Gaming device with omni-reach shoulder buttons

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9409086-B2
Application number	US-201314085126-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2013
Priority date	Aug 26, 2013
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

An example of an information processing apparatus is portable and performs predetermined processing in accordance with a user operation. The information processing apparatus includes: a plate-like housing so shaped that a thickness of an upper side surface of the housing is greater than a thickness of a lower side surface of the housing such that the closer to the lower side surface, the thinner the housing; and at least one operation button provided on the upper side surface of the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable information processing apparatus for performing predetermined processing in accordance with a user operation, the information processing apparatus comprising:
a housing so shaped that a thickness of an upper side surface of the housing is greater than a thickness of a lower side surface of the housing such that the closer to the lower side surface, the thinner the housing; and
at least one operation button provided on the upper side surface of the housing, wherein
the at least one operation button is two operation buttons provided on left and right of the upper side surface of the housing, and wherein
in the operation button provided on the left, a press surface to be pressed by a user is formed into a curved surface that connects the upper side surface and a left side surface of the housing, and in the operation button provided on the right, a press surface to be pressed by the user is formed into a curved surface that connects the upper side surface and a right side surface of the housing.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a length of a press surface of the operation button in a thickness direction of the upper side surface is substantially the same as the thickness of the upper side surface.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
an inclined surface is formed on at least a part of the upper side surface, the inclined surface extending and intersecting a front surface of the housing at an acute angle.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
an inclined surface is formed on the operation button, the inclined surface extending and intersecting a front surface of the housing at an acute angle.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
inclined surfaces are formed on at least part of a left side surface and a right side surface of the housing, the inclined surfaces extending and intersecting a front surface of the housing at an acute angle.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the inclined surfaces formed on the at least part of the left side surface and the right side surface of the housing are formed on substantially an entirety of the left side surface and the right side surface of the housing.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
at least one operation section provided on an upper side surface side on a front surface of the housing and different from the operation button.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a center of gravity of the information processing apparatus is set on the upper side surface side of the housing.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the two operation buttons are provided in left and right end portions of the upper side surface of the housing.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a plurality of display screens provided on a front surface of the housing.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the plurality of display screens are formed using a plurality of portions of a single display screen.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the operation button provided on the left is configured to be pressed at least in a direction from the upper side surface to the lower side surface and in a direction from left to right, and the operation button provided on the right is configured to be pressed at least in a direction from the upper side surface to the lower side surface and in a direction from right to left.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the curved surfaces is formed into a quadrant arc.

14. An information processing system, including a portable input apparatus, for
performing predetermined processing in accordance with a user operation performed using the input apparatus, the input apparatus comprising:
a housing so shaped that a thickness of an upper side surface of the housing is greater than a thickness of a lower side surface of the housing such that the closer to the lower side surface, the thinner the housing; and
at least one operation button provided on the upper side surface of the housing, wherein
the at least one operation button is two operation buttons provided on left and right of the upper side surface of the housing, and wherein
in the operation button provided on the left, a press surface to be pressed by a user is formed into a curved surface that connects the upper side surface and a left side surface of the housing, and in the operation button provided on the right, a press surface to be pressed by the user is formed into a curved surface that connects the upper side surface and a right side surface of the housing.

Assignees

• Nintendo Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fujino Takaki
• Ehara Yui

Classifications

• A63F13/92

  Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• A63F13/24 Primary

  Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles · CPC title

• A63F13/08 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• G06F1/1662

  Details related to the integrated keyboard · CPC title