At E3 2006 Sony revealed a controller that appeared to be very similar to the one unveiled for the new Nintendo system, Wii. The controller looks like the PS2 controller but appears to have similar features to the Wii controller. Whilst many Nintendo fan boys think that Sony have purely copied the Wii controller, we can reveal that Sony had in fact patented the idea back in 1999.
The two controllers do differ in many ways. The PS3 controller has a 'tilt' ability whereas the Wii controller has full motion sensing technology. This means that games such as Wii Tennis and Zelda would not play in the same way on both controllers. The PS3's controller functions will be more suited to racing or flight games (Sony showed the controller working on a demo of Warhawk), whereas the Wii controller will also allow for swing control by tracking the user's hand motions and will ensure that you'll need to use your body to control any on screen movements. On the PS3, you'll still primarily be using your thumbs to control activity.
The Wii controller also has a built in speaker that bridges the sound between the gamer and the television, and boasts a rumble effect that is not available on the PS3 controller.
There's a similarity bwtween the two controllers but they are notably different. One thing's for sure, the argument that Sony have copied Nintendo is dead and buried.
There's more information on the Wii controller here
PS3 controller patented in 1999
Patent number: JP11099284
Publication date: 1999-04-13
Inventor: KOBAYASHI HIROAKI; YORIZUMI MINEO
Applicant: SONY CORP
Classification:
- international: G06F3/033; G06F3/033; (IPC1-7): A63F9/22; G06F3/033
- european:
Application number: JP19970265541 19970930
Priority number(s): JP19970265541 19970930
View INPADOC patent family
Abstract of JP11099284
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To instruct an operation by the movement of a small controller that is close to the movement of a character by making the controller movable, detecting its movement and outputting a signal, and switch-recognizing the direction of the movement on the basis of the outputted signal. SOLUTION: The controller detects an angular speed by a detection section provided in a connecting section that connects the right and left operating sections of a controller unit 82. For example, rotation in the direction of rolling in relation to the right and left operating buttons 55, 56 of the left operating section is detected as an angular speed in the direction of rotation in the XY plane by the detection section 70 with the Z axis as the central axis. The detection section 70 is comprised of a movement detection section 71 made up of an angular speed sensor 72 and an amplifier 73, and a direction detection section 74 made up of movement direction recognition switches 79, 80. Therefore, movement can be instructed by the movement of the controller without operating the operating buttons 55, 56, etc.
For a close up look, visit Espace.net
