1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a controller for image processing apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a controller which is utilized in an image processing apparatus such as a television game machine wherein it is required for an operator or player to continuously send quick and adequate reactions or responses to the television game machine while the operator or the player is watching a television screen, and outputs an electrical signal for controlling an image on the television screen according to a lean angle when an operating portion of the controller is leaned by hands of the operator or the player.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a technique for a controller device which can be utilized for a television game machine and utilizes a lean or orientation of an operating portion, for example, a Japanese Patent Application Laying-open No. 58-112576 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,299) for "Control-Lever for a Game" (hereinafter, called as "first prior art") is known. In the control-lever for game, a plurality of movable balls are contained in the operating portion, and when the operating portion is leaned, the balls roll toward a leaned direction, and therefore, switches provided on inner side walls of the operating portion are turned-on or -off, whereby presence or absence of the lean or orientation can be detected. Furthermore, the first prior art also discloses a technique in which mercury is used instead of the balls.
Other than the above described prior art, a technique in which the presence or absence of the lean as well as a degree of lean are somewhat considered as disclosed in "Freestanding Multidirectional Electrical Control Device" of U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,011 (hereinafter, called as "second prior art"). The second prior art utilizes mercury or electrical conductive liquid as similar to the first prior art, and the degree of lean is detected by combining contact electrodes made of material having an electrical resistance value which is changed in accordance with its length and the mercury or the electrical conductive liquid.
On the other hand, as an input device for moving a cursor on a screen of a computer video monitor, which is not for the television game machine, "Computer Input Device Using an Orientation Sensor" of U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,645 (hereinafter, called as "third prior art") is known. This device is one of a few prior arts that the device is mounted on a head of an operator such that an orientation angle of the head can be continuously detected, and used as a computer input device. The third prior art is an orientation angle detecting technique wherein a liquid is half-filled in a spherical housing, and a change of a transmission light which is outputted as a result of refraction at a boundary between the liquid and an air half-filled in an upper portion of the housing when the liquid is oriented is utilized.
The first prior art detects only whether the operating portion is leaned or not, and can not detect the lean angle. Furthermore, there is a problem in safety that the mercury is utilized for consumer products such as television game machines.
Furthermore, the second prior art utilizes the mercury or electrical conductive liquid as similar to the first prior art, and therefore, the second prior art can not be utilized for a purpose that a delicate movement of the operator is continuously detected within a wider angle range in view of utility, reliability, and operability.
The third prior art has a limit of detectable orientation angle of approximately .+-.30 degrees because of structural feature of the orientation angle detector, and therefore, the third prior art is limited to an input device which is mounted on the head of the operator. A use environment of the input device is also limited to a computer environment wherein the operator can use the input device quietly or gently because of a vibration of a surface of the liquid, responsivity and etc. If the third prior art is utilized in an environment for a television game machine wherein it is possible to presume that the operator or player moves lively, since the surface of the liquid waves, a reflection state of the light is undesirably changed, and accordingly, it is possible to consider that it is difficult to put the third prior art into practical use.