controller

Abstract

This controller provides a device that delivers a spatially expansive sound to the operator's ears from a sound-producing unit in a case that is held and operated by hand. [Solution] A main sound-producing unit 20 is provided on the upper surface 11 of the case 10 of a controller 1 used for operating video games and VR, and a secondary sound-producing unit 25 is provided on the lower surface 12. The main sound-producing unit 20 delivers sound effects to the operator's ears in the shortest possible time, and the secondary sound-producing unit 25 delivers sound effects to the operator with a time difference. A difference in the transfer function between the sound emitted from the main sound-producing unit 20 and the sound emitted from the secondary sound-producing unit 25 can be obtained to create an acoustic effect that gives a sense of spaciousness.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a controller that is held by hand and operates video games and VR.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a game controller held by hand. This game controller is equipped with a small speaker unit for stereo sound reproduction having two small speakers. As the acoustic effect of the small speaker unit for stereo sound reproduction, in paragraph

[0032] , it is described that "processing for adding sound localization, that is, arranging a virtual sound source at an arbitrary position in space, is performed by electrically synthesizing a head transfer function according to a desired angle and distance in a three-dimensional space."

[0003] The controller device described in Patent Document 2 is equipped with a woofer speaker and a tweeter speaker together with various buttons. According to the description below paragraph

[0044] , in the analog circuit provided corresponding to the woofer speaker, it includes a first filter that removes frequency components exceeding a predetermined cut-off frequency, and a first amplifier that amplifies the signal passing through the first filter and outputs it to the woofer speaker. In the analog circuit provided corresponding to the tweeter speaker, it includes a second filter that passes at least a predetermined frequency band, and a second amplifier that amplifies the signal passing through the second filter and outputs it to the tweeter speaker. <0OO0013>

[0004] The controller described in Patent Document 3 has a left speaker adjacent to a left handle held by the user's left hand and a right speaker adjacent to a right handle held by the user's right hand. By the user touching the left speaker and the right speaker, the user can control the audio characteristics of the audio content output by the left and right speakers. For example, by contacting a finger with the left speaker or the right speaker, specific audio characteristics can be invalidated, enabled, or adjusted.

Prior Art Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-128669 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-156441 [Patent Document 3] Special Publication No. 2023-514961 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The controllers described in the aforementioned patent documents all have two speakers mounted only on the top surface of the controller. As a result, there is no difference in the spatial coefficient of the sound delivered to the operator's ears from the two speakers, making it difficult to make the operator perceive sound breadth or three-dimensionality. The controller described in Patent Document 1 attempts to reproduce a sense of three-dimensionality with two closely spaced speakers by employing a stereo dipole system. However, it is difficult to create a sense of three-dimensionality with two speakers mounted very close together in a small device like a controller, and it also requires complex combinations of digital filters, resulting in an expensive audio device.

[0007] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and to provide a controller that can achieve three-dimensional sound through multiple sound-producing units provided in a small case. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention relates to a controller having a hand-holdable case having a top surface, a bottom surface and side surfaces, and an operating section provided on at least the top surface of the case, A main sound-producing section is provided on the upper surface of the case, and a secondary sound-producing section is provided on at least one of the side surface and the lower surface. The invention is characterized in that the angle between the pronunciation centerline of the main pronunciation section and the pronunciation centerline of the secondary pronunciation section is 90 degrees or more.

[0009] The controller of the present invention has the sub-sounding unit provided on the lower surface, It is preferable that the angle formed by the sound center line of the main sound-producing section and the sound center line of the sub-sound-producing section toward the operator is less than 180 degrees.

[0010] In the controller of the present invention, it is preferable that a sound signal processed with spatial effects is supplied to the sub-sound unit.

[0011] For example, spatial effects processing is delay processing. Or, spatial effects processing is reverb processing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The controller of the present invention has a main sound-producing unit on the top surface of the case, and a secondary sound-producing unit on the side or bottom surface of the case, with an angle of 90 degrees or more between the sound-producing centerline of the main sound-producing unit and the sound-producing centerline of the secondary sound-producing unit. Because there is a delay between the sound produced by the secondary sound-producing unit and the sound produced by the secondary sound-producing unit to the operator's ears, the sound is perceived by the operator as having a spatial breadth. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] A perspective view of the controller of the first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the top side. [Figure 2] A perspective view of the controller of the first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the bottom side. [Figure 3] A cross-sectional view of the controller shown in Figure 1, cut along line III-III. [Figure 4] A cross-sectional view of the controller shown in Figure 1, cut along the IV-IV line. [Figure 5] This shows a controller according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view taken from the same direction as shown in Figure 4. [Figure 6]Circuit block diagram showing an example of an acoustic circuit provided in the controller of the present invention,

Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] In the controller 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the Z1-Z2 direction is the vertical direction facing the gravitational direction, the Z1 direction is upward, and the Z2 direction is downward. The Y1-Y2 direction is the front-rear direction as viewed from the operator and is orthogonal to the Z1-Z2 direction. Y1 is the front, and the Y2 direction is the rear. The X1-X2 direction is the left-right direction as viewed from the operator and is orthogonal to the Z1-Z2 direction and the Y1-Y2 direction. The X1 direction is the left direction, and the X2 direction is the right direction.

[0015] In FIGS. 1 to 4, a center line O extending in the front-rear direction (Y1-Y2 direction) with respect to the controller 1 is shown. As shown in FIG. 3, the center line O is parallel to the upper surface 11 of the case 10. The controller 1 is for operating a video game or VR (virtual reality), etc., and the operator may operate the controller 1 in a horizontal posture with the center line O directed in the Y1-Y2 direction, or may operate it in a lifted posture with the front of the center line O tilted slightly upward with respect to the Y1-Y2 direction.

[0016] The controller 1 has a case 10. The case 10 has an upper surface 11 facing upward (Z1 direction) and a lower surface 12 facing downward (Z2 direction). The case 10 has a left side surface 13 facing the left direction (X1 direction) and a right side surface 14 facing the right direction (X2 direction). Further, the case 10 has a front side surface 15 facing the front (Y1 direction) and a rear side surface 16 facing the rear (Y2 direction). The case 10 has a left holding portion 17 extending rearward from the left portion of the rear side surface 16 and a right holding portion 18 extending rearward from the right side portion of the rear side surface 16. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of operation members 2 are arranged on the upper surface 11 of the case 1. An operation mechanism operated by each operation member 2 is arranged inside the case 1.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 1, a main sound - emitting part 20 is provided on the upper surface 11 of the case 1. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the main sound - emitting part 20 is composed of a small speaker unit 21 fixed inside the upper surface 11 of the case 10 and a sound - emitting hole 22 formed in the upper surface 11 of the case 10. As shown in Fig. 2, a sub - sound - emitting part 25 is provided on the lower surface 12 of the case 10. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the sub - sound - emitting part 25 is composed of a small speaker unit 26 fixed inside the lower surface 12 of the case 10 and a sound - emitting hole 27 formed in the lower surface 12 of the case 10. In Figs. 3 and 4, a sound - emitting center line V1 of the main sound - emitting part 20 and a sound - emitting center line V2 of the sub - sound - emitting part 25 are shown. The sound - emitting center line V1 is a virtual line passing through the center of the diaphragm provided in the speaker unit 21 and extending along the vibration direction of the diaphragm. The sound - emitting center line V2 is a virtual line passing through the center of the diaphragm provided in the speaker unit 26 and extending along the vibration direction of the diaphragm.

[0018] Fig. 4 is a cross - sectional view obtained by cutting the controller 1 with a plane orthogonal to the center line O (the X - Z plane when the upper surface 11 is in a horizontal posture). In this cross - sectional view, the angle formed by the sound - emitting center line V1 of the main sound - emitting part 20 and the sound - emitting center line V2 of the sub - sound - emitting part 25 is 180 degrees. When viewed in the cross - sectional view of Fig. 4, both the sound - emitting center line V1 and the sound - emitting center line V2 are orthogonal to the center line O. Also, the sound - emitting center line V1 extends perpendicularly to the upper surface 11 of the case 10. Fig. 3 is a cross - sectional view (a cross - sectional view including the center line O and orthogonal to the upper surface 11) obtained by cutting the controller with a plane extending vertically including the center line O (the Y - Z plane). In this cross - sectional view, the angle α formed by the sound - emitting center line V1 of the main sound - emitting part 20 and the sound - emitting center line V2 of the sub - sound - emitting part 25 is less than 180 degrees (90 degrees or more) toward the operator (toward the rear).

[0019] Figure 5 shows a controller 101 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this controller 101, a main sound-producing unit 20 is provided on the upper surface 11 of the case 10, and sub-sound-producing units 25 are provided on the left side surface 13 and the right side surface 14, respectively. Similar to the first embodiment shown in Figure 4, in Figure 5 as well, the sound center line V1 of the main sound-producing unit 20 is perpendicular to the center line O and extends perpendicularly to the upper surface 11 of the case 10. In the cross-sectional view of Figure 5, the angle between the sound center line V1 of the main sound-producing unit 20 and the sound center lines V2 of each sub-sound-producing unit 25 is 90 degrees.

[0020] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, in a cross-sectional view taken by cutting with a plane perpendicular to the center line O, the controller of the present invention has an angle between the sound center line V1 of the main sound-producing unit 20 and the sound center line V2 of the sub-sound-producing unit 25 that is between 90 degrees and 180 degrees.

[0021] The following describes the acoustic effects of the controller 1,101 of the above embodiment. The controller 1,101 of this embodiment of the present invention is used to operate video games and VR by holding the left holding part 17 of the case 10 with the left hand and the right holding part 18 with the right hand. When various operating members 2 provided on the case 10 are operated during operation, sound effects corresponding to the operation are emitted from the main sound-producing unit 20 and the sub-sound-producing unit 25. The sound effects include, for example, gunshots in shooting games, voices and footsteps of game characters, engine sounds of vehicles and aircraft in games, and other sound effects. In VR, these include ambient sounds, operating sounds of machinery, etc.

[0022] In the controller 1 of the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4, the main sound-emitting unit 20 is located on the upper surface 11 of the case 10, so the sound emitted from the main sound-emitting unit 20 reaches the operator's ears in the shortest possible time. In contrast, the sub-sound-emitting unit 25 is located on the lower surface 12 of the case 10, so the sound emitted from the sub-sound-emitting unit 25 bypasses the outer surface of the case 10 and reaches the operator's ears slightly later than the sound emitted from the main sound-emitting unit 20. Even when the main sound-emitting unit 20 and the sub-sound-emitting unit 25 emit sounds based on the same audio signal, a difference in the sound transfer function occurs between the sound emitted from the main sound-emitting unit 20 and the sound emitted from the sub-sound-emitting unit 25, allowing the operator to perceive the sound as having a spatial breadth.

[0023] In the controller 1 of the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the sound centerline V1 of the main sound-producing unit 20 and the sound centerline V2 of the sub-sound-producing unit 25 are perpendicular to the centerline O that extends front to back and opposite each other at a 180-degree angle vertically. Because the sound centerlines V1 and V2 intersect the centerline O, the sound emitted from the main sound-producing unit 20 and the sound emitted from the sub-sound-producing unit 25 pass through space symmetrically and are directed towards the operator. As shown in Figure 3, the sound centerlines V1 and V2 are directed towards the operator at an angle α slightly smaller than 180 degrees. Therefore, even when the case 10 is operated with the front facing upwards, the sound emitted from the sub-sound-producing unit 25 bypasses the outer surface of the rear side 16 of the case 10 and reaches the operator's ears with a delay compared to the sound from the main sound-producing unit 20. The sound emitted from the main sound-producing unit 20 and the sound emitted from the secondary sound-producing unit 25 are balanced well between the left and right channels, creating an appropriate difference in the transfer function, which is then heard by the operator's ears.

[0024] In the controller 101 of the second embodiment shown in Figure 5, the sound center line V1 of the main sound-producing unit 20 is upward, and the sound center lines V2, V2 of the two sub-sound-producing units 25, 25 provided on the left side 13 and right side 14 of the case 10 are oriented symmetrically in the left-right direction. The sound emitted from the main sound-producing unit 20 reaches the operator's ears in the shortest possible time, and the sounds emitted from the two sub-sound-producing units 25, 25 are emitted symmetrically to the left and right, and the sounds emitted from each sub-sound-producing unit 25, 25 reach the operator's ears with a delay after the sound from the main sound-producing unit 20. Therefore, even when the main sound-producing unit 20 and the sub-sound-producing units 25 emit sounds based on the same audio signal, a three-dimensional sound effect with a wide spatial spread can be obtained.

[0025] Figure 6 shows a more preferred acoustic circuit 30 of the present invention. In the acoustic circuit 30, the audio signal generated by the sound effect signal generation unit 31 is supplied to the speaker unit 21 of the main sound generation unit 20. The same audio signal generated by the sound effect signal generation unit 31 and supplied to the main sound generation unit 20 is processed with spatial effects by the spatial effects processor 32 and supplied to the speaker unit 26 of the sub-sound generation unit 25. The spatial effects processing in the spatial effects processor 32 is one of the following: delay processing, reverb processing, compression processing, equalization processing, or a combination of two or more of these.

[0026] By using the acoustic circuit 30 shown in Figure 6, the main sound-producing unit 20 delivers a sound effect to the operator's ears, and the same sound effect is spatially processed and delivered to the operator's ears from the sub-sound-producing unit 25, thereby obtaining an acoustic effect with even greater spatial breadth.

[0027] In addition, in this invention, the sub-sounding section 25 may be provided on both the lower surface 12 and both sides 13 and 14 of the case 10. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0028] 1,101 Controllers 10 cases 11 Top side 12 Bottom side 13 Left side 14 Right side 20 Main sound section 21 Speaker Units 22 sound holes 25. Sub-pronunciation section 26 Speaker Units 27 Pronunciation holes 30 Acoustic circuit 31 Sound effect signal generation unit 32 Spatial Effects Pedals V1 Pronunciation Centerline V2 Pronunciation Centerline

Claims

1. A controller having a hand-holdable case having a top surface, a bottom surface and sides, and an operating section provided on at least the top surface of the case, A main sound-producing section is provided on the upper surface of the case, and a secondary sound-producing section is provided on at least one of the side surface and the lower surface. A controller characterized in that the angle between the sound center line of the main sound-producing section and the sound center line of the secondary sound-producing section is 90 degrees or more.

2. The aforementioned auxiliary sound-producing unit is provided on the lower surface, The controller according to claim 1, wherein the angle formed by the sound center line of the main sound-producing unit and the sound center line of the sub-sound-producing unit toward the direction of the operator is less than 180 degrees.

3. The controller according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a sound signal processed with spatial effects is supplied to the sub-sound unit.

4. The controller according to claim 3, wherein the spatial effects processing is a delay process.

5. The controller according to claim 3, wherein the spatial effect processing is reverb processing.

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