Yesterday, a patent was filed by Nintendo Co., Ltd for a device titled “Information processing system, information processing program, information processing method and imaging device” invented by Fumihiko Inoue.
The device includes a camera and has some form of object detecting properties. At first glance of the images, the device looks similar to an NFC reader/writer. Here’s a picture of the device below:
12 – Imaging device
12a – Camera unit
12b – Mirror part
12c –Fixing member (fixes the camera unit)
20 – Camera
30 – Curved surface mirror
32 – Fixing member (fixes the curved surface mirror)
As the original application is in Japanese, the NeoGaf user Rösti, who posted the patent details, noted that JPO and INPIT also provide a machine translation and claims this provides a clearer translation than Google Translate. Here’s some information from the patent below:
“The 24th invention is a projector device which opposes to a light source and a light source is arranged, and is provided with the mirror which reflects the light from a light source in the circumference. According to the 24th invention, an image can be projected on the surface which intersects the surface in which the projector device was installed, and the surface concerned.”
“Fig.11 is an illustration figure showing the example of the detecting position of other objects which used the information processing system of the working example.”
“[Drawing 14]C Fig.14 is a shown illustration figure about the example which provided the display removably on the imaging device of an working example.”
“[Drawing 15]Fig.15 (A) is an illustration figure showing the example which constitutes a controller using the operating part of an information processing system and resin, and Fig.15 (B) is an illustration figure showing the display example of the display window provided by the operating part.”
There’s a lot of technical notes and diagrams along with this patent, and you can see full translations and further diagrams here.
WHERE IS MY SMOOTHIE MACHINE NINTENDO! A BLENDER? No. Nintendo NX 1000 Pro – juice it upppp
All seriousness though; what am I looking at exactly, lol?
Idk either… and since English isn’t my native language I’m more confused than you are.
You are looking at my speculation coming true! :D
So, like the Kinect?
this is a 360 table top projector with a sort of touch response field. it seems it would also be able to identify some objects in that field like amiibo. They have similar patents for such a device. Probably to do with QOL connecting to nx
Honestly, that looks like it is going to be part of the QoL.
That or some kind of mobile game
you think amiibo will be part of QoL?
This has nothing to do with Amiibo.
Um did you not see the amiibo in the above diagram?
If Nintendo even decides to continue with that project, whatever it may be.
Meh, Nintendo (and everyone else) files so many different patents that they never even use, so I wouldn’t read too much into it.
MARIO KART 9 CONFIRMED
I’m always happy to see more of these, considering they’re the closest thing to an official comment from Nintendo we’re going to get until they publicly come out with solid NX info. Sure, they may not actually do anything with this, but nonetheless they’re still worth a look.
This is definitely a long and technical read, but the item-scanning concept I could gather sounds interesting.
So like a camera that takes pictures out the sides and displays them on top???
No, it makes a 360 degree projection, and you can “touch” those things projected. The touch field also could recognize things like amiibo. This would apply to a few other patents. Its probably all part of the same QOL device that well talk to smart phone, QOL products, pc, and NX
OOOOhhhhh thanks. DUDE! Reverse VR!
Well the 360 display would be about 6inches around the surface you placed it on. (like a circle display on a table) or would be displayed on the cylinder part of the device. (most likely the first) . It also seems to talk to other devices like phones, controllers, cars, pc, and other things
Mini reverse VR!
Sounds like the game the main character in Her plays in his living room. I called that being the NX as a joke a while back, but I would totally take it if true! LOL
I wish I knew Japanese…
Why not start learning now? :)
I’ve been doing so recently.
:) Thanks for the suggestion but I have to finish my Spanish lessons first. HOWEVER, it might be a good second language.
Ooh! Am I finally going to be able to add a roll of toilet paper in my games? Seriously though, in games like Pikmin, I always wished I could film my own objects and add them to the game as treasures that the Pikmin can find and carry. But I’m not going to get my hopes up on whatever this thing is. Nintendo has a way of letting me down BIG TIME. Like they did with the built-in camera on the 3DS, and the ridiculous Mii stuff.
Why are you thinking this tech is the NX controller, or even the NX? There are tons of “leaked” patents these days, so all of them are the NX, a genealogical tree of devices? I am surprised :0
That’s not even what this is for at all. Read my above comments
To add to that, they could let us give a description to the item of ours we just copied into the game.
LOL. I completely forgot all my 3DS systems had cameras until now.
I don’t know what this is, but I hope if n it successful Sony or Microsoft cant copy like the wiimotes. This way it gives Nintendo NX a chance like the PS4 has. After all Sony is scared to come in 2nd place thats why they made that PS4.5.
Sony copied Nintendo, Kinect had bin in the works for about 10 years. Also the tech behind both devices was very old. So really no one really copied. Regardless the best way to make innovation is to copy. Or rather be inspired by. This is why Tesla mothers makes their patents free to use so innovation can happen faster
Oh come on man!
So … wait … I’m baffled as to what this is.
It seems like some sort of Tabletop projected Augmented Reality sort of thing, that both responds to you poking at what it projects with your finger as well as being able to recognize if you place an Amiibo on its field.
… but how does a steering wheel come into play? I could imagine this being part of some sort of interactive board game with Amiibo as game pieces … but a Driving Game? ???
It’s possible that it could scan in said object as a controller without the need to connect it via wiring. Just theorizing here.
So, what … like, you could make a steering wheel out of a paper plate and it would see you turning it and react accordingly? That sounds painfully unreliable. Very gen1 Kinect.
I assume it would have to be licensed peripherals. The object would likely have some authenticating feature the camera would have to scan.
Bothering to specifically craft and sell products with no electronics inside would be pointless. Even the cheapest wireless components would be more reliable. There are already wirless controllers on consoles. They are called … every console controller since the PS3, 360 and Wii.
I think you’re missing my point here.
1. Things like the wheel on Nintendo systems have typically connected to the Wii Remote in some fashion, so a connection is still involved. A scanning camera like this would eliminate that middleman.
2. The controllers you describe still require recharging. This hypothetical peripheral has no battery to charge.
And you are failing to remember how kinect allowed you to play games that way, and how awful that was, and totally not worth doing again. Nintendo is odd, but not dumb enough to recycle Microsofts failed ideas. Also, Nintendo knows how to make wireless controllers with rumble that last 50-80 hours on a single charge. That is a non-issue.
it’s for holographic presentation, hence the mirror. Think of it as “Amiibo come to life”.
I had not thought of the germs thing, but yeah. Steve’s comments about there being all of three of them in a store is enough to tell me this is a wobb Click https://twitter.com/moooker1