A shroud of secrecy is ever present around Nintendo NX, but thanks to a stream of patents we have been able to continue speculating as to why the company continues to be so protective of their, we hope, unexpected idea.
Now, another patent has surfaced. This was first filed in Japan on 26th December 2014, and then with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on 3rd December 2015. It has now been openly published in the United States, meaning that we can pore over it for any hints.
It specifically relates to the integration of two speakers and a vibrator within what could eventually be either a handheld or controller device, if the patent were ever used. Their positioning sees the sound directed at the player, while the vibration occurs “simultaneously” with the speakers.
“A non-limiting example information processing apparatus comprises a housing, and a left speaker and a right speaker are provided in a left end portion and a right portion of the housing and in an inside of this housing,” the patent‘s abstract description reads. “Each speaker is arranged such that a vibration direction of a diaphragm becomes in a direction perpendicular to a plane surface of a display panel that is provided in the front of the housing.
“Sound emission portions for emitting sounds from the speakers are formed in both end portions of the housing and on a side surface at near side of this side that the speakers are arranged. Therefore, sounds are emitted toward a side of a player who holds the information processing apparatus. A vibrator that is provided between the two speakers is driven simultaneously with the speakers or in a predetermined order.”
