Folks over at RespawnFirst have spotted a Sony Interactive Entertainment patent that describes a controller that includes both a Bluetooth transceiver and a Wi-Fi transceiver. Although the patent application was originally filed in 2019, it was just published a day ago by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
An abstract reveals that the controller’s technology would allow it to prioritize the input signal that reaches the console or a web server first, which would reduce latency. Sony argues that players have become “increasingly demanding” of in-game performance, justifying this technology.
The official description reads:
As recognized herein, with the growing sophistication of computer simulations such as computer games, players have become increasingly demanding of performance, one index of which is latency between gamer input and the resulting action on screen. As also understood herein, particularly in the case of wireless controllers there is little that can be done to address latency issues with a wireless link during play. There are currently no adequate solutions to the foregoing computer-related, technological problem.
A computer simulation controller includes plural controls, at least one Bluetooth transceiver configured for transmitting wireless signals responsive to operation of at least one of the controls, and at least one transceiver configured for transmitting wireless signals responsive to operation of at least one of the controls.
Patents don’t always materialize, but we hope this one does. A controller with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi transceivers would be beneficial for multiplayer modes, especially in competitive games. What do our readers think?
[Source: USPTO via RespawnFirst]
