CN111565808B - Electronic controller with hand holder, housing and finger sensing - Google Patents

Abstract

A controller for an electronic system includes a controller body having a head and a handle, and a tracking member secured to the controller body. The head includes at least one thumb-operated control and the handle has a tubular housing partially surrounded by a housing. The controller includes a hand holder configured to physically bias a palm of a user against the housing. A first plurality of tracking transducers is disposed in the tracking member, the first plurality of tracking sensors coupled to the electronic system by electromagnetic radiation. An array of proximity sensors is spatially distributed over the housing, the array of proximity sensors being responsive to proximity of a user's finger to the housing.

Description

Electronic controller with hand holder, housing and finger sensing

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This is a PCT application requiring priority from U.S. patent application serial No. 15/834,425 entitled "Electronic Controller WITH A HAND RETAINER, outer Shell, AND FINGER SENSING" filed on 7, 12, 2017, which is a continuation-in-part application of pending U.S. patent application serial No. 15/679,521 entitled "Electronic Controller WITH HAND RETAINER AND FINGER Motion Sensing" filed on 8, 17, 2017, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application serial No. 29/580,635 filed on 10, 11, 2016; and claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application 62/520,958 filed on date 16 of 2017, 6.

Background

The video game industry has become bulky and important and has motivated many innovations in software and related hardware. Various hand-held video game controllers have been designed, manufactured, and marketed for a variety of gaming applications. Some of these innovations have applicability outside of the video game industry, such as controllers for industrial machines, defense systems, robots, and the like. Virtual Reality (VR) systems are applications that are both within and outside the video game industry that are attracting great current interest and rapid technological development. Controllers for VR systems must perform several different functions and meet stringent (sometimes competing) design constraints, often while optimizing certain desired characteristics (e.g., ease of use), etc. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved controller design that may improve VR systems and/or better facilitate user operation.

Drawings

Fig. 1 depicts a controller having a hand holder in an open position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 depicts the controller of fig. 1 in a hand with the palm of the user splayed upward.

Fig. 3 depicts the controller of fig. 1 in a closed hand of a user.

Fig. 4 depicts the controller of fig. 1 in the palm down hand of a user.

Fig. 5 depicts a pair of controllers having a hand holder in an open position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6A depicts a front view of a right hand controller according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6B depicts a rear view of the right hand control of fig. 6A.

Fig. 7A depicts a window for an infrared light sensor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7B depicts a window for an infrared light sensor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8 shows a side view of the right hand control of fig. 6A with the outer shell of the tubular housing partially encasing the control handle exploded to reveal the instrument on its inner surface.

Fig. 9A depicts a cross section of the right hand control of fig. 6A with the outer shell of the tubular housing partially encasing the control handle exploded.

Fig. 9B depicts the cross section of fig. 9A except that the housing is mounted in its normal operating position.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 to 4 depict a controller 100 for an electronic system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The controller 100 may be utilized by an electronic system, such as a VR video game system, a robot, a weapon, or a medical device. The controller 100 may include a controller body 110 having a handle 112, and a hand holder 120 for holding the controller 100 in a user's hand (e.g., the user's left hand). The handle 112 includes a tubular housing, which may optionally be substantially cylindrical. In this context, the substantially cylindrical shape need not have a constant diameter or a perfectly circular cross-section.

In the embodiment of fig. 1-4, the controller body 110 may include a head (between the handle 112 and the distal end 111), which may optionally include one or more thumb-operated controls 114, 115, 116. For example, if the tilt button or any other button, knob, wheel, joystick or trackball is conveniently operated by the user's thumb during normal operation when the controller 100 is held in the user's hand, it may be considered a thumb-operated control.

The controller 100 preferably includes a tracking member 130, the tracking member 130 being secured to the controller body 110 and optionally including two noses 132, 134, each protruding from an opposite one of the two opposite distal ends of the tracking member 130. In the embodiment of fig. 1-4, tracking member 130 is preferably, but not necessarily, a tracking arc having an arcuate shape. The tracking member 130 includes a plurality of tracking transducers disposed therein, with preferably at least one tracking transducer disposed in each of the protruding noses 132, 134. Additional tracking transducers may also be provided in the controller body 110, wherein preferably at least one distal tracking transducer is provided adjacent to said distal end 111.

The aforementioned tracking transducers may be tracking sensors responsive to electromagnetic radiation (e.g., infrared light) emitted by the electronic system, or they may alternatively be tracking beacons that emit electromagnetic radiation (e.g., infrared light) received by the electronic system. For example, the electronic system may be a VR gaming system that widely broadcasts (i.e., renders) pulsed infrared light toward the controller 100, wherein the plurality of tracking transducers of the tracking member 130 are infrared light sensors that may receive or be obscured by the broadcasted pulsed infrared light. The tracking transducer in each nose 132, 134 (e.g., 3 sensors in each nose) preferably overhangs the user's hand on each distal end of the tracking member 130 and thus may be better exposed (around the user's hand) to receive electromagnetic radiation emitted by the electronic system or to transmit electromagnetic radiation to the electronic system at a greater angle without producing an unacceptable amount of shielding.

Preferably, the tracking member 130 and the controller body 110 are made of a substantially rigid material (such as a hard plastic) and are firmly fixed together such that they do not significantly translate or rotate relative to each other. In this way, tracking of the translation and rotation of the set of tracking transducers in space is preferably not complicated by the movement of the tracking transducers relative to each other. For example, as shown in fig. 1 to 4, the tracking member 130 may be fixed to the controller main body 110 by being engaged to the controller main body 110 at two positions. The hand holder 120 may be attached to the controller 100 (either the controller body 110 or the tracking member 130) adjacent those two positions to bias the palm of the user's hand against the outer surface of the handle 112 between the two positions.

In certain embodiments, the tracking member 130 and the controller body 110 may comprise a unitary, one-piece component having material continuity, rather than being assembled together. For example, the tracking member 130 and the controller body 110 may be molded together by a single injection molding process step, resulting in one unitary hard plastic component that includes both the tracking member 130 and the controller body 110. Alternatively, the tracking member 130 and the controller body 110 may be initially manufactured separately and then later assembled together. Either way, the tracking member 130 may be considered to be fixed to the controller body 110.

The hand retainer 120 is shown in an open position in fig. 1. The hand holder 120 may optionally be biased in an open position by a curved resilient member 122 to facilitate insertion of a user's left hand between the hand holder 120 and the controller body 110 when the user grasps the controller while vision is blocked by the VR goggles. For example, the curved resilient member 122 may optionally be a flexible metal strip that is resiliently flexible, or may comprise an alternative plastic material, such as nylon, that is substantially resiliently flexible. The curved elastic member 122 may optionally be partially or completely inside or covered by a cushion or fabric material 124 (e.g., neoprene sheath) for the comfort of the user. Alternatively, the cushion or fabric material 124 may be disposed on (e.g., bonded to) the side of the curved elastic member 122 facing only the user's hand.

The hand holder 120 is optionally adjustable in length, for example, by including a pull cord 126 that is cinched by a spring biased cable guide (chock) 128. The drawstring 126 may optionally have excess length that may be used as a lanyard. The sheath 124 is optionally attachable to a pull cord. In certain embodiments, the curved resilient member 122 may be preloaded by the tension of the cinched cord 126. In such embodiments, the tension imparted to the hand holder 120 by the curved resilient member 122 (to bias it in the open position) causes the hand holder to automatically open when the draw cord 126 is released. The present disclosure also contemplates alternative conventional ways for adjusting the length of the hand holder 120, such as cleats, elastic bands (which are temporarily stretched when the hand is inserted so that elastic tension is applied to press against the back of the hand), hook and loop band attachment allowing length adjustment, and the like.

The hand holder 120 may be disposed between the handle 112 and the tracking member 130 and configured to contact the back of the user's hand. Fig. 2 shows the controller 100 during operation with the left hand of the user inserted therein, but without grasping the controller body 110. In fig. 2, the hand holder 120 is closed and tightened on the hand to physically bias the palm of the user against the outer surface of the handle 112. In this way, the hand holder 120, when closed, may still hold the controller 100 in the hand even if the hand is not gripping the controller body 110. Fig. 3 and 4 depict the controller 100 during operation when the hand holder 120 is closed and the hand is grasping the controller body 110 and the thumb is operating one or more of the thumb-operated controls (e.g., track pad 116).

The handle 112 of the controller body 110 preferably includes an array of proximity sensors spatially distributed partially or completely around its outer surface. The proximity sensors in the array are not necessarily equal in size and are not necessarily equally spaced therebetween, although the array may comprise a grid. The array of proximity sensors is preferably responsive to the proximity of the user's finger to the outer surface of the handle 112. For example, the array of proximity sensors may be a plurality of capacitive sensors embedded under an outer surface of the handle 112, wherein the outer surface comprises an electrically insulating material. The capacitance between such an array of capacitive sensors and a portion of a user's hand is inversely related to the distance therebetween. The capacitance can be sensed by connecting an RC oscillator circuit to the elements of the capacitive sensor array, and it is noted that the time constant of the circuit (and thus the period and frequency of oscillation) will vary with the capacitance. In this way, the circuit may detect release of the user's finger from the outer surface of the handle 112.

When the hand holder 120 (e.g., hand-holding strap) is tightly closed, it may not only serve to prevent the controller 100 from falling out of the hand, but also prevent excessive translation of the finger relative to the proximity sensor array of the handle 112 in order to more reliably sense finger movement. The electronic system may include algorithms embodying anatomically possible movements of the fingers to better use the senses from the proximity sensor array to present the opening of the hand, finger pointing or other movements of the fingers relative to the controller or relative to each other of the character being controlled. In this manner, movement of the controller 100 and/or fingers by the user may help control VR gaming systems, defense systems, medical systems, industrial robots or machines, or other devices. In VR system applications (e.g., for game play, training, etc.), the system may present a throwing motion based on tracking the movement of the transducer and may present the release of the thrown object based on a sensed release of the user's finger from the outer surface of the controller handle.

Thus, the functionality of the hand holder 120 (allowing the user to "release" the controller 100 without the controller 100 actually being separated from the hand or thrown or dropped to the floor) may enable additional functionality of the controlled electronic system. For example, if a release and a restoration of a user's grip on the handle 112 of the controller body 110 is sensed, such release or grip may be incorporated into the game to show (e.g., in VR) throwing or gripping an object. The hand holder 120 may allow this functionality to be repeated and safely implemented. For example, the position of the hand holder 120 in the embodiments of fig. 1-4 may help the tracking member 130 to protect the back of the user's hand from collisions in the real world, e.g., when the user moves in response to prompts sensed in the VR environment (e.g., when actually obscured by VR goggles).

In certain embodiments, the controller 100 may include a rechargeable battery disposed within the controller body 110, and the hand holder 120 (e.g., hand holding strap) may include an electrically conductive charging cord electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery. The controller 100 preferably also includes a Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter for communicating with the rest of the electronic system. Such RF transmitters may be powered by rechargeable batteries and may be responsive to thumb-operated controls 114, 115, 116, proximity sensors in the handle 112 of the controller body 110, and/or tracking sensors in the tracking member 130.

As shown in fig. 5, in some embodiments, the controller 100 may be a left-hand controller in a pair of controllers that include a similar right-hand controller 200. In certain embodiments, the controllers 100 and 200 may (together) track the movement and grip of the user's hands simultaneously, for example, to enhance the VR experience.

Fig. 6A depicts a front view of a right hand controller 600 according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention. Fig. 6B depicts a rear view of the right hand control 600. The controller 600 has a controller body that includes a head 610 and a handle 612. In the embodiment of fig. 6A-6B, the head 610 includes at least one thumb-operated control A, B, 608, and may also include a control (e.g., trigger 609) configured to be operated by an index finger. The handle 612 includes a tubular housing partially surrounded by a shell 640.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-6B, tracking member 630 is fixed to the controller body at the head 610 and at the end of the handle 612. The hand holder 620 is configured to physically bias the palm of a user's hand against the housing 640 between the head 610 and the end of the handle 612. The hand holder 620 is preferably disposed between the handle 612 and the tracking member 630 and may include a hand-holding strap that is adjustable in length and configured to contact the back of the user's hand. In the embodiment of fig. 6A-6B, the hand holder 620 optionally includes a pull cord 628, and is optionally length adjustable by a cord lock 626 (adjacent the distal end of the handle 612), the cord lock 626 selectively preventing sliding movement of the pull cord 628 at the location of the cord lock 626.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-6B, tracking transducers 632, 633 are disposed on tracking member 630, with tracking transducer 633 disposed on a protruding nose at the opposite distal end of tracking member 630. Additional tracking transducers 634 are optionally provided on the distal region of the head 610. Tracking transducers 632, 633, and 634 may be tracking sensors responsive to electromagnetic radiation (e.g., infrared light) emitted by an electronic system (e.g., a virtual reality gaming system), or may be tracking beacons that emit electromagnetic radiation (e.g., infrared light) received by an electronic system. For example, the electronic system may be a VR gaming system that widely broadcasts (i.e., renders) pulsed infrared light toward the controller 600, with tracking transducers 632, 633, and 634 being infrared light sensors that may receive the broadcast pulsed infrared light. The response of such tracking sensors may be communicated back to the electronic system, and the system may interpret such response to effectively track the position and orientation of the controller 600.

One or more of tracking transducers 632, 633, 634 optionally may be configured as shown in the embodiment of fig. 7A, or alternatively as shown in the embodiment of fig. 7B, or alternatively in a conventional manner not shown. The lower portion of fig. 7A depicts an exploded perspective view of an infrared light sensor 750 electrically connected to a flexible circuit 751, the infrared light sensor 750 being shown below a rectangular portion of an overlying windowed housing wall 755 comprising an infrared opaque plastic. Windowed housing wall 755 includes window 756. The window 756 preferably comprises an infrared transmissive polycarbonate plastic and may include a bottom recess for accommodating the thickness of the infrared light sensor 750.

According to the embodiment of fig. 7A, the windowed housing wall (e.g., the exterior structure of tracking member 630 or head 610 of fig. 6A) may be manufactured by a so-called "two shot" injection molding process such that a majority of the housing wall is manufactured from an infrared opaque plastic, but wherein an infrared transmissive plastic is disposed in window 756 over infrared light sensor 750.

The upper portion of fig. 7A depicts a cross-sectional view of the assembled infrared light sensor 750, flex circuit 751, and windowed housing wall 755. Infrared light, shown in fig. 7A as three downward arrows incident on window 756 from above, passes through window 756 to be received by an underlying infrared light sensor 750. Since housing wall 755 comprises an infrared opaque plastic, infrared light impinging upon it will not pass through and a portion may be reflected back into the window for receipt by infrared light sensor 750. In this manner, although a majority of housing wall 755 includes infrared opaque plastic, window 756 allows infrared light to affect infrared light sensor 750 such that infrared light sensor 750 receives infrared light only from a preferred range of angles.

Alternatively, one or more of tracking transducers 632, 633, 634 optionally may be constructed as shown in the embodiment of fig. 7B. The lower portion of fig. 7B depicts an exploded perspective view of an infrared light sensor 750 electrically connected to a flexible circuit 751, the infrared light sensor 750 being shown below a rectangular portion of an overlying housing wall 758 comprising an IR transmissive plastic. The housing wall 758 is coated with an infrared opaque film 757 that is patterned to include a window 759 (where the infrared opaque film 757 is not present).

The upper portion of fig. 7B depicts a cross-sectional view of the assembled infrared light sensor 750, flex circuit 751, housing wall 758, and IR opaque film 757. Infrared light, shown in fig. 7B as three downward arrows incident on housing wall 758 from above, passes through a window 759 in infrared opaque film 757 to be received therefrom through housing wall 758 by an infrared light sensor 750 below. Since housing wall 758 comprises infrared transmissive plastic, infrared light impinging upon it may enter it and disappear and may inadvertently and undesirably reach nearby sensors even by internal reflection. In this way, the window 759 in the infrared opaque film 757 allows infrared light to primarily affect the infrared light sensor 750.

Fig. 8 shows a side view of the right hand control 600 with the outer shell 640 of the tubular housing partially enclosing the handle 612 exploded to reveal the instrument on its inner surface. In the embodiment of fig. 8, the instrument may include an array of proximity sensors 800 spatially distributed on the inner surface of the housing 640, the array of proximity sensors 800 being responsive to the proximity of the user's finger to the housing 640. The proximity sensors 800 in the array are not necessarily equal in size, nor are they necessarily regularly or equidistantly spaced from each other. In certain embodiments, the array of proximity sensors 800 may preferably be a plurality of capacitive sensors connected to a flexible circuit bonded to the inner surface of the housing 640. In the embodiment of fig. 8, the housing 640 includes a first electrical connector portion 805 that is connectable to a mating second electrical connector portion of the handle 612 (as shown in more detail in fig. 9A-9B).

Fig. 9A-9B depict cross-sections of the right hand control 600 of fig. 6A showing that the control handle optionally may include tubular housings 612a, 612B, the right hand control 600 being longitudinally split by a seam 613 where the tubular housing portions 612a and 612B adjoin. In fig. 9A, the housing 640 is shown exploded away from the rest of the handle. Fig. 9B depicts the cross-section of fig. 9A except that the housing 640 is mounted in its normal operating position. In the embodiment of fig. 9A-9B, the first electrical connector portion 805 of the housing 640 is shown mated with and connectable to the second electrical connector portion 905 of the controller handle.

In the embodiment of fig. 9A-9B, the outer shell 640 partially encloses the tubular housing 612a, 612B in a manner that it preferably overlaps the longitudinal seam 613 such that the longitudinal seam 613 can be positioned to optimize the manufacturing process, rather than accommodating the desired circumferential location of the proximity sensor array 800. In certain embodiments, the outer shell 640 overlaps a circumferential portion C of the tubular housing 612a, 612b of the handle, and the circumferential portion C angularly spans at least 100 degrees but no more than 170 degrees of the entire circumference of the tubular housing 612a, 612b of the handle. In some embodiments, such circumferential overlap may enable the proximity sensor array 800 to sense the proximity of a desired portion of a user's finger or palm (e.g., the area of the hand that best indicates grasping).

The tubular housings 612a, 612b of the handles need not have a circular cross-section, and the term "circumferential" is used herein regardless of whether the tubular housings 612a, 612b of the handles have a circular cross-section. The term "circumference" herein refers to the complete circumference of the tubular housing 612a, 612b around the handle, which may be circular if the tubular housing 612a, 612b is a right circular hollow cylinder, but which may also be a closed shape other than circular if the tubular housing is shaped as a non-circular cylinder or hollow prism.

In the embodiment of fig. 9A-9B, a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 920 may be mounted within the tubular housing 612a, 612B of the handle, with the second electrical connector portion 905 electrically coupled to the PCB 920.PCB 920 optionally includes a Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) 922, and the controller may also include a plunger 924 that conveys compressive forces applied to the exterior of the tubular housing 612a, 612b of the handle through the housing 640 inwardly to the FSR 922. In certain embodiments, the FSR922 in combination with the proximity sensor array 800 may be advantageous to sense both the initiation of a user's grip (onset) and the relative strength of such grip by the user, which may facilitate certain gaming functions.

In certain embodiments, the shell thickness of the outer shell 640 (measured radially in fig. 9A-9B) is less than one third of the shell wall thickness of the tubular shell portion 612a or 612B of the handle. In those embodiments, such thickness differences may improve the sensitivity of the proximity sensor array 800 relative to alternative embodiments in which the proximity sensor array 800 is disposed on or in the tubular housing 612a, 612b of the handle.

The present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments herein, but those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. It is contemplated that various features and aspects of the present invention may be used singly or in combination in different environments or applications. For example, features shown with respect to the right hand control may also be implemented in the left hand control, and vice versa. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative and exemplary rather than a restrictive sense. For example, the term "preferably" and the phrase "preferably but not necessarily" are used synonymously herein to consistently include the meaning of "not necessarily" or "optionally". "comprising," "including," and "having" are intended to be open-ended terms.

Claims (28)

1. A controller for an electronic system, which is used to be operated by a user, the user's hand having a thumb, fingers and palm, the controller comprising: a controller body having a head including at least one thumb-operated control and a handle having a tubular housing partially enclosed by an outer shell; a tracking member fixed to the controller body; a hand retainer disposed between the handle and the tracking member, the hand retainer comprising a hand retaining strap configured to physically bias the palm against the handle, wherein the hand retaining strap comprises a curved resilient member for biasing the hand retainer in an open position; a first plurality of tracking transducers disposed in the tracking member, the first plurality of tracking transducers coupled to the electronic system via electromagnetic radiation; and an array of proximity sensors spatially distributed on an interior surface of the housing, the array of proximity sensors responsive to proximity of the finger to the housing; wherein the housing angularly spans at least 100 degrees but no more than 170 degrees of the entire circumference of the tubular housing of the handle; and The outer shell has a shell thickness, and the tubular shell has a shell wall thickness, and the shell thickness is less than one third of the shell wall thickness. 2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of tracking transducers comprises a plurality of tracking sensors responsive to electromagnetic radiation emitted by the electronic system. 3. The controller of claim 2, wherein the plurality of tracking sensors are infrared light sensors responsive to pulsed infrared light emitted by the electronic system. 4. The controller of claim 3, wherein each of the infrared light sensors is covered by infrared transmissive polycarbonate plastic. 5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of tracking transducers comprises a plurality of tracking beacons that emit electromagnetic radiation that is received by the electronic system. 6. The controller of claim 1, wherein the tracking member is a tracking arc having an arc shape. 7. The controller of claim 1, wherein the tracking member is secured to the controller body by being joined to the controller body at two locations, and the hand retention strap is adjustable in length to bias the palm against the handle between the two locations. 8. The controller of claim 1, wherein the hand retention strap is disposed between the handle and the tracking member. 9. The controller of claim 1, wherein the hand retention strap is adjustable in length and is configured to contact the back of a hand. 10. The controller of claim 1, further comprising a second plurality of tracking transducers disposed in the controller body, the second plurality of tracking transducers comprising at least one distal tracking transducer disposed in the head. 11. The controller of claim 1, wherein the tracking member includes two noses, each nose protruding from a corresponding one of two opposing distal ends of the tracking member, each nose including at least one of the first plurality of tracking transducers. 12. The controller of claim 1, wherein the array of proximity sensors is a plurality of capacitive sensors attached to an inner surface of the housing. 13. The controller of claim 12, wherein the plurality of capacitive sensors are disposed on a flexible circuit, the flexible circuit being attached to an inner surface of the housing. 14. The controller of claim 1, wherein the array of proximity sensors comprises a grid. 15. The controller of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a first electrical connector portion and the tubular housing of the handle includes a second electrical connector portion, and the first electrical connector portion and the second electrical connector portion are matable and connectable. 16. The controller of claim 15, further comprising a printed circuit board mounted within the tubular housing of the handle, the second electrical connector portion being electrically coupled to the printed circuit board. 17. The controller of claim 16, wherein the printed circuit board includes a force sensing resistor, and the controller further includes a plunger that transmits a compressive force applied to the exterior of the tubular housing of the handle inwardly to the force sensing resistor. 18. The controller of claim 1, wherein the tubular housing of the handle is divided longitudinally by a seam, and the housing spans the seam. 19. The controller of claim 1, wherein each proximity sensor in the array of proximity sensors has at least one of the following conditions: Not equal in size; are irregularly spaced from one another; or Not equidistant from each other. 20. A controller for an electronic system, adapted to be operated by a user having a hand having a thumb, fingers and palm, the controller comprising: a controller body having a head and a handle, the head including at least one thumb-operated control; a tracking member fixed to the controller body; a hand retainer disposed between the handle and the tracking member, the hand retainer comprising a hand retaining strap configured to physically bias the palm against an outer surface of the handle, wherein the hand retaining strap comprises a curved resilient member for biasing the hand retainer in an open position; a first plurality of tracking transducers disposed in the tracking member, the first plurality of tracking transducers coupled to the electronic system via electromagnetic radiation; and An array of spatially distributed proximity sensors embedded beneath an outer surface of the handle, the array of proximity sensors being responsive to proximity of the finger to the outer surface of the handle. 21. The controller of claim 20 further comprising a printed circuit board mounted within the tubular housing of the handle, wherein the printed circuit board comprises a force sensing resistor, and wherein the controller further comprises a plunger that transmits a compressive force applied to the exterior of the tubular housing of the handle inwardly to the force sensing resistor. 22. The controller of claim 20, wherein the hand holding strap is adjustable in length. 23. The controller of claim 20, wherein each proximity sensor in the array of proximity sensors has at least one of the following conditions: Not equal in size; are irregularly spaced from one another; or Not equidistant from each other. 24. The controller of claim 20, wherein the array of proximity sensors comprises a grid. 25. A controller for an electronic system, adapted to be operated by a user having a hand having a thumb and fingers, the controller comprising: a controller body having a head and a handle, the head including at least one thumb-operated control; a tracking member fixed to the controller body; a hand retainer, the hand retainer comprising a hand retaining strap including a curved resilient member for biasing the hand retainer in an open position; a first plurality of tracking transducers disposed in the tracking member, the first plurality of tracking transducers coupled to the electronic system via electromagnetic radiation; an array of proximity sensors spatially distributed on the handle, the array of proximity sensors responsive to proximity of the finger to an outer surface of the handle; and A printed circuit board is mounted within the tubular housing of the handle, wherein the printed circuit board includes a force sensing resistor and the controller further includes a plunger that transmits a compressive force applied to the exterior of the tubular housing of the handle inwardly to the force sensing resistor. 26. The controller of claim 25, wherein the array of proximity sensors comprises a grid. 27. The controller of claim 25, wherein the hand retaining strap is adjustable in length to transition the hand retainer from an open position to a closed position and to physically bias the hand against an outer surface of the handle when the hand retainer is in the closed position. 28. The controller of claim 25, wherein each proximity sensor in the array of proximity sensors has at least one of the following conditions: Not equal in size; are irregularly spaced from one another; or Not equidistant from each other.