Nintendo’s new handheld-related patent focuses on sound / vibration tech
Last December, Nintendo filed a new patent for a “hand-held information processing apparatus”. It was made public just recently.
Here’s the abstract:
A non-limiting example information processing apparatus comprises a housing, and a left speaker and a right speaker are provided in a left end portion and a right portion of the housing and in an inside of this housing. Each speaker is arranged such that a vibration direction of a diaphragm becomes in a direction perpendicular to a plane surface of a display panel that is provided in the front of the housing. Sound emission portions for emitting sounds from the speakers are formed in both end portions of the housing and on a side surface at near side or this side that the speakers are arranged. Therefore, sounds are emitted toward a side of a player who holds the information processing apparatus. A vibrator that is provided between the two speakers is driven simultaneously with the speakers or in a predetermined order.
The patent talks about how how vibrators placed throughout the device combine with 3D sound. As a character moves across the screen, the handheld’s sound output would follow along between two speakers on both sides of the device. It would also feature vibration to react to on-screen actions and the sound.
Another image shown in the patent filing has a peripheral that can be placed on the core device. As Nintendo Life points out, “it replaces parts of the screen that would otherwise be virtual buttons with physical inputs.”
