Nintendo has filed a Switch-related patent involving Donkey Konga drums and keyboard
Last August, Nintendo filed a very interesting patent in the United States relating to Switch. It was finally made public today. The document involves input devices for use with the system Switch, with Donkey Konga drums and a keyboard shown as an example.
Below are a couple of excerpts from the filing:
[0138] For example, in the exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the extended input device 200 is a keyboard-type input device including a plurality of input keys 205. The user selects any one of the input keys 205 of the extended input device 200 and makes a touch operation or a press operation on the selected input key 205 with his/her finger. As a result, a letter corresponding to the operated input key 205 is input, a display object (e.g., a cursor) is moved in accordance with the operated input key 205, or a user instruction in accordance with the operated input key 205 is followed. Such a result of the input is displayed on the display device (e.g., the display 12 of the main body apparatus 2). A game in which a player object located in a virtual space makes a motion may be performed, or various types of information may be displayed, in accordance with an operation made by use of the extended input device 200. In the exemplary embodiment, a so-called keyboard may be used to make a user input to perform various processes.
[0152] In this example, as shown in FIG. 14, the extended input device 250 is a drum-type controller including a plurality of operation surfaces 255a, 255b, 255x and 255y, an operation button 255s and a microphone 257m. The user beats at least one of the plurality of operation surfaces 255a, 255b, 255x and 255y, inputs a sound of a voice or the beat to the microphone 257m, or presses the operation button 255s. As a result, a player character PC makes a motion in accordance with the content of operation and displayed on the display device (e.g., the display 12 of the main body apparatus 2). In accordance with the operation made by use of the extended input device 250, a process of changing a virtual object located in the virtual space may be executed, the degree of matching of the operation timings may be determined, or various information may be displayed. Various game processes or information processes may be executed.
Essentially, Nintendo seems to be interested in different input devices for Switch – be it the Donkey Konga drums or a keyboard. However, it should be noted that patents aren’t always indicative of future plans.
