently operated by a user's thumb during normal operation while the controller 100 is held in the user's hand. In addition to thumb-operated controls, the controller 100 may include one or more finger-operated controls, such as a trigger disposed on the back of the handle 104 and operable by an index finger. As another example, the I / O device 1200 may include one or more microphones for receiving audio input, such as user voice input. In some implementations, one or more cameras, or other types of sensors, may serve as input devices for receiving gestural input, such as movement of the controller 100. In some embodiments, additional input devices may be provided in the form of a keyboard, keypad, mouse, touch screen, joystick, control buttons, inertial measurement unit (IMU), and the like. The input device may further include controls such as basic volume control buttons for increasing / decreasing the volume, as well as power and reset buttons.

[0059] On the other hand, output devices may include displays, light elements (e.g., LEDs), vibrators that produce tactile sensations, speakers (e.g., headphones), etc. There may also be simple light elements (e.g., LEDs) to indicate a status, such as when the power is on. Although several examples have been provided, the controller 100 may additionally or alternatively comprise any other type of output device. In some cases, output by one or more output devices may be based on input received by one or more of the input devices. For example, actuation of a control may result in output of a tactile response by a vibrator positioned adjacent (e.g., below) the control or anywhere else.

[0060] Additionally, the controller 100 may include one or more communication interfaces 1202 to facilitate wireless connection to another device 1203 of a network and / or electronic system. The communication interface 1202 may implement numerous types of wireless or radio technologies to support the operation of the controller 100. For example, the communication interface 1202 may implement a radio, such as a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio, a Wi-Fi radio, and / or a cellular radio. It should be appreciated that the controller 100 may further include a physical port to facilitate a wired connection to a plug-in network device that communicates with the network, connected peripheral devices, or other wireless networks. In some embodiments, the communication interface includes a radio frequency (RF) transmitter for communicating with the remainder of the electronic system. Such an RF transmitter may be powered by a rechargeable battery.

[0061] In the illustrated implementation, the controller 100 further includes one or more processors 1204 and memory 1206 (or computer-readable medium 1206). In some implementations, the processor 1204 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), both a CPU and a GPU, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, or other processing units or components known in the art. Alternatively or additionally, what is functionally described herein may be implemented, at least in part, by one or more hardware logic components. For example, without limitation, exemplary types of hardware logic components that may be used include field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application specific standard products (ASSPs), systems on a chip (SOCs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and the like. In addition, each of the processors 1204 may have its own local memory that may also store program modules, program data, and / or one or more operating systems.

[0062] The computer readable medium 1206 may include removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information, such as volatile and non-volatile memory, computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Such memory may include, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVDs) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, RAID storage systems, or any other medium that may be used to store the desired information and that may be accessed by a computing device. The computer readable medium 1206 may be implemented as a computer readable storage medium ("CRSM"), which may be any available physical medium that is accessible by the processor 1204 to execute instructions stored on the computer readable medium 1206. In one basic implementation, the CRSM may include random access memory ("RAM") and flash memory. In other implementations, the CRSM may include, but is not limited to, read-only memory ("ROM"), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory ("EEPROM"), or any other tangible medium that can be used to store the desired information and that can be accessed by the processor 1204.

[0063] Certain modules, such as instructions, data storage, etc., may be stored in memory 1206 and configured to execute on processor 1204. Although certain exemplary functional modules are shown as being stored in memory 1206 and executed on processor 1204, the same functions may alternatively be implemented in hardware, firmware, or as a SOC.

[0064] The operating system module 1208 may be configured to manage hardware within and coupled to the controller 100 for the benefit of the other modules. In addition, the memory 1206 may store a network communication module 1210 that enables the controller 100 to communicate (e.g., send / receive data) with a host computer and / or one or more other devices 1203, such as an HMD, a game console, etc., via the communication interface 1202. The memory 1206 may further include a game session database 1212 for storing data associated with a game (or other application) executing on the controller 100 or on a computing device to which the controller 100 is coupled. The memory 1206 may also include a device record database 1214 that stores data associated with a device to which the controller 100 is coupled. This device record database 1214 may keep a history of previously connected devices ordered by recency of connection so that the controller 100 can determine the last known device to which the controller 100 was last connected at any given instance. The memory 1206 may further store game control instructions 1216 that configure the controller 100 to function as a gaming controller by transmitting controller input data to another device related to a game, and general purpose control instructions 1218 that configure the controller 100 to function as a controller for other non-gaming devices.

[0065] The controller 100 may further include the tracking element 116 introduced above. The tracking element 116 may be a tracking transmitter (e.g., emitter, beacon, etc.) that transmits (e.g., emits) electromagnetic radiation (e.g., visible light, infrared light, etc.). For example, the tracking element 116 may include a light emitting diode (LED) configured to emit light. In this example, the electronic system (of which the controller 100 is a part) may include a tracking receiver (e.g., sensor, detector, etc.) configured to receive (e.g., sense, detect, etc.) the electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the tracking element 116. For example, the electronic system may be a VR gaming system including an HMD worn on a user's head, and the HMD may include multiple outwardly facing tracking receivers (e.g., visible light sensors, infrared light sensors, cameras, etc.) distributed around the HMD and configured to detect electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the tracking elements 116 disposed on the tracking member 114 of the controller 100. In some embodiments, the tracking elements 116 include tracking markers configured to reflect light, and a tracking receiver of the electronic system is configured to detect the light reflected from the tracking elements 116. In some embodiments, the tracking elements 116 include tracking receivers (e.g., sensors, detectors) configured to receive (e.g., sense, detect, etc.) electromagnetic radiation transmitted (e.g., emitted) from a tracking transmitter (e.g., emitter, beacon). For example, stationary tracking beacons may be positioned around the user's environment and configured to broadly broadcast (e.g., paint or sweep) a pulsed light (e.g., infrared light) toward the controller 100, and the multiple tracking elements 116 of the tracking member 114 are optical sensors (e.g., infrared light sensors) that may receive the broadcasted pulsed light or the pulsed light may be blocked. In general, the tracking elements 116 may be used as part of an inside-out or outside-in position tracking system. In either case, the output of the tracking receiver may be processed by the electronic system to track the location and / or orientation of the controller 100 in space. The tracking elements 116 may be disposed within the tracking member 114 or on an exterior surface of the tracking member 114 .When tracking elements 116 are disposed within tracking member 114, the individual tracking elements 116 may be covered by an electromagnetic radiation transparent material, such as a clear window for visible light, an infrared transparent plastic window for infrared light, etc. In some embodiments, additional tracking elements, such as head 108 and / or handle 104, may be disposed within or otherwise part of controller body 102.

[0066] The controller 100 may further include one or more sensors 520, including, but not limited to, one or more proximity sensors 1222 (or touch sensors 1222) and / or one or more pressure sensors 1224. The proximity sensors 1222 may include, but are not limited to, capacitive touch sensors, resistive touch sensors, infrared touch sensors, touch sensors that utilize acoustic sound waves to detect the proximity of a finger, and the like. The proximity sensors 1222 may be configured to sense the proximity of an object, such as a finger, palm, or the like, to the proximity sensor 1222, which may be based on any suitable touch sensing technology, such as capacitive touch sensors, resistive touch sensors, infrared touch sensors, touch sensors that utilize acoustic sound waves to detect the proximity of a finger, or any other type of proximity sensor. For example, the proximity sensors 1222 may be disposed under or on the surface of the device and / or in or on the finger-operated controls (e.g., controls 110, 112(1), 112(2), etc.) to detect the proximity of a finger to the surface or finger-operated controls. In response to detecting proximity (e.g., a finger touching a surface or hovering above a surface), the proximity sensor 1222 may generate touch data indicative of the proximity of the finger. An array of proximity sensors 1222 may be embedded in the handle 104 of the controller body 102 to detect a user's grip. In an implementation utilizing capacitance-based sensing, the proximity sensor 1222 may include electrodes (e.g., transmitter and receiver electrodes of a transcapacitive sensor) and may apply a voltage to the electrodes configured to measure a change in capacitance at the electrodes, which may be converted to touch data in the form of a capacitance value indicative of the proximity of an object to the sensor 1222. For example, a change in capacitance at an electrode of the capacitance-based touch sensor 1222 may be affected by an object (e.g., a finger) being in proximity to the electrode. In one illustrative example, the handle 104 of the controller body 102 may include an array of proximity sensors 1222 spatially distributed partially or completely around an exterior surface of the handle 104. The proximity sensors 1222 of the array are not necessarily of equal size, and do not necessarily have equal spacing between them, although the array may comprise a grid.The array of proximity sensors 1222 may respond to the proximity of a user's fingers to the exterior surface of the handle 104. For example, the array of proximity sensors 1222 may be a plurality of capacitance sensors embedded under or on the exterior surface of the handle 104, or the array may be embedded in the handle 104. The exterior surface of the handle 104 may include an electrically insulating material. The capacitance between such an array of capacitance sensors and a portion of the user's hand is inversely proportional to the distance between them. The capacitance may be sensed by connecting an RC oscillator circuit to the elements of the capacitance sensor array and noting that the time constant of the circuit (and therefore the period and frequency of oscillation) will vary with the capacitance. In this manner, the circuit may detect the release of the user's fingers from the exterior surface of the handle 104. The proximity sensor 1222 may be connected to a flex circuit within the controller body 102 (e.g., within the handle 104).

[0067] The pressure sensor 1222 may include any suitable type of pressure sensing mechanism, such as a piezoelectric sensor, a strain gauge, a force sensing resistor (FSR), a force sensing capacitor (FSC), etc. The FSR may include a conductive material spaced apart from a resistive film (e.g., a semiconductive material such as an ink composition) and an actuator configured to transmit a force to the resistive film such that the resistive material contacts the conductive material under the application of a compressive force applied to the actuator. The FSR may exhibit a variable resistance in response to a variable force to generate force data corresponding to a resistance value. The FSR may be a "ShuntMode" FSR or a "ThruMode" FSR. In a shunt mode FSR, the conductive material spaced apart from the resistive film may be a plurality of interdigitated metal fingers. When a force is applied to the actuator of the FSR, the resistive film contacts some of the interdigitated metal fingers that shunt the metal fingers, thereby changing the resistance across the output terminals of the FSR, and this change is digitized into an FSR value to generate the force data. In some embodiments, the controller 100 includes one or more pressure sensors 1224 disposed in the handle 104 in conjunction with the array proximity sensor 1222, which may facilitate sensing both the occurrence of a grip by a user and the relative strength of such grip or squeeze by the user, which may facilitate certain gameplay features. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor 1224 may be disposed in the head 108 and associated with the thumb-operated controls (e.g., 110, 112(1), 112(2)) to sense the force of a thumb pressing on the control, and / or the pressure sensor 1224 may be disposed under the trigger on the back of the handle 104 to sense the force of a squeeze of the trigger.

[0068] Unless otherwise indicated, all numerical values ​​expressing quantities, properties, conditions, and the like used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term "about." Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the specification and appended claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present disclosure. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should be construed in light of at least the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. Where further clarification is needed, the term "about" shall have the meaning reasonably regarded by one of ordinary skill in the art, and when used in conjunction with a stated numerical value or range, means somewhat greater than or somewhat less than the stated value or range, i.e., within ±20% of the stated value, ±19% of the stated value, ±18% of the stated value, ±17% of the stated value, ±16% of the stated value, ±15% of the stated value, ±14% of the stated value, ±13% of the stated value, ±12% of the stated value, ±11% of the stated value, ±10% of the stated value, ±9% of the stated value, ±8% of the stated value, ±7% of the stated value, ±6% of the stated value, ±5% of the stated value, ±4% of the stated value, ±3% of the stated value, ±2% of the stated value, or ±1% of the stated value.

[0069] Although the above invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it should be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to these specific examples. Since other modifications and variations adapted to suit specific operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not to be considered limited to the examples selected for purposes of disclosure, but extends to all modifications and variations that do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

[0070] Although the present application describes embodiments having particular structural features and / or methodological acts, it should be understood that the claims are not necessarily limited to the particular features or acts described. Rather, the particular features and acts are merely illustrative of some embodiments that may be within the scope of the present application's claims.

Claims

1. 1. A controller for an electronic system for operation by a user having a palm-up hand, the controller comprising: A controller body, a head including at least one thumb control; a controller body comprising: a handle abutting the head at a neck region, the handle having a first linear slot and a second linear slot defined therein at a proximal end of the handle adjacent the neck region, the first linear slot and the second linear slot extending longitudinally along the handle; a hand strap configured to physically bias the palm of the hand against an outer surface of the handle, a first end of the hand strap configured to be disposed within the first linear slot and coupled to an anchor protruding from the outer surface of the handle, and a sliding knob configured to be disposed within the second linear slot and moved along the second linear slot by the user to cause movement of the anchor along the first linear slot to adjust the first end of the hand strap.

2. The sliding knob protrudes from the outer surface of the handle, the sliding knob is coupled to the anchor by an inner portion of an adjustment mechanism disposed inside the handle; 2. The controller of claim 1, wherein movement of the sliding knob along the second linear slot causes movement of the inner portion of the adjustment mechanism within the handle, the movement of the inner portion causing the movement of the anchor along the first linear slot to adjust the first end of the hand strap.

3. A plurality of detents are defined on an inner surface of the handle, the plurality of detents being longitudinally disposed along the handle; the adjustment mechanism further comprising teeth configured to engage respective detents of the plurality of detents; The adjustment mechanism is movable between a plurality of discrete positions by manipulation by the user, the manipulation comprising: depressing the sliding knob to disengage the teeth from a first detent of the plurality of detents; while the sliding knob is depressed, moving the sliding knob along the second linear slot until the tooth is aligned with a second detent of the plurality of detents; Releasing the sliding knob to cause the tooth to engage the second detent.

4. an end of the second linear slot closest to a distal end of the handle is positioned a first distance from the distal end of the handle; each detent of the plurality of detents is positioned a second distance from the distal end of the handle; The controller of claim 3 , wherein the second distance is less than the first distance.

5. The adjustment mechanism comprises: depressing the sliding knob by the user to allow the teeth to disengage from the first detent; 4. The controller of claim 3, wherein the sliding knob is made from a resilient material that urges the tooth into engagement with the second detent when the user releases the sliding knob after moving it.

6. The controller of claim 2 , further comprising a support mounted inside the handle and configured to support the adjustment mechanism within the handle.

7. The handle is a front surface that faces the user when the controller is held in the hand; A back surface opposite the front surface; [0023] having two sides; The controller of claim 1 , wherein the first linear slot is defined in one of the two sides.

8. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the hand strap is coupled to a distal end of the handle.

9. the distal end of the handle includes an eyelet; The controller of claim 8 , wherein a first portion of the hand strap is configured to be threaded through the eyelet and attached to an outer surface of a second portion of the hand strap.

10. the hand strap is configured to be tightened around the hand of the user by pulling the first portion of the hand strap around the eyelet after the user has threaded the first portion of the hand strap through the eyelet; 10. The controller of claim 9, wherein the hand strap is configured to physically bias the palm of the hand against the exterior surface of the handle when the hand strap is tightened around the hand.

11. The controller of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of an inner surface of the hand strap comprises padding.

12. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the hand strap is configured to be removably coupled to the anchor.

13. 1. A controller for an electronic system for operation by a user having a palm-up hand, the controller comprising: A controller body, Head and a controller body comprising: a handle abutting the head at a neck region, a first linear slot and a second linear slot defined in the handle adjacent the neck region, the first linear slot and the second linear slot extending longitudinally along the handle; an anchor disposed within the first linear slot and projecting from an exterior surface of the handle; a hand strap configured to physically bias the palm of the hand against the outer surface of the handle, a first end of the hand strap configured to be coupled to the anchor, a sliding knob disposed within the second linear slot and configured to be moved along the second linear slot by the user to cause movement of the anchor along the first linear slot to adjust the first end of the hand strap.

14. The sliding knob protruding from the outer surface of the handle; the sliding knob is coupled to the anchor by an inner portion of an adjustment mechanism disposed inside the handle; 14. The controller of claim 13, wherein movement of the sliding knob along the second linear slot causes movement of the inner portion of the adjustment mechanism within the handle, the movement of the inner portion causing the movement of the anchor along the first linear slot to adjust the first end of the hand strap.

15. A plurality of detents are defined on an inner surface of the handle, the plurality of detents being longitudinally disposed along the handle; the adjustment mechanism further comprising teeth configured to engage respective detents of the plurality of detents; The adjustment mechanism is movable between a plurality of discrete positions by manipulation by the user, the manipulation comprising: depressing the sliding knob to disengage the teeth from a first detent of the plurality of detents; while the sliding knob is depressed, moving the sliding knob along the second linear slot until the tooth is aligned with a second detent of the plurality of detents; Releasing the sliding knob to cause the tooth to engage the second detent.

16. The controller of claim 13 , wherein the hand strap is coupled to a free end of the handle.

17. the free end of the handle includes an eyelet; The controller of claim 16 , wherein a first portion of the hand strap is configured to be threaded through the eyelet and attached to an outer surface of a second portion of the hand strap.

18. 1. A method for coupling a hand strap to a controller body of a controller and for adjusting the hand strap, the method comprising: attaching a first end of the hand strap to an anchor disposed in a linear slot defined in a handle of the controller body at a proximal end of the handle where the handle meets a head of the controller body, the linear slot extending longitudinally along the handle; adjusting the first end of the hand strap by moving the anchor along the linear slot; threading a second end of the hand strap through an eyelet disposed at a distal end of the handle; pulling the second end of the hand strap through the eyelet while gripping the handle with the hand until an inner surface of the second portion of the hand strap contacts the back of the hand; and attaching the first portion of the hand strap to an exterior surface of the second portion of the hand strap.

19. Attaching the first end of the hand strap to the anchor comprises: aligning a first hole defined in an anchor attachment mechanism disposed at the first end of the hand strap with a second hole defined in the anchor; 20. The method of claim 18, comprising inserting fasteners into the first and second holes to fasten the anchor attachment mechanism to the anchor.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the linear slot is a first linear slot, and wherein adjusting the first end of the hand strap comprises moving a sliding knob along a second linear slot defined in the handle at the proximal end of the handle, the sliding knob being coupled to the anchor, and movement of the sliding knob along the second linear slot causing movement of the anchor along the first linear slot to adjust the first end of the hand strap.

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