JP2008173186A - Controller and information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a controller and an information processing system which enable the adjustment of the playing quantity. <P>SOLUTION: The controller which outputs an operation signal responding to the input operation is provided with an operating element 5 for detecting the input operation and a control means which outputs the operation signal responding to the input operation with respect to the operation element while controlling the operation of the operation element 5. The operation element 5 is provided with an operating part 51 for displacing itself in the prescribed direction responding to the input operation, an energizing means 54 for energizing the operating part 51 in a direction reverse to the specified direction, a regulating part 524 which is disposed at a prescribed position within a mobile range of the operating part 51 and regulates the displacement of the operating part 51 in contact with the operating part 51 displaced, a reaction generation means 56 which generates a reaction against the displacement of the operating part 51 after the contact with the regulation part 524 and a moving means 56 for moving the regulation part 524 within the possible range. The control means is provided with a moving means control part for controlling the moving means and a reaction generation means control means for controlling the reaction generation means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a controller that is connected to an information processing apparatus and outputs an operation signal corresponding to an input operation to the information processing apparatus, and an information processing system including the controller.

  Conventionally, a controller used for an information processing apparatus such as a PC (Personal Computer) or a game machine is known. Such a controller is operated by a user and outputs an operation signal corresponding to the operation to the information processing apparatus, thereby causing the information processing apparatus to execute a predetermined process. For example, as such a controller, for example, a controller provided with up / down / left / right direction keys and a plurality of operation keys used in a game machine (see, for example, Patent Document 1), a handle-type controller used in a car game ( For example, a patent document 2) and a controller (for example, refer to patent document 3) using twisting and bending operations as input operations are known. When the information processing apparatus is configured as a control apparatus that controls the operation of the machine, a stick-type controller or the like is known.

  In recent years, such a controller has been configured to realize a feeling of operation more realistically, is convenient for the user, and provides the operator with a higher sense of realism in games. That is, a controller that realizes an operation feeling that a user is operating a real tool is known instead of a controller. As such a controller, a controller imitating an actual fishing gear used for a game machine that executes a fishing game is known (for example, see Patent Document 4).

  In the controller described in Patent Document 4, when the handle is rotated in a normal state, the driving wheel and the brake drum rotate smoothly integrally, and almost no friction or the like is generated between the brake drum and the friction yarn. I go idle. In the loaded state, the motor is driven in the direction of pulling the friction yarn, and tension is applied to the friction yarn, so that a frictional force is generated between the rotating brake drum and the friction yarn. For this reason, a load is applied to the drive wheels, and the rotation of the handle becomes heavy. With this configuration, in the fishing game, a realistic feel when fishing a fish can be reproduced by the controller.

  For example, a controller configured to be able to express the hardness of an object is known. Such a controller generates a reaction force in the key input direction. When an operator inputs a key, for example, the operator grips or pushes a hard object according to the hardness of the object to be expressed. In some cases, the reaction force is increased, and when a soft object is gripped or pushed, the reaction force is decreased. Such a mechanism makes it possible to express the hardness of an object.

JP 2001-290578 A JP 2002-224444 A JP 2004-167219 A JP 2000-296263 A

However, the conventional controller has a problem that the play amount cannot be made variable. That is, in the case of the controllers described in Patent Document 2, Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 4, respectively, since the play amount cannot be adjusted, even when the car or fishing gear operated on the screen of the image display device changes, There is a problem that it becomes the same operation feeling. In addition, in the case of the above-described controller capable of expressing the hardness of an object, there is a problem that an object having a different size cannot be expressed even with the same hardness because the play amount cannot be adjusted.
Due to such problems, there has been a demand for a controller that can adjust the amount of play and can provide a feeling of operating an actual object.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a controller and an information processing system capable of adjusting a play amount.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, a controller of the present invention is a controller that is connected to an information processing apparatus and outputs an operation signal corresponding to an input operation to the information processing apparatus. Control means for controlling the operation of the operation element and outputting an operation signal according to an input operation on the operation element, the operation element being displaced in a predetermined direction according to the input operation; A biasing means for biasing the operation portion in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction; and a displacement of the operation portion disposed at a predetermined position within a movable range of the operation portion and contacting the displaced operation portion. A restricting portion that restricts the reaction portion, a reaction force generating means that generates a reaction force against the displacement of the operation portion after contacting the restricting portion, and a moving means that moves the restricting portion within the possible range. Comprising the control means Characterized by comprising moving means control part for controlling said moving means, and a reaction force generation means control unit for controlling the reaction force generating means.

An example of such a controller is a controller that is gripped by an operator and detects a gripping operation by each finger of the hand.
According to the present invention, when the operator performs an input operation (specifically, a pressing operation) on the operation unit, the operation unit is displaced in a predetermined direction. After this displacement, the operation unit comes into contact with the restriction unit disposed within the movable range of the operation unit, and further, an input operation is performed on the operation unit, and when the operation unit is displaced in a predetermined direction, the restriction unit is Displace in a predetermined direction. Since the reaction force generating means generates such a reaction force against the displacement of the operation portion, resistance is generated against the displacement of the operation portion in a predetermined direction. Here, since the reaction force generating means is driven under the control of the reaction force generating means control section, the reaction force generating means control section is a magnitude of the reaction force that resists the pressing force of the operator that displaces the operation section. By adjusting this, the resistance to the input operation to the operation unit can be increased or decreased. Therefore, when the operation unit operated by the operator represents the surface of the virtual object, the hardness of the virtual object can be expressed.

  On the other hand, the restricting portion with which the operation portion displaced according to the input operation comes into contact is arranged at a predetermined position within the movable range of the operation portion by the moving means. For this reason, a control part can be arrange | positioned in the arbitrary positions within the said movable range by driving a moving means under control by the moving means control part. According to this, it is possible to arbitrarily change the position of the restriction portion, which is the reaction force generation start position by the reaction force generation means, and thereby the distance until the operation portion comes into contact with the restriction portion, that is, the operation portion. The amount of play can be adjusted. Therefore, when the operation unit operated by the operator represents the surface of the virtual object, the size of the virtual object is adjusted by changing the position of the restriction unit and adjusting the play amount. Can be expressed.

In the present invention, the operation element includes a position detection unit that detects a position of the restriction unit that moves according to the displacement of the operation unit, and the movement unit control unit detects the restriction detected by the position detection unit. It is preferable to control the moving means according to the position of the part.
According to the present invention, the moving unit control unit controls the driving of the moving unit according to the position of the restricting unit detected by the position detecting unit. According to this, the position detecting unit detects the position of the restricting unit moved by the moving unit, and the moving unit control unit further feeds the moving unit by feeding back the position of the restricting unit to the moving unit control unit. Whether or not to drive can be determined. Therefore, it is possible to improve the accuracy of the arrangement position of the restricting portion in the movable range of the operation portion.
Further, by detecting the position of the restricting portion by the position detecting means, it is possible to detect the displacement amount of the operation portion after the operation portion comes into contact with the restricting portion, that is, the input amount by the operator.

In this invention, it is preferable that the said control means is provided with the position output part which outputs the position of the said control part detected by the said position detection means to the said information processing apparatus.
According to the present invention, as described above, the displacement (input amount) of the operation unit can be detected by the position detection unit. Therefore, when the position output unit outputs the displacement amount (input amount) to the information processing device, the input state of the operation unit by the operator can be appropriately output to the information processing device.

In the present invention, the operation element includes a pressure detection unit that detects a pressing force applied to the operation unit according to the input operation, and the reaction force generation unit control unit detects the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit. It is preferable to control the reaction force generating means based on the pressing force.
According to the present invention, the reaction force generating means control unit adjusts the reaction force generated by the reaction force generating means using the pressing force as an index by acquiring the pressing force applied to the operation unit detected by the pressure detecting means. be able to. That is, it is difficult to directly detect the magnitude of the generated reaction force itself, but based on the pressing force detected by the pressure detecting means and the position of the restricting portion when the pressing force is applied, The magnitude of the reaction force can be grasped, and the reaction force to be generated can be adjusted by feeding back the pressing force and the position of the restricting portion to the reaction force generating means control portion. Therefore, the reaction force generated by the reaction force generating means can be adjusted with high accuracy.

  In this invention, the said control means is provided with the information acquisition part which acquires the position information which shows the position of the said control part output from the said information processing apparatus, and the reaction force information which shows the magnitude | size of the said reaction force, The said movement means Preferably, the control unit controls the moving unit based on the position information, and the reaction force generation unit control unit controls the reaction force generation unit based on the reaction force information.

  According to the present invention, based on the position information and reaction force information input from the information processing apparatus, the moving means control unit and the reaction force generating means control unit control the moving means and the reaction force generating means, respectively. The play amount and reaction force set by the processing device can be realized. According to this, for example, the information processing device outputs an image representing a predetermined object to the image display device, and outputs the position information and reaction force information related to the object to the controller while displaying the image. Accordingly, the operator can operate the controller while observing the object to obtain a sense of reality as if the object was directly operated. Further, when the information processing apparatus outputs such position information and reaction force information to the controller, it is possible to simplify the process of setting the position of the restricting portion and the reaction force value on the controller side.

  In the present invention, a support portion that rotatably supports the operation portion is provided, and the restriction portion is provided on a cylindrical body having the same rotation shaft as the operation portion, and the moving means and the reaction force generation Preferably, the means is an actuator that adjusts the position of the abutting portion that is the restricting portion by rotating the cylindrical body and applies the reaction force to the cylindrical body.

  According to the present invention, since the operation unit is rotatably supported by the support unit, when the pressing force is received by the operator, the operation unit rotates about the fulcrum in the support unit. The cylindrical body having the same rotation axis as that of the operation portion is provided with the above-described restriction portion. Therefore, when the operation portion rotates, the operation portion is moved to the restriction portion provided in the cylindrical body. Abut. This cylindrical body transmits the reaction force generated by the actuator, which is a reaction force generating means, to the operation portion when the operation portion is further rotated after the operation portion comes into contact with the restricting portion. Moreover, this actuator is also a moving means, and by driving the actuator, the cylindrical body is rotated, and the position of the restricting portion provided in the cylindrical body is changed.

  According to this, it is possible to change the position of the restricting portion and generate a reaction force against the rotation of the operating portion by driving one actuator. Therefore, it is possible to simplify the configuration of the operator, and thus the controller. Moreover, the position of the control part provided in the cylindrical body can be easily changed by such an actuator. Furthermore, since the movement range of the operation unit can be reduced as compared with a case where the operation unit linearly moves in response to an input operation by the operator, it is possible to reduce the size of the operator and thus the controller.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the cylindrical body includes a gear having teeth formed on an outer peripheral surface along the rotation shaft, and the actuator includes a spindle to which another gear meshing with the teeth is attached. .
Here, when the gear provided with the restriction portion is directly rotated by the actuator without providing another gear, the operation portion, the gear, and the actuator are linearly arranged. The rotating shaft and the gear, and the other gear and the actuator are arranged in a straight line. According to this, by dividing each, it is possible to reduce the size of the manipulator and thus the controller.
In addition, when the position detecting means is provided, the rotation angle of the gear is detected. In such a case, the rotation axis of the gear is different from the rotation axis of the spindle. The position detecting means can be easily installed. Therefore, the degree of freedom in designing the operation element can be improved.

In the present invention, a housing for accommodating the operating element is provided, and a plurality of the operating elements are provided in the casing, and the operation unit is exposed to a region of the casing facing each other. It is preferable to be provided.
Here, the position where the operation unit is provided is preferably a position corresponding to the thumb and at least one of the index finger and the middle finger when the operator holds the controller.
The regions facing each other can be defined as a pair of surfaces facing each other, for example, when the housing is formed in a quadrangular prism shape, and when the housing is formed in a columnar shape. Can be a region that intersects the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the housing. More specifically, it can be set as a region on the operator side and a region on the opposite side to the operator side.

  According to the present invention, the operation units that are input by the operator are provided so as to be exposed on the mutually opposing surfaces of the housing of the controller. Here, when the casing provided with the operation element has a size that can be grasped with one hand, each operation unit is operated by the thumb and other fingers. According to this, it is possible to easily perform an input operation on the operation unit, particularly when the operation unit provided on one surface is provided at a position corresponding to at least one of the index finger and the middle finger. The input operation can be performed more easily. Moreover, since the operation unit can be operated by adding an operation of grasping a virtual object to the controller, the expressive power of the controller can be improved.

  The information processing system according to the present invention includes an information processing device that processes information according to an input operation signal, and the information processing device that is connected to the information processing device and outputs the operation signal according to the input operation to the information processing device. An information processing system comprising a controller, wherein the controller controls an operation element that detects an input operation, and controls the operation of the operation element, and outputs an operation signal corresponding to the input operation on the operation element. And an operating unit that is displaced in a predetermined direction in response to the input operation, a biasing unit that biases the operating unit in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction, and a movable part of the operating unit. A restricting portion that is arranged at a predetermined position within the range and abuts on the displaced operation portion to restrict displacement of the operation portion, and a reaction force against the displacement of the operation portion after contact with the restriction portion Raised Reaction force generating means, and moving means for moving the restricting portion to a predetermined position within a displaceable range of the operating portion, the control means includes a moving means control portion that controls the moving means; A reaction force generation means control unit for controlling the reaction force generation means, wherein the information processing apparatus provides the controller with position information indicating the position of the restriction unit and a reaction force indicating the magnitude of the reaction force. An information output unit that outputs information, the moving unit control unit controls the moving unit based on the position information, and the reaction force generation unit control unit based on the reaction force information The reaction force generating means is controlled.

According to the present invention, it is possible to achieve the same effect as the above-described controller that controls the operation of the moving unit and the reaction force generation unit based on the position information and the reaction force information input from the information processing apparatus.
That is, based on the reaction force information input from the information processing apparatus, the reaction force generation means control section controls the drive of the reaction force generation means, thereby resisting the operation section that is further displaced after contacting the restriction section. The reaction force can be generated as shown. According to this, since the reaction force becomes resistance to the displacement of the operation unit, it is possible to express the hardness of the virtual object that the operator is touching.

Similarly, based on the position information input from the information processing apparatus, the moving means control unit can change the position of the restricting part by controlling the driving of the moving means, so the generation of the reaction force described above is started. The position can be adjusted. Therefore, it is possible to arbitrarily set the play amount in the displacement of the operation unit, thereby expressing the size of the virtual object.
Further, based on the reaction force information and the position information input from the information processing apparatus, the reaction force generation means control unit and the movement means control unit control the reaction force generation means and the movement means, respectively. Thus, it is possible to simplify the processing such as the position setting of the restricting portion and the reaction force value setting.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[Entire configuration of information processing system 1]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment includes an information processing device 2 that processes predetermined information, an image display device 3 that displays a processing result of the information processing device 2, and an information processing device. 2 and a controller 4 that operates the information processing apparatus 2.
Among these, the image display device 3 displays an image based on the image information input from the information processing device 2. Examples of such an image display device 3 include various displays such as liquid crystal, plasma, organic EL (electro-luminescence) and CRT (Cathode-ray tube), projectors, and the like.

[Configuration of Information Processing Apparatus 2]
The information processing apparatus 2 is configured as a game machine in the present embodiment, and processes a game program in accordance with operation information input from a controller 4 (to be described later) to advance a game related to the game program. The information processing apparatus 2 is configured to be able to reproduce image information and audio information recorded on a disk type recording medium. Then, the information processing device 2 outputs the image information related to the image indicating the processing result, for example, the image information related to the image shown in the image display device 3 in FIG. 1 or the reproduced image information to the display, and the image display device 3 to display an image related to the image information.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the information processing apparatus 2.
As shown in FIG. 2, the information processing apparatus 2 includes an optical drive 21 that reads and records information on a disc-type recording medium such as a CD (Compact Disc) and a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc). An HDD (Hard Disc Drive) 22 as storage means and a control means 23 for controlling the entire apparatus including the optical drive 21 and the HDD 22 are configured.
Among these, the control means 23 is comprised as a circuit board with which CPU (Central Processing Unit) etc. were mounted. Such a control unit 23 includes a program processing unit 231 that processes a program read from the optical drive 21 and the HDD 22, a setting information output unit 232 that outputs setting information to the controller 4 to be described later, and operation information from the controller 4. And an operation information input unit 233 for inputting.
The setting information output unit 232 corresponds to the information output unit of the present invention.

The program processing unit 231 outputs setting information to the controller 4 via the setting information output unit 232 in the process of processing the above-described program. Further, the program processing unit 231 processes a program based on operation information input from the controller 4 via the operation information input unit 233.
Examples of such setting information include play amount information (position information of a stopper 524 described later) and torque amount information (reaction force information) of an operator 5 described later of the controller 4. As the operation information, which will be described in detail later, in addition to the operator's pressing force information on the operator 5 and the position information of the stopper 524, the rotation angle of each gripping portion 41, 42 of the controller 4 to be described later. And the distance information between the gripping portions 41 and 42.

[Configuration of controller 4]
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the controller 4.
The controller 4 outputs an operation signal corresponding to the input operation by the user to the information processing apparatus 2. The controller 4 is held so as to be gripped with both hands of the user, detects the gripping motion of the user, outputs an operation signal to the information processing device 2, and responds to information input from the information processing device 2. The size and hardness of the object can be realized. That is, the controller 4 is used in a situation where a predetermined game program is executed by the information processing apparatus 2 and the object is gripped (a situation where the image shown in FIG. 1 is displayed), and the hardness and size of the object. And the operator's gripping motion is detected.
As shown in FIG. 3, the controller 4 includes a right grip 41 and a left grip 42 that are substantially cylindrical housings gripped by the right and left hands of the user, and the grips 41 and 42. It is provided with a substantially cylindrical connecting portion 43 that is movably supported, and is formed in a substantially H-shape as a whole.

Among these, the connecting portion 43 is provided with shaft portions 431 and 432 connected to the right grip 41 and the left grip 42, respectively.
Although not shown in detail in the connection portion 43, a rotation angle sensor 433 (connected to the shaft portions 431 and 432 and detecting the rotation angle of the right grip 41 with respect to the left grip 42. 8) and a linear sensor 434 (see FIG. 8) for detecting the amount of advance / retreat (distance) of the right grip 41 and the left grip 42 toward and away from each other.
Furthermore, the connection unit 43 is connected to the information processing apparatus 2 described above via the cable 435 (see FIG. 1), controls the entire controller 4 based on setting information input from the information processing apparatus 2, and Control means 44 (see FIG. 8) for outputting an operation signal is provided. The configuration of the control means 44 will be described in detail later.

  The right grip 41 and the left grip 42 are respectively provided with analog sensors 411 and 421 to which shaft portions 431 and 432 of the connection portion 43 are rotatably connected. The analog sensors 411 and 421 detect the rotation angles of the shaft portions 431 and 432 within a hemispherical rotation range around the fulcrum with the shaft portions 431 and 432, respectively. These analog sensors 411 and 421 output the detected rotation angles of the shaft portions 431 and 432 to the control means 44 provided in the connection portion 43.

  The right grip 41 is provided with three operators 5 (5T, 5F, 5L). Among these operators 5, the operation unit 51 (see FIG. 4) of the operator 5 </ b> T is provided on a surface facing the operator side when the operator holds the right grip 41 and the operation unit 5 </ b> T is operated. The operation portions 51 of the children 5F and 5L are provided on the surface opposite to the operator side. Specifically, the operation unit 51 of the operator 5T is provided at a position corresponding to the thumb when the operator grips the right grip 41 with the right hand, and the operation units 51 of the operators 5F and 5L are respectively It is provided at a position corresponding to the index finger and the middle finger.

[Configuration of operation element 5]
FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the structure of the operation element 5. 5 to 7 are exploded perspective views showing the structure of the operation element 5. FIG.
Hereinafter, the operation element 5 will be described.
The operator 5 detects an input amount (push-in amount) of the operation unit 51 by an operator's input operation, and outputs the detected input amount to the control means 44 described above. Further, the operator 5 generates a reaction force against the input operation of the operator according to a control signal input from the control means 44. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the operation element 5 includes an operation unit 51, two gears 52 and 53, a spring 54, a case 55, an actuator 56, and a potentiometer 57.

[Configuration of operation unit 51]
The operation portion 51 is rotatably supported by a hole portion 55211 (FIG. 6) formed in the second case 552 of the case 55 described later. The operation unit 51 includes a plate-like portion 511, an arm portion 512 attached to the back side of the plate-like portion 511 (the side opposite to the side facing the operator), and a shaft attached to the tip of the arm portion 512. Part 513.
The plate-like portion 511 is a member that is exposed from an opening (not shown) formed in the right grip 41 and that is touched by an operator's finger. The plate-like portion 511 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape as viewed from the operator, and a pressure sensor 5111 (see FIG. 8) is provided on the surface with which the operator's finger abuts. The pressure sensor 5111 is connected to the control unit 44 described above, detects a pressing force applied to the plate-like portion 511, and outputs it to the control unit 44.

As described above, the arm portion 512 is a plate-like member attached to the surface on the back side of the plate-like portion 511 so as to extend in the out-of-plane direction from the back surface. A hole portion 5121 that penetrates the arm portion 512 is formed in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction on the distal end side in the extending direction of the arm portion 512, and the shaft portion 513 is inserted into the hole portion 5121. Is done.
In addition, a protruding portion 5122 (FIG. 5) protruding in the out-of-plane direction is formed on one surface of the arm portion 512, and the surface on the opposite side to the one surface is similarly in the out-of-plane direction. A protruding portion 5123 (FIGS. 5 and 6) that protrudes is formed. The axial direction of these pin-shaped protrusions 5122 and 5123 is a direction along the central axis direction of the hole portion 5121, and is set to a direction along the axial direction of the shaft portion 513.

The protruding portion 5122 is formed on the side facing the gear 52 and the first case 551 described later, and is supported by the shaft portion 513 when the operation portion 51 rotates about the axial direction of the shaft portion 513. It abuts against a stopper 524 (FIGS. 5 and 6) formed on the gear 52.
The protrusion 5123 is formed on the side facing the second case 552 described later, and the end 542 (FIG. 5) of the torsion coil spring 54 wound around the outer periphery of the shaft portion 513 is engaged.

The shaft portion 513 is inserted into the hole portion 5121 from the lower side, that is, the side where the projection portion 5123 of the arm portion 512 is formed.
The shaft portion 513 is formed as a cylindrical member having a four-stage structure. The shaft portion 513 is formed with first to fourth cylindrical portions 5131 to 5134 (FIGS. 5 and 7) having different diameters. Yes.
Among these, the first cylindrical portion 5131 is formed with the smallest diameter, and the gear 52 is rotatably supported by the first cylindrical portion 5131.
The second cylindrical portion 5132 has a shape obtained by cutting out a part of a substantially cylindrical shape along the axial direction in accordance with the shape of the hole portion 5121 (FIGS. 5 and 7), and is fitted into the hole portion 5121. The

The third cylindrical portion 5133 is formed to have the largest diameter, and its upper end is adhered and fixed to the surface of the arm portion 512 on which the protruding portion 5123 is formed, and the lower end is a hole portion 55211 of the second case 552 described later (see FIG. 6 and FIG. 7) abuts against the edge. In addition, a coil portion 541 of a torsion coil spring 54 described later is wound around the outer periphery of the third cylindrical portion 5133.
The fourth cylindrical portion 5134 is inserted into the hole portion 55211 (FIGS. 6 and 7) of the second case 552. Accordingly, the operation unit 51 is set to be rotatable around the fourth cylindrical portion 5134 (specifically, the axial direction of the fourth cylindrical portion 5134).

[Configuration of Gear 52]
The gear 52 corresponds to the cylindrical body and gear of the present invention, and the gear main body 521 having teeth 5211 that mesh with the gear 53 on the outer periphery, and the shaft main body 521 of the operation unit 51 in the gear main body 521. And a protrusion 522 having a central axis the same as that of the gear main body 521. Further, the gear 52 is formed with a hole portion 523 (FIG. 6) formed along the axial direction of the gear 52 and into which the first cylindrical portion 5131 of the shaft portion 513 is inserted.

Among these, the protrusion 522 is inserted into an opening 571 of a potentiometer 57 described later through a hole 5511 formed in the first case 551 constituting the case 55. The protruding portion 522 is cut into a substantially semicircular shape on the tip side according to the shape of the opening 571, and the notched portion is complemented when the protruding portion 522 is inserted into the opening 571. The rotation of the gear 52 is appropriately transmitted to the potentiometer 57.
Further, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped stopper 524 (FIGS. 5 and 6) protruding in the out-of-plane direction is provided on the bottom surface of the gear 52 (the surface facing the shaft portion 513 of the operation portion 51). 6) is formed at a position removed. The stopper 524 comes into contact with the protrusion 5122 (FIG. 5) of the operation unit 51 as the operation unit 51 rotates, thereby restricting the rotation of the operation unit 51.

  That is, as will be described in detail later, when the operation unit 51 rotates about the fourth cylindrical portion 5134 of the shaft portion 513, the projection portion 5122 (FIG. 5) of the operation portion 51 is stopped by the stopper 524 (FIGS. 5 and 5). The reaction force generated by the actuator 56 described later is not transmitted to the operation unit 51 until it abuts on 6). The distance until the protrusion 5122 comes into contact with the stopper 524 is the play amount.

On the other hand, when the operation unit 51 is further rotated while the projection 5122 is in contact with the stopper 524, the projection 5122 rotates the gear 52 by pushing the stopper 524. At this time, a reaction force from an actuator 56 (described later) is transmitted to the gear 52 via the gear 53, and becomes a resistance against the rotation of the operation unit 51.
Note that the protrusion dimension of the stopper 524 from the bottom surface of the gear body 521 is smaller than the dimension in the protrusion direction of the second cylindrical portion 5132 of the shaft portion 513 exposed from the hole portion 5121 (FIGS. 5 and 7).

[Configuration of Gear 53]
The gear 53 is attached to a spindle 561 of an actuator 56, which will be described later, and transmits a rotational force generated by the actuator 56 to the gear 52 to rotate the gear 52. The gear 53 has a gear main body 531 formed with teeth 5311 meshing with the teeth 5211 of the gear 52 on the outer periphery, the same central axis as the gear main body 531, and protruded toward the second case 552 described later. And a cylindrical portion 532. Further, the gear 53 is formed with a hole portion 533 that passes through the central portion of the gear 53 and into which the spindle 561 of the actuator 56 is inserted.
Among these, on the side surface of the cylindrical portion 532, a screw hole 5321 is formed in which a screw (not shown) for fixing the gear 53 to the spindle 561 is screwed when the spindle 561 is inserted into the hole 533. .

[Configuration of torsion coil spring 54]
The torsion coil spring 54 corresponds to the biasing means of the present invention. The torsion coil spring 54 includes a coil portion 541 and a pair of end portions 542 (FIGS. 5 and 7) and 543 sandwiching the coil portion 541. Is formed. Among these, the coil part 541 is wound around the third cylindrical part 5133 constituting the shaft part 513 of the operation part 51 as described above. The pair of end portions 542 and 543 are each formed in a bowl shape, one end portion 542 engages with the protrusion 5123 (FIGS. 5 and 6), and the other end portion 543 is the second case. Locked to 552. By such a torsion coil spring 54, the operation portion 51 is urged to the outside of the right side grip portion 41, specifically, to the rising portion 55223 side of the second case 552 described later.

[Configuration of Case 55]
The case 55 accommodates a part of the arm portion 512 of the operation portion 51, the shaft portion 513, the gears 52 and 53, and the torsion coil spring 54 inside, and has a semicircular shape and a square shape in plan view. It has a shape like a combination. The case 55 includes a first case 551 positioned on the protruding portion 5122 side of the arm portion 512 and a second case 552 positioned on the protruding portion 5123 side.
Among these, the first case 551 has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and the first case 551 is formed with a substantially circular hole 5511 through which the projection 522 of the gear 52 is inserted. In the first case 551, the first cylindrical portion 5131, the second cylindrical portion 5132 of the shaft portion 513, the gear 52, and the gear main body 531 of the gear 53 are accommodated.

The second case 552 is formed in a stepped shape when viewed from the side, and the second case 552 is formed with a first storage portion 5521 for storing the torsion coil spring 54 and a second storage portion 5522 for storing the gear 53. ing.
Among these, the 1st accommodating part 5521 is formed in the step-like low position (position spaced apart with respect to the 1st case 551), and has a substantially semicircular shape in planar view. The first storage portion 5521 is formed with a hole portion 5521 (FIGS. 6 and 7) into which the fourth cylindrical portion 5134 of the shaft portion 513 is inserted. The diameter of the hole portion 55211 is set to be substantially the same as the diameter size of the second cylindrical portion 5132. Further, the upper end surface 55212 of the first storage unit 5521, that is, the upper end surface 55212 that is different in height from the second storage unit 5522 and faces the arm unit 512, is rotated when the operation unit 51 rotates. This is a surface on which the arm portion 512 slides.
In the first storage portion 5521, although not shown, a locking portion for locking the end portion 543 of the torsion coil spring 54 is formed.

The second storage portion 5522 is formed at a step-like high position (position close to the first case 551) and has a substantially square shape in plan view. The cylindrical portion 532 of the gear 53 is stored in the second storage portion 5522.
The second storage portion 5522 has a hole portion 55221 (FIGS. 5 and 6) through which the spindle 561 of the actuator 56 inserted into the hole portion 533 of the gear 53 is inserted. In addition, a pair of holes 55222 (FIGS. 5 and 6) are formed so as to sandwich the hole 55221. These holes 55222 are holes through which screws (not shown) for fixing the actuator 56 are inserted into the second storage part 5522.

In the second storage portion 5522, a pair of upright portions 55223 (FIGS. 5 and 7) and 55224 that stand up from the upper end surface 55212 of the first storage portion 5521 rotate while sliding along the upper end surface 55212. The rotation range of the part 51 is defined.
That is, when the operation unit 51 is not operated by the operator (the operation unit 51 is not rotated), the arm unit 512 of the operation unit 51 is raised by the urging force of the torsion coil spring 54. Abut. From this state, when the operation unit 51 is pressed, the operation unit 51 rotates toward the other upright portion 55224 while the arm portion 512 slides along the upper end surface 55212. A range from the standing portion 55223 to the standing portion 55224 is a movable range of the operation unit 51.

[Configuration of Actuator 56]
The actuator 56 is attached to the lower surface side of the second storage portion 5522 (the side opposite to the side facing the first case 551), and the gear 53 stored inside the case 55 under the control of the control means 44 described later. By adjusting the position of the stopper 524 by rotating the gear 52 via, the play amount until the projection 5122 of the operation unit 51 comes into contact with the stopper 524 is adjusted to express the size of the object. Further, the actuator 56 generates a reaction force that acts in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the operation unit 51 when the projection 5122 comes into contact with the stopper 524 of the gear 52, thereby rotating the operation unit 51. It creates resistance to movement and expresses the hardness of the object. That is, the actuator 56 corresponds to the moving means and the reaction force generating means of the present invention.

  The actuator 56 includes a spindle 561 inserted into the hole 533 of the gear 53 through a hole 55221 formed in the second storage portion 5522, a drive unit (not shown) that rotates the spindle 561, And a housing 562 that houses the drive unit therein. The operation control of the actuator 56 by the control means 44 will be described in detail later.

[Configuration of Potentiometer 57]
The potentiometer 57 corresponds to the position detecting means of the present invention, detects the rotation angle of the gear 52, and thereby detects the position of the stopper 524 formed on the gear 52. The potentiometer 57 outputs the detected rotation angle of the gear 52 to the control means 44.
An opening 571 into which the projection 522 of the gear 52 is inserted is formed at the approximate center of the potentiometer 57.

[Configuration of Control Unit 44]
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control means 44.
As described above, the control unit 44 controls the operation of the entire controller 4 based on the setting information input from the information processing device 2 and also displays operation information indicating the operation state of the operator detected by various sensors as information. Output to the processing device 2. For example, the control unit 44 drives the actuator 56 based on the setting information input from the information processing apparatus 2, and the position of the stopper 524 formed on the gear 52 and the magnitude of the reaction force (torque generated by the actuator 56. The amount).
As shown in FIG. 8, the control unit 44 includes a setting information acquisition unit 441, a drive condition setting unit 442, a drive state acquisition unit 443, an operation information output unit 444, and a drive control unit 445. .

The setting information acquisition unit 441 acquires the setting information output from the information processing apparatus 2. The setting information acquisition unit 441 includes a play amount acquisition unit 4411 and a torque amount acquisition unit 4412.
The play amount acquisition unit 4411 relates to the amount of rotation of the operation unit 51 from the input setting information until the protrusion 5122 of the operation unit 51 constituting the operation element 5 contacts the stopper 524 formed on the gear 52. Get information (play amount information).
From the input setting information, the torque amount acquisition unit 4412 obtains information (torque amount information) related to the torque amount of the actuator 56 that is a reaction force against the rotation of the operation unit 51 after the projection portion 5122 contacts the stopper 524. get.

The drive condition setting unit 442 performs various settings related to the operation of the controller 4, particularly the operation of the operation element 5. The drive condition setting unit 442 includes a stopper position setting unit 4421 and a torque amount setting unit 4422.
The stopper position setting unit 4421 sets the position of the stopper 524 of the gear 52 from the acquired play amount information. Specifically, the stopper position setting unit 4421 sets the rotation angle of the gear 52 so that the stopper 524 is disposed at a position based on the play amount information.
Based on the acquired torque amount information, the torque amount setting unit 4422 transmits torque to the gear 52 via the gear 53 with respect to the rotation of the operation unit 51 after the protrusion portion 5122 comes into contact with the stopper 524. Set the amount.

The drive state acquisition unit 443 acquires detection values from various sensors, and outputs the detection values to the operation information output unit 444 and the drive control unit 445. The drive state acquisition unit 443 includes a pressing force acquisition unit 4431, a gear rotation angle acquisition unit 4432, a rotation angle acquisition unit 4433, a distance acquisition unit 4434, and a shaft portion rotation angle acquisition unit 4435.
The pressing force acquisition unit 4431 acquires the pressing force of the operator with respect to the plate-like portion 511 of the operation unit 51 from the pressure sensor 5111.
The gear rotation angle acquisition unit 4432 acquires the rotation angle of the gear 52 from the potentiometer 57.

The rotation angle acquisition unit 4433 acquires the rotation angle of the right grip 41 relative to the left grip 42 from the rotation angle sensor 433 provided in the connection unit 43 of the controller 4.
Similarly, the distance acquisition unit 4434 acquires the distance of the right grip 41 from the left grip 42 from the linear sensor 434 provided in the connection unit 43.
The shaft rotation angle acquisition unit 4435 is connected to the right grip 41 and the left grip 42 from the analog sensors 411 and 421 provided on the right grip 41 and the left grip 42 with respect to the shafts 431 and 432 of the connection 43. Get the rotation angle.

The operation information output unit 444 outputs various information acquired by the drive state acquisition unit 443 to the information processing apparatus 2 as operation information. The operation information output unit 444 includes a pressing force output unit 4441, a stopper position output unit 4442, a rotation angle output unit 4443, a distance output unit 4444, and a shaft unit rotation angle output unit 4445.
Among these, the pressing force output unit 4441 outputs the pressing force acquired by the pressing force acquisition unit 4431.

The stopper position output unit 4442 calculates the position of the stopper 524 from the rotation angle of the gear 52 acquired by the gear rotation angle acquisition unit 4432, and outputs information indicating the position of the stopper 524 (stopper position information).
The rotation angle output unit 4443 and the distance output unit 4444 output the rotation angle and distance of the right grip 41 with respect to the left grip 42 acquired by the rotation angle acquisition unit 4433 and the distance acquisition unit 4434, respectively.
The shaft rotation angle output unit 4445 outputs the rotation angles of the right grip 41 and the left grip 42 with respect to the shafts 431 and 432 acquired by the shaft rotation angle acquisition unit 4435.

The drive control unit 445 sets the drive condition (stopper position and torque amount) set by the drive condition setting unit 442 and the drive state (pressing force and rotation angle of the gear 52) acquired by the drive state acquisition unit 443. Based on this, the drive of the actuator 56 is controlled. That is, the drive control unit 445 corresponds to the moving unit control unit and the reaction force generation unit control unit of the present invention.
Specifically, the drive control unit 445 rotates the gear 52 with the actuator 56 via the gear 53 so that the stopper 524 is positioned at the set position set by the stopper position setting unit 4421 according to the play amount information. .

  If the drive control unit 445 determines that the stopper 524 is pushed in from the set position based on the rotation angle of the gear 52 acquired by the gear rotation angle acquisition unit 4432, the drive amount setting unit 4422 A reaction force corresponding to the set amount of torque is generated, and resistance to rotation of the operation unit 51 is generated. At this time, the operator's pressing force acquired by the pressing force acquisition unit 4431 is fed back to the drive control unit 445, and the accuracy of the magnitude of the reaction force generated by the actuator 56 is enhanced.

[Operation control processing of actuator 56]
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a process of operation control processing of the actuator 56 by the control means 44.
The control means 44 executes the following operation control processing (steps ST01 to ST09) in accordance with an operation control program stored in a storage means such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) (not shown) constituting the control means 44. Thus, the operation of the actuator 56 is controlled.
Specifically, in the operation control process, as illustrated in FIG. 9, first, the setting information acquisition unit 441 of the control unit 44 acquires setting information from the information processing apparatus 2. Then, the play amount acquisition unit 4411 constituting the setting information acquisition unit 441 acquires play amount information from the received setting information (play amount information acquisition step ST01), and the torque amount acquisition unit 4412 acquires the torque amount. Information is acquired (torque amount information acquisition step ST02).

Next, the stopper position setting unit 4421 of the drive condition setting unit 442 sets the set position of the stopper 524 formed on the gear 52, that is, the gear so that the play amount indicated by the play amount information is obtained from the acquired play amount information. 52 is set (stopper position setting step ST03).
Similarly, the torque amount setting unit 4422 of the drive condition setting unit 442 sets a torque amount when the drive control unit 445 drives the actuator 56 to generate a reaction force based on the acquired torque amount information. (Torque amount setting step ST04).
Thereafter, the drive control unit 445 drives the actuator 56 to rotate the gears 53 and 52, and arranges the stopper 524 of the gear 52 at the set position set in step ST03 (stopper moving step ST05). .

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a positional relationship between the stopper 524 arranged at the initial position and the protrusion 5122 of the operation unit 51. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between the stopper disposed at the set position and the protrusion 5122.
Specifically, in step ST05, the drive controller 445 drives the actuator 56 and rotates the gear 52 according to the rotation angle set in step ST03. The initial position shown (the position of the stopper 524 in a state where the arm portion 512 is in contact with the upright portion 55223 by the biasing force of the torsion coil spring 54) moves to the set position shown in FIG. As a result, the play amount L, which is the distance until the protruding portion 5122 of the operation portion 51 contacts the stopper 524, is the direction in which the stopper 524 approaches the protruding portion 5122 in FIG. 11 after the stopper 524 has moved. It becomes smaller as the gear 52 rotates in the direction of the arrow A1. Conversely, when the gear 52 rotates in the direction of the arrow A2 in which the stopper 524 is separated from the protrusion 5122 from the state shown in FIG. 10, the play amount L increases, although not shown.

Thus, since the distance (play amount L) until the resistance to the rotation of the operation element 5 increases can be adjusted, the size of the object when the operator holds the controller 4 as a virtual object can be determined. Can be expressed.
Note that the initial position, which is the position of the stopper 524 before the position is changed in step ST05, corresponds to approximately the center of the rotatable range of the operation unit 51 defined by the upright portions 55223 and 55224 of the second case 552. Is set to

Returning to FIG. 9, after step ST <b> 05, in step ST <b> 06, the pressing force acquisition unit 4431 of the drive state acquisition unit 443 acquires the pressing force applied to the plate-like part 511 of the operation unit 51 from the pressure sensor 5111 ( Pressure detection step ST06).
Similarly, the gear rotation angle acquisition unit 4432 of the drive state acquisition unit 443 receives the rotation angle of the gear 52 from the potentiometer 57, more specifically, the rotation angle of the gear 52 from the state where the stopper 524 is in the initial position. Is acquired (rotation angle detection step ST07).

  Thereafter, based on the obtained rotation angle of the gear 52, the drive control unit 445 contacts the stopper 524 of the gear 52 with the projection 5122 of the operation unit 51, and further pushes the projection 5122 to stop the stopper. It is determined whether or not 524 has moved (stopper movement determination step ST08). That is, in this step ST08, it is determined whether or not the gear 52 has been rotated by the stopper 524 being pushed in by the protrusion 5122.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the protrusion 5122 of the operation unit 51 is in contact with the stopper 524 of the gear 52.
Here, even when the drive control unit 445 determines that the stopper 524 has not moved from the above-described setting position, that is, as shown in FIG. If it is determined that the state to move 524 is not reached, the process returns to step ST06, and the pressing force and the rotation angle are acquired again.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the protrusion 5122 rotates the gear 52 as the operation unit 51 rotates.
On the other hand, when the drive control unit 445 determines that the stopper 524 is moved by the rotation of the operation unit 51 as shown in FIG. 13 through the state shown in FIG. 12, the drive control unit 445 Actuator 56 is driven with the torque amount set in step ST04 (reaction force generation step ST09). Specifically, the drive control unit 445 generates a reaction force acting in the arrow A1 direction by the actuator 56 with respect to the rotation of the operation unit 51 and the gear 52 in the arrow A2 direction in FIG. At this time, while comparing the value of the pressing force of the operator with respect to the operation unit 51 detected by the pressure sensor 5111 and acquired by the pressing force acquisition unit 4431 with the value of the reaction force according to the set torque amount, By driving the actuator 56, an appropriate magnitude of reaction force can be generated. Since the reaction force generated in this way becomes resistance of the input operation performed on the operation unit 51 by the operator, the hardness of the object when the operator grasps the controller 4 as a virtual object can be expressed.

  By performing the above-described drive control processing (ST01 to ST09) for each operator 5 (5T, 5F, 5L), the size and hardness of a virtual object are expressed by each operator 5. Can do. When the potentiometer 57 detects that the position of the stopper 524 moved in the direction of the arrow A2 due to the pushing of the protrusion 5122 has returned to the above-described setting position, the drive control unit 445 Generation of force is stopped, and the position of the stopper 524 is kept at the set position. At this time, if the pressing force of the operator becomes smaller than the urging force of the torsion coil spring 54 that is the urging means, the urging force causes the operation unit 51 to return to the original position, that is, the standing portion 55223 of the second case 552. Return to the position where the edge of the arm portion 512 comes into contact with the arm portion 512.

[Effect of the embodiment]
According to the information processing system 1 of the present embodiment described above, the following effects can be achieved.
That is, when the operation portion 51 of the operation element 5 rotates about the shaft portion 513, the projection portion 5122 formed on the arm portion 512 of the operation portion 51 comes into contact with the stopper 524 formed on the gear 52. When the operation unit 51 is further rotated from this state, the projection 5122 pushes the stopper 524, and the gear 52 rotates. A reaction force against the pressing force of the operation unit 51 is transmitted from the actuator 56 to the gear 52 via the gear 53. The actuator 56 is driven and controlled by the drive control unit 445 of the control unit 44, and the drive control unit 445 can change the magnitude of the reaction force by adjusting the torque amount of the actuator 56. Here, the right grip 41 is configured to be gripped by the right hand, and the operation elements 5 (5T, 5F, 5L) are provided at positions corresponding to the thumb, index finger, and middle finger of the right hand. The person operates each operator 5 so as to hold the right grip 41.
According to this, the magnitude of the reaction force with respect to the operation unit 51 that is displaced by the input operation of the operator can be adjusted according to the virtual object to be expressed. Therefore, the hardness of the virtual object can be expressed.

Further, the position of the stopper 524 is a reaction force generation start position with respect to the operation unit 51, and the distance until the protrusion 5122 comes into contact with the stopper 52 is the play amount. The play amount can be adjusted by the actuator 56 rotating the gear 52 and changing the position of the stopper 524.
According to this, the size of the virtual object is expressed by adjusting the play amount of each operator 5 operated by the gripping operation with respect to the right grip 41 according to the size of the virtual object to be expressed. can do. Therefore, the versatility of the controller 4 can be improved.

Further, the rotation angle of the gear 52 is detected by a potentiometer 57 as a position detection unit, and is output to the drive control unit 445 by the gear rotation angle acquisition unit 4432. The drive control unit 445 adjusts the position of the stopper 524 while referring to the rotation angle of the gear 52 and generates a reaction force.
According to this, it is possible to improve the accuracy of the operation control of the actuator 56 by the drive control unit 445 by feeding back the rotation angle of the gear 52 rotated by the drive of the actuator 56 to the drive control unit 445. it can. Therefore, the rotation angle of the gear 52 and the position of the stopper 524 that moves with the rotation of the gear 52 can be accurately acquired, and the accuracy of the arrangement of the stopper 524 can be increased.

The position of the stopper 524 is calculated based on the rotation angle of the gear 52 acquired from the potentiometer 57 by the gear rotation angle acquisition unit 4432, and the position information of the stopper 524 is used as an operation signal as a stopper position output unit 4442. Is output to the information processing apparatus 2.
According to this, the information processing apparatus 2 can appropriately acquire the input amount of the operation unit 51 of each operation element 5 from the controller 4, and the information processing apparatus 2 corresponds to the input amount of each operation unit 51. For example, it is possible to execute a process such as displaying an image in which a virtual object is gripped and recessed. Therefore, it is possible to execute a process that gives the operator a sense of reality as if the information processing device 2 is actually holding the virtual object, and the versatility of the controller 4 can be enhanced.

In the operation unit 51, a pressure sensor 5111 is provided on the surface of the plate-like part 511 pressed by the operator. The pressing force detected by the pressure sensor 5111 is acquired by the pressing force acquisition unit 4431 and fed back to the drive control unit 445. Then, the drive control unit 445 controls the drive of the actuator 56 with reference to the input pressing force.
According to this, the magnitude of the reaction force generated by driving the actuator 56 can be estimated using the pressing force applied to the operation unit 51 as an index. Therefore, the accuracy of the magnitude of the reaction force can be improved.

Further, based on the play amount information and the torque amount information input from the information processing device 2, the stopper position setting unit 4421 and the torque amount setting unit 4422 of the drive condition setting unit 442 set the setting position and the torque amount of the stopper 524. . The drive control unit 445 drives the actuator 56 so that the stopper 524 is positioned at the set position. When the stopper 524 is pushed in by the operation unit 51, the drive control unit 445 drives the actuator with the set torque amount. A reaction force against the pressing force of the operation unit 51 is generated.
According to this, since the play amount and the torque amount are set based on the setting information output from the information processing device 2, the processing in the controller 4 can be simplified. In addition, the information processing device 2 outputs the play amount information related to the size of the virtual object to be expressed and the torque amount information related to the hardness of the object, so that the controller 4 can express the object. . At this time, the information processing apparatus 2 causes the image display apparatus 3 to display an image related to the object, so that a sense of reality that the object is operated can be visually given to the operator.

In addition, a stopper 524 that abuts on the protrusion 5122 of the operation unit 51 and restricts the rotation of the operation unit 51 is formed on a gear 52 that has the same rotation axis as the operation unit 51. Then, the actuator 56 adjusts the position of the stopper 524 by rotating the gear 52, and when the stopper 524 is pushed, rotates the gear 52 to generate a reaction force.
According to this, it is possible to eliminate the need to separately provide a means for adjusting the play amount by adjusting the position of the stopper 524 and a means for generating a reaction force against the displacement of the operation portion 51. Therefore, the configuration of the operation element 5 can be simplified.
The operation unit 51 is rotatably supported by the second case 552. According to this, compared with the case where the operation part 51 is displaced linearly, a large displacement amount can be ensured in a small space. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the size of the operator 5 and thus the controller 4.

Further, the rotation shaft of the operation unit 51 and the gear 52 is different from the rotation shaft of the spindle 561 of the gear 53 and the actuator 56 that mesh with the gear 52.
According to this, as compared with the configuration in which the shaft portion 513 of the operation portion 51, the gear 52, and the actuator 56 are linearly arranged so that the actuator 56 directly drives the gear 52, the operation element 5 can be reduced in size. In addition, the potentiometer 57 that detects the rotation angle of the gear 52 can be easily installed. Therefore, the operator 5 can be easily assembled and the design freedom of the operator 5 can be improved.

In addition, among the operation elements 5 (5T, 5F, 5L), the operation part 51 of the operation element 5T is located on the operator side of the right grip 41, and the operation part 51 of the operation elements 5F, 5L is grasped on the right side. The part 41 is provided on the opposite side to the operator so as to be exposed. More specifically, when the operator grips the right grip 41 with the right hand, the operation unit 51 of the operator 5T is arranged at a position corresponding to the thumb of the right hand, and the operation unit 51 of the operators 5F and 5L is Are arranged at positions corresponding to the index finger and middle finger of the right hand, respectively.
According to this, since the operator operates by grasping the right grip 41, the input operation of each operator 5 can be easily performed, and as a result, the operability of the controller 4 can be improved. it can. When grasping an object, the thumb, index finger, and middle finger are mainly used. However, since the operation unit 51 of each operator 5 is arranged at a position corresponding to each finger, the virtual object is The operational feeling of actually operating can be improved, and as a result, the expressiveness of the controller 4 can be improved.

[Modification of Embodiment]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and modifications, improvements, and the like within the scope that can achieve the object of the present invention are included in the present invention.
In the above-described embodiment, the operation unit 51 is rotatably supported by the second case 552, and is rotated about the shaft portion 513 of the operation unit 51 by an operator's pressing. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. Absent. That is, the moving direction of the operation unit 51 is not limited to the circumferential direction, and may be a linear direction.

  In the embodiment described above, the restricting portion that contacts the operation portion 51 and restricts the displacement (rotation) of the operation portion 51 is the stopper 524 formed on the gear 52, but the present invention is not limited thereto. . For example, if the operation unit 51 moves linearly, the restricting unit is arranged within a movable range of the operation unit 51 and is configured to be a starting position for generating a reaction force that becomes resistance to the linear movement. Other configurations may be used.

  In the above embodiment, the moving means for moving the restricting portion and the reaction force generating means for generating the reaction force are the actuators 56, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be provided separately. For example, if the operation unit 51 is linearly moved, a reaction force generating unit that generates a reaction force against the operation unit that is displaced so as to push in the restriction unit, and a movement that moves both the restriction unit and the reaction force generation unit. Means may be provided.

  In the embodiment, the drive control unit 445 determines whether or not the stopper 524 has moved based on the rotation angle of the gear 52, but the stopper 524 has moved based on the pressing force detected by the pressure sensor 5111. It may be determined whether or not. This is because the gears 52 and 53 and the spindle 561 of the actuator 56 are rotated when the operation unit 51 is further rotated after the protrusion 5122 comes into contact with the stopper 524, and the rotation of the operation unit 51 is prevented. This is because the resistance increases and the pressing force applied to the pressure sensor 5111 increases. It is also possible to configure the drive control unit 445 to determine whether or not the stopper 524 has moved based on the change in the pressing force.

  In the embodiment described above, the operation element 5 is configured to include the potentiometer 57 as the position detection unit, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the operator 5 may be configured to include an encoder instead of the potentiometer 57. That is, the position detection unit may have another configuration as long as the absolute position of the gear 52 can be acquired.

  In the above-described embodiment, the operation unit 51 of each operator 5 (5T, 5F, 5L) is provided at a position corresponding to the thumb, index finger, and middle finger in the right grip 41 of the controller 4. The invention is not limited to this, and the exposure position of the operation unit 51 may be anywhere. In addition, the right grip 41 may be provided in the left grip 42, and the number of operators 5 may be set as appropriate.

  In the embodiment, the information processing apparatus 2 is configured as a game machine. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be configured by a PC (Personal Computer) or the like. That is, information such as a program processed by the information processing apparatus 2 is not limited to a game program.

  The present invention can be used as a controller that is connected to an information processing apparatus and outputs a predetermined operation signal, and can be particularly preferably used as a controller used in a game machine.

The figure which shows the structure of the information processing system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows the structure of the information processing apparatus in the said embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the internal structure of the controller in the said embodiment. The fragmentary sectional view which shows the structure of the operation element in the said embodiment. The disassembled perspective view which shows the structure of the operation element in the said embodiment. The disassembled perspective view which shows the structure of the operation element in the said embodiment. The disassembled perspective view which shows the structure of the operation element in the said embodiment. The block diagram which shows the structure of the control means in the said embodiment. The flowchart which shows the process of the operation control process in the said embodiment. The figure which shows the positional relationship of the projection part and stopper in the said embodiment. The figure which shows the positional relationship of the projection part and stopper in the said embodiment. The figure which shows the state which the projection part in the said embodiment contact | abutted to the stopper. The figure which shows the state which the projection part in the said embodiment rotated the gear.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Information processing system, 2 ... Information processing apparatus, 4 ... Controller, 5 (5T, 5F, 5L) ... Operating element, 41 ... Right side grip part (housing), 44 ... Control means, 51 ... Operation part, 52 ... Gear (cylindrical body), 54 ... Torsion coil spring (biasing means), 56 ... Actuator (moving means, reaction force generating means), 57 ... Potentiometer (position detecting means), 232 ... Setting information output section (information output section) , 441 ... Setting information acquisition unit (information acquisition unit), 445 ... Drive control unit (moving means control unit, reaction force generation means control unit), 524 ... Stopper (regulation unit), 552 ... Second case (support unit) 4442: Stopper position output section (position output section), 5111: Pressure sensor (pressure detection means).

Claims (9)

A controller connected to the information processing apparatus and outputting an operation signal corresponding to an input operation to the information processing apparatus,
An operator for detecting an input operation;
Control means for controlling the operation of the operation element and outputting an operation signal corresponding to an input operation to the operation element,
The operator is
An operation unit that is displaced in a predetermined direction in accordance with the input operation;
Urging means for urging the operation unit in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction;
A restricting portion that is disposed at a predetermined position within the movable range of the operation portion, contacts the displaced operation portion, and restricts displacement of the operation portion;
A reaction force generating means for generating a reaction force against the displacement of the operation portion after coming into contact with the restriction portion;
Moving means for moving the restricting portion within the possible range,
The control means includes
A moving means controller for controlling the moving means;
A controller comprising: a reaction force generation means control unit that controls the reaction force generation means. The controller of claim 1, wherein
The operator is
A position detecting means for detecting the position of the restricting portion that moves according to the displacement of the operation portion;
The moving means controller is
A controller that controls the moving means according to the position of the restricting portion detected by the position detecting means. The controller of claim 2,
The control means includes
A controller comprising: a position output unit that outputs the position of the restricting unit detected by the position detecting unit to the information processing apparatus. The controller according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The operator is
Pressure detecting means for detecting a pressing force applied to the operation unit in response to the input operation;
The reaction force generation means controller is
A controller that controls the reaction force generating means based on the pressing force detected by the pressure detecting means. The controller according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The control means includes
An information acquisition unit that acquires position information indicating the position of the restriction unit output from the information processing apparatus and reaction force information indicating the magnitude of the reaction force;
The moving means control unit controls the moving means based on the position information,
The controller, wherein the reaction force generation means control unit controls the reaction force generation means based on the reaction force information. The controller according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A support unit that rotatably supports the operation unit;
The restricting part is provided in a cylindrical body having the same rotation axis as the operation part,
The moving means and the reaction force generating means adjust the position of the abutting portion, which is the restricting portion, by rotating the cylindrical body, and add the reaction force to the cylindrical body. The controller characterized by being. The controller of claim 6, wherein
The cylindrical body is constituted by a gear having teeth formed on an outer peripheral surface along the rotation axis,
2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the actuator has a spindle to which another gear meshing with the teeth is attached. The controller according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A housing for storing the operation element inside;
A plurality of the operating elements are provided in the housing,
The controller, wherein the operation unit is provided so as to be exposed in regions facing each other of the casing. An information processing system comprising: an information processing apparatus that processes information according to an input operation signal; and a controller that is connected to the information processing apparatus and that outputs the operation signal according to an input operation to the information processing apparatus. And
The controller is
An operator for detecting an input operation;
Control means for controlling the operation of the operation element and outputting an operation signal corresponding to an input operation to the operation element,
The operator is
An operation unit that is displaced in a predetermined direction in accordance with the input operation;
Urging means for urging the operation unit in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction;
A restricting portion that is disposed at a predetermined position within the movable range of the operation portion, contacts the displaced operation portion, and restricts displacement of the operation portion;
A reaction force generating means for generating a reaction force against the displacement of the operation portion after coming into contact with the restriction portion;
Moving means for moving the restricting portion to a predetermined position within a displaceable range of the operating portion;
The control means includes
A moving means controller for controlling the moving means;
A reaction force generation means controller for controlling the reaction force generation means,
The information processing apparatus includes:
An information output unit that outputs position information indicating the position of the restriction unit and reaction force information indicating the magnitude of the reaction force to the controller,
The moving means control unit controls the moving means based on the position information,
The information processing system, wherein the reaction force generation means control unit controls the reaction force generation means based on the reaction force information.

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