Sony patents "Flat Joystick Controller"

Back in June 2012 Sony filed a patent for a new "flat joystick controller" which was published earlier this month here. The 22 page document includes a variety of images of different views of the controller including this one.

The details and images suggest a controller similar in its form to the PS Move but with a touch surface and new button layout.

The patent describes the controller thus.

"A controller device to interface with a computer gaming system includes a body having a handle and an object disposed at one end of the handle. A touch surface is disposed on one side of the handle. The touch surface has an indicator that is identified by a surface characteristic on the touch surface. The touch surface provides an area for receiving directionality control in response to interfacing by a finger of a user.

"In addition to the touch surface, a plurality of buttons are disposed on the body. A circuitry is disposed in the body of the controller. The circuitry is configured to receive data indicative of a directionality control and transmit the data to a game console for impacting an action by a program executing on the computer gaming system."

Now we play the waiting game to see if this new controller ever sees the outside of Sony's Headquarters.