Sony Patents Modular Controller Consisting of Connectable Blocks

Sony has filed a patent with the United States Patents and Trademarks Office (USPTO) for a modular controller which uses connectable blocks. 

Images supplied with the application show that the controller could be arranged to form a gun or knife and the design and layout of the controller would then be read by the PlayStation Camera. 

The discovery of the patent was made by NeoGAF and Sony Computer Entertainment Japan submitted the application on September 13th, 2013 before its publication on January 16th. 

A summary of the patent reads: 

"A block tool, which can be assembled by a user, is configured with multiple types of blocks and is shot by a camera for capturing a still image or a moving image. The position coordinates of a marker of the square-pillar block in a three-dimensional space are obtained by image recognition.

"Also, a connecting position and the type of each block, a gradient vector of the square-pillar block, an angle between two blocks constituting the square-pillar block, and the respective blocks' lengths are obtained so as to derive the shape, posture, and position of the block tool, and corresponding information processing is then performed."

There have been numerous other controller patents filed by Sony in recent years including one which would have combined the PlayStation Move and DualShock and another which revamped PS Move.