Nintendo Patents a Portable Console or Mobile Phone with Interchangeable Controls
Nintendo registered a patent for a definitely interesting concept. A portable game system with interchangeable controls that can be switched, for instance between a D-pad and an analog stick, as discovered by NeoGaf user Disorientator.
The concept is definitely interesting, and it’s described as follows:
An information processing device such as a game machine or a mobile phone is provided with an operation unit with one or more buttons, switches or the like for accepting operation by a user. A game machine, for example, is provided with a cross key, an analog stick, an operational push button or the like, to accept operation concerning a movement or an action of a character in a game, or operation concerning various games such as operation for selecting a menu. Furthermore, a mobile phone is, for example, provided with an operational push button on which a number, a letter or the like is written, and with a directional key or an analog stick for, e.g., four or eight directions, to accept operation concerning speaking, electronic mail transmission/reception or the like.
Below you can also see the schematics of the patent and read the full PDF detailing the patent here.
