Hand Pressure Controllers Patented by Microsoft

Ever wanted a controller that can identify its user simply by holding it? Then today may be your lucky day! Microsoft have patented just that.

The patent will let Xbox controllers “reliably determine the identity of the user holding the device” by using pressure sensors.

The controller has been described as follows;

‘A hand-held device having a body with a pressure-sensitive exterior surface. At least a portion of the pressure-sensitive exterior surface is designed to be grasped by a user’s hand. The pressure-sensitive surface contains a plurality of pressure sensors operative to provide an output signal proportional to a pressure applied by the user’s hands to the exterior surface of the hand-held device at the area the pressure sensor is located. The device also includes a memory for storing the output signals provided by the plurality of pressure sensors and a processor for comparing the output signals provided by the plurality of pressure sensors against stored pressure profile signatures for positively identifying the user.’

The player’s Gamertag will be directly linked to personalised pressure profiles that will be stored on the Xbox system; perhaps for future marketing purposes?

The patent filing goes on to state;

‘Customizable features of the device may be associated with the user identifier, in the instance whereby the device is a game controller, the user identifier may comprise a gamertag. The gamertag may be associated with customizable features of the gaming service such as the user’s friends list, social groups, customized skins for the user interface, and the like.’

‘Upon logging into the gaming service with the user’s gamertag, the technology provides these features customized by the user via a video screen (e.g., displays customized skin, displays user’s friends list, etc.).’

The controller can also be used for personalised security settings;

‘In the example whereby the user information is a username and a password, the user may be automatically logged into a gaming service, an email service, and the like simply by grasping the device.’

After filing for the patent in March 2009, it has just been made official by the US Patent and Trademark Office. Who wants to bet when this will hit shelves?