System with portable main body device

Abstract

This system 100 comprises an information processing unit for executing game applications, and a portable main body device 1. The main body device 1 comprises: a front surface 11 on which a display 5 is provided; a rear surface 12 positioned on the opposite side to the front surface; an upper surface 13 which connects the front surface and the rear surface and which have an upper front surface side region having a front edge connected to the front surface, and an upper rear surface side region which is positioned behind and below the upper front surface side region; operating buttons 31 to 37 for causing the information processing unit to execute a processing determined in the running game applications respectively; and system buttons 38 to 41 for causing the information processing unit to execute a predetermined system processing. The operation buttons are disposed on the upper surface, and the system buttons are disposed on the rear surface side of the operation buttons, and at least some of the system buttons are disposed in the upper rear surface side region.

Description

System with portable main unit

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a system including a portable main unit.

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are known portable game devices that have a plus button and a minus button on the front surface and an left button and an right button on the top surface (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-012652

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

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present disclosure is to improve button arrangement in a system including a portable main unit.

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

[0007] (1) A system comprising an information processing unit that executes a game application and a portable main unit, wherein the main unit comprises: a front surface on which a display is provided; a rear surface located opposite the front surface; a top surface that connects the front surface and the rear surface and has an upper front region whose front end connects to the front surface and an upper rear region located rearward and below the upper front region; operation buttons that cause the information processing unit to execute processes respectively determined in the game application being executed; and system buttons that cause the information processing unit to execute predetermined system processes, wherein the operation buttons comprise a left outer operation button and a left inner operation button located on the top surface to the left of the center in the left-right direction of the main unit, and a right outer operation button and a right inner operation button located on the top surface to the right of the center in the left-right direction of the main unit, wherein the left outer operation button and the left inner operation button are positioned so as to be operated by the fingers of the left hand of a user holding the main unit, and the left inner operation button is located to the right of the left outer operation button, (2) A system according to (1) above, in which the left outer operation button, the left inner operation button, the right outer operation button, and the right inner operation button are positioned so as to be operated by the fingers of the right hand of a user holding the main unit, and the right inner operation button is positioned to the left of the right outer operation button, and the system button is positioned on the rear side of the left outer operation button, the left inner operation button, the right outer operation button, and the right inner operation button on the top surface, and at least a portion of the system button is positioned in the upper rear side area. (3) A system according to (1) or (2) above, in which the left outer operation button, the left inner operation button, the right outer operation button, and the right inner operation button are positioned so as to protrude from the top surface so as to be visible from the front side, and the system button is positioned so as not to be visible from the front side. (4) A system according to (1) or (2) above, in which the amount of protrusion of the left outer operation button, the left inner operation button, the right outer operation button, and the right inner operation button from the top surface is greater than the amount of protrusion of the system button from the top surface.(4) The system according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein at least a portion of each operation button is arranged in the upper front-side region, and the entire system button is arranged in the upper front-side region. (5) The system according to any one of (1) to (4) above, wherein the main unit further includes a lower surface connecting the front and rear surfaces and located opposite the upper surface, the lower surface having a lower front-side region whose front end connects to the front surface and a lower rear-side region located rearward and above the lower front-side region, and wherein a plurality of system buttons are provided on the main unit, some of the system buttons are provided on the lower surface, and at least some of the system buttons provided on the lower surface are provided in the lower front-side region. (6) The system according to any one of (1) to (5) above, wherein the system button provided on the upper surface is arranged between the left inner operation button and the right inner operation button in the left-right direction. (7) The system according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the main body further includes a rear operation button on the top surface rearward of the left outer operation button and the right outer operation button, and the system button on the top surface is positioned to overlap the rear operation button in the front-to-rear direction. (8) The system according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the main body further includes an intake hole for drawing air into the main body or an exhaust hole for exhausting air from the main body, and the intake hole or the exhaust hole is positioned in the upper rear side area, and is positioned between the left inner operation button and the right inner operation button in the left-to-right direction and rearward of the left inner operation button and the right inner operation button in the front-to-rear direction. (9) The system according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein at least a portion of the top surface and the operation surfaces of the system buttons are integrally formed of an elastic material. (10) The system according to (9), wherein the operation surfaces of the operation buttons are formed of a material different from the elastic material.(11) The system described in (9) or (10) above, wherein the main unit further includes a switch capable of communicating with the information processing unit and detecting pressing of the system button, and the switch is positioned so that its axis extending in the pressing direction is shifted toward the front side relative to the axis extending in the pressing direction of the system button.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, button arrangement is improved in a system including a portable main unit.

[0009] Fig. 1 is a front view of the main unit of the game system. Fig. 2 is a top view of the main unit of the game system. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the main unit of the game system. Fig. 4 is a right side view of the main unit of the game system. Fig. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the main unit of the game system as seen along line V-V in Fig. 2.

[0010] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, like components are designated by like reference numerals.

[0011] <Overall Configuration> A game system 100 according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. The game system 100 includes an information processing unit (not shown) that executes various applications, including game applications, and a portable main unit 1. In this embodiment, the information processing unit is housed within a housing 20 that constitutes the main unit 1.

[0012] The main unit 1 is held by a user while playing a game. The user operates buttons 31 to 41 or a joystick 45 provided on the main unit 1 while looking at a display 5 provided on the main unit 1. When the user operates buttons 31 to 41 or joystick 45 on the main unit 1, the information processing unit of the game system 100 controls the game system 100, specifically, controls the display on the display 5, controls the sound, and so on.

[0013] Fig. 1 is a front view of the main unit 1, Fig. 2 is a top view of the main unit 1, Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the main unit 1, and Fig. 4 is a right side view of the main unit 1.

[0014] In this specification, the direction in which the display 5 is provided with respect to the main unit 1 is referred to as the front, and the direction opposite to the direction in which the display 5 is provided is referred to as the rear. Furthermore, when a user holds the main unit 1 and uses it while looking at the display 5, the upward, downward, left, and right directions as viewed from the front (as viewed from the user) are referred to as the upward, downward, left, and right directions of the main unit 1, respectively.

[0015] 1 to 4, the main unit 1 includes a front surface 11 on which the display 5 is provided, a rear surface 12 provided on the opposite side of the front surface, and a top surface 13, a bottom 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 top surface 13 is a side surface provided above the main unit 1, and the bottom surface 14 is a side surface provided below the main unit 1, and is therefore a side surface located opposite the top surface 13. The left surface 15 is a side surface provided on the left side of the main unit 1, and the right surface 16 is a side surface provided on the right side of the main unit 1, and is therefore a side surface located opposite the left surface 15.

[0016] In this embodiment, the front surface 11 of the main unit 1 is formed to be substantially flat across its entirety. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the front surface 11 of the main unit 1 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, with the top and bottom sides constituting the long sides and the left and right sides constituting the short sides. In other words, the left-right direction is longer than the top-bottom direction. A display 5 is provided in the center of the rectangular front surface 11. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the front surface 11 and top surface 13 are provided with buttons 31-41 or a joystick 45 used as input devices for inputting operations related to programs being executed by the information processing unit. On the other hand, the rear surface 12 of the main unit 1 is not provided with buttons 31-41 or a joystick 45.

[0017] The buttons 31 to 41 are connected to the information processing unit and transmit signals corresponding to user operations to the information processing unit, which then performs processing in accordance with these signals. The buttons 31 to 41 include operation buttons 31 to 37 and system buttons 38 to 41. The operation buttons are primarily buttons that cause the information processing unit to execute predetermined processes in a game application currently running in the information processing unit. In this embodiment, the operation buttons 31 to 37 include the front operation button 31, the left inner operation button 32, the right inner operation button 33, the left outer operation button 34, the right outer operation button 35, the left rear operation button 36, and the right rear operation button 37. On the other hand, the system buttons are primarily buttons that cause the information processing unit to execute system processes related to the operating system (OS). Therefore, the system buttons can also be considered as buttons that cause the information processing unit to execute predetermined processes regardless of the application currently running in the information processing unit. In this embodiment, the system buttons 38 to 41 include the power button 38, the volume button 39, the capture button 40, and the home button 41. Note that some or all of the operation buttons may be used to cause the information processing unit to execute system processing in addition to processing in the game application.

[0018] The joystick 45 is mainly used for directional input. The joystick 45 is used to cause the information processing unit to execute predetermined processes in a game application running in the information processing unit. The joystick may be used to cause the information processing unit to execute system processes in addition to processes in the game application. The main unit 1 may be provided with a cross button, a touchpad, or the like as a means for directional input instead of or in addition to the joystick 45.

[0019] The top surface 13, bottom surface 14, left surface 15, and right surface 16 of the main body device 1 extend between the edge of the front surface 11 and the edge of the rear surface 12. The top surface 13 extends between the upper long sides of the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12, and the bottom 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 this embodiment, the top surface 13 and the bottom surface 14 have a front region extending in the front-to-rear direction at their front portions and an upper inclined region extending at an angle in the front-to-rear direction at their rear portions. The front end of the upper front region connects to the front surface 11, and the rear end of the upper inclined region connects to the rear surface 12. The upper inclined region is located below the upper front region. Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the left surface 15 and right surface 16 are formed to extend substantially flat in the front-to-rear direction. However, the left surface 15 and the right surface 16 may also have a front region extending in the front-to-rear direction at their front portions and an upwardly inclined region extending at an angle relative to the front-to-rear direction at their rear portions. Furthermore, the left surface 15 and the right surface 16 may be entirely or partially curved in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, the left surface 15 and the right surface 16 may be curved so as to be convex outward, for example, in a cross section perpendicular to the up-down direction.

[0020] 1 to 4, the main unit 1 has a housing 20. The housing 20 has a front wall 21 provided on the front side of the main unit 1, a rear wall 22 (FIG. 5) provided on the rear side of the main unit 1, and a side wall 23 provided in the front-to-rear direction between the front wall 21 and the rear wall 22. The side wall 23 extends around the entire circumference between the edge of the front wall 21 and the edge of the rear wall 22.

[0021] In this embodiment, the front surface of the front wall 21 defines the front surface 11 of the main unit 1, and the rear surface of the rear wall 22 defines the rear surface 12 of the main unit 1. In this embodiment, the outer surfaces of the upper, lower, left, and right side walls 23 define the top surface 13, bottom surface 14, left surface 15, and right surface 16 of the main unit 1, respectively. In this embodiment, the front wall 21 and the side walls 23 are integrally formed, and the separate rear wall 22 is attached to the side walls 23 to form the housing 20.

[0022] The housing 20 is primarily formed from a metal material (e.g., iron, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, etc.) or a hard resin material (e.g., polycarbonate, ABS resin, PC / ABS resin, polyamide, polyacetal, etc.). In addition, in this embodiment, the upper and lower side walls 23 are formed from a metal material or a hard resin material and an elastic material disposed on the outside thereof. Examples of such elastic materials include silicone or elastomers (e.g., thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) including thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers (TPU), styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPS), olefin-based elastomers (TOP), etc.). Therefore, the upper surface 13 and the lower surface 14 are formed from an elastic material. In this embodiment, the entire outer surfaces of the upper and lower side walls 23 are formed from an elastic material; however, only a portion of the outer surfaces of the upper and lower side walls 23 may be formed from an elastic material. Alternatively, the upper and lower side walls 23 may be made of only a metal material or a hard resin material without being made of an elastic material. Therefore, the upper surface 13 and the lower surface 14 may be partially made of an elastic material, or may not be made of an elastic material.

[0023] In this embodiment, a circuit board and electronic components (not shown) are housed or attached to the housing 20 of the main unit 1. Some of the electronic components constitute an information processing unit. The electronic components also include a speaker that outputs sound, and a battery that supplies power to the display 5, the speaker, the information processing unit, and the like.

[0024] The information processing unit includes a processor that executes various programs, including an operating system (OS) and game applications, and a memory that stores programs and data used by the processor. There may be one or more processors and memories. The multiple processors and memories may each execute different processes, or a single process may be executed in a distributed manner. The information processing unit controls the display 5 and speakers in response to input from the buttons 31-41 or joystick 45, etc., according to the program being executed. The information processing unit is electrically connected to detection devices corresponding to the buttons 31-41 and joystick 45, and receives signals from the detection devices in response to the operation of the buttons 31-41 and joystick 45 by the user. The information processing unit is also electrically connected to the display 5, speaker, etc., and controls the display on the display 5 and the audio output from the speaker.

[0025] <Configuration of Front Surface> As shown in FIG. 1, the front surface 11 of the main unit 1 is provided with a display 5 for displaying images, and front operation buttons 31 and a joystick 45 used for input by the user.

[0026] The display 5 is connected to an information processing unit arranged inside the housing 20 and is a device that displays images in accordance with signals from the information processing unit. As shown in FIG. 1 , the display 5 constitutes a part of the front surface 11 of the main unit 1. As an example, the display 5 is placed on the surface of a portion of the front surface of the front wall 21 that is recessed toward the rear. The display 5 has a substantially flat surface. The display 5 may be provided with a touch panel on its surface that functions as an input device.

[0027] The front operation buttons 31 and the joystick 45 function as input devices that are operated by the user to provide input to the information processing unit of the game system 100. In this embodiment, a detection device that detects operation input from the user on the front operation buttons 31 and the joystick 45 is electrically connected to the information processing unit. The detection device is capable of communicating with the information processing unit and transmits a signal corresponding to the operation performed by the user to the information processing unit.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 1, in this embodiment, two front operation buttons 31 are provided on the right side of the display 5. Also, as shown in Fig. 1, in this embodiment, a joystick 45 is provided on the left side of the display 5. In addition, as shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the front operation buttons 31 and the joystick 45 are arranged so as to protrude forward from the front surface 11. Furthermore, these front operation buttons 31 and the joystick 45 are arranged so as to extend through an opening formed in the front wall 21.

[0029] 2 and 4, the top surface 13 of the main unit 1 is formed to have an upper front region (upper front region) 13b whose front end is connected to the front surface 11, and an upper inclined region 13a located rearward and below the upper front region 13b. Also, as shown in Fig. 2, the top surface 13 is provided with a left inner operation button 32, a right inner operation button 33, a left outer operation button 34, a right outer operation button 35, a left rear operation button 36, a right rear operation button 37, a power button 38, a volume button 39, and an exhaust hole 50.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 2 , the upper inclined region 13a of the upper surface 13 is formed between the upper front region 13b and the rear surface 12. The upper inclined region 13a slopes downward toward the rear (toward the rear surface 12). In this embodiment, the upper inclined region 13a is formed as a flat surface (a linear surface in FIG. 4 ) that slopes downward toward the rear. However, the upper inclined region 13a does not have to be a flat surface as long as it slopes downward toward the rear. It may be any surface, such as a curved surface or a surface whose inclination angle changes gradually. Therefore, the upper inclined region 13a may be, for example, a curved surface that is convex outward. The upper inclined region 13a may also have a portion that does not slope downward toward the rear. Therefore, for example, in the front-to-rear direction, there may be a non-sloped portion (i.e., a portion that extends vertically in the up-down direction) between the inclined portions. Furthermore, the region located behind the upper front region 13b (upper rear region, corresponding to the upper inclined region 13a) does not necessarily have to have an inclined portion as long as it is located below the upper front region 13b.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2 , the upper front region 13b of the upper surface 13 is formed between the front surface 11 and the upper inclined region 13a. The upper front region 13b is not inclined downward toward the rear compared to the upper inclined region 13a. In this embodiment, the upper front region 13b is not inclined either upward or downward toward the rear. Therefore, in this embodiment, the upper front region 13b is formed as a flat surface extending perpendicular to the up-down direction (a linear surface in FIG. 4 ). However, as long as the upper front region 13b is not inclined downward toward the rear compared to the upper inclined region 13a, it does not have to be a flat surface, and may be any surface, such as a curved surface or a surface with a gradually changing inclination angle. Therefore, the upper front region 13b may be, for example, a curved surface that is convex upward. Alternatively, the upper front region 13b may be formed as a surface that is inclined upward toward the rear.

[0032] The left inner operation button 32, the right inner operation button 33, the left outer operation button 34, and the right outer operation button 35 (i.e., the operation buttons arranged on the top surface 13) are each arranged entirely in the upper front region 13b, as shown in Figure 2.

[0033] The left inner operation button 32 and the left outer operation button 34 are provided to the left of the center in the left-right direction of the main unit 1. In particular, the left inner operation button 32 and the left outer operation button 34 are positioned so that they can be operated by the fingers of the left hand of the user holding the main unit 1 when the user holds the main unit 1 and uses it while looking at the display 5. Therefore, the left inner operation button 32 and the left outer operation button 34 are positioned close to the left surface 15.

[0034] Furthermore, the left inner operation button 32 is disposed to the right (inner) of the left outer operation button 34. In this embodiment, the left inner operation button 32 and the left outer operation button 34 are disposed at the same position in the front-to-rear direction, that is, so as to overlap when viewed in the left-to-right direction. However, the left inner operation button 32 and the left outer operation button 34 may be disposed offset in the front-to-rear direction. In this embodiment, when viewed from above, the left outer operation button 34 is formed to extend in the left-to-right direction, and the left inner operation button 32 is formed smaller than the left outer operation button 34.

[0035] The right inner operation button 33 and the right outer operation button 35 are provided to the right of the center in the left-right direction of the main unit 1. In particular, the right inner operation button 33 and the right outer operation button 35 are positioned so that they can be operated by the fingers of the right hand of the user holding the main unit 1 when the user holds the main unit 1 and uses it while looking at the display 5. Therefore, the right inner operation button 33 and the right outer operation button 35 are positioned close to the right surface 16.

[0036] Furthermore, the right inner operation button 33 is positioned to the left (inner) of the right outer operation button 35. In this embodiment, the right inner operation button 33 and the right outer operation button 35 are positioned at the same position in the front-to-rear direction, i.e., so as to overlap when viewed in the left-to-right direction. However, the right inner operation button 33 and the right outer operation button 35 may be positioned offset in the front-to-rear direction. In this embodiment, when viewed from above, the right outer operation button 35 is formed to extend in the left-to-right direction, and the right inner operation button 33 is formed smaller than the right outer operation button 35. In this embodiment, the left inner operation button 32 and the left outer operation button 34 are formed and positioned such that the right inner operation button 33 has the same shape as the right outer operation button 35 and is line-symmetrical to the right outer operation button 35 across the center of the main unit 1 in the left-to-right direction.

[0037] Furthermore, the left inner operation button 32, the right inner operation button 33, the left outer operation button 34, and the right outer operation button 35 are arranged so as to protrude upward from the top surface 13. In this embodiment, as described above, the upper front region 13b of the top surface 13 on which these operation buttons 32 to 35 are arranged is not inclined upward or downward toward the rear. Therefore, these operation buttons 32 to 35 can be seen from the front (the front surface 11 side) by protruding from the top surface 13. Note that these operation buttons 32 are arranged so as to protrude from the top surface 13 so as to be visible from the front, even if the upper front region 13b is formed so as to be inclined slightly downward toward the rear.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the left inner operation button 32, the right inner operation button 33, the left outer operation button 34, and the right outer operation button 35 protrude from the top surface 13 by the same amount. However, the left inner operation button 32, the right inner operation button 33, the left outer operation button 34, and the right outer operation button 35 may protrude from the top surface by different amounts. For example, the left inner operation button 32 and the right inner operation button 33 may protrude by the same amount, and the left outer operation button 34 and the right outer operation button 35 may protrude by the same amount, and the left inner operation button 32 and the right inner operation button 33 may protrude by different amounts from the left outer operation button 34 and the right outer operation button 35. Furthermore, the left inner operation button 32, the right inner operation button 33, the left outer operation button 34, and the right outer operation button 35 do not have to protrude upward from the top surface 13.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 2 , the left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37 are each entirely disposed in the upward inclined region 13a. In addition, the left rear operation button 36 is disposed rearward of the left outer operation button 34 in a position overlapping the left outer operation button 34 in the left-right direction (when viewed in the front-to-rear direction). In this embodiment, the left rear operation button 36 is disposed in a position completely overlapping the left outer operation button 34 in the left-right direction, but may be disposed in a position where they partially overlap. In addition, the right rear operation button 37 is disposed rearward of the right outer operation button 35 in a position overlapping the right outer operation button 35 in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the right rear operation button 37 is disposed in a position completely overlapping the right outer operation button 35 in the left-right direction, but may be disposed in a position where they partially overlap.

[0040] The left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37 are also arranged to protrude from the top surface 13. In particular, in this embodiment, the left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37 protrude to the same extent as the other operation buttons 32 to 35 on the top surface 13. In this embodiment, the upper ends of the left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37 may be at the same position as the upper ends of the left outer operation button 34 and the right outer operation button 35 in the up-down direction. Note that, in the up-down direction, the upper ends of the left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37 may be lower than the upper ends of the left outer operation button 34 and the right outer operation button 35 and at or above the front end of the upper front region 13b, or may be lower than the front end of the upper front region 13b. Furthermore, the upper surfaces of the left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37 extend parallel to the top surface 13 in the upward inclined region 13a. Since the upward inclined region 13a in which the left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37 are arranged is inclined, the upper surfaces of the left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37 are also inclined to match the inclination of the upward inclined region 13a. The protrusion amounts of the left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37 may be different from each other or may be different from the protrusion amounts of the other operation buttons 32 to 35 on the upper surface 13. The left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37 do not have to protrude upward from the upper surface 13. The upper surfaces of the left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37 may have a downwardly convex shape that sinks in once and then rises as they extend rearward, or they may be flat without being inclined.

[0041] Note that, instead of or in addition to the left rear operation button 36, the upper inclined region 13a may be further provided with an operation button arranged at a position overlapping the left inner operation button 32 in the left-right direction (when viewed in the front-rear direction). Similarly, instead of or in addition to the right rear operation button 37, the upper inclined region 13a may be further provided with an operation button arranged at a position overlapping the right inner operation button 33 in the left-right direction (when viewed in the front-rear direction). Furthermore, the left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37 do not necessarily have to be provided.

[0042] In this embodiment, the operation surfaces of the operation buttons 32 to 37 provided on the top surface 13 are all independent of the top surface 13 and are formed of a material different from the elastic material that forms the top surface 13. In particular, these operation buttons 32 to 37 are formed of a material that is harder than the elastic material, for example, the hard resin material that forms the housing 20.

[0043] The power button 38 is one of the system buttons that causes the information processing unit to execute system processing, and specifically is a button used to start up and shut down the main unit 1. The power button 38 performs the same function of starting up and shutting down the main unit 1 regardless of the game application being executed by the information processing unit.

[0044] The volume button 39 is one of the system buttons, and specifically, is a button used to adjust the volume emitted from the speaker of the main unit 1. The volume button 39 also performs the same function of controlling the volume regardless of the game application being executed by the information processing unit.

[0045] The power button 38 and the volume buttons 39 (i.e., the system buttons arranged on the top surface 13) are each arranged entirely in the upward inclined region 13a, as shown in Fig. 2. Therefore, the power button 38 and the volume buttons 39 are arranged behind (towards the rear surface 12) the left inner operation button 32, the right inner operation button 33, the left outer operation button 34, and the right outer operation button 35.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the power button 38 and the volume button 39 are arranged between the left inner operation button 32 and the right inner operation button 33 in the left-right direction. The power button 38 and the volume button 39 are arranged in a position that is out of reach or difficult to reach with the fingers of a user holding the main unit 1, for example. Therefore, in this embodiment, the power button 38 and the volume button 39 are arranged inside all of the operation buttons 32 to 37 arranged on the top surface 13 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the power button 38 and the volume button 39 are arranged so as to overlap with the left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37 in the front-to-back direction (when viewed in the left-to-right direction). Note that the power button 38 and the volume button 39 do not have to be arranged between the left inner operation button 32 and the right inner operation button 33 in the left-to-right direction. Furthermore, the power button 38 and the volume button 39 may be arranged so as not to overlap with the left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37 in the front-to-back direction.

[0047] Additionally, in this embodiment, the amount by which the power button 38 and the volume buttons 39 protrude from the top surface 13 is smaller than the amount by which the operation buttons 32 to 37 provided on the top surface 13 protrude from the top surface 13. The power button 38 and the volume buttons 39 are arranged to protrude slightly from the top surface 13. Because the upward inclined region 13a on which the power button 38 and the volume buttons 39 are provided is inclined downward toward the rear, the power button 38 and the volume buttons 39, which are arranged in the upward inclined region 13a so as to protrude only slightly from the top surface 13, cannot be seen from the front. In other words, the power button 38 and the volume buttons 39 are arranged so as not to protrude from the top surface 13 (so as to be flush with the top surface 13), or they may be arranged so as to protrude to the same extent as the operation buttons 32 to 37 provided on the top surface 13.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the power button 38 and the volume buttons 39 (i.e., the system buttons arranged on the top surface 13) are formed integrally with the top surface 13 using an elastic material. Therefore, the operation surfaces of the power button 38 and the volume buttons 39 are formed using the same material as the elastic material that forms the top surface 13. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the operation surfaces of the power button 38 and the volume buttons 39 are formed using a material that is different from the material that forms the operation surfaces of the operation buttons 32 to 37 provided on the top surface 13.

[0049] The exhaust holes 50 are openings for discharging air that has absorbed heat from electronic components housed or mounted within the housing 20 to the outside of the housing 20. The exhaust holes 50 extend through the upper side wall 23. As shown in FIG. 2 , each of the exhaust holes 50 is entirely located in the upward inclined region 13a. Therefore, the exhaust holes 50 are located rearward (toward the rear surface 12) of the left inner operation button 32, the right inner operation button 33, the left outer operation button 34, and the right outer operation button 35.

[0050] 2, a plurality of exhaust holes 50 are provided on the top surface 13 and aligned in the left-right direction. These exhaust holes 50 are also arranged between the left inner operation button 32 and the right inner operation button 33 in the left-right direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, these exhaust holes 50 are arranged inside all of the operation buttons 32 to 37 arranged on the top surface 13 in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, these exhaust holes 50 are also arranged so as not to overlap in the left-right direction (when viewed in the front-to-back direction) with all of the operation buttons 32 to 37 arranged on the top surface 13.

[0051] Note that only a portion of each of the left inner operation button 32, the right inner operation button 33, the left outer operation button 34, and the right outer operation button 35 may be located in the upper front region 13b. In any case, as long as the left inner operation button 32, the right inner operation button 33, the left outer operation button 34, and the right outer operation button 35 are located on the upper surface 13 and are located forward of the power button 38 and the volume buttons 39, each of them does not have to be located in part or in whole in the upper front region 13b. Also, only a portion of each of the left rear operation button 36, the right rear operation button 37, the power button 38, the volume buttons 39, and the air vent 50 may be located in the upward inclined region 13a. In any case, as long as the left rear operation button 36, the right rear operation button 37, the power button 38, the volume button 39 and the exhaust hole 50 are arranged on the upper surface 13 and are arranged rearward of the left inner operation button 32, the right inner operation button 33, the left outer operation button 34 or the right outer operation button 35, it is not necessary for a portion of each of them to be arranged in the upward inclined region 13a.

[0052] 3 and 4, the bottom surface 14 of the main unit 1 is formed to have a lower front region (lower front region) 14b whose front end is connected to the front surface 11, and a downwardly inclined region 14a located rearward and above the lower front region 14b. Also, as shown in Fig. 3, the bottom surface 14 is provided with a capture button 40, a home button 41, and an air intake vent 51.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 3 , the downwardly inclined region 14a of the lower surface 14 is formed between the lower front region 14b and the rear surface 12. The downwardly inclined region 14a is inclined upward toward the rear (toward the rear surface 12). In this embodiment, the downwardly inclined region 14a is formed as a flat surface inclined upward toward the rear. However, like the upper inclined region 13a of the upper surface 13, the downwardly inclined region 14a of the lower surface 14 does not necessarily have to be a flat surface as long as it is inclined downward toward the rear. Furthermore, the region located rearward of the lower front region 14b (the lower rear region, corresponding to the downwardly inclined region 14a) does not necessarily have to have an inclined portion as long as it is located above the lower front region 14b.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 3 , the lower front region 14b of the lower surface 14 is formed between the front surface 11 and the lower inclined region 14a. The lower front region 14b is not inclined upward toward the rear compared to the lower inclined region 14a. In this embodiment, the lower front region 14b is not inclined either upward or downward toward the rear. Therefore, in this embodiment, the lower front region 14b is formed as a flat surface extending perpendicular to the up-down direction. However, like the upper front region 13b of the upper surface 13, the lower front region 14b of the lower surface 14 does not have to be a flat surface as long as it is not inclined downward toward the rear compared to the lower inclined region 14a.

[0055] The capture button 40 is a button used to save the screen image displayed on the display 5. The capture button 40 performs the same function of saving the image regardless of the game application being executed by the information processing unit.

[0056] The home button 41 is a button used to open a home menu screen. When the home button 41 is pressed while a game application is running, a home menu screen is displayed on the display 5 instead of or in addition to the screen of the application. The home menu screen displays a list of applications, including game applications, that can be launched in the game system 100. The home menu screen may also include an item for transitioning to a settings screen for determining settings for the main unit 1 (e.g., settings such as the illuminance and contrast of the display 5, communication settings, etc.). The home button 41 also performs the same function of opening the home menu screen, regardless of the game application being executed by the information processing unit.

[0057] The capture button 40 and the home button 41 (i.e., the system buttons arranged on the lower surface 14) are each arranged entirely in the lower front region 14b, as shown in Fig. 3. The capture button 40 and the home button 41 are arranged so as to protrude slightly downward from the lower surface 14. In this embodiment, the amount of protrusion of the capture button 40 and the home button 41 from the lower surface 14 is the same as the amount of protrusion of the power button 38 and the volume buttons 39 from the upper surface 13. However, the capture button 40 and the home button 41 may also be arranged so as not to protrude from the lower surface 14, and in particular so as to be flush with the lower surface 14.

[0058] Note that only a portion of each of the capture button 40 and the home button 41 may be located in the lower front region 14b, or the entirety of one of the capture button 40 and the home button 41 may be located in the downward inclined region 14a.

[0059] The air intake holes 51 are openings for drawing outside air into the housing 20 to cool electronic components housed or mounted within the housing 20. The air intake holes 51 extend through the lower sidewall 23. As shown in FIG. 3 , each of the air intake holes 51 is entirely located in the downward inclined region 14a. Therefore, in this embodiment, the air intake holes 51 are located behind the capture button 40 and the home button 41. Note that each of the air intake holes 51 may be partially located in the downward inclined region 14a, or entirely located in the lower front region 14b.

[0060] <Configuration of Power Button> Next, the configuration of the power button 38, which is one of the system buttons, will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the main unit 1 taken along line VV in Fig. 2.

[0061] 5, the upper side wall 23 has a base portion 23a made of a metal material or a hard resin material and an elastic portion 23b made of an elastic material and disposed on the outer side (above) of the base portion 23a. In this embodiment, the elastic portion 23b is disposed so as to cover the base portion 23a.

[0062] In this embodiment, the power button 38 is integrally formed with the elastic portion 23b and is therefore made of the same elastic material. The power button 38 is provided at a position corresponding to the opening 23c formed in the base portion 23a. Therefore, the base portion 23a is not located below the power button 38, and the power button 38 can move up and down along its axis X, which extends in the pressing direction.

[0063] 5 , a switch 55 is provided below the power button 38 so as to be in contact with the power button 38. The switch 55 functions as a detection device that detects when the user presses the power button 38. When the user presses the power button 38, the switch 55 transmits a signal corresponding to this operation to the information processing unit. In particular, in this embodiment, when the plunger of the switch 55 is pressed along the axis Y that extends in the pressing direction of the switch 55, the switch 55 transmits a signal corresponding to the pressing of the plunger to the information processing unit.

[0064] 5 , the switch 55 is disposed so that its axis Y extends parallel to the axis X of the power button 38. In addition, the switch 55 is disposed so that its axis Y is offset forward from the axis X of the power button 38. As a result, the power button 38 comes into contact with the switch 55 while being offset rearward relative to the switch 55.

[0065] Note that system switches other than the power button 38 may also be configured in the same manner as the power button 38. Furthermore, the power button 38 may be disposed so that its axis Y is coaxial with the axis X of the power button 38 or is shifted rearward. Furthermore, any type of switch may be used as the detection device that detects pressing of the power button 38.

[0066] <Effects> In the game system 100 according to the above embodiment, the left inner operation button 32, the right inner operation button 33, the left outer operation button 34, and the right outer operation button 35 are arranged on the top surface 13 of the main unit 1. Therefore, two operation buttons are arranged side by side in each of the left and right areas of the top surface 13. This makes it possible to reduce the number of operation buttons provided on the front surface 11, thereby making the main unit 1 more compact overall.

[0067] Furthermore, since the top surface 13 of the main unit 1 is easily accessible to the user, locating the system button there provides high convenience for the user. However, if the system button is also provided on the top surface 13 in addition to the four operation buttons, the left inner operation button 32, the right inner operation button 33, the left outer operation button 34, and the right outer operation button 35, the user may become confused and press the wrong button.

[0068] According to the game system 100 according to the embodiment, the four operation buttons 32 to 35 are positioned in a more visible location than the system buttons, the power button 38 and the volume buttons 39, and are positioned next to each other so that two buttons can be operated with one hand, thereby reducing the risk of pressing the wrong button. In addition, the system buttons, the power button 38 and the volume buttons 39, are positioned further back than the four operation buttons 32 to 35 and in the upwardly inclined region 13a, making them less visible to the user from the front, reducing the risk of the user pressing the wrong button. Furthermore, because the buttons unnecessary for game operation are less visible to the user, the user can concentrate on the game operation.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the four operation buttons 32 to 35 are arranged to protrude from the top surface 13 so as to be visible from the front. On the other hand, the power button 38 and the volume button 39, which are system buttons, are arranged so as not to be visible from the front. In particular, in the above embodiment, the four operation buttons 32 to 35 protrude from the top surface 13 by a greater amount than the power button 38 and the volume button 39, which are also system buttons. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the four operation buttons 32 to 35 are provided in the upper front region 13b, which has a small or no downward rearward slope, and each system button is entirely arranged in the upward slope region 13a, which is inclined downward rearward. As a result, the four operation buttons 32 to 35 are easily visible to the user from the front, while the system buttons are difficult to see from the front. This prevents the user from getting confused and pressing the wrong button, and allows the user to concentrate on playing the game.

[0070] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the capture button 40 and the home button 41, which are system buttons, are provided in the lower front region 14b of the lower surface 14, which has a small or no upward rearward slope. As a result, the system buttons are easily visible when the user looks at the lower surface 14 to access them. However, when the user holds the main unit 1 to play a game, the lower surface 14 is difficult for the user to see. Therefore, even if the system buttons are provided in the lower front region 14b of the lower surface 14, the system buttons are difficult for the user to see, which reduces the user's chance of pressing the wrong button and does not interfere with the user's concentration on game operations.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the system buttons, the power button 38 and the volume button 39, are arranged in the left-right direction between the left inner operation button 32 and the right inner operation button 33. As a result, the system buttons are arranged far from the hand of the user holding the main unit 1, which reduces the chance of the user accidentally pressing the system buttons.

[0072] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the power button 38 and the volume button 39, which are system buttons, are provided at positions overlapping in the front-to-back direction with the left rear operation button 36 and the right rear operation button 37. This allows the thickness of the main unit 1 in the front-to-back direction to be reduced, thereby making the main unit 1 more compact.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the exhaust hole 50 on the top surface 13 is located between the left inner operation button 32 and the right inner operation button 33 in the left-right direction, and is also located in the upward inclined region 13a. As a result, the exhaust hole 50 is located far from the hand of a user holding the main unit 1, which prevents the user from touching the exhaust hole 50. In addition, the exhaust hole 50 is less visible to the user.

[0074] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the system buttons, the power button 38 and the volume button 39, are integrally formed with the top surface 13 using an elastic material and are formed from a material different from the four operation buttons 32 to 35. This makes the power button 38 and the volume button 39 visually less noticeable. Furthermore, because the feel of the power button 38 and the volume button 39 is the same as that of the top surface 13, the power button 38 and the volume button 39 can be made less noticeable when touched by the user. This prevents the user from pressing the wrong button and allows the user to concentrate on game operation. Meanwhile, because the four operation buttons 32 to 35 are formed from a material different from that of the top surface 13, the power button 38, and the volume button 39, the four operation buttons 32 to 35 can be made more noticeable tactilely.

[0075] Additionally, in the above embodiment, the switch 55 is positioned such that its axis Y is offset forward from the axis X of the power button 38. Here, because the power button 38 is provided in the upward inclined region 13a, there is a possibility that the user will press the front side of the power button 38 at an angle toward the downward front hole rather than straight down. In this case, the power button 38 will be pressed so that it tilts forward or rotates forward. Because the axis Y of the switch 55 is offset forward from the axis X of the power button 38, the power button 38 can reliably press the switch 55 even if the power button 38 is pressed so that it tilts forward or rotates forward.

[0076] <Modifications> In the above embodiment, the information processing unit of the game system 100 is housed in the housing 20 of the main unit 1. However, the information processing unit may be provided outside the main unit 1. Specifically, the information processing unit may be provided in an external server or a game console separate from the main unit 1. In this case, the main unit 1 is configured to communicate with the external information processing unit wirelessly or via a cable. Through such communication, input signals from the input device of the main unit 1 are transmitted to the information processing unit, and image signals and audio signals from the information processing unit are transmitted to the main unit 1.

[0077] Furthermore, the main unit 1 may be configured to be connected to an external monitor via a wired or wireless connection, thereby displaying images on the external monitor instead of or in addition to the display 5 of the main unit 1. Furthermore, if the main unit 1 is capable of executing game applications, it may also be configured to be able to execute other applications.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the power button 38 and the volume buttons 39 are provided on the top surface 13, and the capture button 40 and the home button 41 are provided on the bottom surface 14. However, as long as at least one of the system buttons 38 to 41 is provided on the top surface 13, each of the system buttons 38 to 41 may be located on either the top surface 13 or the bottom surface 14. Therefore, for example, instead of the power button 38, the capture button 40 may be provided on the top surface 13 in the same manner as the power button 38. Also, instead of the home button 41, the power button 38 may be provided on the bottom surface 14 in the same manner as the home button 41. Furthermore, some of the four types of system buttons having different functions may not be provided. In addition, a system button having a function different from these four types of system buttons may be provided.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the exhaust hole 50 is provided on the upper surface 13, and the intake hole 51 is provided on the lower surface 14. However, the exhaust hole 50 and the intake hole 51 may be provided on any of the rear surface 12, the upper surface 13, the lower surface 14, the left surface 15, and the right surface 16. Therefore, for example, the intake hole may be provided on the upper surface 13, and the exhaust hole may be provided on the lower surface 14. In this case, the intake hole may be located at the same position as the exhaust hole 50 in the above embodiment, or at a different position. Similarly, the exhaust hole may be located at the same position as the intake hole 51 in the above embodiment, or at a different position.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12 have a rectangular shape, and therefore the top surface 13, bottom surface 14, left surface 15, and right surface 16 extend linearly. However, the front surface 11 and the rear surface 12 may have other shapes, such as a rounded rectangular shape. In this case, the top surface 13 may be curved at both ends, and the left outer operation button 34, the right outer operation button 35, the left rear operation button 36, and the right rear operation button 37 may be formed to curve along the curvature of the top surface 13.

[0081] Although the 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.

[0082] 1 Main unit 5 Display 31 to 37 Operation buttons 38 to 41 System buttons 45 Joystick 50 Exhaust hole 51 Intake hole

Claims

1. A system comprising an information processing unit that executes a game application and a portable main unit, the main unit comprising: a front surface on which a display is provided; a rear surface located opposite the front surface; a top surface that connects the front surface and the rear surface and has an upper front region whose front end connects to the front surface and an upper rear region located rearward and below the upper front region; operation buttons that cause the information processing unit to execute processes respectively determined in the game application being executed; and system buttons that cause the information processing unit to execute predetermined system processes, the operation buttons comprising a left outer operation button and a left inner operation button located on the top surface to the left of the center in the left-right direction of the main unit, and a right outer operation button and a right inner operation button located on the top surface to the right of the center in the left-right direction of the main unit, the left outer operation button and the left inner operation button being positioned so as to be operated by the fingers of the left hand of a user holding the main unit, and the left inner operation button being located to the right of the left outer operation button, the right outer operation button and the right inner operation button are positioned at positions that allow them to be operated by the fingers of a user's right hand holding the main unit, and the right inner operation button is positioned to the left of the right outer operation button, and the system button is positioned on the top surface toward the rear of the left outer operation button, the left inner operation button, the right outer operation button, and the right inner operation button, and at least a portion of the system button is positioned in the upper rear area.

2. The system described in claim 1, wherein the left outer operation button, the left inner operation button, the right outer operation button and the right inner operation button are arranged to protrude from the top surface so as to be visible from the front side, and the system button is arranged so as not to be visible from the front side.

3. A system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the amount of protrusion of the left outer operation button, the left inner operation button, the right outer operation button and the right inner operation button from the top surface is greater than the amount of protrusion of the system button from the top surface.

4. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least a portion of each operation button is arranged in the upper front region, and the system button is arranged in its entirety in the upper rear region.

5. The system described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the main unit further comprises a lower surface connecting the front and rear surfaces and positioned opposite the upper surface, the lower surface having a lower front side region whose front end connects to the front surface and a lower rear side region positioned rearward and above the lower front side region, the main unit being provided with a plurality of system buttons, some of the system buttons being provided on the lower surface, and at least some of the system buttons provided on the lower surface being provided in the lower front side region.

6. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the system button provided on the top surface is positioned between the left inner operation button and the right inner operation button in the left-right direction.

7. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the main body device further comprises a rear operation button on the top surface rearward of the left outer operation button and the right outer operation button, and the system button provided on the top surface is positioned so as to overlap with the rear operation button in the front-to-rear direction.

8. A system as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the main unit further comprises an intake hole for drawing air into the main unit or an exhaust hole for expelling air from within the main unit, the intake hole or the exhaust hole being positioned in the upper rear side area, between the left inner operation button and the right inner operation button in the left-right direction and rearward of the left inner operation button and the right inner operation button in the front-to-rear direction.

9. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein at least a portion of the top surface and an operating surface of the system button are integrally formed from an elastic material.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the operating surface of the operating button is formed of a material different from the elastic material.

11. A system as described in claim 9 or 10, wherein the main unit further comprises a switch capable of communicating with the information processing unit and detecting pressing of the system button, the switch being positioned such that an axis extending in the direction of pressing the switch is shifted toward the front side relative to an axis extending in the direction of pressing the system button.

Images