Nintendo's patent for tilt controllers gets approved

We're not sure if someone forgot to send Miyamoto the memo, but even May 19, 2003 was a little late for Nintendo to be filing a patent for controllers or devices with tilt input—but what do you know, their patent was approved, and now we'll probably see a few dozen peripheral companies sued or settle for patent infringement. Ok, maybe not, but someone get a pen and paper before we forget this idea: Engadget is officially filing to patent a method of input control wherein a device's microcontroller receives digital signals based upon kinetic impacts made on an implemented form or surface. It's all about gaming the patent system, yo.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[distantbody @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

How to play the USPTO game:

take a simple idea that has been done countless times before, and proceed to convolute and verbosities so that anyone who currently holds the patent will be so disoriented that they will think that youve just invented the cure for virginity, rather than what you have actually done, that is, steal their patent.

Thank You and enjoy your game :)

[ken fager @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Regardless... Nintendo doesn't make controllers like they used to. All this fancy schmancy hooha that gets put into controllers means its easier to break. I've broken two of my GameCube controllers already.

...and the original pads I have with my NES still work great. Hmm...

[Jon V @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

This is OLD. This was the patent filed for game boy games with tilt sensor ages ago. This is nothing new or about the revolution controller.

[epobirs @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

The important part isn't when the patent is approved but when it is filed. First come, first served. This is why so many available products have a "Patent Pending" in the small print of their advertising. There is no better prior art claim than a product that has aleady sold millions of units.

"Patent Pending" also serves as weasel words since it only indicates that the application has been accepted and not that it won't be rejected. Even so, that is how business gets done when products need to start bringing in revenue now rather than a few years later if/when the patent is apporved.

[isaac s. @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

so, nintendo fanboy: guilty as charged. this is the game boy- NOT the revolution (that we know of)? i would be a scosh depressed if it was "revolutionary" as implied... *curse you nintendo! tell me when you will tell me about the revolution! (gr...)*

[Christopher Davis @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

You guy's need to calm down. This is for at least a thought of revolution. The patent says it all right in the beginning. It mentions "a game system displaying a three-dimensional game space "three-dimensional". So that would mean that it is at the least for current generation systems. However, we all know that it's not; because we don't have one with these specifications now do we? And besides if it would not be for the revoulution, do you think that all of these writters and reports would have put it on the web without at least mentioning that it possibly could be for the gameboy? OF course it 's for the Revolution. So take it easy!

[Azalyn @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

I may be mistaken, but I'm pretty certain that the tilt sensors in the GBA games only let you control the X and Y axis. They don't have the Z axis, which is clearly represented in this image. Also, what I heard is that Gyration's gyroscopes are different specifically *because* they allow you to measure all axis' using one sensor, or at least something like that. At the very least, Gyration's gyros do things a bit differently in some ways.

The investment in Gyration by Nintendo seriously supports the gyroscope idea. And for you guys that are stating it's not revolutionary, I think you need to wake up and smell the coffee.

Gyroscopes are nothing like tilt sensors in practice. As far as I know, a tilt sensor is like having a weight in a small round casing hooked to a center point, as you tilt the machine, the weight shifts in the direction that you tilted the machine in. The center point merely measures the direction that the weight is facing, and inputs this as a directional co-ordinate.

However, correct me if I'm wrong, but current tilt sensors do not have sensitivity, they're multi-directional (more than just four directions, unlike other 2D control devices like the d-pad) but not analog, which would mean that if controlling a character, tilting the system more wouldn't make the character go from walking to running and so on, unlike analog sticks. (this is derived from logical reasoning, please correct me if you've seen behaviour in tilt-sensor games that contradict this)

What this means is that tilt-sensors are horribly limited, they're good only for 2D control, and even then an analog stick performs better as a 2D control device (yes, analog is 2D as well, that's why you need one to move and one to aim in an FPS game).

Gyroscopes are different because the whole idea is that essentially you have a device within your controller that is always turning, and whenever you move your controller, the tiny sensors within can feel the gravitational pull (like when you're in a car, if the car turns right, your body shifts to the left, as if your body wants to keep going straight, this happens with all movement, although you need sensitive sensors to detect it at a smaller scale, that's what gyros do), and this translates into a co-ordinate, but not only that, the gyros I believe also measure how *much* gravitational pull is stressing the device, this means it's completely sensitive. Also, being able to measure all three axis' means it can know exactly where the controller is in the real world, as matter fact I'm wondering how calibration will be handled, it's possible the controllers will have a quick calibration reset on them, to reset the 'center' position, since it would be a little tedious if such a button wasn't available.

Another interesting aspect, is that because there is a small device in there that is turning, you could actually *feel* resistance from the controller when performing an action, like when trying to push a box in a game, you might feel resistance from the box, and they could make it so metal crates give more resistance than wooden ones, so you'd have to push forward somewhat more to acomplish your task, etc. And this feedback would be three dimensional, not like rumble which is just vibration, this feedback would be directional, so if you're pushing forward, the resistance is pushing backwards towards you. For those of you already having nightmares about having to build muscle just to play a game, relax, it's not THAT resistant, but it will be resistant enough to feel a 'diffrence', enough to enhance gameplay, without making it annoying or tedious.

To address another issue I heard someone mention somewhere, about your arms getting tired holding the controller in the air all the time, it likely wont be like that, games will likely be calibrated to register smaller movements, it's not like you'll have to stretch your arms out like crazy, although I suppose some company could make a work-out game for that. :P

Which brings me to another point, there's also a patent that Nintendo has regarding a "break-apart" controller, pictures in the patent show bongos (donkey konga) that can break apart, but Nintendo has never made such a pheripheral, and in the case of the bongos I don't see how it would be a benefit to split them, it's possible that Nintendo didn't want to risk showing the controller for the Revolution in the patent file, so they used the bongos as a placeholder. This would be very neat if there was one gyroscope in each half. and it would give you an unprecedented level of control, you could play FPS games with *one* hand for the first time in videogame history, finally, you can eat those chips without dirtying your controller. ;)

Another awesome use of those two halfs, would be perhaps in a game like Zelda, imagine one half of the controllers being the sword, and the other being the sheild. You'd be able to have actual authentic REAL-TIME battles. Not silly button-pushing which is limited to only basic moves like vertical, horizontal and diagonal slashes, you'd be able to completely control every aspect of offence and defense, battles would be way more exciting and some would require very unique methods to get a hit in. You'd be able to invent your own kinds of techniques.

Gyroscopes trully open up an endless world of possibilities. Do not underestimate this, it *will* be extremely revolutionary. We can only pray that this is what they're planning.

This could even launch Nintendo back into first place, because honestly, playing in this way would be too addictive, you could NEVER go back to regular controllers after trying this, it would be like color-tv VS black&white. People would simply become addicted. They'd look at their poor controllers and can't help but feel neutered in comparison to the Revolution's.

We'll have to wait and see. But this has me extremely excited to say the least. And you all should be excited too.

During E3, Iwata said "you wanted a revolution, well, we've GOT one!", and if all these rumors about gyroscopes and break-apart controllers are true, then he's definitely right. ;)