14 DAY TRIAL // Probably the most important news regarding controller patents is the rumored motion sensing Xbox 360 controller Microsoft keeps denying it's coming. However, this does not mean that other companies have no plans to create new ways of controlling our games and file their own patents. Nintendo is the latest firm to have a new controller patent spotted by eagle eye website Spong and we must admit it sounds pretty exciting.
According to the filling, we're talking about a game operating device which includes "a longitudinal housing, and a holding portion held by hand to be wrapped by its palm it is formed in the housing". Three more thumb-operated buttons are to be included in the controller (pictured in the upper left corner), as well as X any Y axis buttons.
The features of the patent are detailed: "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".
Also, and probably the most important thing for this alien-looking new Nintendo controller, a gun-type adapter is planned to be released; it seems that it is supposed to look exactly like a real gun, since the company says it will have a trigger surrounded by a trigger guard, a detachable gun barrel and a magazine. We don't know too much about it, but we'd truly love to see that working with the upcoming Wii eye candy, The Conduit.
However, have in mind that this filling does not automatically mean that Nintendo is 100% sure it will release such a controller.