The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Microsoft that reveals a future Xbox controller will come with an adjustable tension mechanism for its thumbsticks. As of May 2017, it was clear by an IGN thread that thumbstick tension was still a problem for die hard gamers.
Microsoft filed for this patent in June 2016 and it was made public yesterday by the U.S. Patent Office. Microsoft acknowledges that "Different users may have different preferences for an amount of tension that resists the thumbstick being tilted. A thumbstick with greater tension provides greater resistance to being tilted by a user relative to a thumbstick with lesser tension."
Microsoft's patent filing further notes that their invention is about a thumbstick for user input device that may comprise of an adjustable tensioning mechanism configured to modify a tilt tension of a tiltable post. The tiltable post may be operable to output a control signal based on a position of the tiltable post relative to a default position. A cap of the thumbstick comprises a cylindrical stem that defines a cavity. An engagement body is located within the cavity and contacts an engagement surface of the adjustable tensioning mechanism.
The engagement body comprises a cam surface disposed around an axis of the tiltable post. An adjustment body is located within the cavity of the stem and comprises a follower contacting the cam surface. The follower is configured to traverse the cam surface when the cap is rotated to thereby translate the engagement body along the axis of the tiltable post and adjust the tilt tension of the tiltable post.
In some examples, a thumbstick for a user input device may comprise an adjustable tensioning mechanism configured to modify a tilt tension of a tiltable post, wherein the tiltable post is operable to output a control signal based on a position of the tiltable post relative to a default position. The thumbstick may include a cap comprising a cylindrical stem that defines a first cavity. A base of the thumbstick is movable with the tiltable post, with the base comprising a cylindrical portion extending into the first cavity of the cylindrical stem, and the cylindrical portion defining a second cavity and comprising a protuberance projecting into the second cavity.
An adjustment body may be located within the second cavity of the cylindrical portion, with the adjustment body comprising a contacting surface at a distal end that contacts an engagement surface of the adjustable tensioning mechanism, and a slot recessed into a face of the adjustment body, with the slot extending around a portion of the face. The protuberance of the cylindrical portion is configured to extend into the slot, and the slot is configured to engage the protuberance when the adjustment body is rotated and translated from a first orientation to a second orientation to adjust the tilt tension of the tiltable post.
Microsoft's patent FIG. 14 below shows a method for adjusting a tilt tension of a thumbstick of a user input device.
Microsoft's patent FIG. 28 noted above is a perspective view of the adjustment body and a protuberance of the thumbstick in a minimum-tension orientation; FIG. 29 shows a perspective view of the adjustment body and protuberance of FIG. 28 in another tension orientation greater than the minimum-tension orientation; FIG. 30 shows a perspective view of the adjustment body and protuberance of FIG. 28 in a maximum tension orientation according to examples of the present disclosure; and finally, FIG. 31 shows a method for adjusting a tilt tension of a thumbstick of a user input device.
Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time.
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