New Wii Controller Patent?

[Queasy]

Link

We love the US Patent Office - it's always full of surprises. Off we went today to look for the legendary Xbox 360 motion-sensing controller, which has apparently revealed by Microsoft Games Studios' Ken Lobb and we discover a new Wii controller - pictured right.

Ken Lobb's apparent revelation of the 360 controller came in a form of words he used in a walk-through for IGN. "One of the things that the wrench is used for is to turn these devices. So you basically grab with the wrench and then you twist the controller around and it'll move different things in the game", said Ken.

We actually think he meant that you twist one of the standard controller's analog sticks. The rest of the Interweb appears to think that he meant one would twist the entire controller. We're happy to be proved wrong on this one. However, without a brand new controller - which you'd figure that IGN would have mentioned - it's unlikely.

Anyway, back to the new Wii controller. The USPO's filing (26th June 2008) for the new controller relates directly to the standard Wii controller patent.

The new controller is explained thus:

"A game operating device (controller) includes a longitudinal housing, and a holding portion held by hand to be wrapped by its palm it is formed in the housing. A direction switch is provided on an upper surface at a position where it can be operated by thumb of the hand holding the holding portion, and a start switch and a select switch are provided backward thereof.

"An X button 46 and a Y button are further arranged in line on the upper surface of the housing. An imaging information arithmetic unit is provided at a front end of the housing in a longitudinal direction in such a manner that an imaging device thereof is exposed from a front-end surface.

"A concave portion is formed on a lower surface at a position corresponding to the direction switch. The concave portion includes a valley and two inclined surfaces. An A button capable of being operated by index finger of the hand holding the holding portion is provided on the backward inclined surface.

"By processing an image signal obtained by imaging an infrared ray from LED modules by the imaging device, it is possible to obtain an operation signal varying according to a position and/or attitude of the controller. "

We are also told that there "is a gun-type adapter 300. The adapter 300 has a butt 302 for holding by hand, as with general gun-type controllers. The butt 302 is provided with a trigger 306 surrounded by a trigger guard 304. A gun barrel 308 extends from the butt 302 through a magazine. Besides, the gun barrel 308 can be detached by a connector 310 with respect to the butt 302."

A gun, eh? Be warned though... it's clearly pointed out that "Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims."

So, like the Xbox 360 motion controller... it's possibly just a nice idea for the moment.

The concave part in the middle looks like where the Wii-mote sits instead of being wired like the current classic controller. Makes it seem like it would be a little top heavy though.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Why Nintendo can't make one that doesn't need the Wii-mote in the first place is beyond me. Especially considering they want $20 for the attachment. Add another $5 and throw a blue-tooth transmitter in it.

 

[mugs]

That batteries of the remote would be inside the boundaries of the controller, so I don't think it'd be top-heavy. Looks interesting... you could use the motion sensing, screen-pointing, and a full-featured controller at the same time. That could expand the possibilities for game developers. Looks like they're sticking with the Gamecube left analog stick design though, which wasn't great. And I'm not sure what's going on with the right analog stick - maybe something like the PSP?

 

[oznerol]

I find it a bit comical that modern video game "investigative reporters" scour the patent database for the next "big thing".

 

[R Nilla]

Hmm, the square shape does not bode well. I think holding a DS can be a pain in the ass, especially when you need the shoulder buttons. Why not just hollow out a GC controller?

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17
Why Nintendo can't make one that doesn't need the Wii-mote in the first place is beyond me. Especially considering they want $20 for the attachment. Add another $5 and throw a blue-tooth transmitter in it.

Wavebird with motion-sensing. I honestly don't know why Nintendo completely abandoned their best controller design since the NES.

 

[R Nilla]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17
Why Nintendo can't make one that doesn't need the Wii-mote in the first place is beyond me. Especially considering they want $20 for the attachment. Add another $5 and throw a blue-tooth transmitter in it.

Wavebird with motion-sensing. I honestly don't know why Nintendo completely abandoned their best controller design since the NES.

I agree, but a full blown controller would probably be more like $40. This way, you only need an attachment for your existing Wii-motes, and not one to four more $40 peripherals. But yeah, still would be nice to see a wireless controller that didn't require the Wii-mote.

 

[RandomFool]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17
Why Nintendo can't make one that doesn't need the Wii-mote in the first place is beyond me. Especially considering they want $20 for the attachment. Add another $5 and throw a blue-tooth transmitter in it.

Wavebird with motion-sensing. I honestly don't know why Nintendo completely abandoned their best controller design since the NES.

SNES > NES but I agree the wavebird was awesome. They appeared to have a similar idea to this new controller with the current classic controller judging by the clips on the bottom of it.

 

[Modeps]

I need a wavebird... or a classic controller. I'll be getting a copy of SSBB shortly and all i've got is the stupd nunchucker and wiimoter

 

[R Nilla]

Originally posted by: Modeps
I need a wavebird... or a classic controller. I'll be getting a copy of SSBB shortly and all i've got is the stupd nunchucker and wiimoter

What about this? White gamecube controller with 10 ft cord.

 

[Modeps]

Originally posted by: R Nilla

Originally posted by: Modeps
I need a wavebird... or a classic controller. I'll be getting a copy of SSBB shortly and all i've got is the stupd nunchucker and wiimoter

What about this? White gamecube controller with 10 ft cord.

Wii is located above my TV (check second pic here). Unless its wireless, I've got a bad case of the hangies.

 

[R Nilla]

Originally posted by: Modeps
Wii is located above my TV (check second pic here). Unless its wireless, I've got a bad case of the hangies.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Didn't Sony patent a motion sensing controller that basically was like a DS3 that could split in half? I think that would be the ideal setup. It'd need to be tweaked a bit so that each piece would fit better in the hand by itself. You would be able to use it like a normal controller but also as individual parts. I don't have a problem with the motion controls, but I think they could have been better and the ergonomics of the Wii controller is awful.

Hmm, would Bluetooth have any way of discerning the difference in position of the two parts? If it did, then it would be much better than IR, and you could add more things (so you could get individual hand and also head tracking). I would guess not though. Imagine tennis where you toss up the ball with one part, and then the other is the racket. Bow and arrows where one aims while the other determines the pullback of the arrow. "John Woo style" dual gun wielding in FPSes.

I just realized that I don't even know if what I just posted makes sense in this thread or not. Oh well, at least I hope it's not CasioTech stupid.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17
Didn't Sony patent a motion sensing controller that basically was like a DS3 that could split in half? I think that would be the ideal setup. It'd need to be tweaked a bit so that each piece would fit better in the hand by itself. You would be able to use it like a normal controller but also as individual parts.

Yeah, there's actually a long-shot rumor that Sony will show this off at E3. Doubtful though.

 

[Modeps]

Originally posted by: Queasy
Yeah, there's actually a long-shot rumor that Sony will show this off at E3. Doubtful though.

Are there lines in Vegas about E3 reveals??? :Q

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Modeps

Originally posted by: Queasy
Yeah, there's actually a long-shot rumor that Sony will show this off at E3. Doubtful though.

Are there lines in Vegas about E3 reveals??? :Q

Heh, it wouldn't surprise me if there were. :laugh:

No, I just remember this rumor from before and it seems like it would be a bad time to introduce yet another controller so soon after the DS3. darkswordsman bringing it up was the second time I had read it today though. The first being at Kotaku.