Information processing terminal and game device

• US 9,975,042 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2015
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ehara, Yui, Fujita, Kumpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar, Omkar
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALL, SHAUNA-KAY N
• Application Number:
  US14/805,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20160059122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5252 using two or more virtual cameras concurrently or sequentially, e.g. automatically switching between fixed virtual cameras when a character changes room or displaying a rear-mirror view in a car-driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/117 the virtual viewpoint locations being selected by the viewers or determined by viewer tracking

Abstract

A hand-held information processing terminal includes a main body portion, a direction input portion arranged at a position on a main surface of the main body portion, which can be reached for operation by one hand of a user when the user holds the main body portion with both hands, and a pointing stick arranged at a position on the main surface of the main body portion, which can be reached for operation by the other hand of the user when the user holds the main body portion with both hands, for sensing a direction in accordance with an input operation by the user.

Claims

1. A hand-held information processing terminal, comprising:

a main body portion;

a direction input portion, arranged at a position on a main surface of the main body portion, which can be reached for operation by one hand of a user when the user holds the main body portion with both hands;

a pointing stick mechanism, mounted upon the main body portion at a position on the main surface of the main body portion which can be reached for operation by the other hand of the user when the user holds the main body portion with both hands, which senses strain in accordance with an input operation by the user and senses a direction of the input operation by the user based on sensed strain and;

one or more first operation buttons arranged on the same side as the pointing stick mechanism on the main surface of the main body portion;

wherein a surface of the pointing stick mechanism for receiving contact by the user during the input operation is smaller than a surface of the direction input portion for receiving contact by the user during operation of the direction input portion; and

wherein the pointing stick mechanism is arranged on a line of flow for a thumb movement of the other hand of the user when the thumb of the user'"'"'s other hand moves for touching any of the first operation buttons.

2. The information processing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the pointing stick is arranged near the first operation button.

3. The information processing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the pointing stick is arranged at a position where a selective operation by the other hand between the pointing stick and the first operation button can be performed.

4. The information processing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the pointing stick is arranged at a position farther than the first operation button when viewed from the user who holds the main body portion with both hands.

5. The information processing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the pointing stick is arranged above the first operation button on the main surface of the main body portion.

6. The information processing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the pointing stick is arranged on an extension of a direction in which a thumb of the other hand moves while the thumb of the other hand touches the first operation button.

7. The information processing terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a second operation button arranged on a side surface on an upper side of the main body portion, wherein the pointing stick is arranged at a position where an operation to the pointing stick can be performed in parallel with an operation to the second operation button by the other hand.

8. The information processing terminal according to claim 7, wherein the pointing stick is arranged at a position which can be reached for operation by a thumb of the other hand while a forefinger of the other hand operates the second operation button.

9. The information processing terminal according to claim 7, further comprising a third operation button arranged on an end side on a surface of the main body portion where the second operation button is arranged, wherein the pointing stick is arranged at a position where an operation to the pointing stick can be performed in parallel with an operation to the third operation button by the other hand.

10. The information processing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the direction input portion is an analog input portion for sensing a direction in accordance with an input operation by the user.

11. The information processing terminal according to claim 10, wherein the analog input portion senses movement relative to a prescribed reference, of a portion onto which the input operation by the user is performed, and senses the direction of the input operation by the user based on sensed movement.

12. The information processing terminal according to claim 10, wherein the direction input portion includes the analog input portion and a direction button which can be pressed by the user.

13. The information processing terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a touch panel arranged between the direction input portion and the pointing stick on the main surface of the main body portion.

14. The information processing terminal according to claim 1, further comprising an information processing unit that performs prescribed information processing in response to an operation by the user onto at least any of the direction input portion and the pointing stick.

15. A game device, comprising:

a main body portion;

a direction input portion arranged at a position on a main surface of the main body portion which can be reached for operation by one hand of a user when the user holds the main body portion with both hands;

a pointing stick mechanism, mounted upon the main body portion at a position on the main surface of the main body portion which can be reached for operation by the other hand of the user when the user holds the main body portion with both hands, which senses strain in accordance with an input operation by the user and senses a direction of the input operation by the user based on sensed strain and;

one or more first operation buttons arranged on the same side as the pointing stick mechanism on the main surface of the main body portion;

wherein a surface of the pointing stick mechanism for receiving contact by the user during the input operation is smaller than a surface of the direction input portion for receiving contact by the user during operation of the direction input portion; and

wherein the pointing stick mechanism is arranged on a line of flow for a thumb movement of the other hand of the user when the thumb of the user'"'"'s other hand moves for touching any of the first operation buttons.