Operating device

Abstract

To provide an operating device that reduces an influence of light of an indoor lighting device or the like on position detection accuracy of the operating device.SOLUTION: An operating device (301) includes: left and right held sections to be held by a user, each of which is provided with an operating member at an upper surface thereof; a central section (321) which is a section between the left and right held sections; and a light emitting surface (328c) adapted to emit light to be captured by an information processing apparatus through a camera, the light emitting surface provided at a front surface of the central section (321). The central section (321) includes a portion which is located over the light emitting surface (328c) and is located on a more forward side than the light emitting surface (328c).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 26

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an operation device used as an input device for an information processing device such as a game device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is an operation device used as an input device for an information processing device such as a game device. The operation device of Patent Document 1 below has a held portion held by a user on its left and right sides. Operation members such as operation buttons and direction keys are provided on the held portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] If the information processing device can detect the position of the operation device, the image displayed on the display and the movement of the object in the image can be changed according to the position of the operation device, that is, the position of the user. Therefore, the enjoyment of using the information processing device and the operation device can be increased. As a method for detecting the position of the operation device, a method of providing a light-emitting portion that emits light by receiving light from a light source such as an LED on the operation device and capturing the light of the light-emitting portion through a camera connected to the information processing device has been studied.

[0005] However, when light from an indoor lighting device or the like is reflected on the surface of the light-emitting portion and mixed with the light emitted from the light-emitting portion, it becomes difficult to accurately detect the position of the operation device.

[0006] Furthermore, in order to increase the accuracy of position detection of the operating device by the information processing device, it is desirable for the entire surface of the light-emitting part to be illuminated uniformly. However, when there are few light sources, it is difficult to illuminate the surface of the light-emitting part uniformly. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The operating device according to the present invention has an operating member provided on its upper surface, left and right holding parts for the user to hold, a central part which is the portion between the left and right holding parts, and a light-emitting surface provided on the front of the central part which emits light for an information processing device to capture through a camera. The central part includes a portion located above the light-emitting surface and in front of the light-emitting surface. This operating device can reduce the influence of light from indoor lighting devices, etc., on the position detection accuracy of the operating device.

[0008] Another operating device according to the present invention comprises: left and right holding parts for a user to hold, on which an operating member is provided on the upper surface; a central part which is the part between the left and right holding parts; a light-emitting panel provided on the front of the central part and having a light-emitting surface on its front that emits light for an information processing device to capture through a camera; a light source disposed inside the central part and located away from the light-emitting panel; and a light guide member extending from the light source toward the back of the light-emitting panel. The light guide member has left and right sides which are inclined such that their width in the left-right direction gradually increases toward the front. This operating device makes it possible to suppress brightness imbalances on the surface of the light-emitting panel. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a top-down perspective view of the first example of the operating device. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view looking at the front of the operating device. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a plan view of the operating device. [Figure 4] This is an enlarged view of Figure 3. [Figure 5]It is a front view of the operation device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] It is a side view of the operation device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] It is a rear view of the operation device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing one form of use of the operation device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view of the surface panel obtained by the IX-IX line shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 10] It is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the internal structure of the operation device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view facing the upper side of the second example of the operation device. [Figure 12] It is a perspective view facing the front side of the operation device shown in FIG. 11. [Figure 13] It is a plan view of the operation device shown in FIG. 11. [Figure 14] It is a front view of the operation device shown in FIG. 11. [Figure 15] It is a side view of the operation device shown in FIG. 11. [Figure 16] It is an enlarged view showing the back of the operation device shown in FIG. 11. [Figure 17] It is a diagram showing one form of use of the operation device shown in FIG. 11. [Figure 18] It is a plan view of the third example of the operation device. [Figure 19] It is a perspective view of the operation device shown in FIG. 18. [Figure 20] It is a front view of the operation device shown in FIG. 18. [Figure 21] It is a bottom view of the operation device shown in FIG. 18. [Figure 22] It is a perspective view of the operation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, the upper side of the operation device is shown. [Figure 23] It is a perspective view of the operation device shown in FIG. 22. In this figure, the front side of the operation device is shown. [Figure 24] It is a plan view of the operation device shown in FIG. 22. [Figure 25] It is a front view of the operation device shown in FIG. 22. [Figure 26] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXVI-XXVI shown in FIG. 24. [Figure 27] It is a perspective view showing a modification of the operation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 28] It is a cross-sectional view of the operation device according to the modification shown in FIG. 27.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] [First Example of Operation Device] Hereinafter, an example of an operation device will be described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of an operation device 1 which is a first example. FIG. 1 is a view facing the upper side of the operation device 1, and FIG. 2 is a view facing the front side of the operation device 1. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the operation device 1, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged view on the right side of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a front view of the operation device 1. FIG. 6 is a side view of the operation device 1. FIG. 7 is a rear view of the operation device 1. FIG. 8 is a view showing one form of use of the operation device 1.

[0011] In the following description, Y1 and Y2 shown in FIG. 1 are the front and the rear respectively. Also, X1 and X2 are the right direction and the left direction respectively. Also, Z1 and Z2 are the upper and the lower respectively.

[0012] The operation device 1 is used as an input device for an information processing device having functions such as executing a game program, playing a moving image, and communicating through the Internet. The operation device 1 can communicate with the information processing device either by wire or wirelessly, and transmits a signal corresponding to an operation performed by the user on the operation device 1 to the information processing device. The operation device 1 incorporates various sensors (such as an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor) used for detecting the posture and movement of the operation device 1, a battery, and the like.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the operating device 1 has left and right holding parts 10L and 10R on its left and right sides, respectively, for the user to hold. The holding parts 10L and 10R are located apart in the left-right direction, and their front ends are connected by a central part 21. An operating member for the user to operate is provided on the upper surface of the front of the holding parts 10L and 10R. Multiple operating buttons 11 are provided on the upper surface of the front of the right holding part 10R. In this example, the operating device 1 has four operating buttons 11, which are located at the ends of a cross. A cross-shaped directional key 19 is provided on the upper surface of the front of the left holding part 10L. The holding parts 10L and 10R have a grip 12. The grip 12 extends from the front of the holding parts 10L and 10R to the rear.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the operating device 1 has a housing 40. The housing 40 constitutes the outer surface of the operating device 1 and also houses various components of the operating device 1. In this example, the housing 40 has an upper housing half 41 and a lower housing half 49, which are combined with each other in the vertical direction. The upper housing half 41 constitutes the upper part of the held parts 10L, 10R and the central part 21, and the lower housing half 49 constitutes the lower part thereof.

[0015] As shown in Figure 3, the operating device 1 has a plate-shaped operating member 22 on the upper surface of the central part 21. The operating member 22 includes a touch sensor 23 and a surface panel 24 (in Figure 3, the surface panel 24 is shaded for clarity). The surface panel 24 constitutes the upper surface of the central part 21. That is, the upper housing half 41 has an opening 42 that exposes the upper surface (front) of the surface panel 24. The surface panel 24 covers the entire touch sensor 23. The touch sensor 23 is mounted on the lower surface (back) of the surface panel 24. The touch sensor 23 is located between the operating members (i.e., the operating buttons 11 and the directional keys 19) of the left and right holding parts 10L and 10R. The touch sensor 23 is a sensor for detecting the position of the user's finger that touches the operating member 22. That is, the touch sensor 23 outputs a signal corresponding to the position of the user's finger. The operating device 1 transmits this signal to the information processing device. The touch sensor 23 is, for example, a capacitive sensor. The touch sensor 23 is capable of so-called multi-touch. That is, the touch sensor 23 can simultaneously detect the positions of multiple fingers. For example, the touch sensor 23 can simultaneously detect the position of the right thumb and the left thumb. The operating member 22 is supported so that it can move up and down in response to the user's pressing operation. The operating device 1 has a switch that detects when the operating member 22 is pressed, and the operating member 22 functions as a button that can be turned on / off.

[0016] Since the operating member 22 is plate-shaped, the distance between the right edge 24a of the operating member 22 and the operation button 11, and the distance between the left edge 24c of the operating member 22 and the directional key 19 can be reduced (in this description, the right edge 24a and the left edge 24c are the right edge and left edge of the surface of the surface panel 24 exposed from the opening 42 of the upper housing half 41, respectively). As a result, the user can operate the operating member 22 with their thumb while holding the held parts 10R and 10L (see Figure 8). As described above, the operating member 22 has both a position detection function by the touch sensor 23 and a function to detect the user's press operation. Therefore, for example, it is possible to detect which part of the operating member 22 has been pressed. In particular, since the touch sensor 23 has a multi-touch function, it is possible to detect that multiple positions have been pressed simultaneously.

[0017] As shown in Figure 3, in this example, the surface panel 24 is larger in the left-right direction than the touch sensor 23. The touch sensor 23 is rectangular, and its width is constant in the front-back direction. On the other hand, the width of the surface panel 24 gradually increases towards the front. The surface panel 24 has a right overhang 24R that extends to the right beyond the right edge of the touch sensor 23, and a left overhang 24L that extends to the left beyond the left edge of the touch sensor 23. With this structure, even if the size of the touch sensor 23 has to be reduced due to the positional relationship between the touch sensor 23 and other components, the user can easily press the operating member 22 on the overhangs 24R and 24L.

[0018] As shown in Figure 3, the held portion 10R has an area (hereinafter referred to as the operation area) AR on the upper surface of its front part where four operation buttons 11 are arranged. Similarly, the held portion 10L has an operation area AL on the upper surface of its front part where directional keys 19 are arranged. In this example, the operation areas AR and AL are approximately circular. The touch sensor 23 has a width corresponding to the distance D1 between the rightmost part of the left operation area AL and the leftmost part of the right operation area AR. On the other hand, the frontmost part of the surface panel 24 has a width W1 that is greater than the distance D1.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3, the right edge 24a of the surface panel 24 is curved to surround the left portion of the four operation buttons 11. That is, the right edge 24a extends forward and to the right, curving from the left position of the four operation buttons 11. The front end 24b of the right edge 24a (the rightmost end of the foremost part of the operating member 22) is located in front of the operation buttons 11 (more specifically, the operation button 11 located furthest to the left-right center). The right edge 24a is curved along the outer edge of the operating area AR, forming an arc.

[0020] The left edge 24c of the surface panel 24 is curved to surround the right portion of the directional keys 19. That is, the left edge 24c extends forward and to the left from a position to the right of the directional keys 19, curving in that direction. The front end 24d of the left edge 24c (the leftmost end of the foremost part of the operating member 22) is located in front of the rightmost portion 19a of the directional keys 19. The left edge 24c is curved along the outer edge of the operating area AL, forming an arc.

[0021] When a user holds the held parts 10R and 10L and slides their thumb in the forward and backward direction, the trajectory of the thumb is generally an arc. The edges 24a and 24c of the surface panel 24 are positioned so that the thumb can reach them when the user is holding the held parts 10R and 10L. Furthermore, the curvature of the edges 24a and 24b generally coincides with the trajectory of the thumb. As a result, the user can easily slide their thumb forward along the edges 24a and 24c from the inside of the operating areas AR and AL, as shown by the arrows ER and EL in Figure 8. Even if the thumb slides beyond the left and right edges of the touch sensor 23, the user can still press the protruding parts 24R and 24L.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the upper surface of the operating areas AR and AL is positioned slightly higher than the surrounding area. A step 10b is formed around the outer edge of the operating areas AR and AL, enclosing them. The edges 24a and 24c of the surface panel 24 are formed along the step 10b. Therefore, the user can move their fingers along the edges 24a and 24c without looking at the operating member 22. The surface (upper surface) of the step 10b is inclined downward toward the outside of the operating areas AR and AL. Therefore, the user can smoothly move their fingers from the operating areas AR and AL toward the operating member 22. In the example described here, the step 10b is formed in a roughly ring shape surrounding the operating areas AR and AL. The step 10b does not necessarily have to be formed.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, the front edge of the operating member 22, i.e., the front edge 24e of the surface panel 24, constitutes the front edge of the upper surface of the central portion 21. That is, the upper surface of the upper housing half 41 of the operating device 1, which constitutes the outer shape of the central portion 21, does not have an edge located further forward than the front edge 24e of the surface panel 24. The front edge 24e of the surface panel 24 is located on the front surface 21a of the central portion 21. With this structure, since there is no part on the front side of the front edge 24e of the surface panel 24 that the finger can catch on, the user can smoothly slide their finger forward over the front edge 24e. Also, the user can easily press the front edge 24e of the surface panel 24. Note that the structure of the operating member 22 is not limited to this, and for example, the rear side may be supported by a shaft so that only the front side is lowered.

[0024] As described above, the operating member 22 constitutes the upper surface of the central portion 21. The operating member 22 also includes a portion at its foremost end that extends from the portion constituting the upper surface of the central portion 21 and constitutes the front surface of the central portion 21. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the surface panel 24 obtained along the line IX-IX shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 9, the foremost end of the surface panel 24 in this example has a substantially L-shaped cross-section. That is, the surface panel 24 has a front portion 24f that extends from the front edge 24e and constitutes the front surface of the central portion 21. The upper housing half 41 of the operating device 1 has an opening 42 that exposes the surface of the surface panel 24. The front edge 42b of the opening 42 is located below the surface panel 24, more specifically below the lower edge of the front portion 24f.

[0025] The upper housing half 41 has stopper portions formed therein that restrict the forward movement of the operating member 22. The stopper portions are formed, for example, on the left and right sides of the operating member 22. Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the internal structure of the operating device 1. The figure shows the back (bottom) surface of the upper housing half 41 and the operating member 22. As described above, an opening 42 is formed in the upper housing half 41. Two stopper portions 43 are formed on the bottom surface of the upper housing half 41. The stopper portions 43 are formed on the left and right sides of the operating member 22. In this example, the two stopper portions 43 are wall-shaped along the right end face 24m and the left end face 24n of the surface panel 24, respectively. The surface panel 24 has a stopped portion 24p that protrudes outward in the left and right directions from the end faces 24m and 24n. The stopped portion 24p is located behind the rear end 43a of the stopper portion 43. When the operating member 22 attempts to move forward, the stoppered portion 24p hits the rear end 43a of the stopper portion 43, and as a result, the forward movement of the operating member 22 is restricted by the stopper portion 43.

[0026] As described above, the stopper portion 43 is formed on the upper housing half 41 that constitutes the outer surface of the operating device 1. This reduces the tolerance of the position of the operating member 22 relative to the upper housing half 41, thereby improving the appearance of the operating device 1. In this example, the stopped portion 24p is formed on the surface panel 24 that constitutes the outer surface of the operating device 1. This reduces the tolerance of the position of the surface panel 24 relative to the upper housing half 41, thereby further improving the appearance of the operating device 1. Furthermore, in a structure in which the stopped portion 24p is formed on the left and right edges of the surface panel 24, the contact area between the stopped portion 24p and the upper housing half 41 can be reduced compared to a structure in which, for example, the lower edge of the front portion 24f provided at the foremost part of the surface panel 24 functions as the stopped portion. As a result, the resistance to the user's pressing operation of the operating panel 50 can be reduced. Note that the positions of the stopper portion 43 and the stopped portion 24p are not limited to these. For example, the stopper portion 24p may be provided at the foremost part of the right end face 24m and the left end face 24n of the surface panel 24.

[0027] The operating member 22 is supported so that it can move up and down regardless of which part of it is pressed. That is, when the front edge 24e, rear edge 24g, right edge 24a, left edge 24c, or the inner parts of these edges of the surface panel 24 are pressed, the pressed part will move downward. Multiple elastic members (e.g., springs or rubber) that generate a reaction force when the operating member 22 is pressed are arranged on the back side of the operating member 22.

[0028] In the example shown in Figure 10, two elastic members 61 are arranged on the back side of the operating member 22 to bias the operating member 22 upward. The elastic members 61 are attached, for example, to a circuit board 70, which will be described later and is located on the back side of the operating member 22. Alternatively, a frame may be placed between the circuit board 70 and the operating member 22, and the elastic members 61 may be attached to this frame.

[0029] In this example, the elastic member 61 is made of rubber. The elastic member 61 has a cylindrical contact portion 61a with an upper surface that contacts the lower surface of the operating member 22. The elastic member 61 has an annular elastic portion 61b surrounding the lower surface of the contact portion 61a. When the front of the operating member 22 is pressed, the contact portion 61a tilts forward, and when the rear of the operating member 22 is pressed, the contact portion 61a tilts backward. When the contact portion 61a tilts in this way, the elastic portion 61b exerts a force that resists the tilt. Also, the two elastic members 61 are positioned apart in the left-right direction. Therefore, the two elastic members 61 generate a reaction force regardless of which position of the operating member 22 is pressed. In the example shown in Figure 10, the operating member 22 has a frame 25 that covers the back surface (lower surface) of the touch sensor 23. The contact portion 61a is in contact with the lower surface of the frame 25. The rightmost and leftmost parts of the surface panel 24 are located below the left and right edges 24a of the opening 42. The upward movement of the operating member 22 due to the elastic force of the elastic member 61 is restricted by the left and right edges 24a.

[0030] On the back side of the operating member 22, instead of the elastic member 61, a plurality of springs may be arranged to bias the operating member 22 upward. Even in this case, these springs are arranged to generate a reaction force regardless of which position on the operating member 22 is pressed. For example, the springs are arranged to bias four points on the operating member 22 upward, which are separated in the front-rear and left-right directions.

[0031] A projection is formed on the lower surface of the operating member 22 and on one of the elastic member 61, and a hole is formed on the other that the projection fits into. In the example shown in Figure 10, a projection 25b is formed on the lower surface of the frame 25, and a hole is formed in the contact portion 61a of the elastic member 61 that the projection 25b fits into. With this structure, even if the position of the operating member 22 shifts slightly as a result of the user sliding their finger across its surface, the elastic force of the elastic member 61 will return the operating member 22 to its initial position.

[0032] A circuit board 70 is located on the back side of the operating member 22. A switch 71, which is pressed by the operating member 22, is located on the circuit board 70. The operating member 22 has a pressing portion 25a in the center of its lower surface (more specifically, the lower surface of the frame 25). The elastic members 61 described above are located to the left and right of the pressing portion 25a. When a part of the outer circumference of the operating member 22 is pressed, the operating member 22 tilts. For example, when the right side of the operating member 22 is pressed, that right side goes down, causing the operating member 22 to tilt. When the operating member 22 tilts in this way, the position of the pressing portion 25a goes down, and the pressing portion 25a presses the switch 71. In other words, the operating member 22 can press the switch 71 regardless of which part of its surface is pressed. That is, no matter which part of the operating member 22 is pressed by the user, the operating device 1 can detect the user's operation by the output signal of the switch.

[0033] As described above, the surface panel 24 has a front portion 24f. The front portion 24f increases the rigidity of the foremost part of the surface panel 24, suppressing the bending of the surface panel 24 when the user presses it. As a result, even if the user presses only a part of the outer periphery of the surface panel 24, the pressing operation is clearly transmitted to the switch 71. In this example, the surface panel 24 has portions that extend downward on its right and left sides. In detail, the surface panel 24 has downward-extending side portions 24r at the front end of the right end face 24m and the front end of the left end face 24n. This further increases the rigidity of the surface panel 24. The operating member 22 also has a frame 25 on its back side. This frame 25 further improves the rigidity of the operating member 22.

[0034] The operating device 1 has left and right operating sticks 31 at the rear of the central part 21 (see Figure 3). As shown in Figure 1, the operating sticks 31 extend upward from the central part 21 and have a circular operating part 31b at their upper end for the user's finger to touch. The height of the operating members (i.e., the operating buttons 11 and directional keys 19) provided on the upper surfaces of the holding parts 10R and 10L is lower than the height (length) of the operating sticks 31. The operating sticks 31 can be tilted in their radial direction or rotated while tilted. The operating device 1 detects the direction and amount of tilt of the operating sticks 31 and transmits a signal corresponding to them to the information processing device. The operating sticks 31 may also be slidable in their radial direction. In this case, the operating device 1 detects the amount of movement of the operating sticks 31 in two predetermined orthogonal directions (e.g., the amount of movement in the forward / backward direction and the amount of movement in the left / right direction) and transmits a signal corresponding to them to the information processing device.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, the operating member 22 is located at the front of the upper surface of the central part 21. The left and right operating sticks 31 are located behind the operating member 22. The right edge 24a and left edge 24c of the surface panel 24 are located in front of the operating sticks 31. This layout minimizes interference from the operating sticks 31 when sliding fingers along the edges 24a and 24c (see Figure 8). In this example, the front end of the right edge 24a, i.e., the rightmost edge 24b of the frontmost part of the surface panel 24, is located to the right of the center C of the right operating stick 31. The front end of the left edge 24c, i.e., the leftmost edge 24d of the frontmost part of the surface panel 24, is located to the left of the center C of the left operating stick 31.

[0036] As shown in Figure 6, the grip 12 extends diagonally backward and downward from the front of the held portions 10R and 10L. The held portions 10R and 10L have protruding portions 10c that project forward and downward from their front surfaces. Operation buttons 15 and 16 are provided on the protruding portions 10c. This shape makes it easy to hold the grip 12 while placing the index fingers on the operation buttons 15 and 16 and the thumbs on the operating member 22.

[0037] The operating device 1 may be formed such that the operating member 22 is horizontal when the operating device 1 is placed on a horizontal surface. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the shape of the protrusion 10c (height of the lower end 10d) and the shape of the grip 12 (height of the lower end 12b) may be set so that the plane including the lower end 12b of the rearmost part of the grip 12 and the lower end 10d of the protrusion 10c is parallel to the operating member 22. This allows the fingers to easily slide on the operating member 22 even when the operating device 1 is placed on a horizontal surface. Protective members (e.g., rubber) may be provided at the lower end 12b of the grip 12 and the lower end 10d of the protrusion 10c. This prevents scratches on the lower ends 12b and 10d.

[0038] The operation buttons 15 and 16 provided on the protruding portion 10c are arranged vertically. Operation button 15 is, for example, a button that can be turned on or off, and operation button 16 is, for example, an analog button that can detect the amount of pressure applied by the user. As shown in Figure 3, the front edge 24e of the operating member 22 is located behind the operation buttons 15 and 16.

[0039] The central section 21 has a built-in speaker. The speaker is located between the left and right control sticks 31. As shown in Figure 1, the top surface of the central section 21 has a sound vent 21c in the position corresponding to the speaker. This layout of the speaker and sound vent 21c allows the sound output by the control device 1 to be easily heard. A microphone may be placed in place of the speaker at the position of the sound vent 21c.

[0040] As shown in Figure 1, a relatively infrequently used operation button 21f is positioned between the left and right operation sticks 31. The operation button 21f is used, for example, to return the display device connected to the information processing device to the home image (for example, a menu image for selecting software to run on the information processing device).

[0041] As described above, multiple (four in this example) operation buttons 11 are arranged on the upper surface of the front part of the held part 10R. As shown in Figure 4, the held part 10R incorporates multiple (four in this example) light-emitting elements 13, each corresponding to one of the multiple operation buttons 11 (in Figure 4, the light-emitting elements 13 are shown as black circles for clarity). The light-emitting elements 13 are, for example, light-emitting diodes. In one example, the operation device 1 changes the lighting state of the light-emitting elements 13 according to the operating state of the information processing device and the operation device 1. For example, when the information processing device requests the user to press an operation button 11, the operation device 1 lights up or blinks the light-emitting element 13 corresponding to the operation button 11 that is requested to be pressed. The multiple light-emitting elements 13 may light up in different colors, for example. The color of the light-emitting elements 13 may change depending on the operating state of the operation device 1 and the information processing device. The operation device 1 may keep the light-emitting elements 13 constantly lit when the operation device 1 is operating (when the power is on).

[0042] As shown in Figure 4, the light-emitting elements 13 are positioned adjacent to the operation buttons 11, rather than on the operation buttons 11 themselves. Specifically, the multiple light-emitting elements 13 are positioned apart from each other so as to surround the entire set of operation buttons 11. This layout of the light-emitting elements 13 allows the user to see the light from the light-emitting elements 13 even if the operation buttons 11 are obscured by the user's fingers. In this example, the four light-emitting elements 13 are positioned on the circumference surrounding the four operation buttons 11. More specifically, the light-emitting elements 13 are positioned on the outer edge of the operation area AR. Each light-emitting element 13 is positioned radially outward from the operation area AR with respect to its corresponding operation button 11. This layout of the light-emitting elements 13 makes the correspondence between the light-emitting elements 13 and the operation buttons 11 clear to the user.

[0043] As shown in Figure 4, the held portion 10R has a light guide member 14 on its upper surface (in Figure 4, the light guide member 14 is shaded for clarity). The light emitter 13 is positioned below (behind) the light guide member 14, and the light guide member 14 transmits the light from the light emitter 13 to the upper surface of the held portion 10R. The light guide member 14 is a single component with a shape that surrounds the multiple operation buttons 11. The structure with the light guide member 14 reduces the number of parts compared to a structure in which each light emitter 13 has its own independent light guide member. In this example, the light guide member 14 is substantially annular and is positioned on the outer edge of the operation area AR. More specifically, the light guide member 14 is positioned inside the step 10b.

[0044] The light-emitting element 13 and the light-guiding member 14 may also be provided on the left-side holding portion 10L. In this case, the multiple light-emitting elements 13 are arranged to surround the directional key 19, each corresponding to one of the four ends of the directional key 19.

[0045] As described above, the held parts 10R and 10L have protruding parts 10c on their front surfaces. As shown in Figure 2, a light-emitting part 28 is provided on the front surface 21a of the central part 21. The light-emitting part 28 is located between the left and right protruding parts 10c. This layout of the light-emitting part 28 prevents the light-emitting part 28 from being obscured by the user's hands or fingers when the user is holding the held parts 10R and 10L.

[0046] The information processing device acquires light from the light-emitting unit 28 through a camera connected to the information processing device. The information processing device performs image processing on the image acquired through the camera and detects the position of the operation device 1 based on the position and size of the light-emitting unit 28 in the acquired image. For example, when multiple users each use multiple operation devices 1 to operate multiple objects (characters) displayed on the display screen, the position of the objects can be associated with the position of the operation device 1. For example, the object of the user operating the right operation device 1 can be displayed on the right, and the object of the user operating the left operation device 1 can be displayed on the left. The light-emitting unit 28 can emit light in any color. For example, the light-emitting unit 28 includes red, green, and blue light-emitting elements (e.g., light-emitting diodes), and by adjusting the brightness of each light-emitting element, it can emit light in a color specified by the information processing device or a color corresponding to the operating state of the operation device 1. Therefore, even when multiple operation devices 1 are used simultaneously, the information processing device can detect the position of each operation device 1.

[0047] As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the light-emitting part 28 has an elongated shape in the left-right direction. This makes it easier to distinguish the light from other lights in the image acquired through the camera from the light from the light-emitting part 28. As a result, the position detection performance of the operating device 1 can be improved. In the example in Figure 2, the light-emitting part 28 is a straight rod shape. With this shape, it is possible to suppress the change in the shape of the light-emitting part 28 in the image acquired by the camera depending on the orientation of the operating device 1. That is, when the operating device 1 is positioned diagonally to the camera, the length of the light-emitting part 28 in the image acquired by the camera changes, but its shape does not change. This improves the position detection performance of the operating device 1 through the camera. Note that the shape of the light-emitting part 28 is not limited to this; for example, it may be V-shaped or curved in an arc.

[0048] As shown in Figure 2, the light-emitting section 28 has a light-diffusing member 28a that is elongated in the left-right direction and located in front of the central section 21. The left-right length of the light-diffusing member 28a is greater than its vertical width (see Figure 5). The light-emitting element described above is positioned behind the light-diffusing member 28a. The light-diffusing member 28a transmits the light from the light-emitting element to the front of the central section 21. As a result, even if one light-emitting element is positioned behind the light-diffusing member 28a, or if multiple light-emitting elements are dispersed in the left-right direction, the entire light-emitting section 28 illuminates approximately evenly.

[0049] As shown in Figure 2, the light-diffusing member 28a protrudes forward from the front surface 21a of the central part 21. Therefore, the light-diffusing member 28a has not only a forward-facing portion, but also an upward-facing portion and a downward-facing portion on its light-emitting surface. This makes it easier for the camera to acquire the light from the light-emitting part 28. Since the light-diffusing member 28a protrudes from the front surface 21a of the central part 21, as shown in Figure 3, the light-diffusing member 28a can be seen even when the operating device 1 is viewed from above. Therefore, the user can check the light emission state of the light-emitting part 28 (whether or not it is emitting light, and its color) while holding the operating device 1. As described above, the front edge of the plate-shaped operating member 22 (more specifically, the front edge 24e of the surface panel 24) constitutes the front edge of the upper surface of the central part 21 of the operating device 1. As shown in Figure 3, the light-emitting part 28 is located in front of the front edge 24e of the surface panel 24. Therefore, the user can see the light from the light-emitting part 28 even when pressing the front edge 24e of the surface panel 24. Furthermore, the camera can capture the light from the light-emitting unit 28 without being obstructed by the user's fingers. Note that the light-diffusing member 28a does not necessarily have to protrude forward.

[0050] As shown in Figure 2, the amount of protrusion of the light diffusing member 28a is smaller than the amount of protrusion of the protruding portion 10c on which the operation buttons 15 and 16 are provided. Therefore, it is possible to prevent external forces from acting on the light diffusing member 28a from the right or left side. In other words, the light diffusing member 28a can be protected by the protruding portion 10c. On the front surface 21a of the central portion 21, there are protrusions 21d located on the left and right sides of the light diffusing member 28a. The light diffusing member 28a and the protrusions 21d form a series of overhangs extending in the left-right direction. This series of overhangs is connected to the bases of the left and right protruding portions 10c on which the operation buttons 15 and 16 are provided. This makes it possible to more effectively prevent external forces from acting on the light diffusing member 28a. Note that the central portion 21 may not have such protrusions 21d, and the end of the light diffusing member 28a may be connected to the base of the protruding portion 10c.

[0051] As shown in Figure 2, a connector 33 is provided on the front of the central portion 21. For example, a cable connecting the operating device 1 and the information processing device is connected to the connector 33. The connector 33 is located below the light diffusing member 28a. As described above, the light diffusing member 28a has a shape that extends in the left-right direction and protrudes forward. Therefore, when the cable is connected to the connector 33, the end of the cable can be protected by the light diffusing member 28a.

[0052] As shown in Figures 1 and 7, a connector 34 is provided on the rear surface of the central portion 21. For example, cables such as headphones or earphones are connected to the connector 34. Other devices that extend the functionality of the operating device 1 may also be connected to the connector 34.

[0053] As shown in Figure 1, the held parts 10R and 10L each have operation buttons 17R and 17L behind the operation members (operation buttons 11 and directional keys 19) provided in the operation areas AR and AL, respectively. Operation buttons 17R and 17L are less frequently used buttons compared to operation members such as the operation stick 31, operation buttons 11, and directional keys 19. For example, operation buttons 17R and 17L function as select buttons for selecting options displayed in a menu image, or as start buttons to instruct the start of a game. Operation buttons 17R and 17L may also be shortcut buttons for instructing the execution of a specific function. A specific function could be, for example, a function to send game data or user comments to a specific server on the network.

[0054] As shown in Figure 3, the right-side control button 17R is positioned outward (i.e., to the right) relative to the right-side control stick 31. That is, the control button 17R intersects with the left-right line L2 passing through the control stick 31. Similarly, the left-side control button 17L is positioned outward (i.e., to the left) relative to the left-side control stick 31. The height of the control buttons 17R and 17L is lower than that of the control stick 31. This prevents fingers operating the control stick 31 from accidentally pressing the control buttons 17R and 17L.

[0055] The operation buttons 17R and 17L are located further outside the step 10b formed on the outer edge of the operation areas AR and AL. In other words, the operation buttons 17R and 17L are located behind the step 10b. As shown in Figure 7, the height of the operation buttons 17R and 17L is lower than the height of the step 10b, i.e., the height of the front upper surface of the held portion 10R and 10L relative to the upper surface of the grip 12. This prevents fingers operating the operating members provided in the operation areas AR and AL from accidentally pressing the operation buttons 17R and 17L. In this example, the upper surface of the operation buttons 17R and 17L is flush with the upper surface of the grip 12.

[0056] As shown in Figure 3, the operation buttons 17R and 17L have an elongated shape in the left-right direction. This allows the user to easily press the operation buttons 17R and 17L. The leading edge 17a of the operation buttons 17R and 17L is curved along the outer circumference of the operation areas AR and AL (see Figure 4). This reduces the distance between the operation buttons 17R and 17L and the step 10b. As a result, the user can easily press the operation buttons 17R and 17L when necessary.

[0057] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the operation buttons 17R and 17L are offset towards the center in the left-right direction relative to the center line L3 of the grip 12 along the extension direction of the grip 12, that is, towards the operation stick 31. In other words, the right operation button 17R is offset to the left relative to the center line L3, and the left operation button 17L is offset to the right relative to the center line L3. This makes it difficult for the hand holding the grip 12 or the fingers operating the operation stick 31 to touch the operation buttons 17R and 17L. As shown in Figure 1, the rear of the central part 21 has a cylindrical part 21e that houses the base of the operation stick 31. The inner edges 17b of the operation buttons 17R and 17L (the left edge of the right operation button 17R and the right edge of the left operation button 17L) are close to the cylindrical part 21e and curve along the outer circumference of the cylindrical part 21e. As shown in Figure 3, the outer edges 17c of the operation buttons 17R and 17L (the right edge of the right operation button 17R and the left edge of the left operation button 17L) are inclined more significantly with respect to the center line L3 compared to the inner edge 17b. This makes it even more difficult for the hand holding the grip 12 to touch the operation buttons 17R and 17L.

[0058] As shown in Figures 1 and 7, the left and right grips 12 are provided with operation buttons 35. The operation buttons 35 are located on the inner surfaces of the left and right grips 12. Specifically, the operation buttons 35 are located on the right side of the left grip 12 and on the left side of the right grip 12. This layout of the operation buttons 35 allows the user to press the operation buttons 35 with, for example, the fingers (e.g., ring fingers) that grip the grips 12. The operation buttons 35 have an elongated shape in the vertical direction. This makes it even easier for the user to press the operation buttons 35.

[0059] [Second example of an operating device] Figures 11 and 12 are perspective views of the second example, the operating device 101. Figure 11 is a view of the operating device 101 from above, and Figure 12 is a view of the operating device 101 from the front. Figure 13 is a top view of the operating device 101, and Figure 14 is a front view of the operating device 101. Figure 15 is a side view of the operating device 101. Figure 16 is a rear view of the operating device 1. Figure 17 shows one form of use of the operating device 101. In these figures, the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in the operating device 1. The following explanation will focus on the differences from the operating device 1, and matters not explained are the same as in the operating device 1.

[0060] As shown in Figure 11, the operating device 101, like the operating device 1, has a holding portion 110L, 110R and a central portion 121. On the upper surface of the front of the holding portions 110L and 110R, an operating stick 31 is provided instead of the operating buttons 11 and directional keys 19. The operating buttons 11 and directional keys 19 are provided on the rear of the upper surface of the central portion 121 and are located behind the operating stick 31.

[0061] As shown in Figure 13, the operating device 101 has an operating member 122 on the upper surface of the central portion 121, corresponding to the operating member 22 described above. The operating member 122 includes a touch sensor 23 and a surface panel 124. In this example, the surface panel 124 is rectangular, similar to the touch sensor 23, and has approximately the same width as the touch sensor 23. The operating member 122 is located between the operating members (in this example, the operating stick 31) of the left and right holding portions 110L and 110R. The operating member 122 is supported so that it can move up and down in response to a user's press operation, and also functions as an on / off button. The operating member 122, like the operating member 22, is supported so that it can move up and down regardless of which part of the operating member 122 is pressed. Note that the structure of the operating member 122 is not limited to this; for example, the front edge of the operating member 122 may be supported by an axis so that only the rear part can move down.

[0062] Since the operating member 122 is plate-shaped, the distance between the right edge 124a of the operating member 122 and the right operating stick 31, and the distance between the left edge 124d of the operating member 122 and the left operating stick 31 can be reduced. In addition, the distance between the operating member 122 and the operating members located behind it (specifically, the operating buttons 11 and the directional keys 19) can also be reduced. As a result, the user can easily operate the operating member 122 while holding the parts to be held 110R and 110L.

[0063] As shown in Figure 13, the central portion 121 has operating areas BR and BL on the upper surface of its rear end, where the operation buttons 11 and directional keys 19 are located, respectively. The operating areas BR and BL are located behind the operating member 122. The rightmost part 124i of the rear edge 124g of the surface panel 124 is formed along the outer edge of the operating area BR. The leftmost part 124h is formed along the outer edge of the operating area BL. The rear edge 124g of the surface panel 124, i.e., the rear edge of the operating member 122, is close to the outer edges of the operating areas BR and BL. Therefore, as shown in Figure 17, the user can easily touch the operating member 122 by extending their fingers, placed on the operating areas BR and BL, diagonally toward the center of the operating device 101 in the left-right direction. In this way, since the low-height operating members (operating buttons 11 and directional keys 19) are located behind the operating member 22, the user can particularly easily touch the rear of the operating member 122. As described above, the operating member 122 may have its front edge supported by a shaft such that only its rear portion is lowered.

[0064] Similar to the operating member 22, the front edge of the operating member 122, i.e., the front edge 124e of the surface panel 124, constitutes the front edge of the upper surface of the central portion 121. That is, as shown in Figure 12, the upper surface of the upper housing half 141 of the operating device 101 that constitutes the central portion 21 does not have an edge located further forward than the front edge 124e of the surface panel 124. The front edge 124e of the surface panel 124 is located on the front surface 121a of the central portion 121. The foremost part of the surface panel 124 in this example has a substantially L-shaped cross-section, similar to the surface panel 24. That is, the surface panel 124 has a front surface portion 124f that slopes down from its front edge 124e. The front edge of the opening formed in the upper housing half 141 that exposes the surface panel 124 is located below the front surface portion 124f, similar to the example shown in Figure 9.

[0065] As shown in Figure 12, the front surface 121a of the central portion 121 has an upper part 121d that protrudes significantly forward compared to its lower part 121e. This increases the front-to-back width of the upper surface of the central portion 121. As a result, the front-to-back width of the operating member 122 can be increased.

[0066] A step 121j is formed on the outer edge of the operating areas BR and BL, similar to the operating areas AR and AL of the operating device 1 (see Figures 11 and 14). The rear edge 124g of the surface panel 124 is located in front of the step 121j. Therefore, the user can recognize that their finger is in a position to touch the operating member 122 without looking at it. In other words, the user can recognize that their finger is positioned behind the operating member 122. The surface (top surface) of the step 121j is inclined downward toward the outside of the operating areas BR and BL. Inside the step 121j of the operating area BR where the operating button 11 is provided, an annular light guide member 14 and a light emitter (not shown) are provided, similar to the operating device 1.

[0067] The operating device 101, like the operating device 1, has a light-emitting section 128 on the front surface 121a of the central section 121. The light-emitting section 128 is located between the left and right protrusions 10c formed on the front surfaces of the held sections 110R and 110L (see Figure 14). The light-emitting section 128 in this example, like the light-emitting section 28, is rod-shaped and extends linearly in the left-right direction.

[0068] The light-diffusing member 128a of the light-emitting section 128 protrudes forward relative to the lower part 121e of the front surface 121a of the central section 121. More specifically, the upper part 121d of the front surface 121a of the central section 121 protrudes significantly forward compared to the lower part 121e. As shown in Figure 12, the light-diffusing member 128a constitutes the lowest part of the upper part 121d. That is, a recess is formed at the lowest part of the upper part 121d, and the light-emitting section 128 is fitted into this recess. The light-diffusing member 128a of the light-emitting section 128 includes a lower surface that emits light downward and a front surface that emits light forward as its light-emitting surface. Therefore, the area of ​​the light-emitting surface is increased, making it easier for a camera to acquire light from the light-emitting section 128.

[0069] The front surface of the light-emitting portion 128 is flush with the front surface of the upper part 121d of the central portion 121. Therefore, it is possible to prevent force from being applied to the light-diffusing member 128a from above. In addition, since the aforementioned protrusions 10c are located on the right and left sides of the light-diffusing member 128a, it is possible to prevent force from acting on the light-diffusing member 128a in the left-right direction.

[0070] As shown in Figure 14, a connector 33 is provided at the lower part 121e of the front surface 121a of the central section 121. The connector 33 is located below the light-emitting section 128. Therefore, the upper part of the end of the cable connected to the connector 33 can be protected by the light-emitting section 128.

[0071] As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the housing 140 of the operating device 101 has an upper housing half 141 that opens downward and a lower housing half 142 that opens upward, which are combined in the vertical direction. The held portions 110R, 110L and the central portion 121 are made up of the housing halves 141 and 142. The held portions 110R and 110L have a strip-shaped wall member 143 (in Figures 15 and 16, the wall member 143 is shaded for clarity). The wall member 143 is positioned between the lower edge 141a of the upper housing half 141 and the upper edge 142a of the lower housing half 142, and constitutes part of the side surface of the held portions 110R and 110L. In the right-hand retained portion 110R, the wall member 143 extends from the right-hand side (outer surface in the left-right direction) of the front of the retained portion 110R, through the right-hand side of the grip 112 and the rear end of the grip 112, to the left-hand side of the grip 112 (inner surface in the left-right direction). In the left-hand retained portion 110L, the wall member 143 extends from the left-hand side (outer surface in the left-right direction) of the front of the retained portion 110L, through the left-hand side of the grip 112 and the rear end of the grip 112, to the right-hand side of the grip 112 (inner surface in the left-right direction). This prevents the edges 141a and 142a of the housing halves 141 and 142 from being located in positions easily touched by the user's hands when gripping the retained portions 110R and 110L. As a result, the feel obtained when holding the retained portions 110R and 110L can be improved.

[0072] As shown in Figures 11 and 16, operation buttons 135 are provided on the inner surfaces of the left and right grips 112. The operation buttons 135 are located between the lower edge 141a of the upper housing half 141 and the upper edge 142a of the lower housing half 142, similar to the wall member 143. The operation buttons 135 also have a vertical width that is approximately the same as the wall member 143 and are positioned in the direction of extension of the wall member 143. This makes the operation buttons 135 less conspicuous and improves the appearance of the operating device 101. Furthermore, the operation buttons 135 are flush with the housing halves 141 and 142. This prevents accidental pressing of the operation buttons 135 by fingers holding the grips 112.

[0073] As shown in Figure 11, the held parts 110R and 110L are provided with operation buttons 117R and 117L corresponding to the operation buttons 17R and 17L mentioned above. The operation buttons 117R and 117L are located behind the operating member (in this example, the operating stick 31) provided at the front of the held parts 110R and 110L. Furthermore, the operation buttons 117R and 117L are located outward in the left-right direction with respect to the operating member (in this example, the operation button 11 and the directional key 19) provided at the rear of the central part 121. As shown in Figure 13, the operation buttons 117R and 117L are offset forward with respect to the operation button 11 and the directional key 19. That is, the operation buttons 117R and 117L are located in front of the center C of the operation button 11 and the directional key 19.

[0074] As shown in Figure 16, the upper surfaces of the operation buttons 11 and directional keys 19 are lower than the upper surface of the control stick 31. The upper surfaces of the operation buttons 117R and 117L are even lower than the upper surfaces of the operation buttons 11 and directional keys 19. Therefore, it is possible to prevent accidental pressing of operation buttons 117R and 117L when operation buttons 11 or directional keys 19 are being operated.

[0075] As shown in Figure 11, the held parts 110R and 110L in this example have a slightly recessed recess 110f on the upper surface of their front parts. That is, an arc-shaped frame 110g is formed around the operating stick 31, and the inside of this frame 110g is recessed. The operating buttons 117R and 117L are provided in this recess 110f. Therefore, the height of the operating buttons 117R and 117L, i.e., the amount they protrude from the recess 110f, can be ensured while keeping the position of the upper surface of the operating buttons 117R and 117L lower than the position of the upper surface of the operating button 11 and the directional key 19.

[0076] [Third example of an operating device] Figures 18 to 21 show the third example, the operating device 101. Figure 18 is a plan view. Figure 19 is a perspective view. Figure 20 is a front view. Figure 21 is a low view. In these figures, the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in operating device 1. The following explanation will focus on the differences from operating device 1, and items not explained are the same as in operating device 1.

[0077] As shown in Figure 18, the operating device 201 has a plate-shaped operating member 222 on the upper surface of the central part 21. The operating member 222, like the operating member 22, includes a touch sensor 223 and a surface panel 224. The touch sensor 223 is located between the operating members (i.e., the operating buttons 11 and the directional keys 19) of the left and right holding parts 10L and 10R. The operating member 222 is supported so that it can move up and down in response to a user's press operation. In this example, the surface panel 224 is rectangular and has approximately the same width as the touch sensor 223. In this example, the surface panel 224 and the surfaces of the operating areas CR and CL, where the operating buttons 11 and the directional keys 19 are located, are on the same plane. That is, unlike the operating device 1, the operating device 201 does not have steps around the operating areas CR and CL.

[0078] As shown in Figure 19, the operating member 222, like the operating member 22, includes a portion that constitutes the upper surface of the central portion 21 and a portion that constitutes the front surface 21a of the central portion 21. That is, the front edge of the operating member 222 (i.e., the front edge of the surface panel 224) constitutes the front edge of the upper surface of the central portion 21. In this example, the foremost part of the surface panel 224 has a substantially L-shaped cross-section, and the surface panel 224 has a front surface portion 224f that extends downward from its front edge.

[0079] As shown in Figure 18, the operating device 201 has operating buttons 217R and 217L on the right and left sides of the operating member 222, which have the same functions as the operating buttons 17R and 17L described above. The operating buttons 217R and 217L are located between the four operating buttons 11 and the directional keys 19, and are located in front of the four operating buttons 11 and the directional keys 19. Therefore, the user can operate the operating button 217R by extending a finger placed on any of the operating buttons 11 while holding the held part 10R. Similarly, the user can operate the operating button 217L by extending a finger placed on the directional keys 19 while holding the held part 10L. The upper surfaces of the operating buttons 217R and 217L do not protrude from the surface of the surface panel 224. In this example, the upper surfaces of the operating buttons 217R and 217L are coplanar with the surface of the surface panel 224. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the user from accidentally pressing the operation buttons 217R and 217L when operating the operating member 22.

[0080] As described above, the held parts 10R and 10L have protrusions 10c on their front surfaces. As shown in Figures 19 and 20, the operating device 201 has a light-emitting part 228 on the front surface 21a of the central part 21. The light-emitting part 228 is located between the left and right protrusions 10c. The light-emitting part 228 has an elongated rectangle in the left-right direction when viewed from the front. The left and right edges of the light-emitting part 228 are at a greater distance from the protrusions 10c compared to the light-emitting part 28 described above. Therefore, when the user operates the operation buttons 15 and 16 provided on the protrusions 10c, the light from the light-emitting part 228 can be more effectively prevented from being blocked by the user's fingers.

[0081] In this example, the width of the light-emitting part 228 in the left-right direction is smaller than the width of the operating member 22 in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 20. The rightmost and leftmost parts of the operating member 22 are located to the right and left, respectively, of the light-emitting part 228. When a user holds the operating device 201 with its front side facing downwards and presses the rightmost or leftmost part of the operating member 22, the tip of the finger may extend beyond the front edge of the operating member 22. Even in such cases, since the width of the light-emitting part 228 in the left-right direction is smaller than that of the operating member 22, it is possible to prevent the user's finger from blocking the light of the light-emitting part 228. As shown in Figure 19, the operating device 201, like the operating device 1, has a protrusion 21d on the front surface 21a of the central part 21. The light-emitting part 228 and the protrusion 21d form a series of overhangs 221e extending in the left-right direction. This series of overhangs 221e is connected to the left and right protrusions 10c.

[0082] The protruding portion 221e extends forward of the front edge of the operating member 222 (more specifically, the front portion 224f of the surface panel 224). The rear edge 228d of the light-emitting portion 228 is located forward of the front edge of the operating member 222, as shown in Figure 18. In other words, the front edge of the operating member 222 is located behind the rear edge 228d of the light-emitting portion 228. Therefore, even if the user's finger is placed on the front edge of the operating member 222, it is possible to suppress the obstruction of the camera's acquisition of light from the light-emitting portion 228 by the user's finger. In particular, in this example, in a plan view of the operating device 201, the base 221f of the protruding portion 221e is also located forward of the front edge of the operating member 222. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively suppress the obstruction of the camera's acquisition of light from the light-emitting portion 228 by the user's finger. Note that the front edge of the operating member 222 may be provided so as to overlap with the base 221f of the protruding portion 221e in a plan view.

[0083] As shown in Figure 20, the light-emitting section 228 has a larger vertical width W2 compared to the light-emitting section 28. In this example, the width W2 of the light-emitting section 228 corresponds to the vertical width of the front surface 21a of the central section 21. More specifically, the width W2 of the light-emitting section 228 corresponds to the distance between the lower edge of the front surface 21a of the central section 21 (i.e., the front edge 221L of the lower surface 221g, which will be described later) and the front edge of the operating member 22 (in this example, the lower edge of the front surface 224f of the surface panel 224). In other words, the light-emitting section 28 makes maximum use of the vertical width of the front surface 21a. In this example, the protruding section 221e has a vertical width corresponding to the vertical width of the front surface 21a of the central section 21, more specifically, a vertical width that is approximately equal to the vertical width of the front surface 21a. The light-emitting section 228 is provided extending from the upper edge (base 221f) to the lower edge of the protruding section 221e. Because the light-emitting section 228 has a relatively large vertical width, the camera installed in the information processing device can easily acquire light from the light-emitting section 228. The light-emitting section 228 has a light-diffusing member on its front surface that has the same function as the light-diffusing member 28a of the light-emitting section 28. Therefore, the entire front surface of the light-emitting section 228 emits light.

[0084] The light-emitting part 228 is provided on the protruding part 221e and protrudes forward from the front surface 21a of the central part 21. As shown in Figure 18, the protruding width of the light-emitting part 228 in this example is approximately equal to the protruding width W3 of the protruding parts 10c provided on the held parts 10R and 10L. In other words, when the operating device 201 is viewed from above, the front-to-back position of the front end of the light-emitting part 228 is approximately the same as that of the front end 10e of the protruding part 10c. Therefore, even when the user holds the operating device 201 while tilting it to the right or left, the light from the light-emitting part 228 is prevented from being blocked by the protruding part 10c. The front surface of the light-emitting part 228 is curved in an arc shape. In this example, the cross-section of the light-emitting part 228 perpendicular to the extension direction of the light-emitting part 228 is a semicircle. Therefore, even when the operating device 201 is held at an angle, the change in the shape of the light-emitting part 228 recognized by the camera can be suppressed.

[0085] As shown in Figures 19 and 21, the central portion 21 of the operating device 201 has a lower surface 221g. The central portion 21 has a connector 233 on its lower surface 221g into which a cable connector can be inserted from the front of the operating device 201. That is, the central portion 21 has the connector 233 on its lower side, and the insertion opening of the connector 233 into which the cable is inserted opens toward the front. The front portion 221j of the lower surface 221g protrudes forward from the insertion opening of the connector 233 (the front end of the connector 233). This effectively prevents the propagation of light from the light-emitting unit 228 from being obstructed by the cable connected to the connector 233 or the connector at its front end. The insertion opening of the connector 233 may be angled downwards. This makes it possible to secure a greater distance between the cable connected to the connector 233 and the light-emitting unit 228.

[0086] As shown in Figure 19, the lower surface 221g of the central portion 21 has a bulge 221h that bulges downward. The connector 233 is housed in this bulge 221h, and its insertion opening is exposed forward from the front surface of the bulge 221h. As shown in Figure 20, the lowest part of the retained portions 10R, 10L (in this example, the lower end of the rearmost part) and the lower end 10d of the protruding portion 10c are located lower than the bulge 221h. Therefore, even if, for example, a user places the operating device 201 on a flat surface for storage, the connector provided at the end of the cable is prevented from coming into contact with that surface. As a result, it is possible to prevent stress from being placed on the connector 233.

[0087] As shown in Figure 19, the front portion 221j of the lower surface 221g is formed at an angle and extends forward and upward. Therefore, when a user inserts a cable connector into the connector 233, the cable connector can be guided into the connector 233 by the front portion 221j. As a result, the cable connector can be inserted smoothly. In this example, the front portion 221j is gently curved. The front portion 221j may also be an inclined flat surface. A groove 221k is formed in the front portion 221j, having a width corresponding to the width of the cable connector. When the cable connector is inserted into the connector 233, the end of the cable is positioned in the groove 221k. Therefore, even if the operating device 201 moves when in use, the lateral load acting on the connector 233 can be reduced.

[0088] As shown in Figure 20, the light-emitting unit 228 and the connector 233 are positioned apart vertically in a front view. The operating device 201 has a circuit board inside. One of the components, the light source (e.g., LED) of the light-emitting unit 228 and the connector 233, is mounted on the circuit board, while the other component is positioned vertically away from the circuit board. The other component is connected to the circuit board via a cable or the like.

[0089] In the example shown in Figure 20, the light source of the light-emitting unit 228 is mounted on the circuit board 251. The operating device 201 in this example is located below the circuit board 251 and further has a circuit board 252 facing the circuit board 251. The connector 233 is mounted on the circuit board 252. The circuit boards 251 and 252 are connected by wires (not shown). The circuit board 251 has a control circuit mounted on it that controls the operating device 201, and the data transmitted and received through the connector 233 is input to the control circuit of the circuit board 251 through the circuit board 252 and the wires.

[0090] The connector 233 is mounted on the underside of the circuit board 252. On the other hand, the light source of the light-emitting unit 228 is mounted, for example, on the upper side of the circuit board 251. This ensures a large distance between the connector 233 and the light-emitting unit 228 in the vertical direction. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent the cable connected to the connector 233 from interfering with the light from the light-emitting unit 228. Note that the circuit board 252 is not necessarily required. For example, the connector 233 may be connected to the circuit board 251 by wires without going through the circuit board.

[0091] As described above, the operating device 201 has a top surface on which a first operating member (in this description, the operating button 11 and the directional key 19) is provided, and has left and right holding parts 10R and 10L that are spaced apart from each other in the left and right directions for the user to hold. The operating device 201 also has a central part 21 that connects the left and right holding parts 10R and 10L, a light-emitting part 228 provided on the front surface 21a of the central part 21, a connector 233 provided on the lower surface 221g of the central part 21 into which a cable can be inserted from the front, and the lower surface 221g of the central part 21 that is located at the front of the central part 21 and protrudes forward from the connector 233. With this operating device 201, it is possible to prevent the cable connected to the connector 233 from interfering with the propagation of light from the light-emitting part 228.

[0092] Furthermore, various modifications can be made to the control device.

[0093] For example, the operation buttons 135 on the grips 12 and 112 do not necessarily have to be provided on the operating device.

[0094] Furthermore, the positions of the operation buttons 17R and 17L do not necessarily have to be behind the operating members (operation buttons 11 and directional keys 19) provided at the front of the held parts 10R and 10L. The operation buttons 17R and 17L may be positioned, for example, between the left and right operation sticks 31.

[0095] Furthermore, the light-emitting section 28 provided on the front of the central section 21 does not necessarily have to protrude forward.

[0096] Furthermore, in the operating device 101, the upper part 121d of the front surface 121a of the central part 121 does not have to protrude forward relative to the lower part 121e.

[0097] Furthermore, the upper surfaces of the housings constituting the operating devices 1,101,201 may have edges located on the front side of the operating members 22,122,222.

[0098] Furthermore, multiple light-emitting units may be provided on the front surface 21a of the central portion 21. In that case, the multiple light-emitting units may be arranged in a left-right direction.

[0099] [Embodiments according to the present invention] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figures 22 and 23 are perspective views of an operating device 301, which is an example of an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 22 is a view of the operating device 301 from above, and Figure 23 is a view of the operating device 301 from the front. Figure 24 is a plan view of the operating device 301, and Figure 25 is a front view of the operating device 301. Figure 26 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XXVI-XXVI shown in Figure 24. In these figures, the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in the operating devices described so far. Hereafter, the differences from the operating devices described so far will be the focus of the description, and matters not described are the same as in the operating devices described so far.

[0100] As shown in Figure 22, the operating device 301 has holding portions 310L and 310R on its left and right sides, respectively, for the user to hold. The operating device 301 also has a central portion 321 between the holding portions 310L and 310R. Operating members (specifically, operating buttons 11 and directional keys 19) for the user to operate are provided on the upper front surfaces of the holding portions 310L and 310R. The operating device 301 has a housing 340. The housing 340 constitutes the outer surface of the operating device 301 and houses various components of the operating device 301. In this example, the housing 340 has an upper housing half 341 and a lower housing half 349, which are combined with each other in the vertical direction.

[0101] As shown in Figure 23, the operating device 301 has a light-emitting surface 328c on the front of its central portion 321. The light from the light-emitting surface 328c is captured through a camera connected to the information processing device. As shown in Figure 26, the operating device 301 has a light source G that emits visible light (a light-emitting diode in this example) and a plate-shaped light-diffusing member 328 that has a front surface that functions as the light-emitting surface 328c. The light from the light source G passes through the light-diffusing member 328 and is emitted from the entire light-emitting surface 328c. In other words, the light-emitting surface 328c emits light from its surface.

[0102] The operating device 301 includes multiple light sources G of different colors (for example, red, green, and blue light sources). By adjusting the brightness of each light source G, the operating device 301 causes the light-emitting surface 328c to light up in a color specified by the information processing device or a color corresponding to the operating state of the operating device 301. In this way, even when multiple operating devices 301 are used simultaneously, the information processing device can detect the position of each operating device 301.

[0103] In the example shown in Figure 26, a light guide member 329 is positioned inside the light diffusion member 328. The light source G is mounted on the lower surface of the circuit board 70 and is located above the light guide member 329. The light from the light source G diffuses within the light guide member 329 and the light diffusion member 328 and exits from the light-emitting surface 328c. The position of the light source G is not limited to this. For example, it may be positioned to the left or right of members 328 and 329.

[0104] The central portion 321 includes a portion located above the light-emitting surface 328c. The light-emitting surface 328c is positioned so as to be hidden by this portion of the central portion 321. As shown in Figure 26, the operating device 301, like the operating device 1 described above, also has a surface panel 324 that forms the upper surface of the central portion 321. The light-emitting surface 328c is located below the surface panel 324 and is positioned to face diagonally forward and downward. This layout of the light-emitting surface 328c means that when the central portion 321 is viewed from above, the light-emitting surface 328c is hidden by the surface panel 324. More specifically, when the central portion 321 is viewed from diagonally upward and in front, the light-emitting surface 328c is hidden by the surface panel 324. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the reflection of light from lighting devices in the room where the operating device 301 is used, etc., from hitting the light-emitting surface 328c. Note that the component located above the light-emitting surface 328c does not necessarily have to be the surface panel 324. For example, a portion located above the light-emitting surface 328c may be formed on the upper housing half 341.

[0105] The central portion 321 has a part located above the light-emitting surface 328c and in front of the light-emitting surface 328c. As shown in Figure 26, this portion includes the front part of the surface panel 324 (hereinafter referred to as the front portion 324c). The front portion 324c protrudes forward beyond the upper edge 328d of the light-emitting surface 328c. This makes it possible to more effectively suppress light from indoor lighting devices from hitting the light-emitting surface 328c. Note that the front portion 324c of the surface panel 324 does not necessarily have to protrude forward beyond the upper edge 328d of the light-emitting surface 328c. For example, the front portion 324c may be a flat plate extending upward from the position of the upper edge 328d of the light-emitting surface 328c.

[0106] As shown in Figure 26, the light-emitting surface 328c in this example is a flat surface facing diagonally downward. That is, the light-emitting surface 328c is inclined such that its upper edge 328d is located in front of its lower edge 328e. This shape of the light-emitting surface 328c makes it easier to hide the light-emitting surface 328c from the surface panel 324 compared to a structure in which the light-emitting surface is curved to bulge forward. Also, if the user holds the operating device 301 at a slight upward tilt, the light-emitting surface 328c can face the camera.

[0107] The lower part of the front surface of the central section 321 is angled downwards. As shown in Figure 23, the light-emitting surface 328c is located on a plane common to the front surface of the central section 321. In other words, the light-emitting surface 328c and the part surrounding the outer periphery of the light-emitting surface 328c are located on approximately the same plane. In this example, the front surface 349b of the housing 340 (more specifically the lower housing half 349) is an angled slope. The front surface 349b includes a surface 349c that extends angled upwards and forwards from the upper edge of the light-emitting surface 328c. This surface 349c, together with the front part 324c of the surface panel 324, is located in front of the light-emitting surface 328c. An opening is formed on the front surface of the housing 340 to expose the light-emitting surface 328c, and the light-emitting surface 328c is flush with the edge of the opening in the housing 340. The light-emitting surface 328c may be recessed relative to the surrounding part.

[0108] As shown in Figure 26, a connector 333 is provided on the front surface of the central portion 321, located below the light-emitting surface 328c. Even if the cable terminal accidentally touches the light-emitting surface 328c during the process of inserting the cable terminal into the connector 333, the cable terminal can be guided into the connector 333 by the light-emitting surface 328c, which is formed flush with the surrounding portion. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent external force from acting on the cable terminal inserted into the connector 333 from above.

[0109] As shown in Figure 23, each of the left and right holding portions 310L and 310R has operation buttons 15 and 16 on its front surface. The operation buttons 15 and 16 protrude forward from the front surface of the central portion 321. As described above, the light-emitting surface 328c is formed to face diagonally downward, and its lower edge 328e is located behind the upper edge 328d. The connector 333 is provided below the lower edge 328e of the light-emitting surface 328c. In particular, in this example, the connector 333 is located behind the lower edge 328e of the light-emitting surface 328c (see Figure 26). With this structure, a larger distance is secured between the operation buttons 15 and 16 and the connector 33 compared to a structure in which the light-emitting surface 328c is positioned to face straight forward. As a result, when a user places their fingers on the operation buttons 15 and 16, it is possible to prevent their fingers from touching the part of the cable that is close to the terminal, and thus prevent load from being placed on the connector 333.

[0110] As shown in Figure 25, the light-emitting surface 328c has an elongated shape in the left-right direction. In this example, the light-emitting surface 328c is roughly triangular. With such a shape, the information processing device can easily distinguish the light from the light-emitting surface 328c from other light. As a result, the position detection accuracy of the operating device 301 can be improved. Note that the light-emitting surface 328c may also be polygonal.

[0111] As shown in Figure 25, the light-emitting surface 328c has a shape corresponding to the front surface of the central portion 321. In this example, the front surface of the central portion 321 has a lower edge that is bent in the center. That is, the lower edge of the front surface has a portion 321a that extends diagonally to the right and upward from the center, and a portion 321b that extends to the left and upward from the center. The lower edge 328e of the light-emitting surface 328c also has a portion that extends diagonally to the right and upward from its center, and a portion that extends to the left and upward from the center, similar to the lower edge of the front surface of the central portion 321. This makes it easier to ensure the size of the light-emitting surface 328c.

[0112] As shown in Figure 24, the operating device 301, like the operating devices of the first to third examples described above, has a plate-shaped operating member 322 on the upper surface of the central part 321. The operating member 322 includes a touch sensor 23 (see Figure 26) and a surface panel 324. The touch sensor 23 is located between the operating members (i.e., the operating buttons 11 and the directional keys 19) of the left and right holding parts 310L and 310R. Below the operating member 322 is a switch 71 (see Figure 26) for detecting when the operating member 322 is pressed. Therefore, the operating member 322 functions as an on / off button. As shown in Figure 22, the operating device 301 has operating buttons 317R and 317L on the right and left sides of the operating member 322, corresponding to the aforementioned operating buttons 217R and 217L.

[0113] In this example, the surface panel 324 protrudes slightly upward from the portions surrounding its rear, left, and right edges (the edges of the opening formed in the housing 340). As a result, a step is formed around the surface panel 324. This allows the user to recognize the position of the operating member 322 with their fingers placed on the central portion 321 without having to look at the operating device 301.

[0114] Below the operating member 322, as in the example in Figure 10, multiple elastic members (e.g., springs or rubber) are arranged. The operating member 322 is supported by these multiple elastic members so that it can move up and down regardless of which part of it is pressed. As shown in Figure 26, a circuit board 70 on which a switch 71 is mounted is located below the operating member 322. The operating member 322 has a pressing portion 25a in the center of its lower surface for pressing the switch 71. In this example, the operating member 322 has a frame 25 on its lower surface, and the pressing portion 25a is formed on the frame 25. The frame 25 is roughly box-shaped, and the drive circuit 26 for the touch sensor 23 is located inside it.

[0115] As shown in Figure 26, the operating member 322 (specifically the surface panel 324) includes a portion that constitutes the upper surface of the central portion 321 (hereinafter referred to as the upper surface portion 324a) and a portion that constitutes the front surface of the central portion 321 (the front surface portion 324c), similar to the operating member 22 and others described so far. With this structure, the user can smoothly slide their fingers forward on the surface panel 324. In addition, the user can easily press the foremost part of the upper surface portion 324a of the surface panel 324. Furthermore, the front surface portion 324c can increase the rigidity of the front part of the surface panel 324.

[0116] As shown in Figure 26, the touch sensor 23 is mounted on the upper surface 324a of the surface panel 324. The front portion 324c extends downwards, curving beyond the front edge of the touch sensor 23. In this example, the front portion 324c has an arc-shaped cross-section. The housing 340 has an opening that exposes the surface panel 324. The front edge 349a of the opening in the housing 340 is located below the lower edge of the front portion 324c.

[0117] In this example, as shown in Figure 25, the front portion 324c of the surface panel 324 extends downward beyond the lower edge 341a of the front surface of the upper housing half 341, and the front edge 349a of the opening is located on the upper edge of the lower housing half 349. This structure of the housing halves 341 and 349 allows for a large vertical width of the front portion 324c.

[0118] As shown in Figure 26, the upper housing half 341 has a beam portion 341b at its front that is located inside the front portion 324c of the surface panel 324 and extends in the left-right direction. This beam portion 341b can compensate for the reduction in rigidity of the upper housing half 341 that occurs because the upper housing half 341 does not have a portion located below the front portion 324c.

[0119] The central portion 321 is configured so that light from the light source G leaks from its upper surface. Specifically, the surface panel 324 is made of a light-transmitting material. The surface panel 324 has a portion that extends beyond the front edge of the touch sensor 23. Below the portion that extends beyond the front edge of the touch sensor 23, the light source G, a member that reflects the light from the light source G, and a member that receives light from the light source G and emits light are arranged. As a result, light leaks from the portion that extends beyond the front edge of the touch sensor 23. In the examples shown in Figures 24 and 26, the upper portion 324a of the surface panel 324 has a portion 324d that extends slightly forward beyond the front edge of the touch sensor 23. The front portion 324c extends downward from portion 324d in a curved manner. The light diffusion member 328 and the light guide member 329 are located below portion 324d and the front portion 324c. Therefore, light emitted upward from the light diffusion member 328 leaks upward through portion 324d. Furthermore, a light source G may be positioned below portion 324d of the surface panel 324. The upper or lower surface of the surface panel 324 may be colored to define the location where light leaks out.

[0120] The user can recognize the color of the light from the light source G by looking at the light emitted from section 324d. This is particularly effective when multiple operating devices 301 are used simultaneously. In other words, in one example of the information processing device's processing, the operating device 301 is identified by the color of the light-emitting surface 328c, and the object corresponding to each operating device 301 is displayed. The user can recognize the object being moved through the operating device 301 by the light leaking from the upper surface of the central section 321.

[0121] As shown in Figure 23, the bottom 349e of the housing 340 (more specifically, the lower housing half 349) bulges downward at its center in the left-right direction. That is, the bottom 349e has a slope on its right side that is angled diagonally to the right and downward, and a slope on its left side that is angled diagonally to the left and downward. This shape of the bottom 349e increases its rigidity.

[0122] As shown in Figure 25, the lower housing half 349 contains a connector 333, a circuit board 336 with the connector 333 attached to its bottom surface, and a battery 337. The connector 333 is located at the very bottom of the lower housing half 349, and the connector 333, circuit board 336, and battery 337 are arranged in this order from the bottom. Furthermore, the width of these three components in the left-right direction increases with the component positioned higher up. This helps to minimize wasted space inside the bottom portion 349e.

[0123] As shown in Figure 22, a connector 334 is provided on the rear surface of the central portion 321. For example, a cable such as headphones or earphones is connected to the connector 34. Other devices that extend the functionality of the operating device 1 may also be connected to the connector 34.

[0124] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible.

[0125] For example, the light-emitting surface 328c may face straight forward. In this case, the foremost part of the surface panel 324 may have a canopy shape that extends forward from the light-emitting surface 328c.

[0126] Furthermore, the edge 349a of the housing 340 located below the surface panel 324 may be formed on the upper housing half 341.

[0127] Figures 27 and 28 show modified versions of the operating device 301 shown in Figures 22 to 26. In the examples shown in these figures, the layout of the light source G differs mainly from the examples shown in Figures 22 to 26. Figure 27 is a perspective view showing the light source G and the light guide member 327. Figure 28 is a cross-sectional view, the cross-section being the same as that of Figure 26.

[0128] In these examples, the central section 321 has a light-emitting panel 328. The light-emitting panel 328 is a light-diffusing member that diffuses light within itself. The light source G is positioned at a location behind the light-emitting panel 328. More specifically, the light source G is positioned at a location behind the left-right center of the light-emitting panel 328. As described above, the central section 321 has a circuit board 336 that is positioned below the circuit board 70 on which the switch 71 is mounted. In the example described here, the light source G is mounted on the top surface of the circuit board 336. The light source G is mounted on the circuit board 336 so that its light is emitted forward.

[0129] The central portion 321 of the example shown here has a light guide plate 327. The light guide plate 327 is positioned to extend forward from the light source G toward the back of the light-emitting panel 328 (see Figure 28). As shown in Figure 27, the light guide plate 327 has left and right sides 327a that are inclined so that the width of the light guide plate 327 in the left-right direction gradually increases toward the front. With this shape of the light guide plate 327, the light emitted from the light source G travels forward while being reflected by the left and right sides 327a, the top surface 327b, and the bottom surface 327c of the light guide plate 327, and spreads out in the left-right direction in the process. As a result, the entire area of ​​the elongated light-emitting panel 328 can be illuminated. The light source G is positioned at a location away from the rear of the portion between the left and right ends of the light-emitting panel 328. In the example described here, the light source G is positioned at a location away from the left-right center of the light-emitting panel 328. Therefore, the light guide plate 327 has a symmetrical shape. The light source G is located behind the rear end of the light guide plate 327.

[0130] By increasing the distance from the light-emitting panel 328 to the light source G, that is, the distance from the light-emitting panel 328 to the rear end of the light guide plate 327, the light traveling through the light guide plate 327 is more easily reflected by the side surface 327a. Therefore, a larger distance from the light-emitting panel 328 to the light source G is desirable. In the example shown in Figure 28, the light source G is located at the rear end of the circuit board 336.

[0131] As shown in Figure 28, the circuit board 336 is positioned lower than the light-emitting panel 328. More specifically, the circuit board 336 is positioned lower than the lower edge 328e of the light-emitting panel 328. In this example, the light source G is also positioned lower than the lower edge 328e of the light-emitting panel 328. The light guide plate 327 has a first plate portion 327A that extends forward from the light source G. The first plate portion 327A is positioned along the circuit board 336. That is, the first plate portion 327A is positioned horizontally. The light guide plate 327 also has a second plate portion 327B that is positioned along the back surface of the light-emitting panel 328. The light guide plate 327 has a curved portion 327d formed between the first plate portion 327A and the second plate portion 327B. Light entering the second plate portion 327B from the first plate portion 327A is always reflected off the surface of the curved portion 327d. Therefore, by providing the curved portion 327d on the light guide plate 327, the number of light reflections increases. As a result, the light traveling through the light guide plate 327 spreads more easily in the left and right directions. As described above, the battery 337 is located between the circuit board 336 and the circuit board 70. In the example described here, the curvature of the light guide plate 327 also helps to avoid interference between the light guide plate 327 and the battery 337. A light-reflecting member may be attached to the surface of the curved portion 327d (for example, the surface facing diagonally downward). Alternatively, the surface of the curved portion 327d may be processed to reflect light. In other words, a member that totally reflects light, such as a mirror surface, may be attached to the surface of the curved portion 327d, or a surface treatment may be applied.

[0132] As described above, the light-emitting panel 328 is positioned to face diagonally downward. As shown in Figure 28, the second plate portion 327B is positioned along the back surface of the light-emitting panel 328 and is inclined in the same way as the light-emitting panel 328. On the other hand, the first plate portion 327A is positioned along the circuit board 336 and is horizontal. That is, the first plate portion 327A is positioned perpendicular to the vertical direction. Therefore, an obtuse angle θ is formed between the first plate portion 327A and the second plate portion 327B. This allows the curved portion 327d to be curved gently. As a result, it is possible to suppress the transmission of light traveling through the light guide plate 327 through the surface of the curved portion 327d without passing through the second plate portion 327B.

[0133] As shown in Figure 27, the back surface of the second plate portion 327B (the side opposite to the light-emitting panel 328) is textured (in Figure 27, multiple recesses 327e are depicted to clarify the texture). This texture makes it easier for light hitting the back surface of the second plate portion 327B to be reflected forward. As a result, the brightness of the light-emitting panel 328 can be increased. The texture is applied to the area on the back surface of the second plate portion 327B that corresponds to the light-emitting panel 328. In addition, in the example described here, as shown in Figure 28, a reflective plate 326 is attached to the back surface of the second plate portion 327B. This makes it even easier for light traveling through the second plate portion 327B to be reflected forward.

[0134] Electronic components are arranged on the upper surface of the circuit board 336. The first plate portion 327A is positioned above these electronic components. In the example described here, as shown in Figure 28, a connector 336a is mounted on the upper surface of the circuit board 336 to which a cable electrically connecting the circuit board 336 and the circuit board 70 is connected, and the first plate portion 327A is positioned above the connector 336a. The lower surface of the first plate portion 327 has an inclined surface 327f to avoid interference between the first plate portion 327A and the connector 336a. The light source G is positioned behind the connector 336a. Therefore, the inclination of the inclined surface 327f of the first plate portion 327A can be made gentle. As a result, the transmission of light through the inclined surface 327f is suppressed. That is, light is more easily totally reflected at the inclined surface 327f.

[0135] As shown in Figure 27, a mounting portion 327g is formed at the rear of the first plate portion 327A, protruding in the left-right direction. A projection 349f protruding from the bottom portion 349e of the central portion 321 is fitted into a hole formed in this mounting portion 327g. In this way, the light guide plate 327 is attached to the bottom portion 349e.

[0136] In the examples shown in Figures 27 and 28, the light source G is mounted on the circuit board 336. However, the light source G may also be mounted on the circuit board 70. In this case, the light source G is positioned behind the light-emitting panel 328, and the light guide plate 327 described above may be placed between them.

[0137] Furthermore, if no components such as a battery 337 are placed between the circuit board 336 and the circuit board 70, the light guide plate 327 does not necessarily have to have a curved portion 327d.

Claims

1. The top surface has an operating stick that extends vertically, It has a lower surface which is the surface opposite to the upper surface, The lower surface has a bulge that protrudes downward in a part of the lower surface, The aforementioned bulge has an insertion opening that is open in the front-to-back direction. When the lower surface is viewed from below, the insertion opening is located behind the front edge of the lower surface and in front of the rear edge of the lower surface. Operating device.

2. The aforementioned opening is an opening into which a cable is inserted. The operating device according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned lower surface has a groove located in the direction in which the insertion opening is located. The groove extends in the front-rear direction. The operating device according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned insertion port is an insertion port into which a cable connector is inserted. When the connector of the cable is inserted into the insertion opening, the end of the cable is positioned in the groove. The operating device according to claim 3.

5. Front and The first operation button located on the right side of the front panel, It has a second operation button located on the left side of the front, The aforementioned lower surface is The first part extending rearward from the first operation button, It has a second portion extending rearward from the second operation button, The aforementioned bulge is positioned between the first portion and the second portion. The operating device according to claim 1.

6. The lower surface further has a protruding portion that is located in the direction in which the insertion opening is open and that protrudes in the direction in which the opening is open. The operating device according to claim 1.

7. The protruding portion curves upward as it moves away from the insertion opening in the direction of the opening. The operating device according to claim 6.

Images