Sony applies for patent: motion-sensitive controller

What do you think?Last December 14, Sony applied for a patent for a motion-sensitive controller, “hand-held controller having detectable elements for tracking purposes”. This could be the genesis of a motion tracking accessory for the PS3.

The abstract section from the patent says:

The tracking device comprises a body having a section to be oriented towards a screen when a progress of a game provided via execution of the game apparatus is displayed upon the screen; and at least one photonically detectable (“PD”) element assembled with the body, a position of the photonically detectable element within an image being recordable by an image capture device when the section is oriented at least partly towards the screen, wherein positions of the PD element at different points in time are quantifiable to quantify movement of the body in space.

The Description section, entry 055, describes the controller and it’s possible uses. It rather sounds like how you’d use a Wiimote.

For example, a plunging downward gesture of the controller 110 may be defined as one command, a twisting gesture of the controller 110 may be defined as another command, a shaking gesture of the controller 110 may be defined as another command, and so on. In this way the manner in which the user 108 physically moves the controller 110 itself is used as another input for controlling the game, which provides a more stimulating and entertaining experience for the user.

Last year, Sony had filed for a patent for a “remote input device for a game console” as reported in a previous article. Questions abound regarding Sony’s real intentions for developing a wireless controller. Given the price difference between the Wii and the PS3, maybe Sony’s trying to be the better deal against the Xbox360 by having next-gen graphics AND full-motion control. Whatever it is, it’ll definitely be something to watch out for.

What do you think?Last December 14, Sony applied for a patent for a motion-sensitive controller, “hand-held controller having detectable elements for tracking purposes”. This could be the genesis of a motion tracking accessory for the PS3.

The abstract section from the patent says:

The tracking device comprises a body having a section to be oriented towards a screen when a progress of a game provided via execution of the game apparatus is displayed upon the screen; and at least one photonically detectable (“PD”) element assembled with the body, a position of the photonically detectable element within an image being recordable by an image capture device when the section is oriented at least partly towards the screen, wherein positions of the PD element at different points in time are quantifiable to quantify movement of the body in space.

The Description section, entry 055, describes the controller and it’s possible uses. It rather sounds like how you’d use a Wiimote.

For example, a plunging downward gesture of the controller 110 may be defined as one command, a twisting gesture of the controller 110 may be defined as another command, a shaking gesture of the controller 110 may be defined as another command, and so on. In this way the manner in which the user 108 physically moves the controller 110 itself is used as another input for controlling the game, which provides a more stimulating and entertaining experience for the user.

Last year, Sony had filed for a patent for a “remote input device for a game console” as reported in a previous article. Questions abound regarding Sony’s real intentions for developing a wireless controller. Given the price difference between the Wii and the PS3, maybe Sony’s trying to be the better deal against the Xbox360 by having next-gen graphics AND full-motion control. Whatever it is, it’ll definitely be something to watch out for.

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