bdbdbd can show you the patent.

Its for a remote control shaped controller with ir pointer control and accelorometer built in to the same unit. Its specific enough and vague enough to prevent anyone from copying the shape or multiple functions of the wiimote without breaching copyright.

edit > ok this is what Nintendo owns. No company can use this configuration.

http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/originalDocument?CC=US&NR=2008015017A1&KC=A1&FT=D&date=20080117&DB=&locale=

@Megaman79: Me? I don't know the Nintendos patent. What i mostly know about why the pointer system was designed as it is, is because of the other patents considering the pointer.
Wii Remotes pointer is designed "backwards" in relation to other pointing devices in the market, since usually the pointing device is a "transmitter" -type of device, sending a signal for the sensor, while Wii Remote is the "receiver", having a camera inside of it to photograph IR source.
Accelerometers, i believe, doesn't have much to patent anymore.

In the end, since Wii Remote doesn't have any tech that didn't exist already or haven't been used in similar form before, i doubt there's much patents considering the tech in it, outside maybe the pointer, so the patents propably are mostly made for the shape and form of the controller(s).

@Megaman79: It appeared to be Wii Zapper by description. Notice how it was detailed around the shape, not that much of functionality.

yea isnt the shape including the internal engineering schematic/layout though?

My bro, whos an industrial design graduate, told me its the function thats patented, not specifically the tech. Maybe in this case your both right.

@Megaman79: Well, yes, the function with the specific tech, not the function as in the function in general, as some patents try to do with being "unaccurate" on purpose. You can have the excact same functionality with a different tech with infridging the patent and most patent lawsuits against Wii Remote are about the pointer functionality, that have been patented using a different tech.

motion controls won't affect my choices at all. Playstation 4 for me, maybe 720 if i have the money/am willing to spend. Will not buy next nintendo.

Well, there's no question (in my mind) that motion controls/IR & speaker in controller are all new standards - and rumble is restandardized (now that sixaxis is history). So I expect all consoles will have that or equivelant next gen.

The question is, what else? They will need to not only match the market's expectations but also to surpass them and differentiate themselves from their competition.

I expect Nintendo to heavily go after women. They are building that market now and I think even next gen it'll be almost 100% theirs. That 50% right there. They'll also go for kids, as always, casuals and their nintendofanboys.
So whatever they do controller wise will be very focused on what would appeal to women's sensibilities without being outright girlish.

Sony will be heavily focused on casuals next gen. The PS2 WAS the casual system last gen. Losing that audience cost them this generation. They will be back in the casual market in force next gen but not forsaken the core as much as Nintendo's done. Sony isn't the most innovative company though. So I expect a cross between a Wiimote and a PS3 controller, perhaps the break apart model we've already seen in rumours.

MS will remain the corest of the core systems but also heavily chase that casual market. Thing is I don't think they are too imaginative either. So I expect a lot of Nintendo and Sony copying. Controller will be very functional but not very sexy.

If Apple releases one the controller will be a thin white motion sensing I-touch with a touch and pressure sensitive screen on top and bottom and IR. Just a white wafer that fits nicely into the hand and nothing more.

Nope, the entire Wii-Remote

The Wii-Remote is patented by Nintendo, but the technology that the Wii-Remote uses for motion detection was licensed off a 3rd party and I remember seeing comments from Nintendo execs that other consoles could license the technology if they wanted. Realistically it was win-win for Nintendo if others did because it would always be an add-on to other consoles, it would prove that Nintendo was right in going down the motion control path and as part owners of the company that owned the technology, Nintendo would profit from it.

Sony doesn't meed a remote like controller. All they need to do is literally split the sixaxis in half.

@Infamy79 and others:
I don't remember their names or whether I read about them here or elsewhere, but some independent firms are designing, testing or even producing several motion control devices either for PC and consoles, one of them is a katana hilt-like controller splittable in two smaller ones (always katana hilt-like, but shorter).
Most of them started being designed even 7 or more years ago, so I guess you must do a controller very similar to Wiimote to infringe Nintendo's patents, otherwise either you must negotiate other firms patents rights or you can claim using known prior art if you choose a design that wasn't patented.