I don't think I'll be needing this. :)

I believe this is just a placeholder look for the controller. When introducing patents, is it customary for the end product to look exactly as it is presented in the patent?

What the fuck am I looking at?

BRILLIANT idea. pack in the controller, paint it white and name it wii2 !

Instant WIN ;)

______________________________________________________

Little Big Planet's gonna be HUGE!

I haven't bothered to read through the patent application, but from what I understood, the ultrasonic devices are used to detect both the distance between the controller and the screen, and between two controllers. For detecting orientation, the controller can include basically any kind of intertial analyzer, such as accelometers, gyroscopes and so on. The spherical shape is mainly used to assist in image processing, since it is easy to detect a sphere of a certain color from an image. However, there is a claim to use the sphere to reflect ultrasound from different angles, and also some method of determining the angle of the incoming ultrasound. As for avoiding confusion, the ultrasound emitters simply emit a different signal, for example on a slightly different frequency, or a different waveform etc. That is the least of the problems in a system like this.

Ultrasound actually has a number of advantages over other methods, such as IR leds. It does make some sense to use it in a controller, but it could pose problems for people with pets. Of coursel, you can always up the frequency higher than what pets can hear, but it introduces other problems and loses some of the advantages along the way.

I have high doubts that Sony can patent using a spherical shape for the image detection, as that method has been used for a number of years already, but I'm no patent expert. And, stranger things have happened, it seems the current method of processing patents relies in determining the validity in a courtroom. A great percentage of patents are invalidated when subjected to the scrutiny of patent trials, it seems.

Or they can name it Wii, Too!

that actually makes the boomerang controller look good.

lol, it looks like some sort of alien sex toy

I demand funny photoshops!

it maybe just a sketch or idea but concept behind the idea is genius. don't study the picture but look at the idea. i would like to see a working model. i still wan't to try out the boomerring they had in the beginning.