Curse you Sony.

And besides, the iPhone has it already.

Willy105

@TRT-X: Yeah, but the iPhone isn't compatible with LEGO pieces.

everybest

i think this is much more likely for the PSPhone than a PSP2.

noliferuin (PSN+XBL)

Didn't Apple already get "multi-touch" implemented with the iPhone? It was the whole basis behind the "pinch" to shrink/expand images thing.

TRT-X

Oh, and Ashcraft -- it's an application, not a patent.

@LemmingX: You know, you could just read the application. It's a pretty short and simple one, after all. A relevant paragraph:

"[0029]Referring again to FIG. 1A, each of the tactile pixels 104 includes an actuatable portion 105 coupled to an actuator 107 and a sensor 109. The actuator 107 and sensor 109 are coupled to the processor 106. The actuator 107 is configured to actuate in response to instructions from the processor 106 and the sensor 109 is configured to generate signals as inputs to one or more programs executed by the processor 106 when pressure is applied to the actuatable portion 105. The actuator 107 may be any suitable electromechanical actuator. Examples of suitable actuators include piezoelectric actuators, MEMS actuators and magnetic coil actuators. The sensor 109 may be any suitable sensor, e.g., capacitive gauge sensor, piezoelectric sensor, resistive sensor, strain gauge and the like. In some cases, such as the particular case of piezoelectric devices, the same device may be used as both the actuator 107 and the sensor 109."

emag

Very interesting... the next generation of portable consoles will be really interesting! Still waiting to see what Nintendo will come with.... From Sony,maybe will be something like that :) Very nice!

bubble-bee

@LemmingX: I'm wondering too, I'm confused about what exactly those are around the edges, but the multi-touch idea is pretty interesting. That seems to be how games may be played in the future, a casual act turned into gameplay, I mean, look at the Wii, DS and Wii Fit, all simple acts with a spin of score and gameplay and what do you get? But, all the same, I'm intrigued to see how this moves along, if at all.

AndrewG009

What are those circular things? LEDs?
Whatever they are, they rotate from around the edge to being on the main screen, on the second image.

Maybe they're pressure sensitive button things, and it has a pressure sensitive edge?

LemmingX

didn't nintendo make a patent last year with something similar? (I remember reading it on kotaku)

SupaPhly

I'm not too excited if this is the direction that handheld gaming is choosing to take. I've spent some time playing ROMs on the iPhone and having a standard control style for games overlaying the screen makes your hand cover up most of the action. I think the DS works for me because of the ability to have action on the top screen, or at least use a stylus instead of my thumb.

Still, I'm sure there's a lot of cool patents that will go unused, but I'm sure this is a step in the direction of their next handheld release. However, if their 10 year plan holds up, it might be a while before we see it.

nick.soapdish

Rub Phil's head, get good fortune!

Shiryu

What? I thought Sony didn't need touch screen on their portables!

CockroachMan

Sound nice but how will this apply to twitch games?

Kaizuden

lol, i probably wouldnt play it if it looked like that

Primebuster

Multi-touch. Iiiiiinteresting.

SnakeCL

Before I could even actively read the headline, my brain registered Portable Patent as Potent Potables... Too much SNL!

Poison

@Clarke:

NES-2600?

EnigmaNemesis

I can care less if the iPhone has this or something similar.

If a gaming device will have this by a big player in gaming, then it is beneficial to gamers.

The iPhone is far from beneficial for gamers.

EnigmaNemesis

PS-DS?

Clarke

Old. Again, this thing has been on Maxconsole days ago. What the fuck is wrong with you Kotaku?!

garytek

OK Kotaku... I am going on a chewbacca hunt... I will call you as soon as I capture one.

We can skin it and get the philly head out of it and claim it as ours >:D

Reetesh

@garytek: Hey, if you like Maxconsole so much, why don't you go read that instead of Kotaku.

Grauw

I love Phil, I wish he never left!

Grauw

@Grauw: why dont u marry him?

lol, sorry I had to.

Friscodude

@Grauw: I agree

@nick.soapdish: Ye I tried playing a nes emuator on the iPhone or rather the iTouch and it felt horrible with the touch panel controls

AznSlackerType

Sounds like a step up from touch pads found on laptop in which you can simultaneously press multiple points instead of just one; but what really matters is follow-through -- follow-through like what they're doing with the Buzz! titles and not so much with what they did with the EyeToy.

ChiChi_BBQ

PSPhone since Sony is still saying that the PSP is going to last another 8 years.

Final

Well, when PSP2 features a multi-touch touch screen we would all know where it came from.

gencid

I like how minimalistic it is; I also like how badly the hands are drawn.

Tako Attack

Please note this patent is still pending. And is most likely not going to be granted it seems pretty "obvious" to me if not blatantly infringing on other patents.

Echo_Hotel

@LemmingX: The patent says "tactile" pixels. This means they're basically 3D, unlike the iPhone or DS. I believe those "nobs" are just indicators that pixels on the screen can actually extend and retract, forming real, true buttons in any shape and combination.

RealmRPGer

the pressure + touch features will give rise to a new class of dodgy games :P.

SamStride

Figure 1-C has 7 fingers on 2 hands. Quick! Call the GTA Art Department!

PositivelyDan

Hmm, met a guy working who later ended up in sony r&d who at the time demonstrated a cheap multitouch tech. As many fingers as you wanted to control on-screen actioan, as I recall.

ctalker

that thing looks pretty dumb. It looks like the spawn of crossing an iPhone with a Lite-Brite...

ninja_warrior

@RealmRPGer:

Great point ... and VERY interesting as well.

EnigmaNemesis

@nick.soapdish: It may be because you were playing ROMs and not games built for the phone itself. I'm certainly not saying that the iPhone will beat the DS or be the new handheld platform, but some good stuff could come out in the coming months.

Interstella5555

@SamStride:
They already have on the DS... but now they'll be able to have PSP graphics!

Superstar90

@garytek: Does anyone give a damn?

aeonzero

Why is it that the first thing that popped in my mind after reading the title was molestation?

Pi-face