Sony Files Portable Patents
Posted on Jul 2, 2008 at 1:01 AM Comments:0
GameSpot reports on two Sony patents filed in January that list one Phil Harrison as inventor.The first, a "handheld device with touchscreen and digital tactile pixels," would incorporate a multi-point touch screen and feedback tech that would let users know that yes, you are touching something on a screen.
To gain a better understanding of the feedback feature, just read the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office"s description:
"Each of the tactile pixels includes an actuatable portion coupled to an actuator and a sensor. The actuator and sensor are coupled to the processor. The actuator is configured to actuate in response to instructions from the processor and the sensor is configured to generate signals as inputs to one or more programs executed by the processor when pressure is applied to the actuatable portion. The actuatable portion is actuatable by the actuator between first and second positions."
According to the filing, the patent could be applied to a "game device, phone, portable media player, email device, web browser device or navigation device."
Another patent, also filed in January, describes a "data transfer using handheld device." This tech would allow users to transfer data from a portable device to a remote device (or vice versa) using gestures.
This patent again says that games are one application.
Perhaps Harrison had the (true) PSP2 in mind here. Could Sony"s next handheld employ touchscreens(s)? Maybe even the ability to transfer media to a PS3 (or PS4?) by simply flicking it in the direction of the console?
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