Patents by Inventor Claire Michelle Gottschalk

Claire Michelle Gottschalk has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11167213
    Abstract: A controller for an electronic system includes a controller body having a handle portion, a tracking arc that is fixed to the controller body, and a hand retainer configured to physically bias a user's palm against an outside surface of the handle portion. A plurality of tracking sensors is disposed in the tracking arc, and are responsive to electromagnetic radiation emitted by the electronic system. An array of proximity sensors are spatially distributed around the outer surface of the handle portion, and are responsive to a proximity of the user's fingers to the outside surface of the handle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Eric James Hope, Philip Bryan, Scott Richard Britt, Scott Nietfeld, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Jeremy Slocum
  • Patent number: 11052310
    Abstract: Various game controller hardware and user interface configurations are disclosed. Some configurations may comprise two circular trackpads, driven by the player's thumbs, which may be clickable, allowing the entire surface to act as a button. Haptic feedback may be based on dual linear resonant actuators (e.g., by means of strong, weighted electro-magnets attached to each of the dual trackpads), capable of delivering a wide range of force and vibration, allowing control over frequency, amplitude, and direction of movement. The haptics-related components in certain implementations may also play audio waveforms and thereby function as speakers. In the center of the controller according to certain configurations may be another touch-enabled surface, this one backed by a display screen. In some configurations this entire screen itself may also be clickable, like a large single button. A variety of other exemplary implementations and configurations are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Peter Bellinghausen, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Eric James Hope, Jeffrey Scott Keyzer, Scott Dalton
  • Patent number: 10874939
    Abstract: A controller includes a body having a handle, and an array of proximity sensors spatially distributed on, in, beneath, or near the outer surface of the handle, responsive to a proximity of a user's fingers to that outer surface. A finger tracker converts the output of the array of proximity sensors to a set of joint angles corresponding to a plurality of the user's fingers. The controller may include a renderer for processing the joint angles to deform a hand mesh that is rendered for display. Values may be calculated to facilitate normalization of the output of the proximity sensor array and thereby generate a set of normalized finger detection data. This data may be processed through curl logic to produce a linear estimate of gross finger curl with respect to the user and thereby generate a set of estimates for a plurality of finger joint angles for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Nietfeld, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Eric James Hope, Philip Bryan, Scott Richard Britt, Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Jeremy Slocum
  • Patent number: 10722786
    Abstract: A hand-held video game controller includes a controller body having a front and a back, with at least one front control on the front of the controller body. A removable and resilient unitary back shell is removably attached to the back of the controller body. At least one back control button underlies the unitary back shell, and is depressible by flexing of the unitary back shell into contact with that back control button. At least one battery compartment may underlie the unitary back shell, and may be accessible by removal of the removable unitary back shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Bellinghausen, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Eric Hope, Jeffrey Keyzer, Scott Dalton
  • Publication number: 20190344173
    Abstract: A controller for an electronic system includes a controller body having a handle portion, a tracking arc that is fixed to the controller body, and a hand retainer configured to physically bias a user's palm against an outside surface of the handle portion. A plurality of tracking sensors is disposed in the tracking arc, and are responsive to electromagnetic radiation emitted by the electronic system. An array of proximity sensors are spatially distributed around the outer surface of the handle portion, and are responsive to a proximity of the user's fingers to the outside surface of the handle portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Eric James Hope, Philip Bryan, Scott Richard Britt, Scott Nietfeld, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Jeremy Slocum
  • Publication number: 20190299094
    Abstract: Various game controller hardware and user interface configurations are disclosed. Some configurations may comprise two circular trackpads, driven by the player's thumbs, which may be clickable, allowing the entire surface to act as a button. Haptic feedback may be based on dual linear resonant actuators (e.g., by means of strong, weighted electro-magnets attached to each of the dual trackpads), capable of delivering a wide range of force and vibration, allowing control over frequency, amplitude, and direction of movement. The haptics-related components in certain implementations may also play audio waveforms and thereby function as speakers. In the center of the controller according to certain configurations may be another touch-enabled surface, this one backed by a display screen. In some configurations this entire screen itself may also be clickable, like a large single button. A variety of other exemplary implementations and configurations are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Jeffrey Peter Bellinghausen, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Eric James Hope, Jeffrey Scott Keyzer, Scott Dalton
  • Patent number: 10391400
    Abstract: A controller for an electronic system includes a controller body having a handle portion, a tracking arc that is fixed to the controller body, and a hand retainer configured to physically bias a user's palm against an outside surface of the handle portion. A plurality of tracking sensors is disposed in the tracking arc, and are responsive to electromagnetic radiation emitted by the electronic system. An array of proximity sensors are spatially distributed around the outer surface of the handle portion, and are responsive to a proximity of the user's fingers to the outside surface of the handle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Eric James Hope, Philip Bryan, Scott Richard Britt, Scott Nietfeld, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Jeremy Slocum
  • Patent number: 10328344
    Abstract: Various game controller hardware and user interface configurations are disclosed. Some configurations may comprise two circular trackpads, driven by the player's thumbs, which may be clickable, allowing the entire surface to act as a button. Haptic feedback may be based on dual linear resonant actuators (e.g., by means of strong, weighted electro-magnets attached to each of the dual trackpads), capable of delivering a wide range of force and vibration, allowing control over frequency, amplitude, and direction of movement. The haptics-related components in certain implementations may also play audio waveforms and thereby function as speakers. In the center of the controller according to certain configurations may be another touch-enabled surface, this one backed by a display screen. In some configurations this entire screen itself may also be clickable, like a large single button. A variety of other exemplary implementations and configurations are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Peter Bellinghausen, Scott Dalton, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Eric James Hope, Jeffrey Keyzer
  • Publication number: 20190118079
    Abstract: A hand-held video game controller includes a controller body having a front and a back, with at least one front control on the front of the controller body. A removable and resilient unitary back shell is removably attached to the back of the controller body. At least one back control button underlies the unitary back shell, and is depressible by flexing of the unitary back shell into contact with that back control button. At least one battery compartment may underlie the unitary back shell, and may be accessible by removal of the removable unitary back shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: VALVE CORPORATION
    Inventors: JEFFREY BELLINGHAUSEN, CLAIRE MICHELLE GOTTSCHALK, ERIC HOPE, JEFFREY KEYZER, SCOTT DALTON
  • Publication number: 20180361234
    Abstract: A controller includes a body having a handle, and an array of proximity sensors spatially distributed on, in, beneath, or near the outer surface of the handle, responsive to a proximity of a user's fingers to that outer surface. A finger tracker converts the output of the array of proximity sensors to a set of joint angles corresponding to a plurality of the user's fingers. The controller may include a renderer for processing the joint angles to deform a hand mesh that is rendered for display. Values may be calculated to facilitate normalization of the output of the proximity sensor array and thereby generate a set of normalized finger detection data. This data may be processed through curl logic to produce a linear estimate of gross finger curl with respect to the user and thereby generate a set of estimates for a plurality of finger joint angles for the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: VALVE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Scott Nietfeld, Jeffrey George Leinbaugh, Eric James Hope, Philip Bryan, Scott Richard Britt, Jeffrey Walter Mucha, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Jeremy Slocum
  • Publication number: 20150105152
    Abstract: Various game controller hardware and user interface configurations are disclosed. Some configurations may comprise two circular trackpads, driven by the player's thumbs, which may be clickable, allowing the entire surface to act as a button. Haptic feedback may be based on dual linear resonant actuators (e.g., by means of strong, weighted electro-magnets attached to each of the dual trackpads), capable of delivering a wide range of force and vibration, allowing control over frequency, amplitude, and direction of movement. The haptics-related components in certain implementations may also play audio waveforms and thereby function as speakers. In the center of the controller according to certain configurations may be another touch-enabled surface, this one backed by a display screen. In some configurations this entire screen itself may also be clickable, like a large single button. A variety of other exemplary implementations and configurations are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: JEFFREY PETER BELLINGHAUSEN, Scott Dalton, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Eric James Hope, Jeffrey Keyzer
  • Patent number: D711881
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Bellinghausen, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Eric Hope, Jeffrey Keyzer, Amy Narae Kim
  • Patent number: D712409
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Bellinghausen, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Eric Hope, Jeffrey Keyzer, Amy Narae Kim
  • Patent number: D721078
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Bellinghausen, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Eric Hope, Jeffrey Keyzer, Amy Narae Kim
  • Patent number: D722116
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventor: Claire Michelle Gottschalk
  • Patent number: D726726
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Bellinghausen, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Eric Hope, Jeffrey Keyzer, Amy Narae Kim
  • Patent number: D740825
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: VALVE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey Peter Bellinghausen, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Eric James Hope, Jeffrey Keyzer, Amy Narae Kim, Pierre-Loup Miguel Griffais
  • Patent number: D754128
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Inventors: Jeffrey Bellinghausen, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Eric Hope, Jeffrey Keyzer, Amy Narae Kim
  • Patent number: D766902
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: VALVE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey Peter Bellinghausen, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Eric James Hope, Jeffrey Keyzer, Amy Narae Kim
  • Patent number: D767682
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: VALVE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey Bellinghausen, Claire Michelle Gottschalk, Eric Hope, Jeffrey Keyzer, Amy Narae Kim