Microsoft Files Patent for Pressure Sensitive Handheld Controller
There’s currently a trend towards more sophisticated haptic devices, with the Wii controller being just one example. Now, Microsoft has just filed patent 8172675 for a pressure sensitive controller who’s main purpose appears to be a form of biometric identification.
Using multiple pressure sensors on its body, the device builds up a profile of the user holding it, by storing the pressure patterns from different grasps of that device by the user. The main purpose of performing this kind of identification is to do one or more of the following: provide personalized content (targeted advertising?) authentication for secure logins and gaming profiles so that gaming settings are remembered for each user and the right gamertag is presented in online games. Note that Microsoft hasn’t actually made a controller using this technology yet, it’s just a patent application at the moment.
ABSTRACT
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.
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