Video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing

United States Patent Application 20070287537

A video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing includes a control console, on which there are provided a steering wheel, a plurality of control keys located on the steering wheel for controlling the acceleration or brake of a racing car built in a game played on the video game unit, an extended connector for communicating the control console with a host of the video game unit or a computer, and two fans located at two sides of the steering wheel. When an acceleration key is pushed, or when the steering wheel is turned, the fans are caused to produce airflows to simulate a real state of car racing.

Yu, Hszang-tang (Chung Ho City, TW)

11/407069

12/13/2007

04/20/2006

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Sysgration Ltd.

463/30

463/6, 463/37

A63F9/24

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D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY

HAMRE, SCHUMANN, MUELLER & LARSON, P.C. (Minneapolis, MN, US)

What is claimed is:

1. A video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing, comprising a control console; said control console being provided with a steering wheel, a plurality of control keys located on said steering wheel, at least two fans locates at two lateral sides of said steering wheel, and a control chip located in said control console; whereby said fans are rotated at different speeds under control of said control chip by pushing different control keys on said steering wheel.

2. The video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said control keys is an acceleration key, and pushing of said acceleration key to actuate a linear acceleration of a racing car built in a game played on said video game unit would cause said two fans to rotate at the same time.

3. The video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing as claimed in claim 1, wherein when said steering wheel is turned right, one of said two fans located at the right side of said steering wheel is caused to rotate.

4. The video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing as claimed in claim 1, wherein when said steering wheel is turned left, one of said two fans located at the left side of said steering wheel is caused to rotate.

5. The video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control console includes an extended connector for transmitting signals between said control console and a host of said video game unit.

6. The video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fans is controlled by said control chip to produce cold or hot airflows depending on a weather condition in the background of a game played on said video game unit.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a video game unit, and more particularly to a video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing through easy operation to increase the fun of playing on the video game unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a conventional video game unit for car racing game, there is included a steering wheel 10 provided on a control console 12 of the video game unit, as shown in FIG. 1. The control console 12 could be connected via a connector 14 provided thereon to a host of a commercially available video game unit, such as PS1, PS2, Nintendo, and XBOX of Microsoft®, or a home computer, so that a player could manipulate the steering wheel 10 to control a racing car built in a game played on the video game unit. To control the racing car in the game via the steering wheel 10 is much more realistic and stimulating than using a key pad. However, it is still very monotonous to manipulate the racing car in the game simply using the steering wheel 10 over a prolonged time. The video game unit would eventually fail to satisfy the player due to lack of an exciting and stimulating real state of car racing.

It is therefore tried by the inventor to develop a video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing to eliminate the drawback existed in the conventional video game unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing, on a control console of which, there are provided with fans to produce airflows just like in a real car racing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing, in a control console of which, there is provided a control chip for controlling a rotary speed of fans provided on the control console.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing, on a control console of which, there are provided fans, and the fans could be controlled by a control chip in the control console to produce cold or hot airflows.

To achieve the above and other objects, the video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing according to the present invention includes a control console, on which there are provided a steering wheel, a plurality of control keys located on the steering wheel for controlling the speed or brake of a racing car built in a game played on the video game unit, an extended connector for communicating the control console with a host of the video game unit or a computer to transmit control signals, and two fans located at two sides of the steering wheel. When an acceleration control key is pushed, or when the steering wheel is turned, the fans are caused to turn and produce airflows to simulate a real state of car racing, so as to create an exciting and stimulating feeling during play.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional control console of a video game unit;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a control console of a video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing according to a first embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing a control console of a video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 2, in which a control console 16 for a video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown. The control console 16 is provided with a steering wheel 18, on which a plurality of control keys 20 are provided. Via a control chip (not shown) in the control console 16, the control keys 20 may be used to control two fans 22 located at two lateral sides of the control console 16. An extended connector 24 is provided on the control console 16 for transmitting signals between the control console 16 and a host of the video game unit. With the steering wheel 18, a user could manipulate a racing car built in a game played on the video game unit. When an acceleration key in the control keys 20 is pushed, the racing car in the game is linearly accelerated. At this point, the control chip would send a signal to the two fans 22, so that an external power supply 26 connected to the control console 16 supplies power to the two fans 22 for the fans 22 to turn and produce airflows, creating a real state of car racing.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a control console 16 of the video game unit capable of simulating a real state of car racing according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, when the steering wheel 18 is turned left, the control chip will receive a signal of turning left, and further transmits the signal to the left fan 22 for the same to rotate and produce airflows, which creates a state just like in a real racing car. Similarly, when the steering wheel 18 is turned right, the control chip will receive a signal of turning right, and further transmits the signal to the right fan 22 for the same to rotate and produce airflows.

It is also possible to push a proper control key 20 for the fans 22 to produce cold or hot airflows, so as to produce a much more stimulating feeling.

The present invention has been described with some preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.