Expandable controllers capable of connecting in series to a control deck of a video game machine

Claim 1

An expandable controller serially connectable to a control deck of a video game machine comprising: a keypad having a plurality of key-switches for generating key-pressed status signals corresponding to a key-pressed status of said plurality of key-switches; and a data register for receiving the key-pressed status signals from said keypad and holding data corresponding to said key-pressed status signals, said data register consecutively outputting data stored therein to said control deck in sequence in response to a data read signal from said control deck, wherein said data register includes: a key-pressed status control circuit, said key-pressed status control circuit including: a key-pressed status control circuit input port connected to said keypad for receiving said key-pressed status signals, means for receiving a locking signal supplied by said control deck, and a key-pressed status control circuit output port; and a shift register, said shift register including: a reset input port connected to the key-pressed status control circuit output port for receiving the key-pressed status signals from said keypad, a data input port, a data output port coupled to said data input port, and a clock input port responsive to a data read signal supplied by said control deck for retrieving data from said shift register through the data output port.

Claim 11

A method for connecting a plurality of expandable controllers to a control deck of a video game machine, each of said plurality of expandable controllers including a keypad and a data register, said data register having a data input port and a data output port, said method comprising the steps of: connecting said data output port of a first one of said plurality of expandable controllers to a data input port of said control deck; connecting each remaining expandable controller in series with said first one of said plurality of expandable controllers such that a data output port of said each remaining expandable controller is connected to a data input port of a serially adjacent expandable controller; inputting control signals to each of said data registers of said plurality of expandable controllers by said keypad; inputting a locking signal supplied by said control deck to each of said data registers of said plurality of expandable controllers simultaneously to hold the status of said data registers; and inputting a data read signal supplied by said control deck to each of said data registers to consecutively retrieve to said control deck in sequence data stored in each of said data registers of said plurality of expandable controllers in response to said data read signal.

Claim 12

A method for connecting a plurality of expandable controllers to a control deck of a video game machine, each of said plurality of expandable controllers including a keypad and a data register, said data register having a data input port and a data output port, said method comprising the steps of: connecting said data output port of a first one of said plurality of expandable controllers to a data input port of said control deck; connecting each remaining expandable controller in series with said first one of said plurality of expandable controllers such that a data output port of said each remaining expandable controller is connected to a data input port of a serially adjacent expandable controller; inputting control signals to each of said data registers of said plurality of expandable controllers by said keypad; inputting a locking signal supplied by said control deck to each of said data registers of said plurality of expandable controllers simultaneously to hold the status of said data registers; and inputting a data read signal supplied by said control deck to each of said data registers to consecutively retrieve to said control deck in sequence data stored in each of said data registers of said plurality of expandable controllers in response to said data read signal.