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Forums - Nintendo - Nintendo files multiple Switch-related patents (Controllers, dock, tablet, possible VR)

I have a bad feeling the first version of Switch is basically a rushed variant of the idea that Nintendo wants to get out just to get the userbase building because the Wii U was such a disaster.

I think what could happen is the second revision of the Switch may have things like a Pascal based 14/16nm chip (way better battery life) and perhaps a 1080p display which is better for VR.



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Soundwave said:

720p is going to be absolute dog shit for VR, I mean I guess it can give you an idea of what the experience can be like but it's going to be like watching a movie through a black screen door.

There could be a 1080p screen inside the headset that the Switch plugs in to.

Could be 3D-tech from 3DS.

Could just be cardboard.

As an addon, it's worth doing just to put people off PSVR.



Nov 2016 - NES outsells PS1 (JP)

Don't Play Stationary 4 ever. Switch!

superchunk said:
Yep, updating my comparison thread as well (see sig). So much win in this patent.

NS is literally a dream console.

home based power/play, portable/off-tv, touch, motion, IR, VR, NFC, force feedback, nearly unlimited control options, 4-players per console, easily link additional consoles for massive local play, quickly extendable and exchangeable storage, share/social media support, touchscreen, ... and definitely Nintendo 1st party games!

Jan 12th is going to be an interesting event. :)

One device to rule them all!



Pyro as Bill said:
Soundwave said:

720p is going to be absolute dog shit for VR, I mean I guess it can give you an idea of what the experience can be like but it's going to be like watching a movie through a black screen door.

There could be a 1080p screen inside the headset that the Switch plugs in to.

Could be 3D-tech from 3DS.

Could just be cardboard.

As an addon, it's worth doing just to put people off PSVR.

My guess is early adopters are gonna get hosed on this and that a second revision of Switch will eventually have a 1080p screen. 



Soundwave said:
I have a bad feeling the first version of Switch is basically a rushed variant of the idea that Nintendo wants to get out just to get the userbase building because the Wii U was such a disaster.

I think what could happen is the second revision of the Switch may have things like a Pascal based 14/16nm chip (way better battery life) and perhaps a 1080p display which is better for VR.

It could be that the delay was due to being able to ship the second revision right away. If they could just rush it, they could have kept the 2016 holiday launch.



In the wilderness we go alone with our new knowledge and strength.

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Based on some of the articles, it seems like NiN doesn't think VR is ready for the masses just yet and that Switch may be a little to big for VR.
I could see the people thinking about a Switch Mini taking the place of NiN's handhelds coming true. That could be the version that ends up fitting into the VR headset.



PS1   - ! - We must build a console that can alert our enemies.

PS2  - @- We must build a console that offers online living room gaming.

PS3   - #- We must build a console that’s powerful, social, costs and does everything.

PS4   - $- We must build a console that’s affordable, charges for services, and pumps out exclusives.

PRO  -%-We must build a console that's VR ready, checkerboard upscales, and sells but a fraction of the money printer.

PS5   - ^ -We must build a console that’s a generational cross product, with RT lighting, and price hiking.

PRO  -&- We must build a console that Super Res upscales and continues the cost increases.

spemanig said:
bonzobanana said:
I've been saying the Switch is likely to support VR for a long time and as I said before I won't be surprised if the surprise is VR.

This to me makes the Switch an absolutely brilliant gaming option. Google cardboard does work but controllers and setting up etc can be time consuming and results vary. This is a VR solution that is simply slot in and play and low cost. Virtual Reality is amazing and no reason to think the Switch won't be amazing too. I'm absolutely hyped for this now that VR is confirmed.

I think the Switch may have a 1080p screen but even with 720p its not a deal breaker for decent VR. Yes the pixels will be larger but it doesn't mean it won't be a great gaming experience. Christ, the crappy little low res screens some of the Nintendo portables have had. It's still going to be a minimum of 640x720 per eye at 720p. It could even be a screen resolution between 720p and 1080p.

VR isn't confirmed.

But I do admit that I was one of the naysayers, and this makes it way more likely than it ever seemed before. The rumor is that the screen resolution is 720p. There's no reason to believe it will be 1080p. 720p isn't a deal breaker, but it is not for VR, no matter how you slice it. It doesn't matter how bad Nintendo screens used to be. They weren't being used for VR. If this becomes a real product, the screendoor effect the 720p screen will bring is a very noticeable issue.

But like I stated in my post above, it might not be a deal breaker. Switch could very well be the Wii of VR. The cheap and accessable entry point that is inferior to the competition on a technical level, but massively successful regardless. Just thinking about playing Mario Kart VR locally (or online) with 4 friends makes me drool, regardless of if it's inferier to the competition on a technical level. If it's cheaper and more accessible, that might be enough to give it that critical edge. Especially if Nintendo are the ones to give VR its Wii Sports. And of all the companies in the world, they would be.

inb4 "Switch Sports"

Confirmed as in Nintendo are working on a VR visor rather than confirmed that it will get a commercial release.

I've used a 720p phone with a VR visor, the resolution was low but not terrible. Some graphics worked better with it than others. Where the textures were varied and the graphics reached a certain level it seemed much better than when it was a very basic android VR app which could run on very basic hardware. Still loved the experience and would rather play VR in low res than 2D in higher res.

I have one of these;

 

 

It has a built in 1080p screen (or so it claims) and doesn't seem a world apart in quality to the android phone in a visor solutions.

The Switch will do ok and there may be a way of slightly unfocusing the lenses to remove the screendoor effect which is commonly done on low res projectors to give a more natural image at the expense of sharpness.

Nintendo doesn't do state of the art but they do reliable workable solutions that people will be happy with.



From Reddit, this should be in the OP

System features

Touch screen [T:0131]
SD card slot located on the bottom of the system [F:3]
Ethernet: example scenario given where dock has wired Internet connection; in console mode the system uses this connection, and in portable mode, the system can communicate wirelessly with the dock to access the wired connection [T:0560]
Sleep mode for both console and portable modes [T:0562]
"Share" button of some kind confirmed; referred to as a "record button" in the details for the left Joy-con; describes using it to take screenshots [T:0168]

Hardware/performance

Fan inside system, active in both portable mode and console mode [T:0419 + T:0556]
Dock does not appear to have a fan (thanks, /u/StinkBank) [F:32]
System uses CPU (and/or GPU) and fan at less than maximum in portable mode; in docked mode, it fully utilizes these. This enables outputting higher resolutions when docked [T:0556 - T:0558]
Ambient light sensor for controlling brightness [F:30]
System may be docked facing forwards or backwards (thanks, /u/MrMiyamoto) [T:0385]
Dock has 3 USB ports (thanks, /u/MrMiyamoto) [T:0464]

Controllers

Right Joy-con has IR and NFC capabilities; both have rumble and gyro [F:31]
Example: alternate Joy-cons with traditional dpads + sticks, or dpads + buttons [F:48 - F:49]
Small digital L/R buttons accessible on the "inside" of Joy-con (where it would attach to the system), for use when held like a sideways Wiimote [F:51] [T:0180 + T:0207]

Accessories

Example: head-mounted display accessory (simple VR headset) [F:60]
Joy-con Grip can charge attached Joy-cons (thanks, /u/Asuparagasu) [T:0672]
Various controller accessories given as examples, similar to Joy-con Grip [F:52 - F:53]

Gameplay

Multiplayer scenario example: 4 Joy-cons can be used on one system (does not specify a limit to the number of Joy-cons or Joy-con pairs usable at once) [F:37]

What the heck?

Vein authentication/vitality sensor: the IR sensor could be used to authenticate users by imaging their vein pattern; can also read their pulse [T:0495]

Missing/Unknown

Apparently no Ethernet port on the dock, but will almost certainly support USB adapter; see wired connection scenario above
Camera and microphone: not present
Analog triggers: unknown
Multi-touch/capacitive touch screen: unknown
Stylus: unknown; not sure if this would even be part of the patent?

"In other embodiments..."

The implications of passages like these are not clear. They are given as examples of things that may or may not change (differences or omissions) from the patent document to the final version, or future revisions.

4G/mobile: "Note that in other embodiments, the main unit 2 may have the function of implementing communication by connecting to a mobile communication network (in other words, a mobile telephone communication network), in addition to (or instead of) the function of implementing communication by connecting to a wireless LAN." [T:0400]
Camera: "Note that while the infrared image-capturing section 123 including an infrared camera is used in the present embodiment, a visible light camera (a camera using a visible light image sensor) or other image sensor may be used, instead of an infrared camera, as an image-capturing device, in other embodiments." [T:0451]
System itself could charge attached Joy-cons [T:0530]
System could output directly to a TV without the need for the dock [T:0542]

https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/5ii58o/nintendo_switch_patent_megathread/



That is quite a lot of features in one platform, NFC, customizable control set up, IR, portable gaming, home gaming, touch screen, rumble, motion control and VR out the box. When you factor in that the rumoured price point is £200 it starts to hit home how mad of a deal that is.



Wyrdness said:
That is quite a lot of features in one platform, portable gaming, home gaming, touch screen, rumble, motion control and VR out the box. When you factor in that the rumoured price point is £200 it starts to hit home how mad of a deal that is.

Yep. It seems almost to good to be true. It could mean you get decent (at best) and easy to setup VR for like 300-350$. Just a Switch and the headset part and you're ready to go. I'm not sure if all this will happen though.



In the wilderness we go alone with our new knowledge and strength.