Logitech Europe S.a.

Thomas Burgel

Aidan Kehoe

David Ernest Wegmuller

Roland Bosa

David N McVicar

Christophe Juncker

Keith Klumb

Fred Swan

Christopher Pate

Mark Lavelle

Paul Loughnane

Nanda Kutty

Urs Boesiger

Vahid Afshar

Embodiments of the present invention provide programmable keys in a keyboard that provide the user with added functionalities and versatility to enhance the usage of the computer for game play or the like. In one embodiment, an input device for use with a computer comprises an input device housing; at least one input member disposed on the input device housing; and an auxiliary display connected to the input device housing, the auxiliary display being configured to display information received from the computer including images provided by the computer.

Keyboard with integrated auxiliary display

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems and methods for operating a gaming wheel system including a steering wheel which may be a single-turn wheel (at most 360&#xb0; lock-to-lock) or a multi-turn wheel (more than 360&#xb0; lock-to-lock) to play a game which may be designed for a single-turn wheel (a legacy game) or a multi-turn wheel (a native game, irrespective of whether it takes advantage of the multi-turn capability or not). The system is configured to operate the gaming wheel system in one of four states. The first state is the single-turn, legacy mode state for operating either a single-turn wheel or a multi-turn wheel in the single-turn mode to play a legacy game. The second state is the multi-turn, legacy mode state for operating a multi-turn wheel in the multi-turn mode to play a legacy game. The third state is the single-turn, native mode state for operating either a single-turn wheel or a multi-turn wheel in the single-turn mode to play a native game. The fourth state is the multi-turn, native mode state for operating a multi-turn wheel in the multi-turn mode to play a native game.

Convertible single-turn to multi-turn gaming steering wheel

A roller is provided in an input device such as a joystick to perform functions that compliment its operation. Upon detecting rotational movement of the roller in a first direction by a preset angle, a first signal is generated for activating a first logical button. Upon detecting rotational movement of the roller in a second direction by a preset angle, a second signal is generated for activating a second logical button. Roller rotation by multiples of the preset angle represents a series of button presses. The button press may be assigned a function such as selecting an item from a menu or adjusting attributes of objects or data displayed on a computer screen, such as the selection or firing of weapons or adjustment of shield balance in a video game application.

Roller functionality in joystick

A low-cost method and system for processing force feedback effects generated at a host for playback at a physical interaction device by moving much of the force feedback effect processing from the device back to the host, and performing this in a manner that does not adversely affect latency effects or the load on the host processor. This is achieved by a novel combination of software and hardware techniques. In particular, the device hardware uses a low-cost microcontroller with limited processing capabilities, minimal memory and a low speed USB interface. The small memory also alleviates the need for buffer assignments and memory management. On the other hand, the device driver software residing on the host computer relies on the host's powerful processor to perform the majority of the effect management and computation, as well as translating all the complex high-level effect commands to a unique, small and simplified set of low-level commands which are periodically updated and transferred to the device for playback.

Method and system for processing force feedback effects generated at a host for playback at a physical interaction device

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Newark, CA, United States of America

Thomas Burgel