EXHIBIT A1
`
`EXHIBIT A1
`
`
`
`

`
`US008894066B2
`
`(12) United States Patent
`Sternberg
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 8,894,066 B2
`*Nov. 25, 2014
`
`(54) METHOD OF FACILITATING USER
`PREFERENCE IN CREATIVE DESIGN OFA
`CONTROLLER
`
`33/086 (20l3.01);A63F 2300/1043 (2013.01);
`A63F 2300/1062 (2013.01)
`USPC .................................................... .. 273/148 B
`
`(71) Applicant: IPPASA, LLC, Scottsdale, AZ (US)
`
`(72)
`
`Inventor: Aaron B. Sternberg, Scottsdale, AZ
`(US)
`
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`USPC
`273/148 B; 463/36, 37; D21/333, 324;
`D14/401
`
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(73) Assignee:
`
`IPPASA, LLC, Scottsdale, AZ (US)
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. l54(b) by 0 days.
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
`claimer.
`
`14/155,013
`
`Jan. 14, 2014
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2014/0125009 Al
`
`May 8,2014
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`Continuation of application No. 13/347,414, filed on
`Jan. 10, 2012, now Pat. No. 8,628,085, which is a
`continuation of application No. 12/795,540, filed on
`Jun. 7, 2010, now Pat. No. 8,091,892, which is a
`continuation of application No. 12/278,102, filed as
`application No. PCT/US2007/003462 on Feb. 9, 2007,
`now Pat. No. 7,731,191.
`
`Provisional application No. 60/772,343, filed on Feb.
`10, 2006.
`
`Int. Cl.
`A63F 7/00
`A63F 11/00
`A63F 13/20
`A63H 33/04
`A63H 33/08
`U.S. Cl.
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2014.01)
`(2005.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4,712,184 A * 12/1987 Haugerud ....................... .. 701/1
`5,046,739 A
`9/1991 Reichow
`
`(Continued)
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`1384500 A1
`2004-129704
`
`1/2004
`4/2004
`
`(Continued)
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`“Apple MA241G/A Nano Tubes for iPod Nano 1st Generation
`(5-pack)”,
`[online]. Sep. 17, 2005 [retrieved on Oct. 5, 2007],
`Retrieved from the Internet<URL: http://www.amazon.com/gp/
`product/B000B9PXNE/ref:s9_asin_image_1/105-2671613-
`6265246?pf_rd_m:ATVPDKIKXODER&pf_rd_s:center-1
`&pf_rd_r:0QD20ND59XMAG39HN7ME&pf_rd_t:101&pf,
`rd_p:278240701&pf_rd_i:507846>, 15 pages.
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner — Raleigh W Chiu
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Stoel Rives LLP
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A configurable manual controller for manipulating images or
`symbols on a display is adapted for construction with matable
`building elements arranged by a user. The user forms the
`manual controller to exhibit a customized ornamental appear-
`ance reflecting the user’s creative design preferences.
`
`CPC ............... .. A63F 11/00 (2013.01); A63F 13/06
`(2013.01); A63H33/04 (2013.01); A63H
`
`8 Claims, 20 Drawing Sheets
`
`

`
`US 8,894,066 B2
`Page 2
`
`References Cited
`
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`6/2010 Sternberg ................ .. 273/14813
`7,731,191 132*
`1/2012
`.,
`.. 273/148B
`8,091,892 B2*
`2002/0180148 A1* 12/2002
`.. 273/148B
`2002/0195771 A1* 12/2002
`.. 273/148B
`
`'
`
`.
`
`..
`
`6/2003
`20039109314 AV‘
`4/2005
`2005/0075“? A1*
`/
`_
`_
`11/2005
`2005/0355915 A1
`2005/0275165 Al* 12/2005 Hussalniet al.
`2008/0122173 Al*
`5/2008 Harris ........ ..
`2009/0113012 A1*
`5/2009
`
`463/47
`
`.
`
`.. 273/148B
`.. 273/148B
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`wo 99/35136
`w0o1/35915 A1
`
`7/1999
`5/2001
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`International Search Report, International Application No. PCT/US
`07/03461 dated Feb 1% 2003a3PageS~
`
`* citedby examiner
`
`.......... .. D14/454
`
`=1
`
`S A
`
`3/1993 Underhilletal,
`D338,053
`10/1993 Boutinetal.
`5,250,000
`12/1995 Hultstrand
`5,476,261 A
`7/1997 Cheng
`5,645,277 A
`A
`9/1997 Cheng
`5,667,220
`5,692,956 A * 12/1997 Rifldn ........................... .. 463/37
`5,976,018
`11/1999 Druckman
`6,193,609
`2/2001 D’Achard Van Enschut
`6,241,247
`6/2001 Stemberg etal.
`6,290,565
`9/2001 Ga1yean,HIeta1.
`6,443,796
`9/2002 Shackelford
`6,710,766
`3/2004 Ogata
`6,921,336
`7/2005 Best
`6,923,443 B1*
`8/2005 Hughes, IV ............. ., 273/148B
`6,932,341 B1*
`8/2005 Kenyon .................. .. 273/148B
`6,939,192 B1
`9/2005 Munch et al.
`273/148B
`7,063,321 132*
`6/2006 Hussair1i eta].
`273/148B
`RE39,409 E * 11/2006 Sternbergetal.
`D572,255 S *
`7/2008 Li
`.............................. ,. D14/401
`
`.. 463/37
`
`....... .. 446/91
`
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`1
`METHOD OF FACILITATING USER
`PREFERENCE IN CREATIVE DESIGN OF A
`CONTROLLER
`
`RELATED APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is a continuation of U.S. patent applica-
`tion Ser. No. 13/347,414, filed Jan. 10, 2012, now U.S. Pat.
`No. 8,628,085, which is a continuation of U.S. patent appli-
`cation Ser. No. 12/795,540, filed Jun. 7, 2010, now U.S. Pat.
`No. 8,091,892, which is a continuation of U.S. patent appli-
`cation Ser. No. 12/278,102, filedAug. 1, 2008, now U.S. Pat.
`No. 7,731,191, whichis a 371 ofPCT/US07/03462, filed Feb.
`9, 2007, which claims benefit of US. Provisional Patent
`Application No. 60/772,343, filed Feb. 10, 2006.
`
`COPYRIGHT NOTIC
`
`©2014 IPPASA, LLC. A portion of the disclosure of this
`patent document contains material that is subject to copyright
`protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the fac-
`simile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the
`patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark
`Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copy-
`right rights whatsoever. 37 CFR §1.7l(d).
`
`2
`
`tion ofthe signals. The patterned surface portion is configured
`to support a set ofbuilding elements. The building elements in
`the set are configurable for mating to the patterned surface
`portion of the exoskeleton and to one another. This enables a
`_ user to customize the controller to an arbitrary shape and
`omarne11tal appearance, according to the user’s garne-in-
`spired, ergonomic, or style preferences.
`In a first embodiment, the exoskeleton of a controller com-
`prises a main section and a hand grip section, either or both of
`which include at least one patterned surface portion on which
`a user can build with the building elements to create a con-
`troller of various shapes and appearances according to the
`user’ s preference. This can be accomplished by one orboth of
`attachment and add-on techniques. In a second embodiment,
`the exo skeleton of a controller comprises a unitary main and
`hand grip section that includes at least one patterned surface
`portion on which a user can build with the building elements
`to create a customized controller. The resulting arbitrary con-
`troller configuration detennined by a user can be a recreation
`equipment item, for example as described below, a golf club
`or a baseball bat.
`
`Additional aspects a11d advantages will be apparent from
`the following detailed description of preferred embodiments,
`which proceeds with reference to the accompanying draw-
`ings.
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a first preferred embodiment
`of a configurable manual controller.
`FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the matable building ele-
`ments assembled to form a hand grip that attaches to an
`exoskeleton surface of the manual controller of FIG. 1.
`
`FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a patterned surface portion of
`the exoskeleton of the manual controller of FIG. 1.
`FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of a
`
`manual controller that includes a unitary main and hand grip
`section.
`
`This disclosure relates to a manual controller for manipu-
`lating images or symbols on a visual display and, in particu-
`lar, to a controller that can be constructed with user-arranged
`matable building elements to exhibit a customized shape and
`style depending on user game-inspired, ergonomic, or
`appearance preferences.
`
`BACKGROUND INFORMATION
`
`Manual controllers for manipulating images or symbols on
`a visual display of a computer device include, for example,
`joysticks, game pads, steering wheels, guns, mice, remote
`devices for television, stored multi-media display and record-
`ing machines, cellular telephones, portable video game sys-
`tems, and portable multi-media devices. One prevalent type
`of manual controller comprises a control section having a
`plurality of buttons that the user presses to enter commands
`and hand grips that the user holds when the user operates the
`manual controller. Conventional manual controllers are dis-
`
`FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the manual
`controller of FIG. 4 shown with two building elements with
`different top side mating features.
`FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6 3 are, respectively, plan, side
`elevation, isometric, and exploded views of a first example of
`a customized controller built i ithe form of a golf club around
`the type of remote controller shown in FIG. 4.
`FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7 D are, respectively, plan, side
`elevation, isometric, and partly assembled views of a second
`example of a customized co itroller built in the form of a
`tributed with a predetermined appearance and ergonomic
`baseball bat around the type of remote controller shown in
`structure. Manual controllers are operated by a variety of
`users with different hand sizes. Moreover, each user has dif- 50 FIG. 4.
`FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, and 8 3 are, respectively, plan, side
`ferent ergonomic a11d style preferences.
`elevation, isometric, and partly exploded views of a third
`example of a customized con roller built with several layers
`of mated building elements around the type of remote con-
`troller shown in FIG. 4 to forn a baseball bat with an unfin-
`ished surface.
`
`SUMMARY OF DISCLOSURE
`
`A configurable manual controller for manipulating images 55
`or symbols on a display is adapted for construction with
`matable building elements arranged by a user. The user forms
`the manual controller to exhibit a customized shape and orna-
`mental appearance reflecting the user’ s game-i11spired, ergo-
`nomic, or style preferences.
`The configurable manual controller comprises a11 exoskel-
`eton having an interior region and a patterned surface portion.
`The interior region is configured to confine internal electrical
`components that are operatively connected to and cooperate
`with control actuators to produce signals for manipulating
`images or symbols on the display. The control actuators are
`positioned for tactile manipulation by a user to cause produc-
`
`FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C are, respectively, side elevation, end,
`and exploded views of a fourth example of a customized
`controller built with two matable, styled half-section building
`elements that partly enclose the type of remote controller of
`FIG. 4 to form a baseball bat.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a first preferred embodiment
`of a configurable manual controller 10 that is used with a
`
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`4
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`computing device (not shown) for manipulating images or
`symbols on a display (not shown). Although it does not show
`a cable, this embodiment can be connected to a computing
`device through a cable or a wireless communication link.
`\/Ianual controller 10 includes an exo skeleton 12 formed of a
`
`nain housing 14 and a main casing 16 that conforrnably fits
`around the side surface of mai11 housing 14. Main housing 14
`fits inside of but is readily separable from main casing 16.
`Main housing 14 houses in its interior the electrical compo-
`ients necessary for controlling symbols or images on a dis-
`olay associated with a computer device. Main casing 16 has a
`patterned surface portion 20 that in part covers hand grip
`nounting plates 22 (one shown) to which removable hand
`grips 30 and 32 can be attached as described below. Skilled
`persons will appreciate that exoskeleton 12 can be alterna-
`ively n1ade as a unitary structure having a surface on which
`oatterned surface portion 20 is formed.
`As shown in FIG. 1, exoskeleton 12 has an attachable
`left-hand grip 30 and an attachable right-hand grip 32 for
`wo-handed gripping by a user. A left-side control pad 34,
`including four pressable control members 36, and a left-side
`analog stick control 38 are positioned for access by digits of
`the user’s left hand; and a right-side control pad 44, including
`four control buttons 46, and a right-side analog stick control
`48 are positioned for access by digits of the user’s right hand.
`A selection button 64 and a start button 66 are positioned
`between hand grips 30 and 32. Skilled persons will appreciate
`that the above-described number of control actuators, control
`actuator layout pattern, and hand grip arrangement represent
`only one of numerous possible control actuator and hand grip
`configurations. The internal electrical components include
`the actual electronic circuits, controls, and corresponding
`switch elements forcontrol pads 34 and 44 andbuttons 64 and
`66.
`
`Patterned surface portion 20, which in this embodiment
`covers the exterior side surface of main casing 16, includes a
`surface pattern iii the form of an array of mutually spaced-
`apart cylindrical mating features or bosses 80. Each of hand
`grips 30 and 32 has a handle mount 82 on which is formed an
`array of mutually spaced-apart cylindrical mating features or
`recesses 84. The diameter and depth ofeach recess 84 and the
`spacing distances between adjacent ones of recesses 84 are
`established so that recesses 84 mate with corresponding
`bosses 80 and provide a snug, releasable attachment of each
`of hand grips 30 and 32 to main casing 16.
`FIG. 2 shows the matable building elements that when
`assembled form left-hand grip 30 shown in FIG. 1. Left
`hand-grip 30 is made up of five building elements, of which
`some have different matable features and some l1ave smooth
`
`finished surfaces that contribute to the omamental appear-
`ance and ergonomic quality of the hand grip.
`Left-hand grip 30 includes a five-section body element 90
`o which the remaining building elements attach. A mounting
`element 92 has three recesses (not shown) that mate with
`hree corresponding bosses 80 of a mounting section 94 of
`Jody element 90 to form handle mount 82 (FIG. 1) having
`eight recesses 84. Handle mount 82 fits over a11d attaches to
`land grip mounting plate 22 (FIG. 1), with eight recesses 84
`and eight corresponding bosses 80 in mating relationship. A
`nedial side eleme11t 96 has nine bosses 80 that n1ate with nine
`
`corresponding recesses ofa center section 98 ofbody element
`90. A lateral side element 100 has nine recesses (not shown)
`hat mate with nine corresponding bosses 80 of a distal sec-
`ion 102 of body element 90. Side elements 96 and 100
`contribute to the shape and appearance ofthe gripping surface
`ofleft-hand grip 30. An end piece 104 has two bosses 80 that
`nate with two corresponding recesses (not shown) of a tip
`
`section 106 of body element 90 to form a rounded terminal
`end of left-hand grip 30. The assembled left-hand grip 30 is
`shown in FIG. 1 with its side elements 96 and 100 removed.
`
`Right-hand grip 32 can be assembled in a corresponding
`_ manner to that described above.
`
`FIG. 3 shows a patterned surface portion 120 covering
`most ofthe top surface ofn1ain housing 14 (FIG. 1), except for
`the actuators on control pads 34 and 44. Patterned surface
`portion 120 includes a surface pattern i11 the form of an array
`of mutually spaced-apart bosses 80 in the same array pattern
`as that of patterned surface portion 20 (FIG. 1).
`Patterned surface portion 120 is configured to receive mat-
`able building elements 122. Building elements 122 in this
`embodiment are preferably small molded plastic components
`that are stackable upon one another, like small bricks, to
`create a desired object. (Building elements 122 intended to
`provide a finished surface typically do not have top surface
`mating features that would enable stacking of another layer of
`building elements.) Building elements 122 can be of different
`colors. Suitable building elements 122 include LEGO toy
`bricks, available from Interlego AG, Zug, Switzerland.
`A preferred building element 122 has on its bottom side
`recesses 84 that are sized to mate with spatially correspond-
`ing bosses 80 so that building element 122 can be affixed to
`and thereby cover part of patterned surface portion 120.
`Skilled persons will appreciate that a building element 122
`having multiple recesses 84 on its bottom side is configured
`so that adjacent recesses 84 are separated by the same dis-
`tance as that separating corresponding adjacent bosses 80 in
`patterned surface portion 120. The spaced-apart bottom side
`recesses 84 of building element 122 that are sized to mate
`with spatially corresponding bosses 80 of patterned surface
`portion 120 define a recess feature pattern that is complemen-
`tary to patterned surface portion 120. FIG. 3 shows a building
`element 122a that has an open rectangular bottom side recess
`124 that is sized to fit over and against lateral arcuate periph-
`eral portions of two adjacent bosses 80 to mate with them in
`an operational manner. Building element 122:; defines a sur-
`face feature that is matable to bosses 80 in, but not is comple-
`mentary to, patterned surface portion 120.
`Either building element 122 or 122a has on its top side the
`absence or presence of a matable feature. FIG. 3 shows
`attached to main housing 14 (FIG. 1) a building eleme11t 122s
`having a smooth top surface that can be of a color or that
`contributes to a finished decorative pattern selected by a user.
`FIG. 3 also shows attached to main housing 14 and positioned
`adjacent building element 1223 a building element 122b hav-
`ing on its top side two bosses 80 to which another building
`element 122]) could mate at its bottom surface.
`
`For purposes of simplicity and uniformity, a user prefer-
`ably constructs a manual controller with a set of stackable
`building elements in which the bottom side feature and the top
`side feature mates with and operationally matches, respec-
`tively,
`the features in a patterned surface portion of the
`manual controller. Operationally match is defined to mean
`that a top side feature is matable to the bottom side feature of
`the same building elen1e11t. This is the situation illustrated i11
`FIG. 3 mid FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, and 8D below. A user con-
`structing a manual controller with building elements 122
`stacked to form a specific shape could do so, however, by
`assembling a set of stackable building elements that are
`included i11 subsets. A first subset of building elements could
`be one in which the bottom side feature mates with, but the top
`side feature does not operationally match, the features of a
`patterned surface portion of the manual controller. A second
`subset ofbuilding elements could be one in which the bottom
`
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`side feature mates with, arid the top side feature operationally
`matches, the top side feature of the building elements in the
`first subset.
`
`FIG. 4 is an isometric View of a second preferred embodi-
`ment of a configurable portable manual controller 140 that
`includes a unitary main and hand grip section. Manual con-
`troller 140 is built around a remote controller in the fonn of a
`
`'
`
`WiiTM remote controller, which is available from Nintendo of
`America, Inc., Redmond, Wash., and is implemented with
`motion sensors that move images on a display in response to
`user movement of manual controller 140. Manual controller
`
`140 includes an exoskeleton 142 that is a n1ain housing that
`houses i11 its interior the electrical components necessary for
`controlling symbols or images on a display associated with a
`computer device. As shown in FIG. 4, exoskeleton 142 has a
`control actuator 144 located between a control pad 146
`including four pressable control members 148 and a menu
`button 150 and two control actuator buttons 152 and 154. A
`
`power button 156 is located near the front end, two control
`actuator buttons 158 and 160 are located near the back end,
`and a joystick connector receptacle 162 is located in the back
`surface of manual controller 140. Exoskeleton 142 has a
`
`tapered front end bottom surface on which a user can rest his
`fingers to grasp the controller and operate atrigger device (not
`shown).
`Exoskeleton 142 has pattemed surface portions 170 and
`172 that together cover most of the exterior of exoskeleton
`142. Similar to patterned surface portion 20 ofmain casi11g 16
`of manual controller 10 shown in FIG. 1, patterned surface
`portion 170 covering the top surface ofmanual controller 140
`includes a surface pattern in the form of an array of mutually
`spaced-apart cylindrical mating features or bosses 80. Pat-
`terned surface portion 172 covering a side surface of manual
`controller 140 includes a surface pattern in the form of an
`array of mutually spaced-apart square mating features 174.
`For purposes of simplicity, it is preferable to cover exoskel-
`eton 142 with patterned surface portions including arrays of
`the same mating features.
`FIGS. 4 and 5 show two examples ofbuilding elements that
`are matable to manual controller 140. A building element 176
`shown positioned above (but not mated to) a building element
`178 has top side cylindrical features 80 in a surface pattern
`that is less densely packed than features 80 in the surface
`pattem of pattemed surface portion 170. Building element
`178 shown mated to bosses 80 of pattemed surface portion
`170 has top side square features 174 of patterned surface
`portion 172. Building element 178 may have bottom side
`features that are matable to either cylindrical features 80 or
`square features 174, depending on the surface of manual
`controller 140 on which a user intends to build.
`
`FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D show a customized controller
`built i11 the form of a golf club 190 around a remote controller
`in the form of a WiiTM remote controller. Golf club 190
`
`includes an exoskeleton 192 that has a surface portion 170,
`which is described above with reference to FIG. 4. As best
`
`shown in FIG. 6D, golf club 190 includes five building ele-
`ments, of which adjacent ones mate with each other and all of
`which collectively mate with exoskeleton 192. A mounting
`element 194 includes two side sections 196 and 198 having
`recesses 84 that mate with corresponding bosses 80 on
`respective sides 200 and 202 of exoskeleton 192. Golf club
`shaft components 204, 206, 208, and 210 mate in series
`connection to form an assembled golf club 190.
`FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D show a customized controller
`built in the form of a baseball bat 220 around a remote con-
`troller in the form of a WiiTM remote controller. Baseball bat
`
`220 includes an exoskeleton 222 that has a surface portion
`
`6
`170, which is described above with reference to FIG. 4. As
`best shown in FIG. 7D, baseball bat 220 includes five building
`elements (two of which are partly or completely removed to
`illustrate mating bosses 80 of exoskeleton 222) mated to
`exoskeleton 222 to form a bat handle 224 and eleven building
`elements (several of which partly cut away to show mating
`bosses 80 on adjacent building elements) mated in series
`connection to form a bat barrel 226. A building element 228
`mates to the rear end of exoskeleton 222 to provide a bat heel,
`and a building element 23 0 mates with the front end ofexosk-
`eleton 222 to interconnect it with bat barrel 226.
`FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, and SD Show a customized controller
`built in the form of a baseball bat 240 around a remote con-
`troller in the form of a WiiTM remote controller. Baseball bat
`
`240 includes an exoskeleton 242 that has a surface portion
`170, which is described above with reference to FIG. 4. As
`best shown in FIG. 8D, baseball bat 240 is formed of two
`multi-layer stacks 244 and 246 of building elements posi-
`tioned on and mated to either side of a bat barrel core section
`
`248. Rectangular building elements 250 and 252 included in
`respective multi-layer stacks 244 and 246 have recesses 84
`(not shown) that mate with bosses 80 on the sides of exosk-
`eleton 242 at its tapered end to comiect bat barrel core section
`248 to exoskeleton 240. Unlike baseball bat 220 ofFIGS. 7A,
`7B, 7C, and 7D, baseball bat 240 has substantially large
`unfinished surface portions.
`FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C show a customized controller built in
`the form of a baseball bat 260 around a remote controller in
`the form of a WiiTM remote controller. Baseball bat 260
`
`includes an exoskeleton 262 that has a surface portion 170,
`which is described above with reference to FIG. 4. As best
`
`shown in FIG. 9C, baseball bat 260 is formed with two mat-
`able half-section building elements 264 and 266 that
`resemble longitudinal half-sections of a complete bat, includ-
`ing its handle and barrel. The interior surfaces of building
`elements 264 and 266 have arrays of recesses 84 that mate
`with bosses 80 on the side surfaces of exoskeleton 262 to
`
`connect building elements 264 and 266 to exoskeleton 262.
`The interior surface ofbuilding element 264 has three mounts
`268 for sets of bosses 80 that mate with corresponding
`recesses 84 on the interior surface (not shown) of building
`element 266 to connect building elements 264 and 266
`together. Baseball bat 260 presents with very few building
`elements a finished replica of a baseball bat.
`It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many
`changes may be made to the details of the above-described
`embodiments without departing from the underlying prin-
`ciples of the invention. The scope of the present invention
`should,
`therefore, be detennined only by the following
`claims.
`The invention claimed is:
`
`1. A method of facilitating user preference in creative
`design of a controller for manipulating images or symbols on
`a display, the controller having a housing with an exterior
`surface and an interior region confining electrical compo-
`nents for producing signals for manipulating image or sym-
`bols on the display, comprising:
`providing a main casing configured to conformably fit
`around a portion of the exterior surface of and thereby
`receive the housing of the controller, the main casing
`having a patterned surface portion configured to support
`a set of building elements that are configurable for mat-
`ing to the patterned surface portion; and
`providing in the set of building elements a subset of build-
`ing elements that are matable to one another and co11fig-
`ured for a user to build on the patterned surface portion
`of the main casing a customized replica of at least a
`
`

`
`US 8,894,066 B2
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`7
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`8
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`portion of a play item and thereby transform the exterior
`surface of the housing of the controller to a customized
`shape and appearance in accordance with the user’s
`preference.
`2. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising control actua-
`tors operatively comrected to the electrical components, the
`control actuators including a type of actuator that responds to
`user movement of the controller to produce the signals for
`manipulating the images or symbols.
`3. The method of claim 2, in which the type of actuator is a
`motion sensor.
`
`4. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising control actua-
`tors operatively comrected to the electrical components, the
`control actuators including a type of actuator that responds to
`user tactile manipulation of the controller to produce the
`signals for manipulating the images or symbols.
`5. The method of claim 1, further comprising a hand grip
`section having a patterned surface portion configured for
`operative connection to the main casing to provide a gripping
`portion on which the user can grasp during play activity.
`
`6. The method of claim 1, in which the set of building
`elements constitutes a first set of building elements, and fur-
`ther comprising providing a second set of building elements
`in the form of multiple components having matable and non-
`matable surfaces, the matable surfaces configured to mate
`with building elements in the subset and the nonmatable
`surfaces configured to not mate with the patterned surface
`portion ofthe main casing or the first set ofbuilding elements,
`the multiple components of the second set of building ele-
`ments contributing to the building on the patterned surface
`portion of the main casing a customized replica of at least a
`portion of a play item configured for use in play activity.
`7. The method ofclaim 1, in which the controller comprises
`a cellular telephone and a control section, the cellular tele-
`phone being operationally responsive to user-entered com-
`mands that are delivered to the control section.
`
`8. The method of claim 1, in which the set of building
`elements includes a building element in the fonn of a play
`item having a surface that is not matable to the patterned
`surface portion.