Sony Patents Design for Universal Video Game Controller

The universal remote is kind of a catch 22. Theoretically, it’s a fantastic way of streamlining a home theater system and consolidating individual remotes. However, in practice, entering code after code for each individual device has a way of greatly encroaching upon the convenience of a universal device.

Now Sony hopes to bring some of that ambiguity to your video game experience. The company filed for a patent for a “a universal game console controller that has an LCD presenting, depending on what type of game console a user has input, a controller key layout for a first type of game console or a controller key layout for a second type of game console.” So gamers would get one controller that they could use for Wii, XBOX, PlayStation, etc. Game action would be controlled via a touchscreen layout.

In addition to the multi-platform control, Sony envisions a device with vibration feedback, integrated speaker and onboard storage. The remote would even be able to emulate older game consoles and Sony mentions a number that you may or may not have tucked in your long-term memory including Atari Jaguar, Turbographics and Sega.

Sony seems to bite a lot in attempting to merge all of the varying controller interfaces into one device, but perhaps it is onto something. Would you use a universal controller? [via PC World and CNET]