Sony Files DS and Wii-like Handheld Patents

June 30, 2008 11:07 AM

Sony's follow-up to the PSP may feature a touch screen and motion-sensing capabilities, going by a pair of Sony Computer Entertainment America patent applications.

Filed on January 21 and published June 26, the two portable-centric applications were uncovered by NeoGAF Sony hardware expert Panajev2001a.

The first patent details a touch screen with multiple "tactile pixels" that would "vibrate in response to the change in state of the touch screen." The touch screen found in Nintendo's current DS hardware only supports a single-touch input, with vibration support only available through a rarely used add-on.

The second application discusses Wii-like motion-recognition capabilities. Though Sony recently debuted a game-focused motion-sensitive phone with PlayStation styling, that device hails from Sony Ericsson, not Sony Computer Entertainment.

The patents also reveal that the proposed portable could function as a "game device, phone, portable media player, email device, web browser device or navigation device."

Nearly all of those functions are available in the current PSP hardware, which allows users to make phone calls via Skype, watch movies, play music, browse the web, and even use GPS navigation through an add-on.

That second patent could also apply to the rumored PS3 motion controller, which is said to use hand or feet sensors to control in-game movements on a 1:1 scale.

Chris Faylor

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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 reply
June 30, 2008 11:14 AM

Sweet! So they're bolting even more useless shit onto their failing handheld!
- twicesliced
  
   reply
  June 30, 2008 11:19 AM
  
  Failing handheld? Are you kidding me!? PSP has been the number one selling platform (beating even the Wii) in Japan for a while now, and is selling well in North America.
  - K1Bond007
    
     reply
    June 30, 2008 12:07 PM
    
    Probably because about a quarter of Japan's population already owns a Nintendo DS. No signs of slowing down either. In the past year alone they've sold 30 million of those things. That's about how much the PSP has sold in its lifetime.
    - dpgagnon
      
       reply
      June 30, 2008 1:20 PM
      
      Oh. Selling 30 million units means you're failing. Damn :(
  - AgentPothead
    
     reply
    June 30, 2008 1:19 PM
    
    I fail to see how being popular means it can't be a failure? One means people like it, the other means it fuckin sucks. I'm pretty sure they are both true.
    - dpgagnon
      
       reply
      June 30, 2008 1:23 PM
      
      I hate to break it to you, but the PSP does not "fuckin suck." I have both a DS and a PSP, own about the same number of games on both, and prefer to play my PSP. I like my DS, it's a great device, but I like my PSP, too.
      - AgentPothead
        
         reply
        June 30, 2008 1:50 PM
        
        What are some of these awesome games cause I've never heard anything positive about the PSP from my friends who own one.
        
        dpgagnon
        
         reply
        June 30, 2008 2:03 PM
        
        Amazing:
        God of War
        Crisis Core
        
        Pretty good:
        Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters
        Daxter
        
        Best portable time wasters:
        Lumines
        Patapon
        
        I wish I could still find MGS: Portal Ops. Also looks sweet. Wipeout and the GTA games are supposed to good, too. There's a fail number of "good" games that I've never tried, judging by gamerankings.
        
        PlayfulPuppy
        
         reply
        June 30, 2008 8:14 PM
        
        The thing is, though, that I think you've listed just about everything of worth in the entire PSP library. :(
- ArcKnight
  
   reply
  June 30, 2008 11:51 AM
  
  This sounds much more like a PSP2 than add-ons for the PSP.