Sony patent shows plans for Nintendo Wii U-like controller, in 2010
Recent reports of patents filed in 2010 by Sony show the Japanese electronics giant might also be planning something along the lines of The New Controller, which is due on the upcoming Nintendo Wii U console. The patent described a “Position dependent gaming, 3-D controller, and handheld as a remote.”
Like Wii U’s handheld, touchscreen-bearing The New Controller, Sony’s plans for the device could enable a lot of possible interface, multiplayer, and augmented reality applications. The patent application describes how the controller could be used to provide location-based input to a video game, with hopes of creating an “avatar on a mobile device such that it appears to overlay a competing user in the real world.”
Of course, the Sony PlayStation Vita portable console, which till late February will only be available in Japan, is a handheld touchscreen device that already incorporates most the features outlined in the Sony’s 2010 patent application. It can be used as a controller for certain PS3 games, camera and augmented reality applications, as well as broad connectivity options to share data with compatible devices.
The Nintendo Wii U is due to hit markets by year-end holiday season, with the first launch countries scheduled to Australia, Europe, Japan, and the United States.
Source: Joystiq