Nintendo Files Patent for Controller [NX Rumor?]

[Megaben99]

Uubergizmo and IGN are both reporting on a new controller patent from Nintendo, possibly the NX controller.

We know earlier Nintendo filed an earlier patent for an optical free console, this controller appears to have a thumb scroll wheel for the index finger when held in landscape, or thumb if held in portrait.

Two full analog sticks sound like a good change from the C stick on 3DS, but only two buttons and the scroll wheel? Are we back to a world where A is Jump and say so long to X & Y?

Ubergizmo

IGN

The patent in question, US20150261321

 

[ComeTurismO]

Seems a bit similar to the Wii U Tablet..

 

[HaloEffect17]

Seems a bit similar to the Wii U Tablet..

That's what I was thinking.

 

[FAST6191]

Added a link to the patent in.

Anyway so they added a spinning wheel to a bumper/shoulder trigger from what I can see. I would probably argue obvious but I am struggling to think of any proper prior art -- obviously we have to start at the humble scroll wheel*, the blackberry scroll ball thing would be another place for me to look and after that I am going to look at flight sticks. More functionally I would have to ask if there have ever been two stage/analogue bumper buttons or ones on a horizontal rocker switch.
I have very vague memories of remote control device with an independently operated camera that might have functioned in a similar manner to this (think more volume control knob than the micro wheels that this seems to be going for), however more common would be the normal twin sticks with trigger buttons for left and right, that said the wheels could handle the basic two axes far more than trigger buttons.

*Pull apart a scroll mouse and then look at the following. The cantilever beam is probably axial rather than like this but it is still a rotary beam connected in cantilever fashion with a microswitch underneath.

Interestingly they do cover the option for the wheel to be more of a directed position rather than a relative (possibly spring loaded) affair, which is to say the position of the wheel matters and is reflected in game. I would be interested to see a software controlled position lock -- Want to move the camera more than 60 degrees? Tough as the game physically locked it. One of their designs does include a motor as well which could pull that off, or at least provide resistance which is possibly even better. They mention vibration with an eye towards game mechanics. It meeting the 3d equivalent of https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iNSQIyNpVGHeak6isbP6AHdHD50gs8MNXF1GCf08efg/pub?embedded=true is something I would like to see.

I will have to have a proper read in the morning but from what I read I would still argue the US PTO's prior art and obviousness division needs a good slap, however this would be marginally less egregious than usual.

 

[vayanui8]

This just looks like a shittier wii u gamepad

 

[Bladexdsl]

we've been bagging this on ign for days now

 

[DarkFlare69]

Good thing I don't buy Nintendo stuff. Wouldn't be caught dead with that piece of shit.

I don't read long posts. @above

The scroll thing on the back seems too much trouble. Like for example, CoD uses X or Y (depending on layout) to change weapons. We probsbly have to use the scroll thing now, and this will just be too hard. Make sure you don't push down too hard or you might accidently switch weapons while in a close up match. Seriously, no X or Y buttons?

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

What is claimed is:

1. An operation apparatus enabling an operation input by a user for performing predetermined information processing, the operation apparatus comprising: a direction input operation section provided on a front surface of a housing of the operation apparatus and at such a position that, in a state where the operation apparatus is held with at least one hand of a user, the direction input operation section is allowed to be operated with a thumb of the hand, the direction input operation section being an operation section for direction input; and a rotation operation section provided on a surface different from the front surface of the housing and at such a position that, in a state where the operation apparatus is held with the hand or the other hand of the user, the rotation operation section is allowed to be operated with an index finger of the hand or the other hand, the rotation operation section being an operation section capable of being rotationally operated.

2. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotation operation section is provided at a position included in two of side surfaces of the housing of the operation apparatus.

3. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotation operation section is provided at either one of side surfaces of the housing of the operation apparatus.

4. The operation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the rotation operation section is provided near a position where two of the side surfaces of the housing of the operation apparatus intersect each other.

5. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotation operation section is provided at a shoulder portion of the housing.

6. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a rotation direction of the rotation operation section is a rotation direction about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the front surface of the housing.

7. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotation operation section has a pressing mechanism capable of pressing the rotation operation section in a direction toward an interior of the housing.

8. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing of the operation apparatus is a housing having a shape which allows the operation section to be operated while the housing is held with both hands of the user.

9. The operation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the rotation operation section includes: a first rotation operation section provided at a position which allows the first rotation operation section to be operated with an index finger of a left hand in a state where the operation apparatus is held with both hands of the user; and a second rotation operation section provided at a position which allows the second rotation operation section to be performed with an index finger of a right hand in the state.

10. The operation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the direction input operation section includes: a first direction input operation section provided at a position which allows the first direction input operation section to be operated with the thumb of the left hand in a state where the operation apparatus is held with both hands of the user; and a second direction input operation section provided at a position which allows the second direction input operation section to be operated with the thumb of the right hand in the state, the first rotation operation section is provided near the first direction input operation section, and the second rotation operation section is provided near the second direction input operation section.

11. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation apparatus further includes a display screen on the front surface of the housing.

12. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation section further includes a touch panel on the front surface of the housing.

13. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation apparatus is a hand-held game apparatus.

14. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the direction input operation section is a direction input device which enables an input in a 360 degree direction with, as a center, a neutral state which is a non-operation state.

15. The operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the direction input operation section is a direction input device capable of, when an input operation is performed in a predetermined direction, outputting an intermediate value in an input performed until the direction input device reaches, from a neutral state which is a non-operation state, a limit position to which an input in the direction is enabled.

16. An operation apparatus enabling an operation input by a user for performing predetermined information processing, the operation apparatus comprising: a direction input operation section provided on a front surface of a housing of the operation apparatus and at such a position that, in a state where the operation apparatus is held with a hand of a user, the direction input operation section is allowed to be operated with a thumb of the hand, the direction input operation section being an operation section for direction input; and a rotation operation section provided on a surface different from the front surface of the housing and near the direction input operation section, the rotation operation section being an operation section capable of being rotationally operated.

17. The operation apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the direction input operation section and the rotation operation section are disposed at positions which allow the direction input operation section and the rotation operation section to be operated simultaneously.

18. An information processing apparatus comprising: an operation section on which an operation input is performed by a user; and a processing section configured to perform predetermined information processing in accordance with the operation input on the operation section, wherein the operation section includes: a direction input operation section provided on a front surface of a housing of the information processing apparatus and at such a position that, in a state where the information processing apparatus is held with at least one hand of a user, the direction input operation section is allowed to be operated with a thumb of the hand, the direction input operation section being an operation section for direction input; and a rotation operation section provided on a surface different from the front surface of the housing and at such a position that, in a state where the information processing apparatus is held with the hand or the other hand of the user, the rotation operation section is allowed to be operated with an index finger of the hand or the other hand, the rotation operation section being an operation section capable of being rotationally operated, and the processing section performs information processing in accordance with an operation input on at least either one of the direction input operation section and the rotation operation section.

 

[Bladexdsl]

^ huge wall of WAT

 

[KingVamp]

I was thinking of making this topic and I would have provided more information. Anyway, patent isn't the final design. Sticks are clickable and can accidentally press, yet I see no boycotts.

The main idea is scrollable shoulder buttons, everything else is extra. It also said it could be for the handheld or console, so if they use this patent, it would probably be both.

Other patents.

http://nintendoeverything.com/yet-a...eld-with-outward-facing-linear-image-sensors/


http://nintendoeverything.com/latest-nintendo-patent-involves-haptic-feedback/

 

[cearp]

I don't read long posts.

how ironic... well i didn't read your long post anyway. lol

 

[Deleted User]

Could be a stripped down Wii U gamepad to be used as 2nd gamepad for the Wii U.

 

[raulpica]

IMHO the NX is going to be integrated in the controller itself - just like the WiiU tablet but without the main console.

 

[Arecaidian Fox]

IMHO the NX is going to be integrated in the controller itself - just like the WiiU tablet but without the main console.

That's the way I'm leaning with this as well, looking at the patent drawing. But I have a lot of concerns if we are talking about a system where everything is encased into one portable unit. 1) Are they looking to knock off the 3DS with this, despite their "three pillars" stance? Even if it won't play 3DS games, they could create in-house competition between different hardware. I guess the Big N still gets their money either way, but still. 2) If it DOES allow users to play 3DS games on it (somehow, doubtful from looking at the basic design), if it's not streaming-based, will users be allowed to migrate their content? The lack of widespread content migration was a significant factor in the death of the PSPgo. 3) The unit lacks an optical drive. Games will either be on miniature cartridges like the Vita or download-only. Most people go for downloads these days, so I can only hope the unit will have large amounts of internal storage, plus have removable memory that is NOT proprietary in design. Nintendo has been content to use SD and microSD technology so far, so lets hope that trend continues. Again, to cite the death of the PSPgo, if Sony hadn't used the proprietary M2 cards for removable memory on the system, it probably would have received much better sales, especially toward the end of its life when microSD started to become cheaper.

I guess reading back on what I've written so far, in two out of three of my concerns there seem to be parallels for me between this possible NX system (gods, I hope they keep that name, I like it) and the doomed PSPgo. If Sony had designed it to use microSD and had more widespread support for content migration, the go would have been THE PSP, not the 2000s or 3000s. I hope that if Nintendo goes a similar route they can learn from the failure of the PSPgo and avoid digging themselves into the same holes.

 

[ComeTurismO]

I don't think the NX isn't really going to be a successful system. It's just going to start off with a few games that are probably worth it, then it'll transform into an all kiddie console, like what the Wii-U has become.

 

[DarkFlare69]

how ironic... well i didn't read your long post anyway. lol

Yes i purposely did that by copying useless gibberish from the patent site for the controller lol

 

[vayanui8]

I don't think the NX isn't really going to be a successful system. It's just going to start off with a few games that are probably worth it, then it'll transform into an all kiddie console, like what the Wii-U has become.

if this is indeed the controller the 2 face buttons are going to kill whatever chances it has.

 

[Bladexdsl]

if this is indeed the controller the 2 face buttons are going to kill whatever chances it has.

maybe they will have buttons on the touch screen and expect you to use them just like in mobile games? god imagine it there would be nothing worse!

 

[ferofax]

^ huge wall of WAT

That's from a guy who doesn't read long posts. I guess we can all assume that probably nobody read that, lol.

 

[grossaffe]

^ huge wall of WAT

I stopped reading as soon as he said he doesn't buy Nintendo stuff and saw he has the Hylian Crest in his avatar.

 

[vayanui8]

maybe they will have buttons on the touch screen and expect you to use them just like in mobile games? god imagine it there would be nothing worse!

That would be hell, and kill any chances of its success. I seriously hope this thing doesn't have a heavy reliance on touch controls or it will suck.