Game controller

Abstract

Improves the operability of game controllers. [Solution] An example of a game controller has a housing body formed by connecting a front housing member and a rear housing member. The housing body is provided with gripping parts on the left and right sides. A pair of gripping parts that cover the entire gripping parts are connected to the left and right gripping parts. Because the boundary between the two housing members is covered by the gripping parts, the gripping parts fit comfortably in the user's hand when they hold them, improving operability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a game controller.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been a two-handed game controller for performing game operations.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, there has been room for improvement in conventional game controllers.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention adopts the following configuration.

[0006] An example of the present invention is a game controller including a housing and left and right grip portions attached to the housing. When the user holds the left and right grip portions and views the game controller from the front, the front view is defined as such. In this front view, the boundary portions between the left and right grip portions and the housing are each formed to extend upward from the center of the game controller in the side direction. When the user holds the right grip portion with the left hand and the left grip portion with the right hand and views the game controller from the back, the back view is defined as such. In this back view, the boundary portions between the left and right grip portions and the housing are each formed to extend upward from the center of the game controller in the side direction. The shape of the boundary portion on the front side is different from the shape of the boundary portion on the back side.

[0007] In other configurations, the boundary portion on the front side may extend linearly from the center of the game controller toward the side, and the boundary portion on the back side may extend curvedly from the center of the game controller toward the side.

[0008] In other configurations, the boundary portion on the back side may bulge out more toward the center of the game controller than the boundary portion on the front side.

[0009] In other configurations, the boundary portion on the front side may extend in a straight line in the front view, and the boundary portion on the rear side may have a vertical portion extending substantially vertically and a horizontal portion extending substantially horizontally in the rear view.

[0010] In other configurations, the left and right grip portions have openings into which the housing is inserted to form the boundary portion, and the openings of the left and right grip portions may be substantially elliptical in shape, with the central side of the game controller being more pointed than the side of the game controller.

[0011] In other configurations, the left and right grip portions have openings, and the boundary portion is formed by inserting the housing into these openings. The openings of the left and right grip portions have a central portion located on the central side of the game controller and a side portion located on the side of the game controller, and the central portion of the openings of the left and right grip portions may have a greater curvature than the side portion of the openings of the left and right grip portions.

[0012] In other configurations, the boundary portion on the front side may extend in a straight line in the front view, and the boundary portion on the rear side may have, in the rear view, a first portion having a first angle with respect to the horizontal and a second portion having a second angle smaller than the first angle with respect to the horizontal.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, a novel game controller provided with a grip portion can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] [Figure 1] A diagram showing an example of a game system including the game controller 1 of the present embodiment [Figure 2] An external view of the game controller 1 [Figure 3] A diagram showing an example of the top surface portion of the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b [Figure 4] A diagram showing a state where a user holds the game controller 1 with both hands [Figure 5] An exploded perspective view of the game controller 1 [Figure 6] An external view of the button frame 30 [Figure 7] An external view of the key top of the ZR button 7b [Figure 8A] A partially enlarged view of the R button 6b when viewed from the front [Figure 8B] A partially enlarged view of the R button 6b when viewed from the top surface [Figure 8C] A partially enlarged view of the R button 6b when viewed from the right side surface [Figure 9] A diagram showing the game controller 1 when viewed from a direction parallel to the plane when the game controller 1 is placed on a plane [Figure 10] A diagram showing an example of a fixing structure of the ZR button 7b to the button frame 30 [Figure 11] An upper view of the button frame 30 when the key tops of the R button 6b and the ZR button 7b are removed [Figure 12] A diagram showing the movement of the index finger when a user operates the ZR button 7b and the R button 6b [Figure 13] A partially enlarged view of the portion (c) of FIG. 6 [Figure 14] An external view of the game controller 1 when the grip portion 8 is removed [Figure 15] Figure showing the state during the removal of the grip portion 8b on the right side of the game controller 1 [Figure 16] External view of the grip portion 8a fitted into the first grip portion 18a of the housing 10 [Figure 17A] Cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 16 [Figure 17B] Cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 16 [Figure 18A] Front view of the first substrate 20 [Figure 18B] Back view of the first substrate 20 [Figure 19] Front view of the first substrate 20, showing the NFC antenna 26 arranged on the back of the first substrate 20 projected onto the front [Figure 20] Figure showing the position of the NFC antenna 26 in the game controller 1 [Figure 21] Cross-sectional view taken along the line X-X in FIG. 20 [Figure 22] Cross-sectional view taken along the line Y-Y in FIG. 20 [Figure 23] Front view of the second substrate 40 [Figure 24] Block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the first substrate 20 and the second substrate 40 [Figure 25] Figure schematically showing the vibration motor provided in the grip portion 8 of the game controller 1 [Figure 26] Figure for explaining the vibration direction of the vibration motor 50 [Figure 27] Figure schematically showing the operating principle of the vibration motor 50 [Figure 28] Cross-sectional view of the grip portion 8b incorporating the vibration motor 50b, showing an example of the internal structure of the grip portion 8b [Figure 29] Figure showing an example of the second housing 10b on the back side of the game controller 1, with an enlarged view of the portion of the second grip portion 18b on the right side in the second housing 10b [Figure 30] Figure showing an example of the holder 51b for fixing the vibration motor 50b within the housing 10 [Figure 31] Figure showing an example of the internal configuration of the grip portion 8b [Figure 32] A diagram showing an example of the structure of a 3D home button. [Figure 33] This diagram schematically shows an example of a recess in the light guide section 91 located directly above the two LEDs 95. [Figure 34] Perspective view of an integrally molded member 93 in which a light guide portion 91 and a light shielding portion 92 are formed as a single unit. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] Hereinafter, a game controller 1 according to one embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of a game system including the game controller 1 of this embodiment.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, the game system includes a game controller 1, a game device 100, and a display device 200. The game device 100 includes a CPU, RAM, and a storage device (non-volatile memory, optical disk, magnetic disk, etc.) (not shown). The CPU of the game device 100 is capable of executing game processing based on a predetermined game program and outputs the results of the game processing to the display device 200. For example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display may be used as the display device 200. The game device 100 may be a stationary game device or a portable game device integrated with the display device 200. Furthermore, the game device 100 is not limited to a device dedicated to games, but may also be an information processing device capable of executing any program other than game programs, such as a personal computer or a smartphone.

[0017] The game device 100 and the game controller 1 are connected by wire or wireless connection, and operation data corresponding to operations performed on the game controller 1 is output to the game device 100. For example, the game controller 1 and the game device 100 may be connected by Bluetooth®.

[0018] The following describes the details of game controller 1. Figure 2 is an external view of game controller 1. Figure 2(a) is a front view of game controller 1. Figure 2(b) is a left side view of game controller 1. Figure 2(c) is a right side view of game controller 1. Figure 2(d) is a top view of game controller 1. Figure 2(e) is a bottom view of game controller 1. Figure 2(f) is a rear view of game controller 1. The xyz coordinate system in Figure 2 is a coordinate system based on game controller 1, where the z-axis is defined as the direction perpendicular to the front of game controller 1 (for example, the direction in which button A 2a is pressed), the x-axis is defined as the left-right direction of game controller 1 (for example, the direction connecting button A 2a and button Y 2y), and the y-axis is defined as the up-down direction of game controller 1 (for example, the direction connecting button B 2b and button X 2x).

[0019] As shown in Figure 2(a), the right-hand side of the front of the game controller 1 is where the A button 2a, B button 2b, X button 2x, and Y button 2y are located. The right-hand side of the central area on the front of the game controller 1 is where the plus button 3b and home button 3d are located. The right analog stick 4b is located below the Y button 2y and home button 3d.

[0020] Additionally, a minus button 3a and a capture button 3c are located on the left side of the central area on the front of game controller 1. A left analog stick 4a is located on the left side of the front of game controller 1. A directional pad 5 is located below the minus button 3a and the capture button 3c.

[0021] Buttons A 2a, B 2b, X 2x, and Y 2y are buttons that can be pressed in the inward direction (positive z-axis direction) as shown in Figure 2(a), and are used for game operation. Additionally, buttons minus 3a, plus 3b, capture 3c, and home 3d are buttons that can be pressed in the positive z-axis direction. The home 3d may be used for operations other than game operation, and when pressed, the menu screen or settings screen of the game device 100 may be displayed. For example, the user can press the home 3d at any time while the game device 100 is running a game program. If the home 3d is pressed during game program execution, the running game program is interrupted and a predetermined menu screen is displayed. Furthermore, pressing the home 3d may control the ON / OFF power or sleep mode of the game device 100. The capture 3c is a button used, for example, to capture an image displayed on the display device 200. The capture button 3c and home button 3d are not used for normal gameplay, and therefore are used less frequently during gameplay than other buttons used for gameplay (such as A button 2a, B button 2b, X button 2x, Y button 2y, L button 6a, R button 6b, ZL button 7a, ZR button 7b, etc.). Details of the structure of the home button 3d will be described later.

[0022] Furthermore, the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b are devices that indicate direction, and the stick portion operated by the user's finger is configured to be able to tilt in any direction (up, down, left, right, and any angle in the diagonal direction). Note that the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b may also be pressable in the positive z-axis direction. The directional pad 5 is a device that indicates the up, down, left, and right directions.

[0023] Note that the positions of the left analog stick 4a, directional pad 5, right analog stick 4b, A button 2a, B button 2b, X button 2x, and Y button 2y are not limited to those shown in Figure 2. For example, the left analog stick 4a may be located at the position of the directional pad 5 shown in Figure 2, and the directional pad 5 may be located at the position of the left analog stick 4a shown in Figure 2. Also, the right analog stick 4b may be located at the positions of the A, B, X, and Y buttons shown in Figure 2, and the A, B, X, and Y buttons may be located at the position of the right analog stick 4b shown in Figure 2.

[0024] Furthermore, the directional pad 5 may not be a single integrated keycap, but rather four separate buttons. That is, the buttons corresponding to the up direction, right direction, down direction, and left direction of the directional pad 5 may be provided as separate buttons.

[0025] The keycaps of the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b are the same in shape, size, and material, but the weight required to tilt them (the amount of force needed to tilt them by the same angle) differs between the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b. Specifically, an elastic component (spring) is provided inside both the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b, and when the keycap is tilted, the restoring force of this elastic component causes the keycap to return to its original position. By making the characteristics (spring constant) of the elastic component inside the analog stick different, the weight of the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b is made different.

[0026] Specifically, the left analog stick 4a is lighter than the right analog stick 4b. Depending on the game program executed by the game device 100, for example, the left analog stick 4a is used to control the movement of the game character. On the other hand, the right analog stick 4b is used to move the virtual camera and to move the aiming reticle for the user to aim. When moving objects using the analog sticks, if the analog sticks are too light, even a small amount of force will cause the analog stick to tilt significantly, making it impossible for the user to move the object as intended. Therefore, by making the right analog stick 4b heavier than the left analog stick 4a, for example, when moving the virtual camera using the right analog stick 4b, the virtual camera can be moved more precisely, improving operability.

[0027] The left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b may have the same weight, or the right analog stick 4b may be lighter than the left analog stick 4a. Furthermore, the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b may have different shapes, sizes, and materials.

[0028] In addition to the weight of the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b, they may be configured in the following ways to differentiate their feel. For example, the tilt range (movable range) of the keycaps of the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b may be different. Also, the sensitivity (resolution) of the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b may be different. For example, by making the tilt range of the right analog stick 4b larger than that of the left analog stick 4a, more precise operation can be performed when moving the virtual camera or crosshairs. Also, by making the sensitivity of the right analog stick 4b lower than that of the left analog stick 4a, precise operation is possible and unintended inputs can be prevented. Conversely, the tilt range of the left analog stick 4a may be larger than that of the right analog stick 4b, or the sensitivity of the left analog stick 4a may be lower than that of the right analog stick 4b. Furthermore, the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b may differ in one of the three properties: "weight," "tilt range," and "sensitivity," or two or more properties may be differed.

[0029] Figure 3 shows an example of the top surface of the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b. Figure 3 is a side view of the top surface (the part that the user can touch) of the analog stick 4a or 4b. As shown in Figure 3, the top surface of the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b has a concave section in the center. The concave section is circular when the analog stick is viewed from above. The concave section has a slightly bulging shape upwards, and the height of the highest part of the concave section is approximately the same as the height of the highest part of the outer circumference of the concave section. In addition, multiple ribs (protrusions and indentations) are formed concentrically around the top surface on the sides of the top surface of the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b. This makes it easier for the user's fingers to grip the sides of the top surface of the analog stick. In other words, the user's fingers are less likely to slip when tilting the analog stick in any direction, improving operability. Furthermore, by not providing ribs in the central part of the top surface of the analog stick, the feel of the analog stick when the user's fingers operate it is improved.

[0030] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2(e), four LEDs 9 are provided on the underside of the game controller 1. When multiple game controllers 1 are connected to the game device 100, the LEDs 9 illuminate in a way that allows the user to identify each game controller 1. For example, when four game controllers 1 are connected to the game device 100, only the first LED from the left of the four LEDs 9 illuminates for the first game controller 1, only the second LED from the left illuminates for the second game controller 1, only the third LED from the left illuminates for the third game controller 1, and only the fourth LED from the left illuminates for the fourth game controller 1. Alternatively, the number of LEDs 9 that illuminate can be used to distinguish each of the multiple game controllers.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2, grip portions 8a and 8b are provided on the left and right sides of the center of the game controller 1, respectively, projecting downward (negative y-axis direction). Grip portion 8a is held by the user's left hand, and grip portion 8b is held by the user's right hand. As shown in Figures 2(b) and 2(c), grip portions 8a and 8b are formed to curve toward the back of the game controller 1 (positive z-axis direction).

[0032] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2(d), the top surface of the game controller 1 is provided with an L button 6a, a ZL button 7a, an R button 6a, and a ZR button 7a. Specifically, the L button 6a is located at the left end of the top surface of the game controller 1. The ZL button 7a is located on the back side (positive z-axis direction side) of the game controller 1 opposite the L button 6a. The R button 6b is located at the right end of the top surface of the game controller 1. The ZR button 7b is located on the back side (positive z-axis direction side) of the game controller 1 opposite the R button 6b.

[0033] The L button 6a, R button 6b, ZL button 7a, and ZR button 7b are buttons used for gameplay. The ZL button 7a and ZR button 7b may also be trigger buttons.

[0034] Furthermore, while each button in this embodiment (A, B, X, Y, L, R, ZL, ZR buttons) is capable of outputting a signal (ON / OFF signal) indicating whether or not the button is pressed, in other embodiments, the ZL button 7a and ZR button 7b may be buttons capable of outputting an analog value corresponding to the amount the button is pressed. For example, if the user presses down the ZL button 7a or ZR button 7b to a first position, an analog value corresponding to the first position may be output, and if the user presses down the button to a second position lower than the first position, an analog value corresponding to the second position may be output.

[0035] Figure 4 shows how a user holds the game controller 1 with both hands. As shown in Figure 4, when the user holds the grip section 8a with their left hand and the grip section 8b with their right hand, the left analog stick 4a and the directional pad 5 can be operated with the left thumb. The user can also operate the minus button 3a and the capture button 3c with their left thumb. Furthermore, the user can operate the L button 6a and the ZL button 7a with their left index finger (or middle finger). In addition, the user can operate the A button 2a, B button 2b, X button 2x, Y button 2y, the right analog stick 4b, the plus button 3b, and the home button 3d with their right thumb. Furthermore, the user can operate the R button 6b and the ZR button 7b with their right index finger (or middle finger). Note that Figure 4 shows a typical way of holding the game controller 1, and users may hold it in different ways.

[0036] [Details on L / R buttons and ZL / ZR buttons] Next, we will describe the details of the L button 6a, ZL button 7a, R button 6b, and ZR button 7b located on the top surface of the game controller 1.

[0037] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the game controller 1. As shown in Figure 5, the housing 10 of the game controller 1 is formed by connecting the first housing 10a on the front side of the game controller 1 and the second housing 10b on the rear side of the game controller 1. The button frame 30 is housed inside the housing 10. The first circuit board 20 and the second circuit board 40 are also housed inside the housing 10.

[0038] Figure 6 shows the external view of the button frame 30. Figure 6(a) is a front view of the button frame 30 (viewed from the front of the game controller 1). Figure 6(b) is a left side view of the button frame 30. Figure 6(c) is a right side view of the button frame 30. Figure 6(d) is a top view of the button frame 30. Figure 6(e) is a bottom view of the button frame 30. Note that the x, y, and z axes in Figure 6 correspond to the x, y, and z axes in Figure 2, respectively.

[0039] Figure 7 shows the external view of the keycap of the ZR button 7b. Figure 7(a) is a front view of the keycap of the ZR button 7b (viewed from the front of the game controller 1). Figure 7(b) is a right side view of the keycap of the ZR button 7b. Figure 7(c) is a top view of the keycap of the ZR button 7b. Figure 7(d) is a rear view of the keycap of the ZR button 7b. Figure 7(e) is a bottom view of the keycap of the ZR button 7b. Figure 7(f) is a perspective view of the keycap of the ZR button 7b. Note that the x, y, and z axes in Figure 7 correspond to the x, y, and z axes in Figure 2, respectively.

[0040] Note that the ZL button 7a and the ZR button 7b are symmetrical and have the same shape. Similarly, the L button 6a and the R button 6b are symmetrical and have the same shape. In the following, only one of the ZL button 7a or ZR button 7b will be explained, but the same applies to the other button. Similarly, only one of the L button 6a or R button 6b will be explained, but the same applies to the other button. Furthermore, in the following, the L button 6a and the R button 6b may be collectively referred to as L / R button 6, and the ZL button 7a and the ZR button 7b may be collectively referred to as ZL / ZR button 7.

[0041] As shown in Figure 6, the L button 6a, R button 6b, ZL button 7a, and ZR button 7b are integrated with the frame portion 33 housed inside the housing 10. Furthermore, as will be described later, the button detection portion of each button is also integrated. When the button frame 30 is housed in the housing 10, the L button 6a, R button 6b, ZL button 7a, and ZR button 7b are exposed from the top surface of the housing 10.

[0042] (Explanation of L / R buttons) As shown in Figure 6(d), the R button 6b has a horizontally elongated shape (longer in the x-axis direction). That is, the R button 6b is formed so that its length in the side direction of the game controller 1 is longer than its length in the back direction of the game controller 1. In addition, the width of the R button 6b narrows from the center of the game controller 1 towards the side direction (positive x-axis direction).

[0043] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(a), the R button 6b is generally tilted downwards from the center of the game controller 1 in the left-right direction towards the side.

[0044] Specifically, as shown in Figure 6(a), the R button 6b has a downward-sloping inclined portion 61b at the end on the central side (negative x-axis side) in the left-right direction of the game controller 1. Figure 8A is a magnified view of the R button 6b as seen from the front. Figure 8B is a magnified view of the R button 6b as seen from above. Figure 8C is a magnified view of the R button 6b as seen from the right side.

[0045] More specifically, as shown in Figures 8A and 8B, the inclined portion 61 at the central end of the R button 6b on the game controller 1 is inclined in two stages, with the inclination angle being larger in the portion of the R button 6b closer to the central end of the game controller 1. That is, the inclined portion 61b of the R button 6b has a side portion and a central portion, and with respect to the horizontal direction (x-axis direction in the xyz coordinate system), the inclination angle of the central portion is larger than that of the side portion.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(a), the R button 6b is provided with a downwardly sloping inclined portion 62b at the end on the side (positive x-axis direction) of the game controller 1 in the left-right direction.

[0047] Specifically, as shown in Figures 8A and 8B, the side end of the R button 6b on the game controller 1 is inclined in two stages, with the inclination angle being larger in the part of the R button 6b closer to the side end of the game controller 1. In other words, the inclined portion 62b of the R button 6b has a side portion and a central portion, and with respect to the horizontal direction (x-axis direction in the xyz coordinate system), the inclination angle of the side portion is larger than that of the central portion.

[0048] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(c), the front end (negative z-axis direction side) of the R button 6b on the game controller 1 is provided with a downwardly sloping inclined portion 63b.

[0049] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8C, the inclined portion 63b at the front end of the R button 6b on the game controller 1 is inclined in two stages, with the inclination angle being larger in the portion of the R button 6b closer to the front end of the game controller 1. That is, the inclined portion 63b of the R button 6b has a front portion and a back portion, and with respect to the horizontal direction (z-axis direction in the xyz coordinate system), the inclination angle of the front portion is larger than that of the back portion.

[0050] In this way, by providing a slanted portion 61b on the central side of the R button 6b on the game controller 1, even people with long fingers can easily operate the R button 6b. In other words, if a user has long fingers, when operating the R button 6b, their fingertips reach the central end of the R button 6b on the game controller 1. By providing a slanted portion 61b on this central end, the slanted portion 61b fits the finger, making it easier for the user to operate the R button 6b.

[0051] Furthermore, the inclined portion 62b is provided on the side end of the R button 6b on the game controller 1, making it easier to operate the R button 6b for both people with long and short fingers. Specifically, users with short fingers can operate the R button 6b by placing their fingertips on the side end of the R button 6b on the game controller 1. On the other hand, for users with long fingers, when operating the R button 6b, the tip of the index finger touches the central end of the R button 6b, and the side end of the R button 6b touches the base of the finger or near the second joint. By providing the inclined portion 62b on this side end, the force (force due to reaction) applied to the base of the finger or near the second joint when pressing the central end of the R button 6b with the tip of the index finger can be reduced, making it easier for the user to press the R button 6b.

[0052] Furthermore, by providing a slanted portion 63b on the front end of the R button 6b on the game controller 1, it becomes easier for the user to operate the R button 6b. For example, as shown in Figure 4, some users hold the game controller 1 by placing their hands over the front of the game controller 1, rather than gripping the grip portion 8 with both hands. By providing a slanted portion 63b on the R button 6b, it becomes easier for such users to operate the R button 6b and the ZR button 7b. Specifically, such users do not access the L / R buttons 6 and ZL / ZR buttons 7 from the side of the housing 10 with their fingers (index finger and / or middle finger), but access the L / R buttons 6 and ZL / ZR buttons 7 from the front of the housing 10 with their fingers. If the slanted portion 63(a,b) is not provided on the front end of the L / R buttons 6, the user's fingers will hit the front corner of the L / R buttons 6, making it difficult for the user to operate the L / R buttons 6. Furthermore, when such a user operates the ZL / ZR buttons 7 on the back, their fingers may come into contact with the front corners of the L / R buttons 6, causing them to accidentally press the L / R buttons 6. In this embodiment, since a slanted portion 63 is provided on the front side of the L / R buttons 6, even when the user holds the game controller 1 with their hand covering the front of the game controller 1, it is possible to easily operate the L / R buttons 6 and ZL / ZR buttons 7, and to prevent accidentally pressing the L / R buttons 6 when operating the ZL / ZR buttons 7.

[0053] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(a), the L button 6a and R button 6b are configured to be rotatable around axes 32a and 32b located on the central side of the button frame 30. Axes 32a and 32b are positioned to extend in the z-axis direction (towards the back of the game controller 1). The L button 6a extends from axis 32a in the lateral direction (negative x-axis direction) of the game controller 1, and the R button 6b extends from axis 32b in the lateral direction (positive x-axis direction) of the game controller 1. The L button 6a and R button 6b are configured to be pushed downward (negative y-axis direction) of the game controller 1 by rotating around axes 32a and 32b, respectively.

[0054] Thus, the L button 6a and R button 6b rotate around the central axes 32a and 32b located on the game controller 1, and are tilted towards the side overall, and have the tilted parts 61(a,b) and 62(a,b), making them easy for the user to operate. For example, in the case of a user with long fingers, the tip of the index finger rests on the central tilted part 61b, and the finger from the tip to the base of the index finger contacts the R button 6b along the downward sloping curve of the R button 6b. In this case, the user can easily press the R button 6b with their entire index finger, and in particular, when the tilted part 61b (see Figure 8A) is pressed in a direction perpendicular to the tilted surface, the force causes the R button 6b to rotate around the axis 32b as a pivot point. For this reason, the R button 6b is easy to operate even for users with long fingers. Also, in the case of a user with short fingers, for example, the tip of the index finger rests on the side tilted part 62b. In this case, the user can easily press the R button 6b with the tip of their index finger, and in particular, when the inclined portion 62b (see Figure 8A) is pressed perpendicular to the inclined surface, the force causes the R button 6b to rotate around the axis 32b as a pivot point. Therefore, even users with short fingers can easily operate the R button 6b.

[0055] (Explanation of ZR / ZL buttons) Next, the ZR / ZL buttons will be described. As shown in Figure 6, the ZL button 7a is located on the back side of the game controller 1, opposite the L button 6a. Similarly, the ZR button 7b is located on the back side of the game controller 1, opposite the R button 6b. The ZL button 7a and ZR button 7b have a horizontally elongated shape (longer in the x-axis direction). That is, the ZL button 7a and ZR button 7b are formed such that their length in the side direction of the game controller 1 is longer than their length in the back direction of the game controller 1.

[0056] As shown in Figure 6, the ZR button 7b has a protrusion 71b that protrudes in the rear direction (positive z-axis direction) and the side direction (positive x-axis direction: right direction) of the game controller 1. Similarly, the ZL button 7a also has a protrusion 71a that protrudes in the rear direction (positive z-axis direction) and the side direction (negative x-axis direction: left direction) of the game controller 1.

[0057] Specifically, as shown in Figure 7(b), the ZR button 7b consists of an upper portion 72b including a protrusion 71b and a lower portion 73b below the upper portion 72b. The upper portion 72b of the ZR button 7b is the part that the user directly touches when pressing the button. When the ZR button 7b is integrated with the button frame 30 and the button frame 30 is housed in the housing 10, the upper portion 72b of the ZR button 7b is exposed to the outside, while the lower portion 73b of the ZR button 7b is almost completely hidden by the housing 10 (see Figure 2). As shown in Figure 7(e), the protrusion 71b protrudes from the outer edge of the upper end of the lower portion 73b in the positive z-axis direction (towards the back of the game controller 1) and the positive x-axis direction (towards the side of the game controller 1).

[0058] More specifically, the protrusion 71b extends continuously from the back to the side of the game controller 1. The portion of the protrusion 71b that extends from the back to the side of the game controller 1 (the diagonal portion between the z and x axes shown in Figure 7(e)) has an arc shape (R shape). Also, as shown in Figure 7(e), the protrusion length L2 in the positive z and x directions is longer than the protrusion length L1 in the positive z direction. In other words, the protrusion 71b is configured such that the diagonal length L2 between the z and x axes is longer than the length L1 along the z axis. Furthermore, the degree of protrusion of the protrusion 71b decreases as it approaches the side. Specifically, the length L3 in Figure 7(e) is shorter than the length L2. At the side end of the ZR button 7b, the protrusion 71b protrudes slightly in the positive x direction (to the right) than the lower portion 73b.

[0059] Thus, the ZL button 7a and ZR button 7b have protrusions 71(a and b) that project in both the rearward and lateral directions. This allows for a larger surface area on the keytops of the ZL button 7a and ZR button 7b, making them easier for the user to operate. If the entire ZL button 7a and ZR button 7b (including the upper portion 72b and the lower portion 73b) were to be enlarged, the surface area on the keytops of the ZL button 7a and ZR button 7b could also be enlarged, but the housing 10 would also become larger as the entire button would be larger. However, by providing the above-mentioned protrusions 71 on the ZL button 7a and ZR button 7b as in this embodiment, the surface area on the keytops of the buttons can be enlarged without enlarging the entire button. This makes it possible to enlarge the keytops of the ZL button 7a and ZR button 7b without enlarging the entire housing, making them easier for the user to operate.

[0060] In this embodiment, the ZL button 7a and ZR button 7b protrude not only in the rear direction but also in the side direction, making them easy to operate even for users with short fingers. That is, because the ZL / ZR buttons 7 protrude not only in the rear direction but also in the side direction, users can, for example, place their fingers on the protruding portion of the ZL / ZR buttons 7 in the side direction to operate the buttons. For example, since the ZR button 7b protrudes in the side direction (to the right), users can access the ZR button 7b with their right hand fingers from the right side of the game controller 1, place their fingers on the protruding portion of the ZR button 7b in the side direction, and press the ZR button 7b. Since the ZR button 7b is provided with a protrusion 71b that protrudes in the right side direction, even users with short fingers can easily place their fingers on the right side of the ZR button 7b and operate the ZR button 7b easily. In addition, users can, for example, place their fingers on the R-shaped portion between the side direction and the rear direction of the ZL / ZR buttons 7 to operate the buttons. This allows users to operate the ZL / ZR buttons 7 without having to stretch their fingers to the central part of the buttons (for example, the part that protrudes only towards the back).

[0061] Furthermore, the protrusion 71 of the ZL / ZR button 7 extends continuously from the back to the side, and the portion extending from the back to the side of the ZL / ZR button 7 has an R-shape. As a result, it looks more natural and offers improved operability compared to a case where the ZL / ZR button 7 has a portion that protrudes only in the back direction and a portion that protrudes only in the side direction. If the protrusion 71 of the ZL / ZR button 7 is divided into a portion that protrudes only in the back direction and a portion that protrudes only in the side direction, and the portion extending from the back to the side does not protrude in either direction, the button will have a discontinuous shape, which looks unnatural. Also, with a button of such shape, the user will operate the button by placing their finger on the portion that protrudes only in the back direction or the portion that protrudes only in the side direction, and if their finger gets in between (between the back direction and the side direction), they will not be able to operate the button. In contrast, the protrusion 71 of the ZL / ZR button 7 is formed continuously from the back to the side, and the portion extending from the back to the side has an R-shape, resulting in a natural shape. Furthermore, the game controller 1 of this embodiment has an overall curved shape, and the R-shaped portion of the protruding part 71 of the ZL / ZR button 7 is consistent with the overall shape of the game controller 1, so there is no visual incongruity. In addition, since the protruding part 71 of the ZL / ZR button 7 is formed continuously from the back to the side, the user can press the button at any position on this continuously formed portion, making it easy to operate the ZL / ZR button 7.

[0062] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the upper surface of the protruding portion 71b of the ZR button 7b forms a continuous surface with the upper surface of the portion of the ZR button 7b other than the protruding portion 71b. In other words, the upper surface of the ZR button 7b forms a continuous surface from the portion other than the protruding portion 71b (the portion that does not protrude in the rear direction and the side direction) to the protruding portion 71b, and there is no step at the boundary between the protruding portion 71b and the portion other than the protruding portion 71b on the upper surface of the ZR button 7b. Therefore, the user does not feel any discomfort when operating the ZR button 7b.

[0063] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7(b), the rear end of the protrusion 71b has a rounded R shape when viewed from the side of the game controller 1. That is, the portion of the protrusion 71b extending from the top surface to the rear surface has an R shape. Although the ZR button 7b is curved upward toward the rear as shown in the figure, its rear end is not pointed and has an R shape, so even if the user presses the rear end of the ZR button 7b with their finger, there is no discomfort.

[0064] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7(d), the ZR button 7b has a downwardly sloping inclined portion 74b at the central end (negative x-axis direction) of the game controller 1 in the left-right direction. Specifically, the inclined portion 74b at the central end of the ZR button 7b on the game controller 1 is sloped in two stages, with the inclination angle being slightly larger in the part of the ZR button 7b closer to the central end of the game controller 1. That is, the inclined portion 74b of the ZR button 7b has a side portion and a central portion, and with respect to the horizontal direction (x-axis direction in the xyz coordinate system), the inclination angle of the central portion is larger than that of the side portion.

[0065] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7(d), the ZR button 7b has a downwardly sloping portion 75b at the side end (positive x-axis direction side) of the game controller 1 in the left-right direction. Specifically, the sloping portion 75b at the side end of the ZR button 7b on the game controller 1 is sloped in two stages, with the angle of inclination being slightly larger in the part of the ZR button 7b closer to the side end of the game controller 1. That is, the sloping portion 75b of the ZR button 7b has a side portion and a central portion, and with respect to the horizontal direction (x-axis direction in the xyz coordinate system), the angle of inclination of the side portion is larger than the angle of inclination of the central portion.

[0066] As described above, the central end of the ZR button 7b on the game controller 1 is sloped, making it easier for people with long fingers to operate the ZR button 7b. In other words, if a user has long fingers, their fingertips will reach the central end of the ZR button 7b on the game controller 1 when operating the ZR button 7b. By providing a sloped portion 74b on this central end, the sloped portion 74b fits the finger, making it easier for the user to operate the ZR button 7b (see Figure 4).

[0067] Furthermore, the inclined side edge of the ZR button 7b on the game controller 1 makes it easy to operate for both people with long and short fingers. Specifically, users with short fingers can operate the ZR button 7b by placing their fingertips on the side edge of the ZR button 7b on the game controller 1. On the other hand, for users with long fingers, when operating the ZR button 7b, the side edge of the ZR button 7b touches the base of the index finger or near the second joint, and the fingertip touches the central edge of the ZR button 7b. By providing an inclined portion 75d on this side edge, the force (force due to reaction) applied to the base of the finger or near the second joint when pressing the central edge of the ZR button 7b with the tip of the index finger can be reduced, making it easier to press the ZR button 7b.

[0068] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2(c), the rear end of the ZR button 7b on the game controller 1 (the end in the positive z-axis direction) is located on the front side of the game controller 1, relative to the outer edge of the central rear part of the housing 10 (the plane parallel to the back). Specifically, as shown in Figure 2(d), the rear end of the ZR button 7b protrudes slightly further back than the outer edge of the back of the housing 10 at the position of the ZR button 7b, but is located on the front side of the outer edge of the central rear part of the housing 10. Therefore, when the game controller 1 is placed on a flat surface, the central rear part of the housing 10 supports the game controller 1.

[0069] Figure 9 shows the game controller 1 as viewed from a direction parallel to the plane when the game controller 1 is placed on a plane. As shown in Figure 9, when the game controller 1 is placed on a plane, the grip portion 8a, the grip portion 8b, and the central part of the back of the housing 10 are in contact with the plane, and the load of the game controller 1 is applied to these three points. Although at least one of the ZL button 7a and ZR button 7b may also be in contact with the plane when the game controller 1 is placed on a plane, the load is mainly applied to the central part of the back of the housing 10, the grip portion 8a, and the grip portion 8b, and the ZL button 7a and ZR button 7b are not pressed even when the game controller 1 is placed on a plane. Furthermore, even if the game controller 1 is subjected to a large load, such as when it is accidentally stepped on while placed on a plane, the load is mainly applied to the central part of the back of the housing 10, the grip portion 8a, and the grip portion 8b, and not to the ZL / ZR button 7. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ZL / ZR buttons 7, which are structurally weaker than the housing 10, from being subjected to excessive load and becoming damaged.

[0070] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7(b), the ZR button 7b curves upward towards the back of the game controller 1. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6(c) and Figure 7(b), the ZR button 7b follows a curve that slopes downward from the front end to the central part of the game controller 1, and then curves upward near the back end. The curvature of the ZR button 7b gradually increases from the front end to the back end, and it slopes downward at the back end (the sloped portion 75d wraps around to the back). More specifically, as shown in Figure 7(b), the curvature r1 on the back side of the upper surface of the ZR button 7b is greater than the curvature r2 on the front side of the game controller 1. In other words, the curvature differs at the front edge (point A) on the top surface of the ZR button 7b, the central part of the ZR button 7b (point B, midway between points A and C in Figure 7(b)), and the front part of the downward-sloping end on the back side of the ZR button 7b (point C). The curvature gradually increases as you move from point A to point B to point C. Furthermore, the change in curvature from point B to point C is greater than the change in curvature from point A to point B.

[0071] As described above, in the game controller 1 of this embodiment, the ZR button 7b curves upward as it moves towards the back, the degree of curvature of the ZR button 7b gradually increases, and the end on the back side slopes downward, making it easy for the user to operate the ZR button 7b. For example, if the degree of curvature of the ZR button 7b changes abruptly, it can get in the way for users with long fingers, making it difficult to operate the button. For example, if a user places their index finger on the back of the game controller 1 instead of on the ZR button 7b when not operating the ZR button 7b, the user needs to move their finger from the back to on the ZR button 7b when operating it, but if the degree of curvature of the ZR button 7b changes abruptly, the finger may hit the top of the curved part. However, in the game controller 1 of this embodiment, the degree of curvature of the ZR button 7b gradually increases, making it less likely for the user's finger to hit the top of the curved part, making it easy to operate the ZR button 7b. Furthermore, the back edge of the ZR button 7b on the game controller 1 is sloped downwards, making it less likely for the user's fingers to come into contact with the curved part.

[0072] Specifically, the ZR button 7b has a slanted portion 71b on its back side, and the upper end of the second housing 10b does not protrude in the direction of the back, making it easy for the user to access the ZR button 7b and R button 6b when their fingers are placed on the back side of the housing 10. As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the tip on the back side of the ZR button 7b has a slanted portion 71b that protrudes slightly in the direction of the back side beyond the outer edge of the second housing 10b at the position of the ZR button 7b, and the upper end of the second housing 10b does not protrude in the direction of the back. Therefore, when the user moves their fingers from the back side of the housing 10 to the position of the ZR button 7b or R button 6b, their fingers are less likely to come into contact with the tip on the back side of the ZR button 7b or the upper end on the back side of the housing 10, allowing for a smooth movement of fingers from the back side to the position of the ZR button 7b or R button 6b.

[0073] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7(b) and 7(c), the lower portion 73b of the ZR button 7b has a bearing portion 76b and is rotatably supported by an axis extending in the left-right direction (x-axis direction) of the game controller 1. The bearing portion 76b is located on the front side (negative z-axis direction) of the game controller 1. The ZR button 7b is configured to be pushed downward (negative y-axis direction) of the game controller 1 by rotating around the axis.

[0074] Figure 10 shows an example of a fixing structure for the ZR button 7b to the button frame 30. Figure 10 is a top view of the ZR button 7b. As shown in Figure 10, the ZR button 7b is rotatably supported by a shaft 35. A bearing portion 34 for receiving the shaft 35 is provided at the right end of the button frame 30. The shaft 35 is inserted from the central side of the game controller 1 toward the side, and not from the side. Because the shaft 35 is configured to be inserted only from the central side of the game controller 1, the ZR button 7b can be extended to the vicinity of the side end of the game controller 1. In addition, the bearing portion 34 has an opening that is slightly larger than the diameter of the shaft 35 and narrows towards the back, and for example, a cushioning material 36 is applied to the back of the inside of the bearing portion 34. This allows the shaft 35 to be firmly fixed to the button frame 30 when it is inserted. Note that the position of the cushioning material 36 is not limited to that shown in the figure; the cushioning material may be provided at any position where the ZR button 7b contacts a part of the button frame 30.

[0075] (Relationship between L / R buttons and ZL / ZR buttons) Next, we will explain the relationship between the L / R buttons and the ZL / ZR buttons. As shown in Figure 6(d), the length of the L button 6a in the left-right direction (x direction) is longer than the length of the ZL button 7a in the left-right direction. Also, the length of the ZL button 7a in the vertical direction (z direction: the front direction in the game controller 1) is longer than the length of the L button 6a in the vertical direction. In other words, the ZL button 7a is formed to be longer in the rear direction of the game controller 1 than the L button 6a.

[0076] Furthermore, the L / R buttons 6 are sloped downwards as they move towards the sides of the game controller 1. This makes it easier for the user to operate the ZL / ZR buttons 7 located on the back, and prevents accidental pressing of the L / R buttons 6 when pressing the ZL / ZR buttons 7. In other words, as shown in Figure 4, when a user presses the ZL / ZR buttons 7 on the back with their index finger, for example, the part of the index finger from the first joint to the second joint may touch the L / R buttons 6. In this case, if the L / R buttons 6 were not sloped downwards as they move from the center of the game controller 1 towards the sides, the finger would be more likely to come into contact with the L / R buttons 6. However, because the L / R buttons 6 are sloped downwards, the finger is less likely to come into contact with the side edges of the L / R buttons 6, thus preventing accidental pressing of the L / R buttons 6 when pressing the ZL / ZR buttons 7.

[0077] Furthermore, the side ends of the L / R buttons 6 are provided with two-stage inclined sections 62(a and b). This makes it less likely for the user's fingers to come into contact with the side ends of the L / R buttons 6 when operating the ZL / ZR buttons 7, thus preventing the user from accidentally pressing the L / R buttons 6. For example, a user with long fingers might place their fingers on the central end of the ZL / ZR buttons 7 to operate them. In this case, the base of the finger might come into contact with the side end of the L / R buttons 6. In this embodiment, since the side ends of the L / R buttons 6 are inclined downwards, the base of the finger is less likely to come into contact with the side ends of the L / R buttons 6, thus preventing the user from accidentally pressing the L / R buttons 6 when operating the ZL / ZR buttons 7.

[0078] Furthermore, the width (width in the z direction) of the L / R buttons 6 narrows towards the sides of the game controller 1. This prevents the user from accidentally pressing the L / R buttons 6 when pressing the ZL / ZR buttons 7. For example, if the width of the L / R buttons 6 is wide at the side edges, when a user moves their finger from the position of the L / R buttons 6 to the position of the ZL / ZR buttons 7 to operate the ZL / ZR buttons 7, their finger may touch the side edge of the L / R buttons 6, causing them to accidentally press the L / R buttons 6. However, because the width of the L / R buttons 6 narrows towards the sides, it is possible to prevent the user from accidentally pressing the L / R buttons 6.

[0079] Furthermore, the L / R buttons 6 have inclined portions 63(a and b) at their front ends. This makes it easier for the user to access the L / R buttons 6 when their fingers are on the front side of the housing 10, and also makes it easier to access the ZL / ZR buttons 7. In other words, because the front ends of the L / R buttons 6 are inclined, it is possible to prevent the user's fingers from touching the L / R buttons 6 when moving their fingers from the front side of the housing 10 to the ZL / ZR buttons 7. Also, as mentioned above, because the front ends of the L / R buttons 6 are inclined, it is easier for users who hold the game controller 1 by covering the front with their hand rather than gripping the grip portion 8 of the game controller 1 to operate the ZL / ZR buttons 7, and it is possible to prevent accidentally pressing the L / R buttons 6 when operating the ZL / ZR buttons 7.

[0080] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(d), the ZR button 7b is located on the side of the game controller 1 than the R button 6b. Specifically, the left end of the ZR button 7b (the central end in the left-right direction of the game controller 1) is located on the side of the game controller 1 (towards the positive x-axis) than the left end of the R button 6b (the central end in the left-right direction of the game controller 1). On the other hand, the right end of the ZR button 7b (the side end in the left-right direction of the game controller 1) is approximately the same as the right end of the R button 6b (the side end in the left-right direction of the game controller 1). Therefore, in terms of the center position of each button, the ZR button 7b is located on the side of the game controller 1 than the R button 6b. The same positional relationship applies to the button detection units located below the ZR button 7b and the R button 6b.

[0081] Figure 11 is a top view of the button frame 30 with the keycaps of the R button 6b and ZR button 7b removed.

[0082] As shown in Figure 11, an R button detection unit 69b is located below the keycap of the R button 6b to detect operation on the R button 6b. Similarly, an L button detection unit 69a is located below the keycap of the L button 6a to detect operation on the L button 6a. Furthermore, a ZR button detection unit 79b is located below the keycap of the ZR button 7b to detect operation on the ZR button 7b. Similarly, a ZL button detection unit 79a is located below the keycap of the ZL button 7a to detect operation on the ZL button 7a.

[0083] Specifically, the R button detection unit 69b is positioned approximately in the center of the R button 6b's keycap in both the left-right (x-axis direction) and front-back (z-axis direction) directions. The ZR button detection unit 79b is positioned approximately in the center of the ZR button 7b's keycap in the front-back (z-axis direction) direction, and slightly towards the center of the game controller 1 compared to the left-right center of the ZR button 7b's keycap.

[0084] Comparing the R button detection unit 69b and the ZR button detection unit 79b, the ZR button detection unit 79b is located on the side of the game controller 1 than the R button detection unit 69b. Similarly, comparing the L button detection unit 69a and the ZL button detection unit 79a, the ZL button detection unit 79a is located on the side of the game controller 1 than the L button detection unit 69a. In other words, the ZL button detection unit 79a and the ZR button detection unit 79b are located on the outside of the game controller 1, while the L button detection unit 69a and the R button detection unit 69b are located on the inside of the game controller 1.

[0085] The reason why the ZL button 7a and ZR button 7b (ZL button detection unit 79a and ZR button detection unit 79b) on the back are positioned further outward is to match the trajectory of the user's finger when they operate the ZR button 7b and R button 6a with, for example, their index finger.

[0086] Figure 12 shows the movement of the index finger when a user operates the ZR button 7b and the R button 6b. As shown in Figure 12, when the index finger moves from the position of the R button 6b to the position of the ZR button 7b, the user's finger moves in an arc around the base of the finger. For example, when a user grasps the grip portion 8b with their right hand, the base of the index finger is typically located on the extension of the R button 6b on the right side of the game controller 1 (see Figure 4). When a user operates the ZR button 7b while their index finger is on the R button 6b, they move their finger towards the back while keeping the base of the index finger almost fixed. Therefore, the user's index finger moves in an arc around the base, and the more the finger is moved towards the back of the game controller 1, the more the tip of the finger moves towards the side of the game controller 1. For this reason, the tip of the index finger is located further to the side (outside) of the game controller 1 after moving to the position of the ZR button 7b than when the finger is at the position of the R button 6a.

[0087] Taking into consideration the user's finger movements, the game controller 1 of this embodiment positions the ZR button 7b further out than the R button 6b. Similarly, the ZR button detection unit 79b is also positioned further out than the R button detection unit 69b. This button arrangement makes it easier for the user to operate the ZR button 7b and the R button 6a. Furthermore, by positioning the detection units for each button similarly, the detection unit for each button can be positioned approximately directly beneath the user's finger when pressing each button, ensuring reliable detection of the user's operation.

[0088] Returning to Figure 6, a partition wall 31b (a predetermined surface) is provided between the R button 6b and the ZR button 7b. The partition wall 31b is part of the button frame 30. Here, we will explain the height of the partition wall 31b and the heights of the R button 6b and ZR button 7b. The "height" of the R button 6b, ZR button 7b, and partition wall 31b referred to here indicates the distance from a surface parallel to the z-axis (the axis parallel to the pressing direction of buttons such as the A button 2a on the front of the game controller 1) and the x-axis (the axis parallel to the left-right direction when viewing the game controller 1 from the front), with the game controller 1 as the reference. In other words, the "height" of the R button 6b, ZR button 7b, and partition wall 31b is the height with respect to the z-axis and x-axis, and indicates the distance in the y-axis direction.

[0089] Figure 13 is a magnified view of part of Figure 6(c). As shown in Figure 13, the partition wall 31b is lower in height than the R button 6b. Even when the R button 6b is pressed, the height of the partition wall 31b is lower than the height of the R button 6b. That is, whether the R button 6b is pressed or not, if a straight line is extended in the z-axis direction from any point on the upper surface of the R button 6b, the line will not hit the partition wall 31b. Also, when the ZR button 7b is not pressed, the height of the rear end 311b of the partition wall 31b on the game controller 1 is slightly lower than the height of the front end 77b of the ZR button 7b on the game controller 1. That is, when the ZR button 7b is not pressed, if a straight line is extended in the negative z-axis direction from the end 77b of the ZR button 7b, the line will not hit the rear end 311b of the partition wall 31b. Even when the ZR button 7b is pressed, the height of the rear end 311 of the partition wall 31b is slightly lower than or approximately the same as the front end 77b of the ZR button 7b on the game controller 1. In other words, when the ZR button 7b is pressed, if a straight line is drawn from the end 77b of the ZR button 7b in the negative z-axis direction, the straight line will either not hit the rear end 311b of the partition wall 31b or will pass through the end 311b of the partition wall 31b.

[0090] By providing a partition wall 31b between the R button 6b and the ZR button 7b, the user can use the partition wall 31b as a place to rest their fingers when not operating the R button 6b or ZR button 7b, thus preventing accidental operation of the R button 6b or ZR button 7b. Furthermore, whether the ZR button 7b is pressed or not, the height of the front end 77b of the ZR button 7b on the game controller 1 is higher than (or substantially the same as) the height of the rear end 311b of the partition wall 31b, making it difficult for fingers to get caught between the ZR button 7b and the partition wall 31b. Since the ZR button 7b rotates around the axis 35 (see Figure 10) located on the partition wall 31b side in Figure 13 as a pivot point, a gap is created between the ZR button 7b and the partition wall 31b when the ZR button 7b is pressed. However, even when the ZR button 7b is pressed, if the partition wall 31b is lower than (or substantially the same height as) the ZR button 7b at the boundary between the ZR button 7b and the partition wall 31b, it is difficult for a finger to get into the gap between the ZR button 7b and the partition wall 31b, and thus difficult for a finger to get caught.

[0091] Furthermore, comparing the heights of the front-facing R button 6b and the rear-facing ZR button 7b, the rear end 68b of the R button 6b on the game controller 1 is higher than the front end 77b of the ZR button 7b on the game controller 1. Specifically, as shown in Figure 13, the R button 6b is generally higher than the ZR button 7b from the front end 67b to the rear end 68b on the game controller 1. In other words, if a straight line is drawn in the z-axis direction from any point on the top surface of the R button 6b, that line will not touch the ZR button 7b. Therefore, the user can distinguish between the R button 6b and the ZR button 7b simply by touching them with their finger.

[0092] Furthermore, since the R button 6b slopes downwards towards the side, its height at the side end (the front end of the page in Figure 13) is approximately the same as that of the ZR button 7b. That is, as shown in Figure 2(f), when the game controller 1 is viewed from the back, the heights of the side ends of the L / R buttons 6 and the ZL / ZR buttons 7 are approximately the same. Therefore, when a user moves their fingers in the forward and backward directions of the game controller 1, their fingers are less likely to touch the side ends of the L / R buttons 6 and the ZL / ZR buttons 7, preventing accidental pressing of the ZL / ZR buttons 7 when pressing the L / R buttons 6, or conversely, accidental pressing of the L / R buttons 6 when pressing the ZL / ZR buttons 7.

[0093] As described above, in this embodiment, the ZL / ZR buttons 7 are provided on the back side of the game controller 1 where the L / R buttons 6 are located. The ZL / ZR buttons 7 have protrusions 71 that extend in the back and side directions, making it easy for the user to operate the ZL / ZR buttons 7 located on the back side. Furthermore, because the L / R buttons 6 and ZL / ZR buttons 7 have the above-mentioned features (inclined portion at the ends in the left-right direction (x-axis direction), inclined portion at the ends in the front-back direction (z-axis direction), position in the left-right direction, height in the y-axis direction, etc.), it is difficult for the user to confuse the L / R buttons 6 and ZL / ZR buttons 7, and they are easy to operate.

[0094] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the L / R buttons 6, the ZL / ZR buttons 7, the shafts supporting these buttons, and the detection unit for detecting the pressing of these buttons are integrally formed as a button frame 30. Therefore, compared to the case where each button is fixed to the housing 10, manufacturing errors for each button can be reduced, and rattling when operating each button can be prevented.

[0095] [Explanation of the grip section] Next, the grip portion 8 of the game controller 1 will be described. Figure 14 is an external view of the game controller 1 with the grip portion 8 removed. Figure 14(a) is a front view of the game controller 1 with the grip portion 8 removed. Figure 14(b) is a left side view of the game controller 1 with the grip portion 8 removed. Figure 14(c) is a rear view of the game controller 1 with the grip portion 8 removed. Figure 15 shows the process of removing the right grip portion 8b of the game controller 1. Note that the x, y, and z axes in Figure 14 correspond to the x, y, and z axes in Figure 2, respectively.

[0096] As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the grip portions 8a and 8b of the game controller 1 are configured to be detachable from the housing 10 (main housing). As described above, the housing 10 is formed by connecting the first housing 10a on the front side of the game controller 1 and the second housing 10b on the rear side (Figure 5).

[0097] As shown in Figure 14, the housing 10 formed by connecting the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b has a controller body portion equipped with various operation buttons and analog sticks for game operation, a first grip portion (first protrusion) 18a, and a second grip portion (second protrusion) 18b. The first grip portion 18a protrudes downward (negative y-axis direction) from the left side of the center of the controller body portion and is curved in the rear direction (positive z-axis direction) as shown in Figure 14(b). The second grip portion 18b protrudes downward (negative y-axis direction) from the right side of the center of the controller body portion and is curved in the rear direction (positive z-axis direction). The first grip portion (first protrusion) 18a is the part that is grasped by the user's left hand (via the grip portion 8a) when the grip portion 8a is connected. Here, although the first gripping part (first protrusion) 18a is not a part that is directly gripped by the user, it is a part that is gripped indirectly, so it will be referred to as the "first gripping part." The same applies to the second gripping part (second protrusion) 18b.

[0098] A guide 181a is provided on the front side of the first gripping portion 18a. The guide 181a is an elongated concave groove and is used to guide the grip portion 8a to a predetermined position during the process of fitting the grip portion 8a into the first gripping portion 18a. The guide 181a extends from the tip (bottom of Figure 14) to the base (top) of the first gripping portion 18a, and is wider at the tip than at the base.

[0099] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 14(c), a guide 182a is provided on the back side of the first gripping portion 18a. The guide 182a is an elongated concave groove and is used to guide the grip portion 8a to a predetermined position during the process of fitting the grip portion 8a into the first gripping portion 18a. The guide 182a extends from the tip (bottom) to the base (top) of the first gripping portion 18a, and is wider at the tip than at the base.

[0100] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 14(b), a screw hole 183a for inserting a screw is provided at the tip of the first gripping portion 18a. The grip portion 8a is fixed to the first gripping portion 18a by fitting it onto the first gripping portion 18a and fastening it with a screw. Note that the screw hole does not necessarily have to be provided at the tip of the first gripping portion 18a; the screw hole may be provided at the tip (including the tip and its vicinity).

[0101] The same applies to the second gripping portion 18b. That is, guides 181b and 182b are also provided on the front and back sides of the second gripping portion 18b. In addition, a screw hole 183b for inserting a screw is provided at the tip of the second gripping portion 18b.

[0102] Next, the grip portion 8 will be described in detail. Figure 16 is an external view of the grip portion 8a that is fitted into the first gripping portion 18a of the housing 10. Figure 16(a) is a front view of the grip portion 8a, and is a view of the grip portion 8a from the same direction as Figure 2(a). Also, Figure 16(b) is a left side view of the grip portion 8a, Figure 16(c) is a right side view of the grip portion 8a, Figure 16(d) is a top view of the grip portion 8a, Figure 16(e) is a bottom view of the grip portion 8a, and Figure 16(f) is a rear view of the grip portion 8a. Figure 17A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of Figure 16. Figure 17B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of Figure 16.

[0103] Note that the structure for fixing the vibration motor 50, which will be described later, is omitted in Figures 16, 17A, and 17B. The structure for fixing the vibration motor 50 will be described in detail later.

[0104] Furthermore, the left grip section 8a and the right grip section 8b are symmetrical. In the following, only the left grip section 8a will be described, but the same applies to the right grip section 8b. In the following, grip sections 8a and 8b may be collectively referred to as "grip section 8," and the first gripping section 18a and the second gripping section 18b may be collectively referred to as "gripping section 18."

[0105] As shown in Figure 16, the grip portion 8a is a hollow member that protrudes in a predetermined direction (downward), and when cut with a plane perpendicular to that predetermined direction, the outer circumference of its cross-section is approximately elliptical. Specifically, the outer circumference of the cross-section is a distorted ellipse, and is approximately egg-shaped with a blunt end and a pointed end (Figure 17B). Note that the shape of the cross-section is not limited to approximately ellipse, but may be any shape such as a polygon with rounded corners (e.g., triangle, quadrilateral, pentagon, etc.).

[0106] The upper end of the grip portion 8a is open, and the lower end is closed (except for the screw hole). Also, the left side of the grip portion 8a is longer vertically than the right side, and the left side of the grip portion 8a has a larger surface area than the right side. When a user holds the grip portion 8a with their left hand, the center of their palm rests on the left side of the grip portion 8a, the base of their thumb rests on the front side of the grip portion 8a, and their middle, ring, and little fingers rest on the grip portion 8a, wrapping around from the back to the right side. In other words, the left side of the grip portion 8a, which has a larger surface area, rests on the center of the user's palm, while the right side of the grip portion 8a, which has a smaller surface area, rests on the middle, ring, and little fingers.

[0107] Unlike the housing 10, where two housing components (10a and 10b) are connected by screws or the like, the grip portion 8a is molded as a single unit. The surface of the grip portion 8a is smooth, without any steps or gaps like those at the boundary where two components are connected, as is the case with the housing 10. Depending on the molding method of the grip portion 8a, the boundaries between multiple components may be visually recognizable, but there are no steps or gaps like those that occur at the boundaries between components when multiple separate components are assembled and connected by screws or the like, and the surface is almost smooth.

[0108] As shown in Figures 16, 17A, and 17B, a guide 81a is provided on the front side of the grip portion 8a of the game controller 1, and a guide 82a is provided on the back side. Guides 81a and 82a are located opposite each other. That is, guides 81a and 82a are located on a straight line that divides the grip portion 8a into approximately two equal parts.

[0109] Guides 81a and 82a are elongated convex portions. Specifically, guide 82a is formed to extend from the opening (base) of the grip portion 8a to the lower end (tip) of the grip portion 8a. Guide 81a is also formed to extend from the opening (base) of the grip portion 8a to just before the lower end (tip) of the grip portion 8a. Guides 81a and 82a are narrow at the opening (base) and become wider towards the tip.

[0110] By aligning the convex guide 81a of the grip portion 8a with the concave guide 181a of the first grip portion 18a, and aligning the convex guide 82a of the grip portion 8a with the concave guide 182a of the first grip portion 18a, the grip portion 8a can be fitted into the first grip portion 18a of the housing 10 by sliding the grip portion 8a (upward as shown in Figure 15).

[0111] As described above, the width of the guides 81a and 82a of the grip portion 8a is formed to widen towards the tip, and the width of the guides 181a and 182a of the first grip portion 18a is formed to widen towards the tip. Therefore, when fitting the grip portion 8a into the first grip portion 18a, the narrower parts (convex) of the guides 81a and 82a of the grip portion 8a are initially aligned with the wider parts (concave grooves) of the guides 181a and 182a of the first grip portion 18a, making it easy to fit the grip portion 8a into the first grip portion 18a. In addition, since the guides 81a and 82a extend to near the tip of the grip portion 8a, it is easy to insert and remove the grip portion 8a.

[0112] Furthermore, a screw hole 83a is provided at the tip of the grip portion 8a. The screw 183a is inserted into this screw hole 83a and screwed in, thereby connecting the first grip portion 18a and the grip portion 8a. Since the grip portion 8a is screwed to the first grip portion 18a at the tip of the grip portion 8a, the screw hole is unlikely to be touched by the user during gameplay. In other words, when a user holds the grip portion 8 as shown in Figure 4, the tip of the grip portion 8 is unlikely to be touched by the hand, eliminating any discomfort when holding the grip portion 8. Note that the screw hole 83a may be a hole with screw threads or a hole without screw threads.

[0113] As is clear from Figure 15, the grip portion 8 completely covers the outer circumference of the gripping portion 18 of the housing 10. The grip portion 8 covers the entire outer circumference of the cross-section of the gripping portion 18 when the gripping portion 18 is cut by a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. In other words, the entire gripping portion 18, including the boundary portion between the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b, is covered by the grip portion 8. Therefore, when a user grips the grip portion 8, it is possible to prevent any discomfort. That is, if the housing 10 is formed by connecting the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b, a step will be created at the boundary portion between the two members, which may cause discomfort when a user grips the gripping portion 18 and may interfere with game operation. In this embodiment, by covering the boundary portion between the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b with the grip portion 8, the game controller 1 can be more easily gripped by the user and the feel when gripping the gripping portion can be improved.

[0114] Furthermore, when the housing 10 and the grip portion 8a are connected, the boundary between them (see Figure 15) is smoothly connected. Specifically, the height of the surface on the grip portion 8a side at the boundary between the housing 10 and the grip portion 8a is substantially the same as the height of the surface on the controller body side of the housing 10 at the same boundary. In other words, there is no step at the boundary between the grip portion and the controller body. Because the surface heights at the boundary between the controller body and the grip portion 8 are the same, the feel when the user grips the game controller 1 can be improved.

[0115] The configurations of the grip portion 8 and the holding portion 18 described above are merely examples, and other configurations may also be used.

[0116] For example, in the above example, convex guides 81 and 82 are provided on the grip portion 8 side and concave guides 181 and 182 are provided on the grip portion 18 side, but concave guides may be provided on the grip portion 8 side and convex guides on the grip portion 18 side. Also, the above guides 81a, 82a, 181a and 182a do not necessarily have to be provided.

[0117] Furthermore, although screws were used to connect the grip portion 8 and the housing 10 in the above description, the fixing structure for securing the grip portion 8 to the housing 10 is not limited to this. For example, either the grip portion 8 or the housing 10 may be provided with a locking portion (hook) and the other with a locking portion, and the grip portion 8 may be fixed to the housing 10 by the locking portion and the locking portion coming together. For example, instead of fixing the grip portion 8 to the gripping portion 18 with screws, a locking portion (hook) may be provided at the tip of a guide used when fitting the grip portion 8 into the gripping portion 18, and the grip portion 8 may be guided by the guide, and when the grip portion 8 is fitted all the way in, the locking portion (hook) may catch on the locking portion of the gripping portion 18. Alternatively, for example, a rubber material (or other cushioning material, elastic material, etc.) may be provided on the inside of the grip portion 8 or on the outside of the gripping portion 18, and the grip portion 8 may be fixed to the gripping portion 18 by press-fitting the grip portion 8 into the gripping portion 18. Alternatively, for example, screw grooves may be provided in the grip portion 8 and the gripping portion 18, and the grip portion 8 may be fixed to the gripping portion 18 by screwing the grip portion 8 into the gripping portion 18.

[0118] Furthermore, the color and material of the grip portion 8 may be the same as or different from that of the housing 10. For example, the grip portion 8 and the housing 10 may be made of the same material and have the same color, or they may be made of the same material but have different colors, or they may be made of different materials but have the same color. For example, the grip portion 8 may be made of a softer material than the housing 10, or it may be made of a harder material.

[0119] Furthermore, although the grip portion 8 is described above as covering the entire gripping portion 18, it is not necessary for a part of the gripping portion 18 to be covered by the grip portion 8. For example, the grip portion 8 may cover at least a part of the boundary between the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b of the gripping portion 18. Also, the grip portion 8 does not cover the entire circumference of the gripping portion 18, but may cover the boundary between the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b and at least a part of the outer circumference of the gripping portion 18.

[0120] Furthermore, although the above describes fitting the left and right grip portions 8 into the housing 10 (main housing) of the game controller 1, for example, the grip portions described above may be connected to the grip portion of a portable game device in which a processing unit (CPU, etc.) and a display device are integrated. The portable game device may have a main housing with a grip portion formed by connecting a first housing and a second housing, and may also have a grip portion that covers the grip portion. The grip portion is configured to at least cover the boundary portion between the first housing and the second housing in the grip portion.

[0121] Furthermore, the grip portion described above may be used not only for the two-handed game controller 1, but also for a one-handed controller. For example, a one-handed controller may have a main housing with a gripping portion formed by connecting a first housing and a second housing, and may be provided with a grip portion that covers the gripping portion. The grip portion is configured to at least cover the boundary portion between the first housing and the second housing in the gripping portion of the one-handed controller.

[0122] [Explanation of NFC and internal circuit board] Next, the circuit board inside the game controller 1 will be described. As shown in Figure 5, the housing 10 contains a first circuit board 20 and a second circuit board 40. The first circuit board 20 is located on the front side of the game controller 1, and the second circuit board 40 is located on the rear side of the game controller 1. In other words, the game controller 1 has a two-layer structure consisting of the first circuit board 20 and the second circuit board 40.

[0123] Specifically, when the game controller 1 is viewed from the front, the first circuit board 20 and the second circuit board 40, which are located inside the housing 10, overlap. That is, when the first circuit board 20 and the second circuit board 40 are projected (parallel projection) onto a plane parallel to the front of the game controller 1, the projected first circuit board 20 overlaps with at least a portion of the projected second circuit board 40. The first circuit board 20 and the second circuit board 40 will be described below.

[0124] Figure 18A is a front view of the first substrate 20. Figure 18B is a rear view of the first substrate 20.

[0125] As shown in Figure 18A, the right-hand region of the front of the first circuit board 20 is equipped with switches (contacts) 22a corresponding to button A 2a, 22b corresponding to button B 2b, 22x corresponding to button X 2x, and 22y corresponding to button Y 2y. When the first circuit board 20 is housed in the housing 10, switches 22a, 22b, 22x, and 22y are located directly below buttons A 2a, B 2b, X 2x, and Y 2y, respectively. For example, when button A 2a is pressed while the first circuit board 20 is housed in the housing 10, switch 22a is also pressed, and the press of button A 2a is detected. The same applies to buttons B 2b, X 2x, and Y 2y.

[0126] Furthermore, the central area on the front of the first circuit board 20 is provided with switches 23a corresponding to the minus button 3a, 23b corresponding to the plus button 3b, 23c corresponding to the capture button 3c, and 23d corresponding to the home button 3d. LEDs 95 are positioned above and below the switch 23d corresponding to the home button 3d. The detailed structure of the home button 3d will be described later.

[0127] When the first circuit board 20 is housed in the housing 10, switches 23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d are located directly below the minus button 3a, plus button 3b, capture button 3c, and home button 3d, respectively. For example, when the minus button 3a is pressed while the first circuit board 20 is housed in the housing 10, switch 23a is also pressed, and the press of the minus button 3a is detected. The same applies to the plus button 3b, capture button 3c, and home button 3d.

[0128] Furthermore, switches 25 (25a to 25d) corresponding to the directional pad 5 are located in the lower left area of ​​the front of the first circuit board 20. Specifically, the up direction of the directional pad 5 corresponds to switch 25a, the right direction of the directional pad 5 corresponds to switch 25b, the down direction of the directional pad 5 corresponds to switch 25c, and the left direction of the directional pad 5 corresponds to switch 25d. For example, when the up direction of the directional pad 5 is pressed, switch 25a is also pressed, and the upward press of the directional pad 5 is detected. The same applies to the other directions of the directional pad 5.

[0129] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 18B, an NFC antenna 26 is positioned in the central region of the back surface of the first circuit board 20 (the back surface of the game controller 1). The NFC antenna 26 is an antenna used for contactless communication. A spiral antenna or a loop antenna can be used as the NFC antenna 26.

[0130] Here, "contactless communication" as used herein refers to a communication technology that performs communication at very short distances (e.g., a few centimeters to tens of centimeters; typically less than 10 centimeters). In other words, "contactless communication" as used herein does not refer to communication technologies that can communicate even at distances of several meters to tens of meters, such as Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi, but rather to a communication technology in which communication is performed by holding an external storage device (IC tag) over it. For example, contactless communication may be NFC (Near Field Communication) or RFID at the above-mentioned very short distances. In this embodiment, contactless communication is assumed to be NFC. However, it is not limited to the NFC standard; other communication standards that perform contactless communication at the above-mentioned very short distances may also be used.

[0131] When an external storage device is within a predetermined communication range, the game controller 1 can read data from or write data to the external storage device. The predetermined communication range is typically the area enclosed by the NFC antenna 26, and the distance from the NFC antenna 26 in the z-axis direction (both positive and negative directions) as shown in Figure 18B is within the aforementioned very short distance. Communication is possible even if the external storage device does not have a battery. When the external storage device is placed within the predetermined communication range, an electromotive force is generated in the external storage device by electromagnetic waves emitted from the NFC antenna 26, and the game controller 1 can communicate with the external storage device. The external storage device may have a power source and may operate even without an electromotive force from the game controller 1. The external storage device may take any form, such as a card, a figurine in the shape of a predetermined character, or an electronic device such as a mobile phone or smartphone.

[0132] Figure 19 is a front view of the first substrate 20, showing the NFC antenna 26 located on the back of the first substrate 20 projected onto the front. In Figure 19, the NFC antenna 26 located on the back is shown by a dashed line.

[0133] As shown in Figure 19, the switch 23c corresponding to the capture button 3c and the switch 23d corresponding to the home button 3d are located within the area enclosed by the NFC antenna 26. In other words, the switch 23c corresponding to the capture button 3c and the switch 23d corresponding to the home button 3d are located within the front area corresponding to the rear area enclosed by the NFC antenna 26. To put it another way, when the game controller 1 is viewed from the front, the NFC antenna 26 (the area occupied by the NFC antenna 26) overlaps with the capture button 3c and the home button 3d. Specifically, the switch 23c corresponding to the capture button 3c and the switch 23d corresponding to the home button 3d are provided in a second area surrounding a first area near the center of the area enclosed by the NFC antenna 26.

[0134] Additionally, a switch 23b corresponding to the plus button 3b is located on the NFC antenna 26. Other switches are located outside the area enclosed by the NFC antenna 26.

[0135] The game controller 1 can communicate with an external storage device (IC tag) when it is placed within the area enclosed by the NFC antenna 26, but cannot communicate with the external storage device if it is placed outside the area enclosed by the NFC antenna 26. The "area enclosed by the antenna" includes the area on the antenna's line and the area inside the antenna. Therefore, if an external storage device is placed (held over) the capture button 3c and home button 3d located in the center of the game controller 1, the game controller 1 can read data stored in the external storage device or write data to the external storage device. On the other hand, for example, if an external storage device is placed on the A button 2a, B button 2b, or directional pad 5, the game controller 1 cannot communicate with the external storage device.

[0136] Figure 20 shows the position of the NFC antenna 26 in the game controller 1. The center shown in Figure 20 indicates the center of the area enclosed by the NFC antenna 26 shown in Figure 19. As shown in Figure 20, the NFC antenna 26 is positioned in the center in the left-right direction of the game controller 1.

[0137] As shown in Figure 20, the capture button 3c and home button 3d are located in the central area of ​​the front of the game controller 1, and a predetermined area including the positions of these buttons 3c and 3d is the area enclosed by the NFC antenna 26. Therefore, the external storage device is placed in the area indicated by the dashed line in the figure. This area is approximately flat and has a shape that makes it easy to place the external storage device. Note that the game controller 1 may be able to communicate with the external storage device even outside the area indicated by the dashed line in Figure 20. For example, as shown in Figure 19, the vicinity of the plus button 3b (switch 23b) is included in the area enclosed by the NFC antenna 26, so even if the external storage device is placed near the plus button 3b, the game controller 1 may be able to communicate with the external storage device. However, the area indicated by the dashed line including the center of Figure 20 is the area where communication with the external storage device is easiest.

[0138] Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in Figure 20. Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view taken along line YY in Figure 20.

[0139] As shown in Figure 21, the first circuit board 20 is positioned on the front side of the game controller 1. That is, the first circuit board 20 is located on the front side of the game controller 1 in the front-to-back direction within the housing 10. Therefore, the NFC antenna 26 is positioned closer to the front of the game controller 1. As a result, the game controller 1 can easily communicate with an external storage device when the external storage device is placed on the front side.

[0140] Furthermore, a second circuit board 40 is located on the back side of the game controller 1. A battery 11 is located on the back side of the second circuit board 40. In addition, a light guide material 12 is provided on the underside of the housing 10 to guide the light from the LEDs on the second circuit board 40. The light from the LEDs is guided to the outside by this light guide material, causing the LEDs 9 to light up.

[0141] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 22, the top surfaces of the keycaps of the capture button 3c and home button 3d are substantially the same height as the surface of the first housing 10a. Because the top surfaces of the keycaps of the capture button 3c and home button 3d are substantially the same height as the surface of the first housing 10a, the capture button 3c and home button 3d will not be pressed even if an external storage device is placed on them.

[0142] Here, "the top surface of the keycap is substantially the same height as the surface of the housing" means a height such that the button is not pressed (a height such that the press is not detected) even when an external storage device is placed on the keycap. In other words, the top surfaces of the keycaps of the capture button 3c and home button 3d may be slightly higher than the surface of the first housing 10a to the extent that the capture button 3c and home button 3d are not pressed (a press is not detected) when an external storage device is placed on the capture button 3c and home button 3d.

[0143] Furthermore, the top surfaces of the keycaps for the capture button 3c and the home button 3d may be lower than the surface of the first housing 10a.

[0144] On the other hand, the keycaps of the Y button 2y and A button 2a (and similarly the B button 2b and X button 2x) protrude above the surface of the first housing 10a. If an external storage device is placed on top of the Y button 2y, the Y button 2y will be pressed by the external storage device.

[0145] Furthermore, as is clear from Figures 22 and 2, the capture button 3c and home button 3d are smaller than the Y button 2y and A button 2a, etc.

[0146] Furthermore, the top surfaces of the plus button 3b and minus button 3a may be configured to be substantially the same height as the surface of the first housing 10a, similar to the capture button 3c and home button 3d. Alternatively, the top surfaces of the plus button 3b and minus button 3a may be lower than the surface of the first housing 10a. By preventing the top surfaces of the plus button 3b and minus button 3a from protruding from the surface of the first housing 10a in this way, it is possible to prevent accidental pressing of these buttons when an external storage device is placed in the area surrounded by the NFC antenna 26.

[0147] Furthermore, the top surfaces of the keycaps for the plus button 3b and minus button 3a may be slightly higher than those of the capture button 3c and home button 3d. By making the top surfaces of the plus button 3b and minus button 3a slightly higher than those of the capture button 3c and home button 3d, users can distinguish between these buttons simply by touching them without looking, thus preventing accidental operation. Additionally, by making the capture button 3c and home button 3d lower than the plus button 3b and minus button 3a, accidental operation of the capture button 3c and home button 3d, which are closer to the center of the reading area of ​​the external storage device, can be further prevented. In other words, by ensuring that the capture button 3c, home button 3d, plus button 3b, and minus button 3a do not protrude from the surface of the first housing 10a, accidental operation of these buttons can be prevented when an external storage device is placed in the reading area. Furthermore, by making the capture button 3c and home button 3d lower than the plus button 3b and minus button 3a, these buttons can be easily distinguished, and accidental operation of the capture button 3c and home button 3d can be further prevented.

[0148] Thus, the capture button 3c, home button 3d, plus button 3b, and minus button 3a may be configured so as not to protrude from the surface of the first housing 10a. Furthermore, when these buttons are pressed, the top surface of their keycaps may be lower than the surface of the first housing 10a, or the buttons may be concealed when viewed from directly beside (horizontally) the surface of the first housing 10a when they are not pressed. Additionally, these buttons may be configured so that a button press is not detected when the top surface of the button and the surface of the housing are at the same height (for example, when the top surface of the button slightly protrudes from the housing surface and is slightly pressed down to the same height as the housing surface).

[0149] Figure 23 is a front view of the second circuit board 40. As shown in Figure 23, the front surface of the second circuit board 40 (the front side in the game controller 1) has a left analog stick 4a on the left and a right analog stick 4b on the right. Four LEDs are also located near the lower center of the second circuit board 40 in the left-right direction. A connector 41 is located below the left analog stick 4a. The first circuit board 20 and the second circuit board 40 are connected via the connector 41.

[0150] Figure 24 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the first board 20 and the second board 40. As shown in Figure 24, the second board 40 is equipped with analog sticks 4a and 4b, as well as various control circuits for controlling the game controller 1. For example, the second board 40 includes an operation control circuit 42 for generating and packetizing operation data indicating whether each button (2a, 2b, 2x, 2b, 3a~d, 5, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b) has been pressed, a communication module (communication circuit and antenna) 43 for transmitting the operation data to the game device 100, an NFC circuit 44 for controlling NFC communication, and a power control circuit 45 for controlling the power supply.

[0151] Each switch on the first circuit board 20 is connected to the operation control circuit 42. When a switch on the first circuit board 20 is pressed, a signal corresponding to that press is sent to the second circuit board 40. The operation control circuit 42 on the second circuit board 40 then generates and packets operation data, and this operation data is output to the game device 100 via the communication module. The NFC circuit 44 controls the transmission of radio waves using the NFC antenna 26, the reading of data from the external storage device, and the writing of data to the external storage device.

[0152] In this way, by comprising a first circuit board 20 and a second circuit board 40, the game controller 1 can incorporate more functions into the controller without increasing its size. Specifically, the first circuit board 20 and the second circuit board 40 overlap when viewed from the front (or back) of the game controller 1. Because the circuit board has a two-layer structure in this way, the area of ​​the circuit board does not need to be increased, and the game controller 1 can be made smaller. Furthermore, by placing the NFC antenna 26 on the front-facing first circuit board 20 of the two circuit boards 20 and 40, the distance between the front surface of the housing 10 and the NFC antenna 26 can be shortened. This allows the controller to be brought closer to the external storage device, making communication with the external storage device easier.

[0153] Furthermore, by placing a switch on the front of the first circuit board 20 and an NFC antenna 26 on the back side of the first circuit board 20 at the location where the switch is placed, buttons can be placed in the area for placing (holding) the external storage device. This allows the game controller 1 to have NFC communication functionality and to have various buttons. Normally, to prevent accidental operation when reading the external storage device, a reading area (antenna) for reading the external storage device is placed in a location where there are no buttons, but in this case the game controller becomes large. In this embodiment, by lowering the top surface of the buttons, accidental operation of the buttons can be prevented, and the reading area (antenna) can be placed in the position of the buttons, thereby saving space. In other words, by lowering the top surface of the buttons, the problem of accidental operation of buttons when the buttons and the reading area of ​​the external storage device are placed on top of each other can be resolved, and the game controller can be made smaller. Also, the smaller the area of ​​the NFC antenna, the narrower the communication range, so a certain amount of area is required. If the NFC antenna 26 is placed on a single circuit board, it becomes difficult to place other circuits in the area surrounded by the NFC antenna 26. Therefore, if various buttons are to be placed on a single circuit board while also arranging the NFC antenna 26, the circuit board becomes large. Conversely, if various buttons are to be placed without increasing the size of the circuit board, the area for the NFC antenna 26 becomes small. In this embodiment, the circuit board has a two-layer structure, with the NFC antenna 26 placed on the first circuit board 20 and the control circuit on the second circuit board 40. This allows the NFC antenna 26 to be separated from other circuits, increasing design flexibility. Furthermore, by providing the operation button switches on the front of the first circuit board 20 and the NFC antenna 26 on the back, the NFC antenna 26 can be positioned regardless of the position of the operation buttons.

[0154] In this embodiment, the analog sticks 4a and 4b are arranged on the second circuit board 40 on the back side. Since the analog sticks input direction by tilting their operating parts, they require a certain height. For this reason, if the second circuit board 40, which has the analog sticks, is placed on the front side of the game controller 1, the thickness of the game controller 1 will increase. In this embodiment, by placing the second circuit board 40 on the back side of the game controller 1, the game controller 1 can be made thinner. In addition, by mounting the analog sticks 4a and 4b on the circuit board (second circuit board 40) and integrating them with the circuit board, the number of parts can be reduced compared to when the analog sticks 4a and 4b are separate components.

[0155] Furthermore, by using a two-layer structure for the circuit board and placing the NFC antenna 26 on the first circuit board 10 located near the front of the housing 10, the flexibility of the placement of the second circuit board 40 is improved. For example, the second circuit board 40 can be positioned to match the height of the analog stick. Note that the analog stick may be mounted on yet another circuit board different from the second circuit board 40.

[0156] Furthermore, the above-described configuration of game controller 1 may be applied not only to the two-handed game controller 1, but also to a one-handed controller. For example, a one-handed controller may have a first circuit board on the front and a second circuit board on the back, with button switches provided on the surface of the first circuit board (the front surface of the controller) and an NFC antenna on the back of the first circuit board. The switches on the surface of the first circuit board are provided in an area corresponding to the area surrounded by the NFC antenna provided on its back. In addition, a one-handed controller may have an analog stick, and the analog stick may be provided on the second circuit board.

[0157] [Explanation of Vibration Motor] Next, the vibration motor provided in the game controller 1 will be described. Figure 25 is a schematic diagram showing the vibration motor provided in the grip portion 8 of the game controller 1. In the following, vibration motors 50a and 50b will be collectively referred to as vibration motor 50.

[0158] As shown in Figure 25, vibration motors 50a and 50b are located inside the grip sections 8a and 8b of the game controller 1, respectively. Vibration motor 50a is located on the left side of the grip section 8a in the left-right direction of the game controller 1. Vibration motor 50b is located on the right side of the grip section 8b in the left-right direction of the game controller 1. In other words, vibration motor 50 is located on the side of the grip section 8 that the user's hand touches.

[0159] Figure 26 is a diagram illustrating the vibration direction of the vibration motor 50. As shown in Figure 26, the vibration motor 50 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape with a first and second surface that are orthogonal to each other. The vibration motor 50 is capable of vibrating in a first direction (left-right direction) perpendicular to the first surface, and also in a second direction (up-down direction) perpendicular to the first direction. In other words, the vibration motor 50 is a vibration motor known as a "linear vibration actuator" (or "linear vibration motor"). Specifically, the vibration motor 50 is configured to vibrate linearly in the first direction at a first resonant frequency, and to vibrate linearly in the second direction at a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency. For example, the first resonant frequency may be 320 Hz and the second resonant frequency may be 160 Hz.

[0160] Here, we will briefly explain the operating principle of the vibration motor 50. Figure 27 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operating principle of the vibration motor 50. As shown in Figure 27, the vibration motor 50 has a coil, a magnet, and a spring. When an electric current is passed through the coil, a magnetic force is generated upward, causing the coil to move upward, and the reaction force of the spring causes the coil to move downward. As this operation is repeated, the vibration motor 50 vibrates in the vertical direction of Figure 27 at a predetermined resonant frequency. The vibration motor 50 is configured so that the spring has two resonant frequencies and vibrates at different resonant frequencies in the vertical direction of Figure 27 and in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 27. The vibration motor 50 can also vibrate in oblique directions by a composite wave formed by combining vibrations in the first direction and vibrations in the second direction.

[0161] Figure 28 is a cross-sectional view of the grip portion 8b, which houses the vibration motor 50b, and shows an example of the internal structure of the grip portion 8b. Figure 29 is a diagram showing an example of the second housing 10b on the rear side of the game controller 1, and is an enlarged view of the right side portion of the second gripping portion 18b of the second housing 10b. Figure 29 shows the second gripping portion 18b of the second housing 10b as viewed from the right side. Figure 30 is a diagram showing an example of a holder 51b for fixing the vibration motor 50b inside the housing 10.

[0162] As shown in Figure 28, a vibration motor 50b is provided inside the grip portion 8b. Specifically, the vibration motor 50b is housed in a holder 51b. The holder 51b is for fixing the vibration motor 50b inside the housing 10 and is made of an elastic material that easily absorbs vibrations from the vibration motor 50b. For example, the holder 51b is made of a relatively soft material (softer than the housing 10), such as silicone rubber or synthetic rubber. For example, the material of the holder 51b may be ABS resin. In contrast, the housing 10 (first housing 10a and second housing 10b) is made of a relatively hard material. The holder 51b is fitted (press-fitted) and fixed into the vibration motor fixing portion 15b (see Figure 29), which is part of the second housing 10b.

[0163] As shown in Figures 28 and 29, the vibration motor fixing part 15b is substantially rectangular in shape and has an opening 151b on the right side of the game controller 1, an opening 152b on the back side of the game controller 1, and an opening 153b on the center side of the game controller 1. The vibration motor fixing part 15b is made to be substantially the same size as the holder 51b, or slightly smaller than the holder 51b. The holder 51b is fixed to the second housing 10b by press-fitting it into the vibration motor fixing part 15b.

[0164] As shown in Figure 30, the holder 51b has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape and has faces 521b (the back face in the figure), 522b (the top face in the figure), 523b (the left face in the figure), 524b (the right face in the figure), and 525b (the bottom face in the figure). The front face of the holder 51b opposite the back face 521b is open (opening 511b in Figure 30). The bottom face of the holder 51b opposite the top face 522b is also partially open (opening 512b in Figure 30). The opening 511b of the holder 51b corresponds to the first face of the vibration motor 50b, and the opening 512b of the holder 51b corresponds to the second face of the vibration motor 50b. In other words, when the vibration motor 50b is fitted into the holder 51b, the first surface of the vibration motor 50b is exposed through the opening 511b, and the second surface of the vibration motor 50b is exposed through the opening 512b. Also, a portion of the surface 521b of the holder 51b is open (opening 513b). When the holder 51b is fitted into the vibration motor fixing portion 15b of the second housing 10b, the opening 513b of the holder 51b and the opening 153b of the vibration motor fixing portion 15b are configured to coincide. The opening 513b of the holder 51b and the opening 153b of the vibration motor fixing portion 15b are openings for passing the wiring of the vibration motor 50b.

[0165] Figure 31 shows an example of the internal structure of the grip portion 8b. As shown in Figure 31, a surface 81b is provided on the right side of the inside of the grip portion 8b. In addition, two protruding ribs 82b are provided on the lower side of the inside of the grip portion 8b. The surface 81b is substantially flat and is inclined by a predetermined angle when the grip portion 8b is viewed from the direction shown in the figure. This is to facilitate the removal of the grip portion 8b from the mold during the manufacturing process of the grip portion 8b, and for example, it has a slope of several degrees with respect to the removal direction. The surface 81b is in contact with the first surface of the vibration motor 50b. The ribs 82b are in contact with the second surface of the vibration motor 50b. Note that the part of the grip portion 8b that is in contact with the second surface of the vibration motor 50b may be substantially flat like the surface 81b, rather than a rib.

[0166] With this configuration, as shown in Figure 28, when the vibration motor 50b is fixed inside the housing 10, the first surface of the vibration motor 50b directly contacts the right-side surface 81b of the grip portion 8b. Also, the second surface of the vibration motor 50b directly contacts the lower rib 82b of the grip portion 8b. In other words, the vibration motor 50b directly contacts the grip portion 8b with its first surface (the surface corresponding to the first direction in which it vibrates at the first resonant frequency) and its second surface (the surface corresponding to the second direction in which it vibrates at the second resonant frequency). On the other hand, since the surface of the vibration motor 50b facing the housing 10 (10b) is surrounded by the holder 51b, it does not directly contact the housing 10 but contacts it via the holder 51b.

[0167] Here, a thin sheet (for example, a sheet about 0.1 mm thick) may be placed between the first and second surfaces of the vibration motor 50b and the grip portion 8b. In other words, "the first and second surfaces of the vibration motor 50b are in direct contact with the grip portion 8b" also includes the case where a thin sheet (for example, a sheet about 0.1 mm to 1 mm thick) is present between the first and second surfaces of the vibration motor 50b and the grip portion 8b. Such a sheet is intended to ensure that the vibration motor makes firm contact with the housing 10 to prevent rattling, and is not intended to make it difficult for the vibration of the vibration motor 50b to be transmitted to the grip portion 8b. On the other hand, the holder 51b is made of a thicker and softer material than the above sheet, making it difficult for the vibration of the vibration motor 50b to be transmitted to the grip portion 8b.

[0168] Furthermore, the left grip portion 8a is symmetrical to the right grip portion 8b and is identical to the right grip portion 8b. That is, the left grip portion 8a is also provided with a vibration motor 50a and a holder 51a, just like the right side. The vibration motor 50a vibrates in a first direction and a second direction, and directly contacts the grip portion 8a on the first surface corresponding to the first direction and the second surface corresponding to the second direction, while contacting the housing 10 via the holder 51a.

[0169] In this way, by making the vibration motor 50 directly contact the grip portion 8 on the first surface corresponding to the first direction and the second surface corresponding to the second direction, the vibration of the vibration motor 50 can be easily transmitted to the grip portion 8, and the vibration can be easily transmitted to the user's hand that is in contact with the grip portion 8. In other words, the user can feel the vibration more strongly. On the other hand, the vibration motor 50 is in contact with the housing 10 via the holder 51. Since the holder 51 is made of a relatively soft material, it easily absorbs the vibration of the vibration motor 50, and the vibration of the vibration motor 50 is not easily transmitted to the housing 10. For this reason, for example, the vibration of the right vibration motor 50b can be made less likely to be transmitted to the left grip portion 8a, and vibration can be applied only to the user's right hand, or vibrations with different vibration patterns can be applied to the left and right hands. In addition, the vibrations of the left and right vibration motors can be prevented from mixing with each other, and the vibrations of the left and right can be isolated.

[0170] For example, if the housing and left and right grip sections of a game controller are integrally formed, and vibration motors are installed inside each of the left and right grip sections, then vibrations from the left grip section may be transmitted to the right grip section via the housing. In this case, even if only the vibration motor inside the left grip section is activated to apply vibration to the user's left hand, the vibration may also be transmitted to the right grip section, preventing the intended vibration from being conveyed to the user. Furthermore, if a first pattern of vibration is applied to the user's left hand and a second pattern of vibration different from the first is applied to the user's right hand, vibrations from the vibration motor inside one grip section may be transmitted to the other grip section, causing the two vibrations to mix and preventing the intended vibration from being conveyed to the user.

[0171] In this embodiment, left and right grip portions 8 are connected to the housing 10, and vibration motors 50 are provided inside the left and right grip portions 8. The left and right vibration motors directly contact the grip portions 8 and contact the main housing via holders. In other words, in this embodiment, the game controller comprises a main housing (housing 10), a first grip member (8a) connected to the main housing and held by one hand of the user, and a second grip member (8b) separate from the first grip member, connected to the main housing and held by the other hand of the user. A first vibrator is provided inside the first grip member, and a second vibrator is provided inside the second grip member. The first vibrator is configured to directly contact the first grip member and contact the main housing via a first buffer member, while the second vibrator is configured to directly contact the second grip member and contact the main housing via a second buffer member.

[0172] In this embodiment, the first transducer directly contacts the first grip member, while contacting the main housing via a buffer member. Similarly, the second transducer directly contacts the second grip member, while contacting the main housing via a buffer member. This allows vibrations from the first transducer to be easily transmitted to the first grip member, while vibrations from the first transducer are absorbed by the buffer member, making it difficult for vibrations from the first transducer to be transmitted to the main housing. The same applies to vibrations from the second transducer. Therefore, the vibrations of the first grip member and the vibrations of the second grip member can be separated, for example, preventing vibrations from the two grip members from interfering with each other and making it easier to transmit the intended vibration to the user. Also, for example, if only one transducer (grip member) is vibrated, the vibration can be made less likely to be transmitted to the other grip member, allowing vibration to be applied to only one of the user's hands. Thus, in this embodiment, the vibrations of the two grip parts can be separated, and various patterns of vibration can be transmitted to the user as intended.

[0173] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vibration motor 50 has two different resonant frequencies. Therefore, it is possible to provide the user with two vibrations that feel different, and to create various vibration patterns.

[0174] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 28, the first surface of the vibration motor 50 contacts the inside of the right side of the grip portion 8b. Also, the second surface of the vibration motor 50 contacts the inside of the back surface (the lower surface in Figure 28) of the grip portion 8b.

[0175] The first direction of vibration of the vibration motor 50 is the effective left-right direction (x-axis direction) of the game controller 1. As shown in Figure 4, when a user holds the game controller 1 with both hands, for example, the right side of the grip portion 8b rests approximately in the center of the user's right palm. Therefore, the first direction of vibration of the vibration motor 50b is approximately perpendicular to the user's palm. As a result, vibrations in the first direction are easily transmitted to the user's palm.

[0176] Furthermore, the second direction, which is the vibration direction of the vibration motor 50, is essentially the front-to-back direction (z-axis direction: up-and-down direction in Figure 28) of the game controller 1. As shown in Figure 4, when a user holds the game controller 1 with both hands, the back of the grip portion 8 touches the user's middle, ring, and little fingers. Therefore, the second direction, which is the vibration direction of the vibration motor 50, is approximately perpendicular to the user's middle, ring, and little fingers, making it easier for vibrations in the second direction to be transmitted to the user's fingers.

[0177] In this embodiment, the resonant frequency in the second direction is lower than the resonant frequency in the first direction. This allows the user to feel different types of vibrations. In this embodiment, the first surface of the vibration motor 50b contacts the right side of the inside of the grip portion 8b, and the second surface of the vibration motor 50b contacts the lower side of the inside of the grip portion 8b. Therefore, vibrations with a high resonant frequency are easily transmitted to the right side of the grip portion 8b, and vibrations with a low resonant frequency are easily transmitted to the lower side of the grip portion 8b. The right side of the grip portion 8b touches the center of the user's palm, and the lower side of the grip portion 8b touches the user's fingers. Therefore, vibrations with a high resonant frequency can be applied to the center of the user's palm, and vibrations with a low resonant frequency can be applied to the user's fingers. In this way, by making the resonant frequencies different in the first and second directions, vibrations of different frequencies can be applied to different parts of the user's hand. Note that the resonant frequency in the second direction may be higher than the resonant frequency in the first direction.

[0178] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 28, the thickness of the right side of the grip portion 8b is thinner than that of the bottom surface. That is, the grip portion 8 has a first portion (right side portion) and a second portion (bottom surface portion) that is thicker than the first portion, and the first surface of the vibration motor 50 is in contact with the first portion of the grip portion 8. Because the vibration motor 50 is in contact with the thinner first portion of the grip portion 8, vibrations in the first direction are more easily transmitted to the user's hand.

[0179] The above-described configuration is merely an example, and other configurations are also possible. For example, although the vibration motor 50 (holder 51) is fixed to the second housing 10b on the rear side, it may also be fixed to the first housing 10a. Alternatively, the vibration motor 50 may be fixed by being sandwiched between the first housing 10a and the second housing 10b. Furthermore, the vibration motor 50 may be fixed to the grip portion 8 instead of the second housing 10b. If the vibration motor 50 is fixed to the grip portion 8, it is possible to prevent the vibration motor 50 from coming into direct or indirect contact with the housing 10.

[0180] Furthermore, as a configuration to make it more difficult for vibrations from the vibration motor 50 to be transmitted to the housing 10, ribs (projections) may be provided on the inside of the holder 51 (the surface that contacts the vibration motor 50) to make it easier to dampen the vibrations of the vibration motor 50.

[0181] Furthermore, when fixing the holder 51 to the second housing 10b, instead of the holder 51 making full contact with all four surfaces (excluding the opening), a floating structure may be used in which the holder 51 partially contacts the second housing 10b. For example, the second housing 10b may be provided with multiple ribs (projections), and the holder 51 may be fixed to the second housing 10b in a way that causes it to float.

[0182] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a surface 81b is placed on the right side of the inner surface of the grip portion 8b and a rib 82b is placed on the lower side, but the rib 82b may be placed on the right side and the surface 81b on the lower side. Alternatively, both the right and lower sides may be surfaces. In other words, the two surfaces of the grip portion 8 that contact the vibration motor 50 may both be flat, both be ribs, or one may be a rib and the other a flat surface.

[0183] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the vibration motor 50b is in direct contact with the right side (side side in the game controller 1) and bottom side of the grip portion 8b, but it is also possible to have the vibration motor 50b in direct contact with the left side (center side in the game controller 1) of the grip portion 8b.

[0184] Furthermore, the game controller 1 may have vibration motors 50 in the left and right grip sections 8, and another vibration motor may also be provided inside the main body of the housing 10 (inside the housing 10 where the circuit board and the like are located). The vibration motor provided inside the main body of the housing 10 may be a vibration motor that vibrates in a first and second direction, similar to the vibration motors 50 provided in the grip sections 8, or it may be a vibration motor that vibrates in only one direction, or it may be an eccentric vibration motor.

[0185] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a single vibration motor 50 capable of vibrating in both a first and a second direction was used. In other embodiments, a vibration motor that vibrates only in the first direction and a vibration motor that vibrates only in the second direction may be combined to enable vibration in both the first and second directions.

[0186] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the vibration motor is vibrated substantially in the left-right direction (x-axis direction) and the front-back direction (z-axis direction), that is, in directions substantially perpendicular to the surface of the game controller 1 that the user's hand touches, rather than in the up-down direction (y-axis direction), so the vibration motor is vibrated substantially in the left-right direction and the front-back direction (see Figure 28). In other embodiments, the vibration motor may be vibrated substantially in the up-down direction (y-axis direction: longitudinal direction of the grip portion 8) of the game controller 1.

[0187] Furthermore, the vibration motor described above may be provided not only in the two-handed game controller 1, but also in a one-handed controller. For example, a one-handed controller has a part that is gripped by the user, and a vibration motor is placed on the gripped part. The vibration motor is capable of vibrating at different resonant frequencies in a first direction and a second direction, respectively, and is configured to be in direct contact with the housing on a first surface corresponding to the first direction and a second surface corresponding to the second direction.

[0188] [Details of the Home Button Structure] Next, the detailed structure of the home button 3D will be described. Note that the housing 10 of the game controller 1 in this embodiment is, for example, transparent or white. The home button 3D is configured to emit light around the button. The structure for emitting light around the home button 3D will be described below.

[0189] Figure 32 shows an example of the structure of the home button 3d. Figure 32(a) is a partially enlarged view of the home button 3d. Figure 32(b) is a cross-sectional view along line HH in Figure 32(a), and Figure 32(c) is a cross-sectional view along line VV in Figure 32(a).

[0190] As shown in Figure 32, the home button 3d includes a keytop 90 that is pressed by the user and a light guide portion 91 that surrounds the keytop 90. The keytop 90 is cylindrical and made of a material that does not transmit light. The light guide portion 91 is a cylindrical member that surrounds the outer circumference of the keytop 90. Note that the term "cylindrical member" here also includes a ring-shaped member. The light guide portion 91 is made of a light-transmitting material and guides the incident light to the surface of the housing 10 while diffusing it.

[0191] As shown in Figures 32(b) and (c), the light guide portion 91 is surrounded on its outer circumference by a cylindrical light shielding portion 92. The light shielding portion 92 is a material that does not transmit light.

[0192] A switch 23d is positioned directly below the keytop 90 of the home button 3d. An elastic member 94 is provided between the keytop 90 and the switch 23d. The elastic member 94 is made of a light-transmitting, rubber-like material.

[0193] Furthermore, below the elastic member 94, two LEDs 95 are provided on the first substrate 20 on which the switch 23d is located. The two LEDs 95 are positioned below the elastic member 94 and overlapping with the elastic member 94 (in a position covered by the elastic member 94). Specifically, the two LEDs 95 are positioned inside the area surrounded by the light shielding portion 92 and directly below the light guide portion 91. The two LEDs 95 are positioned symmetrically in the vertical direction (y-axis direction) with respect to the keytop 90 (Figure 32(c) or Figure 18A).

[0194] The elastic member 94 pushes the keytop 90 upward (towards the front in the game controller 1: negative z-axis direction). When the keytop 90 is pressed downward, the keytop 90 pushes the elastic member 94 downward, and this downward force deforms the elastic member 94, causing the switch 23d to be pressed via the elastic member 94. Even when the keytop 90 is pressed, the light guide portion 91 and the light shielding portion 92 around the keytop 90 are not pressed down.

[0195] As shown in Figures 32(b) and (c), the upper surfaces of the keytop 90 and the light guide 91 are exposed from the surface of the housing 10. The upper surfaces of the keytop 90 and the light guide 91 are substantially the same height as the surface of the housing 10. Specifically, the upper surface of the keytop 90 that is pressed by the user is slightly higher than the surface of the housing 10 and slightly higher than the upper surface of the light guide 91.

[0196] On the other hand, the upper surface of the light-shielding portion 92 is lower than the upper surface of the keytop 90 and the upper surface of the light guide portion 91, and is not exposed from the surface of the housing 10. However, the upper surface of the light-shielding portion 92 may be exposed from the surface of the housing 10.

[0197] Light emitted from the two LEDs 95 passes through the elastic member 94 and enters the light guide portion 91 directly above the LEDs 95, and is guided through the inside of the light guide portion 91 to the surface of the first housing 10a. The light guide portion 91 is surrounded by a light-shielding portion 92 that does not transmit light. The keytop 90 also does not transmit light. Therefore, when the two LEDs 95 emit light, the light guide portion 91 around the keytop 90 on the surface of the first housing 10a emits light, and no light leaks out around the light guide portion 91. Thus, even if the housing 10 is made of a transparent or light-transmitting material such as white, it is possible to make only the area around the keytop 90 emit light in a ring shape.

[0198] As shown in Figure 32(c), a recess is formed in the light guide section 91 directly above the two LEDs 95 (in the negative z-axis direction). This recess is formed to surround the LEDs 95 and to increase the incident area into which light from the LEDs 95 enters.

[0199] Figure 33 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a recess in the light guide 91 located directly above two LEDs 95. Figure 33 is a view of the portion of Figure 32(c) including the LEDs 95 and the recess in the light guide 91, when crossed by the xz plane in Figure 32(c) and viewed from the positive y-axis direction, with the downward direction in Figure 33 being the positive z-axis direction in Figure 32. As shown in Figure 33, the light guide 91 is formed to surround the LEDs 95. By forming a recess in the light guide 91 to surround the LEDs 95 in this way, the light from the LEDs 95 can be received over a wider surface area, making it easier for the light guide 91 to capture light. Note that the shape of the recess directly above the two LEDs 95 is merely an example, and it may be formed in an arc shape, for example.

[0200] Here, the light guide portion 91 and the light shielding portion 92 are formed as a single unit. Figure 34 is a perspective view of an integrally molded member 93 in which the light guide portion 91 and the light shielding portion 92 are formed as a single unit. Figure 34(a) is an external perspective view of the integrally molded member 93, and Figure 34(b) is a cross-section of the integrally molded member 93 when cut by a plane parallel to the y-axis. As shown in Figure 34, the integrally molded member 93 has the light shielding portion 92 formed so as to surround the outer circumference of the light guide portion 91. The integrally molded member 93 is formed by two-color molding, with the light guide portion 91 and the light shielding portion 92 being formed as a single unit. Alternatively, the light guide portion 91 and the light shielding portion 92 may be molded separately and the two members assembled.

[0201] As described above, the home button 3d in the game controller 1 of this embodiment has a cylindrical light guide portion 91 surrounding the outer circumference of the key top 90 and a cylindrical light shielding portion 92 surrounding the light guide portion 91. This makes it possible to illuminate only the area around the home button 3d (the key top 90 pressed by the user) in a ring shape, while other parts remain unlit.

[0202] In this embodiment, the area around the keytop 90 can be illuminated by the simple structure described above.

[0203] In this embodiment, the keytop 90 is made of a material that does not transmit light, but the keytop 90 may be made of a material that transmits light. If such a keytop is used, the keytop of the home button 3d and the area around the keytop can be made to emit light.

[0204] Furthermore, if there is a structure that pushes the keytop 90 upward in the opposite direction to the pressing direction, the elastic member 94 does not need to be provided. Also, in Figure 32(c), the elastic member 94 is positioned to overlap with the LED 95 (to cover the LED 95 from above), but the elastic member 94 may be made smaller so that it does not overlap with the LED 95 (to not cover the LED 95).

[0205] Furthermore, although the light guide portion 91 is surrounded by the light shielding portion 92 in the above embodiment, light may be prevented from leaking from the light guide portion 91 by applying a light-shielding agent to the outer circumference of the light guide portion 91. Such applied light-shielding agent can be used as a substitute for the light shielding portion 92.

[0206] As described above, the game controller 1 of this embodiment has the above-described configurations. The above-described configurations are not limited to a two-handed game controller, but may also be used in other controllers.

[0207] For example, the above configurations may be applied not only to the two-handed game controller 1, but also to a one-handed controller. For example, the above-mentioned R button and ZR button may be provided to a one-handed controller. Also, the above-mentioned grip section, NFC function, vibration motor, and home button configuration may be applied to a one-handed controller.

[0208] Furthermore, each of the components provided in the game controller 1 described above may be provided in a portable game device having a display device and a processing device capable of executing game processing. For example, the portable game device may be equipped with the L / R buttons and ZL / ZR buttons of the game controller 1. Also, the configuration of the grip, NFC function, vibration motor, and home button described above may be applied to the portable game device.

[0209] Furthermore, each configuration of the game controller 1 described above may also be applied to peripheral devices of any information processing device such as a PC or smartphone. For example, the configuration of the R button and ZR button described above may be applied to a smartphone peripheral device. In addition, the configuration of the grip, NFC function, vibration motor, and home button described above may be applied to a peripheral device.

[0210] As described above, the game controller of this embodiment may have the following configuration.

[0211] (Configuration A1) It is a game controller, A gripping part that is held by the user, The game controller is provided with a first button on its upper surface that can be operated by the user's finger while gripping the gripping portion, The first button is a game controller having a protrusion that extends in the rear and side directions of the game controller.

[0212] According to the above configuration A1, the keycap of the first button located on the top surface of the game controller can be made larger, making it easier for the user to operate the first button. Therefore, the operability of the first button located on the top surface of the game controller can be improved.

[0213] (Configuration A2) The game controller according to configuration A1, wherein the protrusion is formed continuously from the back to the side of the game controller.

[0214] According to the above configuration A2, the first button has a protrusion that is continuously formed from the back to the side of the game controller, making it easier for the user to operate the first button.

[0215] (Configuration A3) The game controller according to configuration A2, wherein the portion of the protrusion extending from the back to the side is formed in an R shape.

[0216] According to the above configuration A3, the portion of the protruding part extending from the back to the side is formed in an R shape, making it easier for the user's fingers to grip and improving operability.

[0217] (Configuration A4) The game controller according to any one of configurations A1 to A3, wherein the protruding portion is provided such that the upper surface of the protruding portion forms an integral surface with the upper surface of the portion of the first button other than the protruding portion.

[0218] According to the above configuration A4, the upper surface of the first button is formed as a single, integrated surface with respect to the protruding portion and the non-protruding portion. In other words, the upper surface of the first button is formed so that there is no step at the boundary between the protruding portion and the non-protruding portion. Therefore, there is no discomfort when operating the first button.

[0219] (Configuration A5) The first button is provided on the side of the game controller. The game controller according to any of configurations A1 to A4, wherein the lateral direction from which the protruding portion protrudes is the lateral direction on which the first button is located in the game controller.

[0220] According to the above configuration A5, if the first button is located on the right side of the game controller, for example, the protruding part of the first button will protrude to the right. This allows even users with short fingers to operate the first button by placing their fingers on the protruding part of the first button (the part that protrudes to the side, for example, the part that protrudes to the right) from the side of the game controller (for example, to the right).

[0221] (Configuration A6) The end of the protruding portion in the direction of the rear is formed in an R shape when viewed from the side of the game controller, as described in any of configurations A1 to A5.

[0222] According to the above configuration A6, the end of the protruding part in the direction of the back is formed in an R shape, so there is no discomfort when pressing the end of the first button in the direction of the back compared to, for example, when the end of the protruding part in the direction of the back is pointed.

[0223] (Configuration A7) A game controller according to any one of configurations A1 to A6, wherein a slanted portion is provided at the central end of the first button in the game controller.

[0224] According to the above configuration A7, a slanted portion is provided at the central end of the first button on the game controller, making it easier to operate the first button even for users with long fingers.

[0225] (Configuration A8) A game controller according to any one of configurations A1 to A7, wherein the lateral end of the first button is provided with an inclined portion, and the inclined portion has a portion inclined at a first inclination angle and a portion inclined at a second inclination angle greater than the first inclination angle.

[0226] According to the above configuration A8, a slanted portion is provided at the lateral end of the first button, making it easier for the user to operate the first button. For example, a user with short fingers can easily operate the first button by placing their fingertips on the slanted portion at the lateral end of the first button. Furthermore, because the slanted portion is sloped in two stages, it is possible to reduce the feeling of discomfort when operating the first button compared to a case where the slope is steep due to a single slanted portion.

[0227] (Configuration A9) A second button is provided on the upper surface of the game controller, positioned closer to the front of the game controller than the first button. The game controller according to any of configurations A1 to A8, wherein the second button is inclined downwards as it is positioned towards the side of the game controller.

[0228] According to the above configuration A9, a second button can be provided on the front side of the game controller where the first button is located. Since the second button is angled downwards towards the side of the game controller, it is possible to prevent the user from accidentally pressing the second button when operating the first button on the back.

[0229] (Configuration A10) The game controller according to configuration A9, wherein the lateral end of the second button is provided with an inclined portion, and the inclined portion has a portion inclined at a first inclination angle and a portion inclined at a second inclination angle greater than the first inclination angle.

[0230] According to the above configuration A10, the second button is inclined downwards as it moves toward the side of the game controller, and furthermore, the end in the side direction is provided with an inclined section (two-stage inclined section) having a section inclined at a first inclination angle and a section inclined at a second inclination angle that is steeper. This makes it easier for the user to operate the first button and prevents accidentally pressing the second button when operating the first button on the back.

[0231] (Configuration A11) A second button is provided on the upper surface of the game controller, positioned closer to the front of the game controller than the first button. The width of the top surface of the second button narrows towards the side of the game controller, as described in any of configurations A1 to A10.

[0232] According to the above configuration A11, the width of the second button is narrower on the side of the game controller, so when operating the first button located on the back, it is difficult to accidentally touch the second button with your finger, thus preventing accidental operation of the second button.

[0233] (Configuration A12) A second button is provided on the upper surface of the game controller, positioned closer to the front of the game controller than the first button. The game controller according to any of configurations A1 to A11, wherein the second button has a slanted portion at the front end of the game controller.

[0234] According to the above configuration A12, the front end of the second button located on the front is sloped, making it easier to access the first and second buttons from the front of the game controller.

[0235] (Configuration A13) A second button is provided on the upper surface of the game controller, positioned closer to the front of the game controller than the first button. A game controller according to any one of configurations A1 to A12, wherein a predetermined surface is provided between the first button and the second button.

[0236] According to the above configuration A13, by providing a predetermined surface (e.g., a partition) between the first button and the second button, the user can use it as a place to rest their fingers when not operating the first and second buttons, thereby preventing accidental operation of the first and second buttons.

[0237] (Configuration A14) The game controller according to configuration A13, wherein the height of the rear edge of the predetermined surface of the game controller is lower than the height of the front edge of the first button when the first button is pressed.

[0238] According to the above configuration A14, even when the first button is pressed, the rear edge of the predetermined surface can be made lower than the front edge of the first button, making it difficult for fingers to get caught between the predetermined surface and the first button.

[0239] (Composition A15) A second button is provided on the upper surface of the game controller, positioned closer to the front of the game controller than the first button. A game controller according to any of configurations A1 to A14, wherein a slanted portion is provided at the central end of the second button in the game controller.

[0240] According to the above configuration A15, a slanted portion is provided at the central end of the second button on the game controller, making it easier to operate the second button, even for users with long fingers.

[0241] (Configuration A16) The game controller according to configuration A15, wherein the second button is rotatably supported by a second axis located on the central side of the game controller and extends from the second axis in the lateral direction of the game controller.

[0242] According to the above configuration A16, since the second axis is located towards the center, the user can press the second button by pressing the side of the game controller that is closer to the second axis.

[0243] (Configuration A17) A second button is provided on the upper surface of the game controller, positioned closer to the front of the game controller than the first button. The game controller is provided with an operating section on its front that can be pressed by the user's finger. A game controller according to any of configurations A1 to A16, wherein, with reference to a straight line parallel to the pressing direction of the control unit, the front edge of the first button is lower than the rear edge of the second button.

[0244] According to the above configuration A17, since the heights of the first button and the second button are different at least at the boundary between them, the user can recognize the first button and the second button simply by touching them with their finger, thus preventing accidental presses.

[0245] (Configuration A18) The game controller according to configuration A17, wherein the first button is lower than the second button from its front edge to its rear edge.

[0246] According to the above configuration A18, the user can recognize the first and second buttons simply by touching them with their fingers, thus preventing accidental button presses.

[0247] (Configuration A19) A second button is provided on the upper surface of the game controller, positioned closer to the front of the game controller than the first button. A game controller according to any of configurations A1 to A18, wherein the central end of the first button in the game controller is located on the side of the game controller than the central end of the second button in the game controller.

[0248] According to the above configuration A19, the second button is positioned closer to the center of the game controller, and the first button is positioned closer to the side of the game controller. Therefore, for example, a user can move their finger from the position of the second button to the position of the first button by rotating their finger around the base of their finger. This makes it easier to operate both the first and second buttons.

[0249] (Configuration A20) A game controller according to any of configurations A1 to A19, wherein when the game controller is placed on a flat surface with its front facing upwards, the game controller is supported by the back of the housing of the game controller.

[0250] According to the above-described Configuration A20, when the game controller is placed on a flat surface, the load of the game controller can be supported at the back of the housing, and even when the game controller is placed on a flat surface, the first button can be prevented from being pressed.

[0251] (Configuration A21) The game controller according to any one of Configurations A1 to A20, wherein the first button is curved in the upper surface direction so that the curvature increases as it goes toward the back side in the game controller.

[0252] According to the above-described Configuration A21, since the first button is gradually warped upward, the first button can be easily operated.

[0253] (Configuration A22) The game controller according to any one of Configurations A1 to A21, wherein the first button is rotatably supported by a first axis extending in the left-right direction in the game controller, and the first axis can be inserted only from the central side toward the side surface direction in the game controller.

[0254] According to the above-described Configuration A22, the first button can be extended to the side end portion of the game controller.

[0255] (Configuration A23) The game controller according to Configuration A22, wherein the first axis is inserted into an axis insertion hole disposed at an end portion in the side surface direction in the game controller, and a buffer material is provided inside the axis insertion hole.

[0256] According to the above-described Configuration A23, the first button can be firmly fixed and rattling can be prevented.

[0257] (Configuration A24) A second button is provided on the upper surface of the game controller and is disposed on the front side of the game controller with respect to the first button, The first button includes a first detection unit that detects when the first button is pressed. The second button includes a second detection unit that detects when the second button is pressed. The first detection unit is located laterally in the game controller than the second detection unit, as described in any of configurations A1 to A23 of the game controller.

[0258] According to the above configuration A24, by placing the first detection unit for the first button on the side of the game controller and the second detection unit for the second button on the center side, the first and second buttons can be made easier to operate.

[0259] (Configuration A25) The first button includes a first detection unit that detects when the first button is pressed. The first button is rotatably supported by a first axis extending in the left-right direction in the game controller, The first button, the first detection unit, and the first axis are integrally configured in a game controller according to any of configurations A1 to A24.

[0260] According to the above configuration A25, the first button, the first axis for fixing the first button, and the first detection unit are integrated into one unit, thereby reducing manufacturing errors in the first button and preventing rattling when operating the first button.

[0261] (Configuration A26) It is a game controller, A gripping part that is held by the user, On the upper surface of the game controller, there is a first button that can be operated by the user's finger while gripping the gripping part, The game controller is provided with a second button located on the upper surface of the game controller, positioned closer to the front than the first button. The first button has a protrusion that extends toward the rear of the game controller, A game controller in which the first and second buttons are formed such that their length in the lateral direction of the game controller is longer than their length in the rear direction of the game controller.

[0262] According to the above configuration A26, the keycap of the first button located on the top surface of the game controller can be made larger, making it easier for the user to operate the first button. Furthermore, because the length of the first and second buttons is longer in the lateral direction rather than in the rear direction, switching between operations between the first and second buttons can be performed smoothly.

[0263] (Configuration A27) It is a game controller, A gripping part that is held by the user, On the upper surface of the game controller, there is a first button that can be operated by the user's finger while gripping the gripping part, The game controller is further provided with a second button located on the front side of the game controller than the first button on the upper surface, A first inclined portion is provided at the central end of the first button in the game controller. A second inclined portion is provided at the central end of the second button in the game controller. A game controller is provided with a third inclined portion at the lateral end of the second button, the inclined portion having a portion inclined at a first inclination angle and a portion inclined at a second inclination angle greater than the first inclination angle.

[0264] According to the above-described Configuration A27, a first button is provided on the upper surface of the game controller on the back side, and a second button is provided on the front side. The central ends of the first button and the second button are inclined, and the end of the second button in the side direction is inclined in two steps. Therefore, even for a user with long fingers, it is easy to operate the first button and the second button. For example, when a user with long fingers operates the first button, the user places a finger on the first inclined portion at the central end of the first button to operate the first button. In this case, the finger may hit the end of the second button in the side direction and accidentally press the second button. However, since the end of the second button in the side direction is inclined, such an accidental operation can be prevented.

[0265] (Configuration A28) A game controller, a gripping portion gripped by a user, on the upper surface of the game controller, a first button operable with a finger of the user while gripping the gripping portion, on the upper surface of the game controller, a second button disposed on the front side of the game controller relative to the first button, and a predetermined surface is provided between the first button and the second button, the first button has a protruding portion protruding at least in the side direction of the game controller.

[0266] According to the above-described Configuration A28, since a predetermined surface is provided between the first button and the second button, a finger can be placed between the first button and the second button when the first button and the second button are not being operated. In this case, for a user with short fingers, it may be difficult for the finger to reach the first button. However, since the first button has a protruding portion protruding in the side direction, even a user with short fingers can easily operate the first button.

[0267] (Configuration B1) A game controller for performing a game operation by gripping with both hands, A controller body having an operating section for game operation, a main body housing having a first protrusion and a second protrusion, and a first housing member and a second housing member connected to each other, A member to be grasped by the user with one hand, a first grip member connected to the first protrusion of the main housing, and covering at least a portion of the boundary between the first housing member and the second housing member, A game controller comprising: a second grip member, which is a member held by the user's other hand, separate from the first grip member, and is connected to the second protrusion of the main housing, and covers at least a portion of the boundary between the first housing member and the second housing member.

[0268] According to the above configuration B1, the boundary between the first housing member and the second housing member can be covered with the grip member, making it easier for the user to grip the protruding part (grip part) of the game controller and improving operability.

[0269] (Configuration B2) The game controller according to configuration B1, wherein the first grip member and the second grip member have symmetrical shapes.

[0270] According to the above configuration B2, for example, a game controller having symmetrical grip members can be provided.

[0271] (Composition B3) The game controller according to configuration B1 or 2, wherein the first grip member and the second grip member are hollow members and have a shape that protrudes in a predetermined direction.

[0272] According to the above configuration B3, the grip portion can be made to protrude in a predetermined direction, making it easier for the user to grip and improving operability.

[0273] (Configuration B4) The first and second protrusions have a shape that protrudes in a predetermined direction. The game controller according to any one of configurations B1 to B3, wherein the first grip member and the second grip member cover the entire outer circumference of the cross-section of the first protrusion and the second protrusion when the first protrusion and the second protrusion are cut by a plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

[0274] According to the above configuration B4, the first grip member covers the entire outer circumference of the first protrusion, and the second grip member covers the entire outer circumference of the second protrusion. This makes it easier for the user to grip the game controller and improves operability.

[0275] (Composition B5) A game controller according to any of configurations B1 to B4, wherein when a user holds the first grip member and the second grip member and views the game controller from the front, the first protrusion and the second protrusion protrude downward from the controller body.

[0276] According to the above configuration B5, the user can grasp the grip portion that protrudes downward from the controller body. When the user grasps the grip portion, the controller body can be seen from the front, improving the operability of the controller.

[0277] (Configuration B6) A game controller according to any one of configurations B1 to B5, wherein when a user grasps the first grip member and the second grip member and views the game controller from the front, the first protrusion and the second protrusion curve toward the rear of the game controller.

[0278] According to the above configuration B6, since the grip member is curved toward the back, the user can easily grip the grip portion, improving operability.

[0279] (Composition B7) A game controller according to any of configurations B1 to B6, wherein when a user holds the first grip member and the second grip member and views the game controller from the front, the first protrusion is located to the left of the center of the controller body, and the second protrusion is located to the right of the center of the controller body.

[0280] According to the above configuration B7, the user can grasp the game controller by holding it between their left and right hands.

[0281] (Configuration B8) A game controller according to any one of configurations B1 to B7, comprising a first fixing structure for fixing the first grip member to the first protrusion, and a second fixing structure for fixing the second grip member to the second protrusion.

[0282] According to the above configuration B8, the first and second grip members can be securely fixed to the first and second protrusions.

[0283] (Configuration B9) The first grip member has a first guide portion that guides the first grip member to a predetermined position when connecting the first grip member to the first protrusion, The first projection has a second guide portion corresponding to the first guide portion, The second grip member has a third guide portion that guides the second grip member to a predetermined position when connecting the second grip member to the second protrusion, The game controller according to any one of configurations B1 to B8, wherein the second protrusion has a fourth guide portion corresponding to the third guide portion.

[0284] According to the above configuration B9, the first and second grip members can be easily connected to the first and second protrusions.

[0285] (Configuration B10) The game controller according to configuration B9, wherein the first guide section, the second guide section, the third guide section, and the fourth guide section each have a front guide section and a rear guide section in the game controller.

[0286] According to the above configuration B10, the first and second grip members can be guided by the two guide portions, and the first and second grip members can be easily connected to the first and second protrusions.

[0287] (Configuration B11) The first grip member and the second grip member are connected to the first protrusion and the second protrusion, respectively, from one side to the other. The first guide portion of the first grip member is formed to extend from one side of the first grip member toward the other side, The third guide portion of the second grip member is formed to extend from one side of the second grip member toward the other side, The first guide portion of the first grip member is wider on the other side than on the other side. The game controller according to configuration B9 or B10, wherein the third guide portion of the second grip member is wider on the other side than on the other side.

[0288] According to the above configuration B11, the first and second grip members can be easily connected to the first and second protrusions.

[0289] (Configuration B12) A game controller according to any one of configurations B9 to B11, wherein the first guide portion of the first grip member and the third guide portion of the second grip member are convex guide portions, and the second guide portion of the first protrusion and the fourth guide portion of the second protrusion are concave guide portions.

[0290] According to the above configuration B12, the convex guide portion of the grip member and the concave guide portion of the protrusion allow the grip member to be guided when connecting it to the protrusion.

[0291] (Configuration B13) A game controller according to any one of configurations B1 to B12, wherein the first grip member has a hole at its tip into which a screw for connecting to the first protrusion is inserted, and the second grip member has a hole at its tip into which a screw for connecting to the second protrusion is inserted.

[0292] According to the above configuration B13, a hole for inserting a screw is provided at the tip of the grip member, allowing the grip to be fixed to the protruding part. At the same time, it is made less likely for the user's hand to come into contact with the hole when operating the game controller, eliminating any discomfort when gripping the part. This improves the operability of the controller.

[0293] (Configuration B14) When a user holds the first grip member and the second grip member and views the game controller from the front, the first protrusion is located to the left of the center of the controller body, and the second protrusion is located to the right of the center of the controller body. The game controller according to any one of configurations B1 to B13, wherein the first grip member and the second grip member are formed such that, when viewed from the front of the game controller, the vertical length of the left and right end sides is longer than the vertical length of the central side of the game controller.

[0294] According to the above configuration B14, since the left and right ends of the grip members are longer, for example, the left side of the left grip member can be made wider, and the right side of the right grip member can be made wider. Because the area that comes into contact with approximately the center of the user's palm can be made wider, the user can grip the grip members more easily, and operability can be improved.

[0295] (Configuration B15) When the first grip member and the first protrusion are connected, the height of the surface on the first grip member side at the boundary portion between the first grip member and the controller body is substantially the same as the height of the surface on the controller body side at the boundary portion. A game controller according to any one of configurations B1 to B14, wherein when the second grip member and the second protrusion are connected, the height of the surface on the second grip member side at the boundary between the second grip member and the controller body is substantially the same as the height of the surface on the controller body side at the boundary.

[0296] According to the above configuration B15, there is no step at the boundary between the grip member and the controller body, and the boundary can be made smooth. Therefore, the feel when the user grips the game controller can be improved, and the operability can be enhanced.

[0297] (Configuration B16) The game controller according to any of configurations B1 to B15, wherein the first housing member is the front housing member of the game controller, and the second housing member is the rear housing member of the game controller.

[0298] According to the above configuration B16, the main housing can be constructed using the front housing member and the rear housing member.

[0299] (Configuration B17) A vibrator is provided inside the first grip member and the second grip member. A game controller according to any one of configurations B1 to B16, wherein the vibrator is in direct contact with the first grip member and the second grip member, and the vibrator is in contact with the first protrusion and the second protrusion via a buffer member.

[0300] According to the above configuration B17, vibrations can be more easily transmitted to the user's hand.

[0301] (Configuration B18) A pair of grip members that are attached to the main body housing of a game controller, which is composed of a first housing member and a second housing member connected together, The pair of grip members comprises a first grip member held by one of the user's hands and a second grip member held by the user's other hand. The first grip member is, It is connected to the first protrusion of the main housing and covers at least a portion of the boundary between the first housing member and the second housing member. The second grip member is A pair of grip members, each separate from the first grip member, connected to the second protrusion of the main housing, and covering at least a portion of the boundary between the first housing member and the second housing member.

[0302] According to the above configuration B18, the pair of grip members can cover the two protrusions of the main body housing, making it easier for the user to grip the grip portion attached to the game controller and improving the operability of the controller.

[0303] (Configuration B19) A pair of grip members attached to the main housing of a game controller, which is composed of a front housing member and a rear housing member connected together, The pair of grip members comprises a first grip member held by one of the user's hands and a second grip member held by the user's other hand. The first grip member is, It is connected to the first protrusion of the main housing and covers at least a portion of the boundary between the front housing member and the rear housing member. The second grip member is A member separate from the first grip member, connected to the second protrusion of the main housing, and covering at least a portion of the boundary between the front housing member and the rear housing member, The first grip member and the second grip member are hollow members, The first grip member has a hole at its tip into which a screw for connecting to the first protrusion is inserted. The second grip member is a pair of grip members, each having a hole at its tip into which a screw for connecting to the second projection is inserted.

[0304] According to the above configuration B19, the pair of grip members can cover the two protrusions of the main body housing, making it easier for the user to grip the grip portion attached to the game controller and improving the operability of the controller.

[0305] (Configuration B20) A game controller for playing games by holding it with both hands, The main housing and A first grip member connected to the main body housing and held by one of the user's hands, A second grip member, which is a separate component from the first grip member, is connected to the main body housing and is grasped by the user's other hand, A first vibrator provided inside the first grip member, The device comprises a second vibrator provided inside the second grip member, The first vibrator is in direct contact with the first grip member and in contact with the main body housing via the first buffer member. A game controller in which the second transducer is in direct contact with the second grip member and in contact with the main body housing via the second buffer member.

[0306] In the above configuration B20, the first transducer is in direct contact with the first grip member, while it is in contact with the main housing via a buffer member. Similarly, the second transducer is in direct contact with the second grip member, while it is in contact with the main housing via a buffer member. This allows for the separation of vibrations from the first grip member and the second grip member, for example, preventing vibrations from the two grip members from interfering with each other.

[0307] (Configuration C1) A game controller capable of reading data from an external storage device via contactless communication, Housing and The housing is built into the antenna used for the contactless communication, The housing includes a first operation button, The first operation button is located in a reading area on the housing that allows data to be read from the external storage device using the antenna. A game controller in which the height of the top surface of the first control button is substantially the same as, or lower than, the surface of the housing.

[0308] According to the above configuration C1, the first operation button can be placed in the reading area. Since the height of the top surface of the first operation button is substantially the same as or lower than the surface of the housing, it is possible to prevent accidental pressing of the first operation button even when an external storage device is placed in the reading area, thereby improving the operability of a game controller with contactless communication functionality. Furthermore, by lowering the top surface of the first operation button and placing the first operation button in the reading area, it is possible to prevent accidental operation of the first operation button while also saving space.

[0309] (Configuration C2) The game controller according to configuration C1, wherein when the game controller is held and viewed from the front, the first operation button is positioned to overlap with at least a portion of the area surrounded by the antenna.

[0310] According to the above configuration C2, the first operation button can be placed in the area where the antenna is located, allowing for efficient use of space. The area enclosed by the antenna may be on the antenna's line or inside the antenna.

[0311] (Configuration C3) The housing includes a first region that includes a position corresponding to the center of the reading area, and a second region that surrounds the first region. The game controller according to configuration C1 or C2, wherein the first operation button is located in the second area on the housing.

[0312] According to the above configuration C3, the first operation button can be placed around the center of the reading area, so that, for example, when reading data from an external storage device via contactless communication, the first operation button does not need to be touched. Also, for example, if the external storage device is small, the first operation button can be operated while performing contactless communication with the external storage device.

[0313] (Configuration C4) The game controller described in any of configurations C1 to C3, wherein multiple operation buttons are provided for the first operation button.

[0314] According to the above configuration C4, multiple operation buttons can be placed in the reading area.

[0315] (Configuration C5) The aforementioned first operation button is a home button, as described in any of configurations C1 to C4 of the game controller.

[0316] (Configuration C6) The aforementioned first operation button is a button used for screen capture, as described in any of configurations C1 to C5 of the game controller.

[0317] According to configurations C5 and C6 described above, a home button and a capture button can be placed in the reading area. Since these buttons are used relatively infrequently during normal gameplay, contactless communication with an external storage device can be performed without interfering with gameplay.

[0318] (Configuration C7) A second operation button, different from the first operation button, is provided on the surface of the housing where the first operation button is located. A game controller according to any one of configurations C1 to C6, wherein the height of the first operation button from the housing surface is lower than the height of the second operation button from the housing surface.

[0319] According to the above configuration C7, the first operation button located in the reading area can be lower than the second operation button, preventing the external storage device from contacting the first operation button during contactless communication and thus preventing accidental operation of the first operation button, thereby improving operability.

[0320] (Configuration C8) The game controller according to configuration C7, wherein the second operation button is positioned further away from the antenna than the first operation button.

[0321] According to the above configuration C8, by positioning the second operation button away from the antenna, the external storage device can contact the second operation button during contactless communication, preventing accidental operation of the second operation button. Furthermore, since the second operation button is higher from the housing surface than the first operation button, the second operation button is easier to operate.

[0322] (Configuration C9) The game controller according to any of configurations C1 to C8, wherein the antenna is positioned in the housing, on the front side of the center in the front-to-back direction of the game controller.

[0323] According to the above configuration C9, the antenna is positioned close to the front of the game controller, making it easier to perform contactless communication with an external storage device placed on the front of the game controller.

[0324] (Configuration C10) The game controller according to any of configurations C1 to C9, wherein the antenna is positioned in the center of the game controller in the left-right direction.

[0325] According to the above configuration C10, the reading range can be set to the center of the game controller in the left-right direction.

[0326] (Configuration C11) The aforementioned contactless communication is communication using NFC (Near Field Communication), as described in any of configurations C1 to C10 of the game controller.

[0327] (Configuration C12) The aforementioned contactless communication is communication using RFID, as described in any of configurations C1 to C10 of the game controller.

[0328] According to the above configurations C11 and C12, contactless communication can be performed using NFC technology or RFID technology.

[0329] (Configuration C13) The housing contains a first circuit board and a second circuit board positioned on the rear side of the game controller than the first circuit board. The antenna is a game controller according to any of configurations C1 to C12, which is arranged on the first circuit board.

[0330] According to the above configuration C13, an antenna can be provided on the first circuit board located on the front side of the game controller, making it easier to perform contactless communication with an external storage device placed on the front of the game controller. In addition, by making the circuit board a two-layer structure, the area of ​​one circuit board can be reduced, allowing for a smaller controller.

[0331] (Configuration C14) The game controller according to configuration C13, wherein a control circuit for controlling the game controller is arranged on the second circuit board.

[0332] According to the above configuration C14, a control circuit can be provided on the second circuit board located on the rear side.

[0333] (Configuration C15) The antenna is a game controller according to configuration C13 or C14, which is located on the back side of the first circuit board.

[0334] According to the above configuration C15, the limited area of ​​the circuit board can be effectively utilized, and the degree of design freedom can be improved.

[0335] (Configuration C16) The game controller according to configuration C15, wherein a switch for detecting the operation of the first operation button is arranged on the front side of the first circuit board.

[0336] According to the above configuration C16, the switch for the first operation button can be placed on the front side of the first circuit board, and the antenna can be placed on the back side, and the first operation button can be placed regardless of the position of the antenna.

[0337] (Configuration C17) A game controller capable of reading data from an external storage device via contactless communication, Housing and The housing is built into the antenna used for the contactless communication, The housing includes a first operation button, The first operation button is located in a reading area on the housing that allows data to be read from the external storage device using the antenna. A game controller in which, when the game controller is held and viewed from the front, the first operation button is positioned to overlap with at least a portion of the area surrounded by the antenna.

[0338] According to the above configuration C17, the first operation button can be placed in the area where the antenna is located, allowing for efficient use of space. The area enclosed by the antenna may be on the antenna's line or inside the antenna.

[0339] (Configuration C18) The game controller according to any of configurations C1 to C17, wherein the first operation button is lower than the surface of the housing when pressed.

[0340] According to the above configuration C18, the first operation button is lower than the surface of the housing when pressed, thus preventing unintended pressing of the first operation button from being detected when an external storage device is placed in the read area. In other words, in this configuration, if the external storage device is placed in the read area and comes into contact with the first operation button, the position of the first operation button may drop to approximately the same level as the housing surface, but it is unlikely that the first operation button will be lower than the housing surface. Therefore, if the user does not intend to press the first operation button and simply places the external storage device in the read area, the possibility of detecting a press of the first operation button is low, thus preventing accidental operation.

[0341] (Configuration D1) A game controller capable of reading data from an external storage device via contactless communication, A first circuit board located inside the housing, The housing includes a second circuit board, which is located on the rear side of the game controller than the first circuit board, A game controller in which an antenna used for contactless communication is arranged on the first circuit board.

[0342] According to the above configuration D1, the game controller housing contains a first circuit board and a second circuit board positioned on the rear side of the first circuit board, with an antenna for contactless communication provided on the first circuit board. This makes it easier to perform contactless communication with an external storage device placed on the front of the game controller. Furthermore, by making the circuit board a two-layer structure, the placement of other circuits can be determined without affecting the position of the antenna, improving the degree of design freedom.

[0343] (Configuration D2) The antenna is located on the back of the first circuit board, and the game controller is as described in configuration D1.

[0344] According to the above configuration D2, since the antenna is located on the back side of the first substrate, other circuits can be placed on the front side of the first substrate, for example, and the limited area of ​​the substrate can be used effectively.

[0345] (Configuration D3) The game controller according to configuration D2, wherein a switch for detecting operation on an operation button is provided on the front of the first circuit board.

[0346] According to the above configuration D3, the operation button switches are placed on the front side of the first circuit board and the antenna is placed on the back side. This allows the operation buttons to be placed regardless of the antenna's position, thereby improving design flexibility.

[0347] (Configuration D4) The game controller according to configuration D3, wherein the switch is positioned in the housing at a location corresponding to the area surrounded by the antenna.

[0348] According to the above configuration D4, since the operation button switch is located in a position corresponding to the area surrounded by the antenna, the operation button can be placed in an area on the housing where contactless communication is possible.

[0349] (Configuration D5) The game controller according to any one of configurations D1 to D4, wherein a control circuit for controlling the contactless communication is arranged on the second circuit board.

[0350] According to the above configuration D5, the antenna is placed on the first board while its control circuit is placed on the second board. This allows the control circuit to be placed regardless of the antenna's position, thereby improving design flexibility.

[0351] (Configuration D6) A game controller according to any of configurations D1 to D5, wherein an analog stick is positioned on the surface of the second circuit board.

[0352] According to the above configuration D6, the antenna is placed on the first circuit board on the front side of the game controller housing, and the analog stick is placed on the second circuit board on the back side. This allows for a shorter distance between the antenna and the front of the housing while maintaining the length of the analog stick's operating section. Furthermore, placing the analog stick on the circuit board reduces the number of components.

[0353] (Configuration D7) A game controller according to any of configurations D1 to D6, wherein when the first board and the second board are projected onto a plane parallel to the front of the game controller, the projected first board overlaps with at least a portion of the projected second board.

[0354] According to the above configuration D7, the circuit board has a two-layer structure, which allows for a smaller game controller.

[0355] (Configuration D8) A game controller according to any one of configurations D1 to D7, wherein when the switch and the antenna are projected onto a surface parallel to the front of the game controller, the projected switch is positioned in the area surrounded by the projected antenna.

[0356] According to the above configuration D8, operation buttons can be placed in an area where contactless communication is possible.

[0357] (Configuration E1) Housing and The housing comprises a vibrator disposed within the housing and capable of vibrating in a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction, The vibrator is in contact with the housing on at least a first surface corresponding to the first direction, in a game controller.

[0358] According to the above configuration E1, since the vibrator is in contact with the housing on its first surface, vibrations of the vibrator in the first direction can be easily transmitted to the housing, thereby improving the user's vibration experience.

[0359] (Configuration E2) The game controller according to configuration E1, wherein the vibrator is in contact with the housing on a first surface corresponding to the first direction and a second surface corresponding to the second direction.

[0360] According to the above configuration E2, since the transducer is in contact with the housing on its first and second surfaces, vibrations of the transducer in the first and second directions can be easily transmitted to the housing, thereby improving the user's vibration experience.

[0361] (Configuration E3) The game controller according to configuration E2, wherein the first surface is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and the second surface is perpendicular to the second direction.

[0362] According to the above configuration E3, since the surface perpendicular to the vibration direction is in contact with the housing, the vibration of the vibrator can be easily transmitted to the housing.

[0363] (Configuration E4) A game controller according to any of configurations E1 to E3, wherein the first direction and the second direction are substantially orthogonal.

[0364] According to the above configuration E4, the game controller can be vibrated using vibrators that vibrate in mutually orthogonal directions, allowing the user to experience vibrations in different directions.

[0365] (Configuration E5) A game controller according to any one of configurations E1 to E4, wherein, when the game controller is viewed from the front, the first direction is the actual left-right direction in the game controller.

[0366] According to the above configuration E5, the game controller can be made to vibrate in the left-right direction, allowing the user to experience left-right vibration.

[0367] (Configuration E6) A game controller according to any one of configurations E1 to E5, wherein, when the game controller is viewed from the front, the second direction is the actual front-to-back direction of the game controller.

[0368] According to the above configuration E6, the game controller can be made to vibrate in the forward and backward directions, allowing the user to experience vibration in that direction.

[0369] (Configuration E7) The vibrator is substantially rectangular in shape, as described in any of configurations E1 to E6 of the game controller.

[0370] According to the above configuration E7, for example, the vibrator can be brought into contact with the housing surface over a wider area, making it easier to transmit vibrations to the user.

[0371] (Configuration E8) The vibrator is in contact with a flat surface on the inner surface of the housing, as described in any of configurations E1 to E7 of the game controller.

[0372] According to the above configuration E8, the contact area can be increased because the transducer is in contact with the flat surface of the housing, making it easier to transmit the vibration of the transducer to the housing, and thus easier for the user to feel the vibration.

[0373] (Configuration E9) The housing has a first portion and a second portion which is thicker than the first portion. The vibrator is in contact with the first portion of the housing, as described in any configuration E1 to E8 of the game controller.

[0374] According to the above configuration E9, the transducer contacts a thinner portion of the housing, making it easier to transmit the vibration of the transducer to the housing, and thus making it easier for the user to feel the vibration.

[0375] (Configuration E10) The vibrator is in contact with a rib portion on the inner surface of the housing, as described in any of configurations E1 to E9 of the game controller.

[0376] According to the above configuration E10, the vibrator can be brought into contact with the rib portion (protrusion) inside the housing.

[0377] (Configuration E11) A game controller according to any one of configurations E1 to E10, wherein the vibrator is housed in a holder, and the holder is fixed to the housing.

[0378] According to the above configuration E11, the transducer can be housed in a holder and fixed to the housing by securing the holder to the housing.

[0379] (Configuration E12) The game controller according to configuration E11, wherein the holder is shaped to cover at least a portion of the vibrator, and at least one surface corresponding to the first surface of the vibrator is open.

[0380] According to the above configuration E12, the first surface of the transducer can be exposed through the opening of the holder, while the other surfaces of the transducer can be covered by the holder. Since the first surface of the transducer is exposed through the opening of the holder and in contact with the housing, vibrations in the first direction are easily transmitted to the housing, making it easier for vibrations to be transmitted to the user. On the other hand, since the other surfaces of the transducer are covered by the holder, vibrations from the transducer can be absorbed by the holder and less likely to be transmitted to the housing.

[0381] (Configuration E13) The holder is formed of an elastic material, and is a game controller according to configuration E11 or E12.

[0382] According to the above configuration E13, the transducer can be covered with a relatively soft material, making it easier for the holder to absorb the transducer's vibrations.

[0383] (Configuration E14) The game controller comprises a first oscillator and a second oscillator as the oscillator, The first oscillator is capable of vibrating in a first direction and in a second direction different from the first direction. The second oscillator is capable of vibrating in a first direction and in a second direction different from the first direction. The housing has a left grip portion that is held by the user's left hand and a right grip portion that is held by the user's right hand. The first transducer is positioned in the left grip portion, and the second transducer is positioned in the right grip portion. The first vibrator contacts the left grip portion on a first surface corresponding to the first direction and a second surface corresponding to the second direction. The game controller according to any one of configurations E1 to E13, wherein the second vibrator contacts the right grip portion on a first surface corresponding to the first direction and a second surface corresponding to the second direction.

[0384] According to the above configuration E14, vibrators can be placed on the left and right grips held by the user, allowing vibrations to be applied to each of the user's left and right hands. Furthermore, since the first and second surfaces of the vibrator are in contact with each of the left and right grips, vibrations are easily transmitted to the left and right grips. In addition, because the left and right grips can be vibrated independently, the vibrations on the left and right can be separated, allowing the user to experience various types of vibrations. Note that the expression "the first vibrator is capable of vibrating in a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction" means that the first vibrator itself is capable of vibrating in two directions. Similarly, the expression "the second vibrator is capable of vibrating in a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction" means that the second vibrator itself is capable of vibrating in two directions. When using the game controller as a reference, depending on the orientation of the first and second vibrators, the two vibration directions of the first vibrator may or may not coincide with the two vibration directions of the second vibrator.

[0385] (Configuration E15) The housing has a grip portion that is held in the user's hand, The first surface of the vibrator contacts a first portion of the grip that the user's palm contacts, according to any configuration E1 to E14 of the game controller.

[0386] According to the above configuration E15, by bringing the first surface of the vibrator into contact with the first portion of the grip, the vibration of the vibrator in the first direction can be more easily transmitted to the user's palm.

[0387] (Configuration E16) The grip portion has a second portion that is different from the first portion. The first part corresponds to approximately the center of the user's palm, and the second part corresponds to the user's fingers. The second surface of the vibrator corresponding to the second direction is in contact with the second portion of the grip portion, A game controller according to configuration E15, wherein the resonant frequency of vibration in the first direction is different from the resonant frequency of vibration in the second direction.

[0388] According to the above configuration E16, it is possible to apply vibrations of different frequencies to the central part of the user's palm and to the fingertips, allowing the user to feel different types of vibrations depending on the part of their hand.

[0389] (Configuration E17) When the game controller is viewed from the front, the first direction is the actual left-right direction of the game controller, and the second direction is the actual front-back direction of the game controller. A game controller according to any of configurations E1 to E16, wherein the resonant frequency of vibration in the first direction is different from the fractional resonant number of vibration in the second direction.

[0390] According to the above configuration E17, the game controller can vibrate at different resonant frequencies in the left-right and front-back directions, allowing the user to feel different types of vibrations in those directions.

[0391] (Configuration E18) The housing consists of a main housing and a grip portion that is held in the user's hand. A game controller according to any one of configurations E1 to E17, wherein at least the first surface of the vibrator is in direct contact with the grip portion.

[0392] According to the above configuration E18, the transducer can be brought into direct contact with the grip portion of the housing, making it easier for the vibrations of the transducer to be transmitted to the grip portion.

[0393] (Configuration E19) The game controller according to configuration E18, wherein the vibrator is in contact with the main body housing via a cushioning member.

[0394] According to the above configuration E19, the transducer makes direct contact with the grip portion, while making contact with the main body housing via a cushioning member. Therefore, it is possible to easily transmit the vibration of the transducer to the grip portion, while making it difficult to transmit vibration to the main body housing.

[0395] (Configuration E20) A game controller according to any of configurations E1 to E19, wherein the resonant frequency of vibration in the first direction is different from the resonant frequency of vibration in the second direction.

[0396] According to the above configuration E20, the game controller can be vibrated at different resonant frequencies, allowing the user to feel vibrations at different resonant frequencies.

[0397] (Configuration E21) A game controller equipped with a vibrator, The vibrator has a first resonant frequency and a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency as resonant frequencies, in a game controller.

[0398] According to the above configuration E21, the game controller can be vibrated at different resonant frequencies, allowing the user to feel vibrations at different resonant frequencies.

[0399] (Configuration E22) The game controller according to configuration E21, wherein the vibrator is a linear vibration actuator.

[0400] According to the above configuration E22, a linear vibration actuator can be used as an oscillator that vibrates at different resonant frequencies, and the oscillator can be vibrated in a linear direction.

[0401] (Configuration F1) A housing having an opening, The keytop of an operation button exposed through the aforementioned opening and pressed by the user's finger, Light-emitting part, A light guide that guides the light from the light-emitting part, comprising a cylindrical light guide that surrounds the outer circumference of the key top, A light-shielding portion surrounds the outer periphery of the light guide portion, It comprises a switch located below the keytop, The upper surface of the keycap and the upper surface of the light guide are exposed through the opening, in a game controller.

[0402] According to the above configuration F1, the light guide is exposed from the opening of the housing and surrounded by the light shield. This allows light to be guided to the housing surface without light leakage from the light guide, making it possible to illuminate the operation buttons, for example, in a ring shape.

[0403] The above-mentioned light-shielding parts also include components molded from light-shielding materials and parts in which a light-shielding agent is applied to the outer circumference of the light guide.

[0404] (Configuration F2) The game controller according to configuration F1, wherein the switch is located below the center of the keytop.

[0405] According to the above configuration F2, the switch is placed below the keycap, which simplifies the button structure.

[0406] (Configuration F3) It comprises an elastic part positioned below the keytop and biasing the keytop in the opposite direction to the pressing direction, The game controller according to configuration F1 or F2, wherein the keytop contacts the switch via the elastic portion when the keytop is pressed.

[0407] According to the above configuration F3, the keycaps can be pushed up with a simple structure.

[0408] (Configuration F4) The elastic portion is formed of a light-guiding material, The game controller according to configuration F3, wherein the light-emitting part is positioned below the elastic part and overlapping with the elastic part.

[0409] According to the above configuration F4, even if the elastic part is positioned to overlap with the light-emitting part, the light from the light-emitting part can be transmitted through it and the light can be incident on the light-guiding part.

[0410] (Configuration F5) The aforementioned light-shielding portion is cylindrical, as described in any of configurations F1 to F4 of the game controller.

[0411] According to the above configuration F5, the cylindrical light guide can be covered with a cylindrical light shielding section.

[0412] (Configuration F6) The game controller according to any of configurations F1 to F5, wherein the light-emitting part is located inside the area surrounded by the light-shielding part.

[0413] According to the above configuration F6, it is possible to prevent light from the light-emitting part from leaking to the outside of the light-shielding part.

[0414] (Configuration F7) The aforementioned light-emitting section is provided in multiple locations, as described in any of configurations F1 to F6 of the game controller.

[0415] According to the above configuration F7, it is possible to eliminate unevenness in light and make the light guide section emit light.

[0416] (Configuration F8) The game controller according to any of configurations F1 to F7, wherein the plurality of light-emitting units are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the keytop.

[0417] According to the above configuration F8, the light-emitting parts are positioned symmetrically around the keytops, eliminating uneven lighting and allowing the light guide to emit light uniformly.

[0418] (Configuration F9) The light-shielding portion is not exposed from the surface of the housing, as described in any of configurations F1 to F8 of the game controller.

[0419] According to the above configuration F9, the light-shielding part can be made less noticeable.

[0420] (Configuration F10) The light guide portion is not pressed in the direction of the key top even when the key top is pressed, as described in any of configurations F1 to F9 of the game controller.

[0421] According to the above configuration F10, it is possible to provide an operation button in which only the keytop is pressed, and the surrounding light guide that emits light is not pressed.

[0422] (Configuration F11) The game controller according to any of configurations F1 to F10, wherein the switch and the light-emitting part are arranged on a circuit board provided inside the housing.

[0423] According to the above configuration F11, the number of parts can be reduced.

[0424] (Configuration F12) The game controller according to any of configurations F1 to F11, wherein the upper surface of the light guide portion is substantially the same height as the surface of the housing.

[0425] (Configuration F13) A game controller according to any of configurations F1 to F12, wherein the upper surface of the keycap is substantially the same height as the surface of the housing.

[0426] According to the above configurations F12 and F13, the operation buttons can be made nearly flush with the surface of the housing.

[0427] (Configuration F14) The aforementioned operation button is the home button, as described in one of configurations F1 to F13 of the game controller.

[0428] According to the above configuration F14, the home button can be illuminated. For example, the home button is used for operations different from normal game operations (e.g., displaying the menu screen), and the area around such a home button can be illuminated. [Explanation of symbols]

[0429] 1 Game Controller 2a A button 2b B button 2 x X buttons 2y Y button 22a, 22b, 22x, 22y switches 3a Minus button 3b Plus button 3c Capture button 3D Home Button 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d switches 4a Left Analog Stick 4b Right Analog Stick 5. D-pad 6a L button 6b R button 7a ZL button 7b ZR button 71a, 71b protrusion 8a, 8b Grip section 10 Housing 10a Housing 1 10b Second Housing 18a 1st grip part 18b 2nd grip part 20 First board 26 NFC antennas 30-button frame 40 Second board 50 Vibration motor 51 Holder 90 Home button keycap 91 Light guide section 92 Light-shielding part 94 Elastic members 95 LED

Claims

1. A game controller comprising a main body and gripping portions extending at least downward from each of the left and right sides of the main body, The main body is, The front surface that faces the user when the user grasps the left and right gripping parts, The rear surface located on the first direction side of the front surface, The upper surface connecting the front and the rear surface, On the aforementioned upper surface, when the front surface is viewed from the front, the upper left button is located to the left of the center in the left-right direction, The upper surface includes an upper right button located to the right of the center in the left-right direction when the front surface is viewed from the front, The end of the user operation portion of the upper left button, on the first direction side at a certain left-right position, is located on the first direction side of the first rear end of the back on the first direction side at that left-right position. The end of the user operation portion of the upper right surface button, at a certain left-right position, on the first direction side, is located on the first direction side of the second rear end on the first direction side of the rear surface at that left-right position. The third rear end on the first direction side of the center of the rear in the left-right direction is located on the first direction side of the overall first direction side of the left upper button and the right upper button user operation section, Game controller.

2. The aforementioned back surface is, A lower region that slopes upwards in the first direction, An upper region that slopes in the opposite direction to the first direction as it goes upward, It has an edge that extends in the left-right direction and is the boundary between the upper region and the lower region, The game controller according to claim 1, wherein the first rear end, the second rear end, and the third rear end are included in the edge.

3. A game controller comprising a main body and gripping portions extending at least downward from each of the left and right sides of the main body, The main body is, The front surface that faces the user when the user grasps the left and right gripping parts, The rear surface located on the first direction side of the front surface, The upper surface connecting the front and the rear surface, On the aforementioned upper surface, when the front surface is viewed from the front, the upper left button is located to the left of the center in the left-right direction, The upper surface includes an upper right button located to the right of the center in the left-right direction when the front surface is viewed from the front, The end of the user operation portion of the upper left button, on the first direction side at a certain left-right position, is located on the first direction side of the first rear end of the back on the first direction side at that left-right position. The end of the user operation portion of the upper right surface button, at a certain left-right position, on the first direction side, is located on the first direction side of the second rear end on the first direction side of the rear surface at that left-right position. A game controller in which, when the game controller is placed on a flat surface with the front of the main body facing upwards, it is supported by the backs of the left and right gripping parts and the center of the back of the main body in the left-right direction.

4. The aforementioned back surface is, A lower region that slopes upwards in the first direction, An upper region that slopes in the opposite direction to the first direction as it goes upward, It has an edge that extends in the left-right direction and is the boundary between the upper region and the lower region, The first rear end and the second rear end are included in the edge, When the game controller is placed on a flat surface with the front of the main body facing upwards, it is supported by the center of the edge in the left-right direction. The game controller according to claim 3.

5. The game controller according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first direction is the direction in which the button located on the front surface of the main body is pressed.

6. The game controller according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first direction is a direction perpendicular to the front surface of the main body.

Images