Remote Play Terminal Layout for Controller-Like Game Input

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing remote play technologies do not provide a suitable terminal device for users to play games from a remote location, lacking ergonomic and functional input mechanisms for seamless game operation.

Innovation Solution

A terminal device with a display device and operation elements on both sides, setting operation regions to emulate game controller functions, allowing users to input data and receive game images and sounds for remote play.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a traditional game controller is used for remote play, then the operation experience is familiar and comfortable, but the user cannot play games from a remote location away from the game device

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation experienceVSAvoidremote play capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

A terminal device serves as an intermediary between the user and the remote game device. The terminal device includes a display device for showing game images and input sections with operation elements for receiving user operations, transmitting these operations to the remote game device while maintaining familiar controller-like operation experience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system is divided into separate components: a remote game device that executes the game and a terminal device that provides the user interface. This segmentation allows the user to interact with the game from a remote location while the actual game processing occurs at the distant game device

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If operation elements are integrated into the display device, then the device structure is simplified, but the operation elements are not easily accessible for remote play

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice structureVSAvoidoperation element accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal device features input sections positioned asymmetrically outside the display device, specifically arranged to be easily accessible by the user's hands during operation, rather than integrating controls directly into the display surface where they would be difficult to reach

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of placing operation elements on the two-dimensional display surface, the input sections are positioned in three-dimensional space outside the display device, allowing natural hand access while maintaining a clean display area

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of operation

If the terminal device includes input sections outside the display device, then operation element accessibility is improved, but the device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation element accessibilityVSAvoiddevice size
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The input sections are positioned at specific locations outside the display device where they are most accessible to the user's hands, concentrating the operational interface in strategic areas rather than distributing controls across the entire device surface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4726521A1Terminal device and game image display method
Publication Date: 2026.04.15 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
  • EP4726521A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4726521A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4726521A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A terminal device 100 includes a touch panel 160 that has a rectangular display region, a first input section 163 that is disposed outside a left side of the touch panel 160 and has at least one operation element, a second input section 164 that is disposed outside a right side of the touch panel 160 and has at least one operation element, and a controller. The controller sets a first operation region in a left part of the display region, sets a second operation region in a right part of the display region, receives input data regarding a user operation performed on the first operation region and/or the second operation region, transmits the input data to a game device, receives game image data from the game device, and displays the game image on the touch panel 160.