Portable game device

Abstract

A portable game device 1 comprises: a front surface 11; a rear surface 12 provided on the opposite side from the front surface; and a top surface 13, a bottom surface 14, a left surface 15, and a right surface 16 that are each provided between the front surface and the rear surface so as to connect said surfaces. The front surface is provided with a display 5 that displays an image and operation portions 31, 32 that are provided to the left and to the right of the display and are used for input by a user. The top surface is provided with a power source operation portion 41, and the bottom surface is provided with a home menu operation portion 43.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present disclosure relates to a portable game device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a portable game device that can be held by a user, there is known one provided with a home button and a power button (for example, Patent Document 1). In particular, in the portable game device described in Patent Document 1, the home button is provided on the front surface thereof, and the power button is provided on the upper surface thereof.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In order to make the portable game device more compact or to increase the area of the display, there is room for improving the button arrangement of the portable game device.

[0005] In view of the above problems, an object of the present disclosure is to improve the button arrangement in a portable game device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The gist of the present disclosure is as follows.

[0007] (1) A portable game device including a front surface, a rear surface provided on the opposite side of the front surface, and an upper surface, a lower surface, a left surface, and a right surface respectively provided between the front surface and the rear surface so as to connect them. The front panel is provided with a display for displaying images, and on both the left and right sides of the display are operating sections used for user input. A power control unit is provided on the aforementioned upper surface. A portable game device having a home menu control panel on its lower surface. (2) The power control unit is provided on the upper surface at a position offset to one side from the center in the left-right direction, The home menu operation unit is located on the lower surface, in the center in the left-right direction, as described in (1) above. (3) The portable game device according to (2) above, wherein the lower surface has an opening that extends through the side wall defining the lower surface, on at least one side in the left-right direction of the home menu operation unit, and a screen image saving operation unit is provided on the other side in the left-right direction of the opening. (4) The portable game device as described in (3) above, wherein the home menu operation unit is larger than the screen image saving operation unit. (5) The portable game device according to (3) or (4) above, wherein the openings are provided on both sides of the home menu operation section in the left-right direction, the screen image saving operation section is provided further out in the left-right direction than the opening on one side, and no operation section is provided further out in the left-right direction than the opening on the other side. (6) The portable game device according to any one of (3) to (5) above, wherein the screen image saving operation unit is provided on the side opposite to the side on which the power operation unit is provided relative to the center of the portable game device in the left-right direction. (7) The power control unit is provided on the upper surface at a position offset to one side from the center in the left-right direction, The portable game device according to any one of (1) to (6) above, wherein a volume control for adjusting the volume of the portable game device is provided on the upper surface, further to one side of the power control unit. (8) The portable game device according to (7) above, wherein an operating section used for user input is further provided on the top surface, and the operating section provided on the top surface is positioned further outward in the left-right direction than the volume operating section. (9) A portable game device according to any one of (1) to (8) above, wherein the operating section that performs the same function regardless of the application being run when it is operated is provided only on the top and bottom surfaces. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, the button layout in portable gaming devices is improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a front view of a portable game device. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a rear view of a portable game device. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a top view of a portable game device. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a bottom view of a portable game device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, similar components will be given the same reference numeral.

[0011] <Overall Structure> Referring to Figures 1 to 4, the configuration of a portable game device 1 according to one embodiment will be described. The portable game device 1 is a game device used for playing games while being held by the user. The user operates the control units 31 to 34 and 41 to 44 provided on the portable game device 1 while looking at the display 5 provided on the portable game device 1. The portable game device 1 controls itself, specifically, for example, the display on the display 5 and the sound, based on signals transmitted from the control units 31 to 34 and 41 to 44 as the user operates the control units 31 to 34 and 41 to 44.

[0012] The portable game device 1 may be configured to display images on the external monitor in place of or in conjunction with the display 5 of the portable game device 1, by being connected to an external monitor via a wired or wireless connection. Furthermore, the portable game device 1 may be configured to run other applications, provided that it is capable of running game applications.

[0013] Figure 1 is a front view of the portable game device 1, and Figure 2 is a rear view of the portable game device 1. Figure 3 is a top view of the portable game device 1, and Figure 4 is a bottom view of the portable game device 1.

[0014] In this specification, the direction in which the display 5 is located relative to the portable game device 1 is referred to as the front, and the direction opposite to the direction in which the display 5 is located is referred to as the rear. Furthermore, when a user is using the portable game device 1 while holding it and looking at the display 5, the upward, downward, left, and right directions, as viewed from the front (from the user's perspective), are referred to as the upper, downward, left, and right sides of the portable game device 1, respectively.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the portable game device 1 includes a front surface 11 provided with a display 5, a rear surface 12 provided on the side opposite to the front surface, and an upper surface 13, a lower surface 14, a left surface 15, and a right surface 16 formed between the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12 so as to connect the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12. The upper surface 13 is a side surface provided above the portable game device 1, and the lower surface is a side surface provided below the portable game device 1. The left surface 15 is a side surface provided to the left of the portable game device 1, and the right surface 16 is a side surface provided to the right of the portable game device 1.

[0016] In the present embodiment, the front surface 11 of the portable game device 1 is formed to be substantially flat over its entire area. Also, in the present embodiment, the front surface 11 of the portable game device 1 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, the sides located vertically constitute the long sides, and the sides located horizontally constitute the short sides. That is, the horizontal direction is longer than the vertical direction. A display 5 is provided at the center of the rectangular front surface 11. Further, in the present embodiment, operation units 31 to 34 used for performing operation inputs for the progress of the game application being executed by the processing device are provided on the front surface 11 and the upper surface 13. On the other hand, the rear surface 12 of the portable game device 1, like the front surface 11, has a rectangular shape with rounded corners when viewed from the rear, the sides located vertically constitute the long sides, and the sides located horizontally constitute the short sides. In the present embodiment, the operation units 31 to 34 are not provided on the rear surface 12. Note that the front surface 11 may have a rectangular shape with rounded corners.

[0017] The upper surface 13, lower surface 14, left surface 15, and right surface 16 of the portable game device 1 extend substantially perpendicular to the front surface 11 between the edge of the front surface 11 and the edge of the rear surface 12. The upper surface 13 extends between the upper long sides of the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12, and the lower surface 14 extends between the lower long sides of the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12. The left surface 15 extends between the left short sides of the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12, and the right surface 16 extends between the right short sides of the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12. In the present embodiment, the upper surface 13, lower surface 14, left surface 15, and right surface 16 are formed substantially flat. When the front surface 11 has a rectangular shape with rounded corners, the upper surface 13 may be curved toward the left surface 15 and the right surface 16 in the vicinity of both left and right ends in accordance with the shape of the rounded corners of the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12. Similarly, the lower surface 14 may be curved toward the left surface 15 and the right surface 16 in the vicinity of both left and right ends in accordance with the shape of the rounded corners of the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the portable game device 1 has a housing 20. The substrates and electronic components (not shown) constituting the portable game device 1 are housed or mounted in the housing 20. The electronic components include a processing device (processor) of the portable game device 1 that controls the display 5, the speaker, etc. according to the input from the operation units 31 to 34, etc., a memory that stores various data used by the processing device, a battery that supplies power to the display 5, the processing device, etc., a speaker that outputs sound, etc. (none of which are shown).

[0019] The housing 20 has a front wall 21 provided on the front side of the portable game device 1, a rear wall 22 provided on the rear side of the portable game device 1, and side walls 23 provided in the front-rear direction between the front wall 21 and the rear wall 22. The side walls 23 extend over a full circle between the edge of the front wall 21 and the edge of the rear wall 22.

[0020] In this embodiment, the front surface of the front wall 21 defines the front surface 11 of the portable game device 1, and the rear surface of the rear wall 22 defines the rear surface 12 of the portable game device 1. Also in this embodiment, the outer surfaces of the upper side wall 23, the lower side wall 23, the left side wall 23, and the right side wall 23 define the top surface 13, bottom surface 14, left side surface 15, and right side surface 16 of the portable game device 1, respectively. In this embodiment, the front wall 21 and the side walls 23 are formed integrally, and the housing 20 is formed by attaching a separate rear wall 22 to the side walls 23.

[0021] <Front view configuration> As shown in Figure 1, the front surface 11 of the portable game device 1 is provided with a display 5 for displaying images, and a first operation unit 31 and a second operation unit 32 used for user input.

[0022] The display 5 is a device connected to a processing unit located within the housing 20, and displays an image according to a signal from the processing unit. As shown in Figure 1, the display 5 constitutes a part of the front surface 11 of the portable game device 1. For example, the display 5 is mounted on the surface of a recessed portion of the front surface of the front wall 21 toward the rear wall 22. The display 5 has a substantially flat surface. The display 5 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, an electroluminescent (EL) display, or a plasma display. The display 5 may have a touch panel on its surface that functions as an input device. In another embodiment, a cover may be provided to cover the surface of the front wall 21 and the display 5. In this case, the front surface of the cover constitutes at least a part of the front surface 11 of the portable game device 1.

[0023] The first operation unit 31 and the second operation unit 32 function as input devices operated by the user to input information to the processing unit of the portable game device 1. The first operation unit 31 and the second operation unit 32 are connected to the processing unit and transmit signals to the processing unit in response to operations performed by the user. The first operation unit 31 and the second operation unit 32 are used, for example, to input operations for the progress of a game application being executed by the processing unit. Therefore, the first operation unit 31 and the second operation unit 32 perform different functions depending on the game application being executed in the processing unit. The first operation unit 31 and the second operation unit 32 include, for example, buttons, toggle switches, levers, joysticks, slide sticks, etc. They also include mechanisms equipped with touch panels and pressure sensors for detecting pressure. For example, in the case of buttons, their shape can be various, such as circular, rectangular, elliptical, or cross-shaped.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, in this embodiment, one first operation unit 31, which is a joystick, is provided on the left side of the display 5. That is, an operation unit used for directional input is provided on the left side of the display 5. Alternatively, an operation unit in the form of a button may be provided on the left side of the display 5. Furthermore, four second operation units 32, which are buttons, are provided on the right side of the display 5. Alternatively, an operation unit used for directional input may also be provided on the right side of the display 5. Thus, operation units 31 and 32 are provided on both the left and right sides of the display 5 on the front surface 11. These first operation units 31 and second operation units 32 are arranged to protrude forward from the front surface 11. In addition, these first operation units 31 and second operation units 32 are arranged to extend through an opening formed in the front wall 21.

[0025] <Rear view configuration> As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, an intake opening 50 is provided on the rear surface 12 of the portable game device 1. The intake opening 50 is an opening for drawing outside air into the housing 20 for cooling electronic components such as the processing unit. The intake opening 50 extends through the rear wall 22. In particular, in this embodiment, the intake opening 50 is arranged to extend in the left-right direction on both the left and right sides relative to the center of the rear surface 12. Note that the intake opening 50 may also be provided on a surface other than the rear surface 12, for example, the bottom surface 14.

[0026] <Top surface composition> As shown in Figure 3, the top surface 13 of the portable game device 1 is provided with a third operation section 33 and a fourth operation section 34, a power operation section 41, a volume operation section 42, an exhaust opening 51, an earphone jack 52, and a slot opening 53.

[0027] The third operation unit 33 and the fourth operation unit 34 function as input devices that are operated by the user to input data to the processing unit of the portable game device 1, similar to the first operation unit 31 and the second operation unit 32. In this embodiment, the third operation unit 33 and the fourth operation unit 34 are both buttons, but they may also be switching operation units (for example, operation units that switch states by sliding) or levers, etc. Furthermore, these third operation unit 33 and the fourth operation unit 34 are arranged to extend through openings formed in the upper side wall 23. If both the left and right sides of the upper surface 13 are curved, the third operation unit 33 and the fourth operation unit 34 may be formed to extend from the upper surface 13 to the left surface 15 and the right surface 16, respectively. In this case, the third operation unit 33 and the fourth operation unit 34 may also have a curved shape.

[0028] In this embodiment, the operation units 31-34 used for inputting controls to advance the game application being executed by the processing unit are provided only on the front 11 and top 13. However, such operation units may also be provided on the bottom 14, left 15, right 16, or rear 12.

[0029] In this embodiment, the power control unit 41 is a button used to start and stop the portable game device 1. The power control unit 41 is connected to the processing unit and transmits a signal to the processing unit in response to an operation performed by the user, and the processing unit performs processing in response to this signal. In this embodiment, when the power control unit 41 is pressed while the portable game device 1 is powered off, the portable game device 1 is started (powered on). On the other hand, when the power control unit 41 is pressed and held while the portable game device 1 is powered on, the operation of the portable game device 1 is terminated (powered off). At this time, the power may be immediately turned off by the long press, or a user interface may be displayed on the display 5 to allow the user to decide whether to really turn off the power. Regardless of the game application being executed on the processing unit, the power control unit 41 performs the same function of starting and stopping the portable game device 1. In this embodiment, the power control unit 41 is the only control unit that can turn on the power of the portable game device 1. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the power control unit 41 is the only control unit that can turn off the power of the portable game device 1 or directly display a user interface for turning off the power. Also, the power control unit 41 is an control unit that is independent of the progress of the game application. The power control unit 41 may also be used to control the sleep state of the portable game device. For example, if the power control unit 41 is briefly pressed while the portable game device 1 is powered on, the portable game device 1 may enter sleep mode. Also, if the power control unit 41 is pressed while the portable game device 1 is in sleep mode, the portable game device 1 may wake up from sleep mode.

[0030] As shown in Figure 3, the power control unit 41 is positioned offset to one side from the center of the upper surface 13 in the left-right direction. In particular, in this embodiment, the power control unit 41 is positioned offset to the left from the center of the upper surface 13. In this embodiment, since the exhaust opening 51 is provided near the center of the upper surface 13 in the left-right direction, the power control unit 41 is positioned offset to one side (to the left in this embodiment) from the exhaust opening 51 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the power control unit 41 is located inside the third control unit 33 in the left-right direction. In addition, the power control unit 41 is arranged to extend through an opening formed in the upper side wall 23.

[0031] In this embodiment, the volume control unit 42 is a control button for adjusting the volume of the portable game device 1. In this embodiment, pressing one side of the volume control unit 42 in the left-right direction increases the volume, and pressing the other side of the volume control unit 42 in the left-right direction decreases the volume. The volume control unit 42 also performs the same function of controlling the volume level, regardless of the game application being executed on the processing unit. Furthermore, the volume control unit 42 is an operation unit that is independent of the progress of the game application.

[0032] The volume control unit 42 is also located to one side of the center of the top surface 13 in the left-right direction, specifically offset in the same direction as the power control unit 41. Therefore, in this embodiment, the power control unit 41 and the volume control unit 42 are located to one side of the center of the top surface 13. Furthermore, no controls unrelated to the progress of the game application are provided on the opposite side of the center of the top surface 13 (to the right of the center in this embodiment). In addition, in this embodiment, the volume control unit 42 is located to the left of the power control unit 41 in the left-right direction (i.e., on the side where the power control unit 41 is offset from the center of the top surface 13). Moreover, the volume control unit 42 is also located inward of the third control unit 33 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the volume control unit 42 is also arranged to extend through an opening formed in the upper side wall 23.

[0033] The power control unit 41 and the volume control unit 42 may be positioned in opposite positions. In this embodiment, the power control unit 41 and the volume control unit 42 are positioned to the left of the center of the top surface 13 in the left-right direction, but they may be positioned to the right of the center of the top surface 13. In addition, the power control unit 41 and the volume control unit 42 are positioned offset in the same direction from the center of the top surface 13 in the left-right direction, but they may be positioned offset in different directions from the center of the top surface 13. In this case, for example, the power control unit 41 may be positioned to the left of the center, and the volume control unit 42 may be positioned to the right of the center. In any case, as long as the power control unit 41 is provided on the top surface 13, the power control unit 41 and the volume control unit 42 may be provided anywhere.

[0034] The exhaust opening 51 is an opening for discharging air that has absorbed heat from electronic components such as processing devices to the outside of the housing 20. The exhaust opening 51 extends through the upper side wall 23. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, a plurality of exhaust openings 51 are provided on the upper surface 13, arranged in the left-right direction. These plurality of exhaust openings 51 are also provided near the center of the upper surface 13 in the left-right direction. Note that the exhaust openings 51 may be provided in an area away from the center of the upper surface 13, or on a surface other than the upper surface 13, for example, the rear surface 12. In this embodiment, air drawn into the housing 20 through the intake opening 50 provided on the rear surface 12 is discharged to the outside through the exhaust opening 51 provided on the upper surface 13 after cooling the electronic components.

[0035] The earphone jack 52 is a terminal for connecting earphones. The earphone jack 52 is located at a position offset to one side from the center of the top surface 13 in the left-right direction (in this embodiment, offset to the right). In this embodiment, the earphone jack 52 is located inside the slot opening 53 in the left-right direction. In addition, the top surface 13 may be provided with a connector for connecting charging wiring or a connector for connecting external monitor wiring instead of the earphone jack 52.

[0036] The slot opening 53 is used to insert a storage medium (such as a memory card) that stores game programs or data. The slot provided in the slot opening 53 is connected to an electronic component such as a processing unit. The slot opening 53 is located offset to one side from the center of the top surface 13 in the left-right direction, and is specifically offset in the same direction as the earphone jack 52. In Figures 2 and 3, the cover that covers the slot opening 53 is indicated by reference numeral 53.

[0037] Note that the earphone jack 52 and the slot opening do not necessarily have to be provided on the top surface 13. Therefore, they may be provided on other sides such as the bottom surface 14, left surface 15, or right surface 16.

[0038] <Underside structure> As shown in Figure 4, the lower surface 14 of the portable game device 1 is provided with a home menu operation unit 43, a screen image saving operation unit 44, a connector 54, and speaker openings 55 and 56.

[0039] In this embodiment, the home menu operation unit 43 is a button for opening the home menu screen. The home menu operation unit 43 is connected to a processing unit and transmits a signal to the processing unit in response to an operation performed by the user, and the processing unit performs processing in response to this signal. When the home menu operation unit 43 is operated while any game application is running, the home menu screen is displayed on the display 5 in place of, or in addition to, the screen of that application. In this embodiment, the home menu screen is a screen that displays a list of applications, including game applications, that can be launched on the portable game device 1. On the home menu screen, the user can select an application to launch. The home menu screen may also include items that transition to a settings screen for determining the settings of the portable game device 1 (for example, settings such as brightness and contrast of the display 5, communication settings, etc.). Furthermore, when a specific item is selected on the home menu screen, the portable game device 1 may enter sleep mode. Furthermore, when the home menu operation unit 43 is pressed while the portable game device 1 is in sleep mode, the portable game device 1 may wake up from sleep mode. In this embodiment, the home menu operation unit 43 also performs the same function of opening the home menu screen, regardless of the game application being executed on the processing unit. The home menu operation unit 43 is also an operation unit that is independent of the progress of the game application. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the home menu operation unit 43 is the only operation unit that can directly display the home menu screen on the running portable game device 1. In other embodiments, depending on the application, the home menu operation unit 43 may perform a function other than displaying the home menu screen when pressed, at least in some situations. In that case, it is not necessary for the home menu screen to be directly displayed by operating any of the operation units.

[0040] In this embodiment, the home menu operation unit 43 is located in the center of the lower surface 14 in the left-right direction. The home menu operation unit 43 is also positioned to extend through an opening formed in the lower side wall 23. Note that the home menu operation unit 43 does not necessarily have to be located in the center of the lower surface 14, as long as it is located on the lower surface 14.

[0041] In this embodiment, the screen image saving operation unit 44 is a button for saving the screen image displayed on the display 5. The screen image includes not only still images but also videos. Furthermore, the saved image does not need to be exactly the same data as the image displayed on the display at that moment; it may be processed or have its data size reduced. The screen image saving operation unit 44 is connected to the processing unit and transmits a signal to the processing unit in response to an operation performed by the user, and the processing unit performs processing in response to this signal. For example, if the screen image saving operation unit 44 is operated while any game application is running, the image displayed on the display 5 at that time is saved to memory. Note that the image may be saved to a server or other location instead of the memory of the portable game device 1. The screen image saving operation unit 44 is smaller than the home menu operation unit 43. This difference in size between the home menu operation unit 43 and the screen image saving operation unit 44 helps to prevent the user from pressing the wrong operation unit. The screen image saving operation unit 44 also performs the same function of saving images, regardless of the game application running on the processing unit. Furthermore, the screen image saving operation unit 44 is an operation unit that is independent of the progress of the game application. In other embodiments, the size of the screen image saving operation unit 44 may be the same as or larger than the home menu operation unit 43.

[0042] As shown in Figure 4, the screen image saving operation unit 44 is located at a position offset to one side from the center of the lower surface 14 in the left-right direction. In particular, in this embodiment, the screen image saving operation unit 44 is located at a position offset to the right from the center of the lower surface 14. Furthermore, the screen image saving operation unit 44 is arranged to extend through an opening formed in the lower side wall 23. On the other hand, in this embodiment, no operation unit unrelated to the progress of the game application is provided on the side opposite to the center of the lower surface 14 from the side where the screen image saving operation unit 44 is provided (to the left of the center of the lower surface 14 in this embodiment). In particular, no operation unit is provided in this embodiment.

[0043] Connector 54 is used to connect external connectors. In this embodiment, it is used to connect charging wiring and wiring for an external monitor. Connector 54 is, for example, a USB terminal. Connector 54 is located off-center to one side of the center of the lower surface 14 in the left-right direction, and in particular, off-center to the opposite side of the screen image saving operation unit 44 (off-center to the left in this embodiment). Note that other terminals, such as an earphone jack, may be provided on the lower surface 14 instead of or in addition to connector 54.

[0044] The speaker openings 55 and 56 are openings for releasing sound output from speakers located inside the housing 20 to the outside. In this embodiment, the speaker openings 55 and 56 are a collection of many smaller openings. The speaker openings 55 and 56 extend through the side wall 23 that defines the lower surface 14.

[0045] The speaker openings 55 and 56 are provided at positions offset to the left and right from the center of the lower surface 14 in the left-right direction. Therefore, the speaker opening 55 is provided on both sides of the home menu operation unit 43 in the left-right direction. The first speaker opening 55 is provided between the home menu operation unit 43 and the screen image saving operation unit 44. Therefore, the screen image saving operation unit 44 is provided further to the right of the first speaker opening 55 in the left-right direction (i.e., on the side where the first speaker opening 55 is offset from the center of the lower surface 14). On the other hand, the second speaker opening 56 is provided between the home menu operation unit 43 and the connector 54. Therefore, the connector 54 is provided further to the left and right of the second speaker opening 56. In this embodiment, no operation unit is provided further to the left and right of the second speaker opening 56.

[0046] Note that the speaker openings 55 and 56 are not a collection of small openings, but may be one opening on each side of the bottom surface 14. Also, in this embodiment, the speaker openings 55 and 56 are provided on both sides of the home menu operation unit 43 in the left-right direction, but they may also be provided on only one side of the home menu operation unit 43, outside of the home menu operation unit 43. Alternatively, the speaker openings 55 and 56 may be provided on other sides, such as the top surface 13, left surface 15, or right surface 16. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the speaker openings 55 and 56 are provided on the bottom surface 14, but other openings such as intake openings, exhaust openings, or slot openings may be provided in the positions of the speaker openings 55 and 56.

[0047] <Effects> In this embodiment, the power control unit 41 and the home menu control unit 43, which are not used for advancing the game application, are not provided on the front 11 of the portable game device 1. Therefore, the front 11 of the portable game device 1 can be made more compact without impairing the user's operability while the game application is running. Alternatively, the ratio of the area of ​​the display 5 to the area of ​​the front 11 of the portable game device 1 can be increased without impairing the user's operability while the game application is running.

[0048] In particular, in this embodiment, the control units (power control unit 41, volume control unit 42, home menu control unit 43, and screen image saving control unit 44) that perform the same function regardless of the application being run when operated are provided only on the top surface 13 or the bottom surface 14. Therefore, the front surface 11 of the portable game device 1 can be made more compact, or the area ratio of the display 5 can be increased, without impairing user operability.

[0049] In addition, in this embodiment, the power control unit 41 used to start and stop the portable game device 1 is provided on the top surface 13. Therefore, the power control unit 41 is easily visible to the user holding the portable game device 1, and thus easy to access, ensuring convenience for the user. On the other hand, the home menu control unit 43 is not necessarily operated unless the user is using the home menu, so the home menu control unit 43 is provided on the bottom surface 14. The power control unit 41 and the home menu control unit 43 can be functionally confused, for example, in terms of exiting the currently running application, but providing them on the same surface prevents the user from pressing the wrong button. On the other hand, since the bottom surface 14 on which the home menu control unit 43 is provided is symmetrical to the top surface 13, the user can more easily remember the location of the home menu control unit 43 due to its functional relationship with the power control unit 41, compared to, for example, when the home menu control unit 43 is provided on the rear surface 12, left surface 15, or right surface 16.

[0050] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the power control unit 41 is located on the top surface 13 at a position offset to one side from the center. In addition, in this embodiment, the volume control unit 42 is also located on the top surface at a position offset to one side from the center. Here, it is assumed that the control units 41 and 42 located on the top surface 13 are operated by the index finger of either the left or right hand of a user holding the portable game device 1 with both hands. Since the power control unit 41 and the volume control unit 42 are located at positions offset to one side from the center, it is easy for the user to operate these control units 41 and 42.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the power control unit 41 is located on the upper surface 13, inside the volume control unit 42. If the user accidentally operates the power control unit 41 while a game application is running, the game application may terminate unintentionally. On the other hand, if the user accidentally operates the volume control unit 42 while a game application is running, the volume may change slightly, but the impact on the game application is small. In this embodiment, by positioning the power control unit 41 closer to the center (inside) of the upper surface 13 than the volume control unit 42, the likelihood of the user unintentionally operating the power control unit 41, which has a greater impact from accidental operation, is suppressed. In particular, in this embodiment, the third control unit 33 is located on the upper surface 13, outside the volume control unit 42. Therefore, when a user operates the third control unit 33, there is a possibility of accidentally operating a control unit located inside the third control unit 33. However, in this embodiment, the volume control unit 42 is located immediately inside the third control unit 33, so even if it is accidentally operated, the impact on the game application is small.

[0052] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the home menu operation unit 43 is located in the center of the bottom surface 14. When operating the operation unit on the bottom surface 14, it is assumed that the user will temporarily release one of the hands holding the portable game device 1 from the portable game device 1 before operating it. Therefore, there is little need to position the home menu operation unit 43 to the left or right side of the bottom surface 14 so that it can be operated while holding the portable game device 1. Furthermore, since the home menu operation unit 43 does not have operation units with a symmetrical relationship, such as a + button and a - button, it is unlikely that any operational inconvenience will occur even if it is positioned in the center of the bottom surface 14. In addition, since the bottom surface 14 is difficult for the user holding the portable game device 1 to see, by positioning the home menu operation unit 43 in the center of the bottom surface 14, it becomes easy for the user to operate the home menu operation unit 43 without looking at the bottom surface 14. Furthermore, while the power control unit 41 is positioned off-center from the top surface 13, the home menu control unit 43 is positioned in the center of the bottom surface 14. Since the positions are offset not only vertically but also horizontally, misinterpretation is less likely to occur.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a screen image saving operation unit 44 is provided on one side in the left-right direction of the home menu operation unit 43, and the screen image saving operation unit 44 is provided on the other side (outside) of the first speaker opening 55. Here, the home menu operation unit 43 is used to temporarily interrupt a running game application, so it is not a problem if the user's hand covers the display 5 when operating it. On the other hand, the screen image saving operation unit 44 is operated while the game application is running, so if the user's hand covers the display 5, it may be difficult for the user to operate the screen image saving operation unit 44 while checking the image displayed on the display 5. In response to this, the screen image saving operation unit 44 is provided relatively far out on the bottom surface 14 (away from the center of the bottom surface 14). Therefore, the possibility of the user's hand covering the display 5 when operating the screen image saving operation unit 44 is reduced. For this reason, in this embodiment, it becomes easy for the user to operate the screen image saving operation unit 44 while checking the image displayed on the display 5.

[0054] Furthermore, since the screen image saving operation unit 44 is located relatively far outward on the lower surface 14, the user can easily move from, for example, positioning their hand on the right side of the portable game device 1 to positioning their index finger on the upper surface 13 and operating the screen image saving operation unit 44 with their thumb, thus making it easy for the user to operate the screen image saving operation unit 44.

[0055] Furthermore, the screen image saving operation unit 44 does not have operation units that have a symmetrical relationship, such as a + button and a - button. If there were operation units at the target positions of the screen image saving operation unit 44 relative to the center of the lower surface 14, these operation units could be mistaken for operation units that have functions separate from the screen image saving operation unit 44, which are related to each other. In this embodiment, since no operation units are provided at the target positions of the screen image saving operation unit 44 relative to the center of the lower surface 14, the possibility of such misidentification is suppressed.

[0056] In addition, the screen image saving operation unit 44 is located on the opposite side (the right side in this embodiment) from the side (the left side in this embodiment) where the power operation unit 41 and volume operation unit 42 are located (the left side in this embodiment). Therefore, since the screen image saving operation unit 44 is offset not only vertically but also horizontally from the power operation unit 41 and volume operation unit 42, misidentification between these operation units is less likely to occur.

[0057] As mentioned above, the screen image saving operation unit 44 is expected to be operated while the game application is running. Therefore, when the user is not holding the portable game device 1 to play the game application, but is simply standing upright on a table or the like, it is unlikely that the operation of the screen image saving operation unit 44 will be desired. For this reason, it is unlikely that any inconvenience will occur even if the screen image saving operation unit 44 is provided on the bottom surface 14 instead of the top surface 13, left surface 15, and right surface 16. Furthermore, it is possible to suppress erroneous operation that may occur when the screen image saving operation unit 44 is located on the top surface 13, left surface 15, and right surface 16.

[0058] <Variation> In the above embodiment, the operation units 41-44, which perform the same function regardless of the application being executed when operated, are provided only on the top surface 13 and the bottom surface 14. However, some of these operation units 41-44 may be provided on the left surface 15 or the right surface 16. Even in this case, by not providing the operation units 41-44 on the front surface 11, the front surface 11 of the portable game device 1 can be made more compact without impairing user operability, and the proportion of the display area 5 can be increased. Furthermore, some of these operation units may be provided on the rear surface 12, provided that the power operation unit 41 and the home menu operation unit 43 are provided on the top surface 13 and the bottom surface 14, respectively. In addition, some of these operation units may be provided on the front surface 11, provided that the power operation unit 41 and the home menu operation unit 43 are provided on the top surface 13 and the bottom surface 14, respectively.

[0059] Furthermore, the portable game device 1 may be provided with any number and type of operation units 31-34, 41-44 different from those in the embodiments described above. However, it is necessary that the power operation unit 41 and the home menu operation unit 43 are provided on the top surface 13 and the bottom surface 14, respectively, and that operation units used for user input, particularly operation units used for inputting operations to advance the game application, are provided on both the left and right sides of the display 5.

[0060] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each operating section 31 to 34 is arranged to extend through openings provided in each wall of the housing 20. However, the operating sections 31 to 34 may be placed on each wall without penetrating the openings.

[0061] Furthermore, the display 5 and some of the operating parts may be separable. For example, the parts of the housing 20 having operating parts on each of the left and right sides of the display 5 may be detachable from the part of the housing 20 having the display 5. Alternatively, the display 5 may be detachable from an integrated housing 20 having operating parts on each of the left and right sides of the display 5.

[0062] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0063] 1. Portable game device 5 displays 11 Front 12 Rear 13 Top side 14 Bottom side 31 1st operation section 32 2nd operation section 41 Power control unit 42 Volume control section 43 Home Menu Control Panel 44. Operation panel for saving screen images 55 First speaker opening 56 Second speaker opening

Claims

1. A portable game device comprising a front surface, a rear surface provided on the opposite side of the front surface, and an upper surface, a lower surface, a left surface, and a right surface provided between the front surface and the rear surface so as to connect them, The front panel is provided with a display for displaying images, and on both the left and right sides of the display are operating sections used for user input. A power control unit is provided on the aforementioned upper surface. A portable game device having a home menu control panel on its lower surface.

2. The power control unit is provided on the upper surface at a position offset to one side from the center in the left-right direction. The portable game device according to claim 1, wherein the home menu operation unit is located on the lower surface, in the center in the left-right direction.

3. The portable game device according to claim 2, wherein the lower surface has an opening extending through a side wall defining the lower surface, on at least one side in the left-right direction of the home menu operation unit, and a screen image saving operation unit is provided on the other side in the left-right direction of the opening.

4. The portable game device according to claim 3, wherein the home menu operation unit is larger than the screen image saving operation unit.

5. The portable game device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the openings are provided on both sides of the home menu operation section in the left-right direction, the screen image saving operation section is provided further outward in the left-right direction than one of the openings, and no operation section is provided further outward in the left-right direction than the other opening.

6. The portable game device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the screen image saving operation unit is provided on the side opposite to the side on which the power operation unit is provided relative to the center of the portable game device in the left-right direction.

7. The power control unit is provided on the upper surface at a position offset to one side from the center in the left-right direction. The portable game device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a volume control for adjusting the volume of the portable game device is provided on the upper surface, further on one side of the power control unit.

8. The portable game device according to claim 7, wherein an operating section used for user input is further provided on the upper surface, and the operating section provided on the upper surface is positioned further outward in the left-right direction than the volume operating section.

9. A portable game device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the operating section, which performs the same function regardless of the application running when it is operated, is provided only on the top and bottom surfaces.

Images