A new leak has been discovered regarding Microsoft and their plans for 2019 (courtesy of WindowsLatest)! Sadly, these don’t include anything about the next generation of consoles, but instead, show patents for new controller designs.
One of the new design features covers triggers with an input device that sports linear geared feedback.
“A user-input device includes a user-actuatable trigger configured to pivot about a trigger axis, a rack gear interfacing with the user-actuatable trigger, a force-feedback motor including a drive gear interfacing with the rack gear, and a posture sensor configured to determine a posture of the user-actuatable trigger about the trigger axis.
“The force-feedback motor is configured to drive the rack gear based on a force-feedback signal.”
A second patent was also granted, titled “MOTOR-DRIVEN ADJUSTABLE-TENSION TRIGGER” for
Here’s the description for the second patent:
“A user-input device includes a user-actuatable trigger configured to pivot about a trigger axis, a rack gear, a return spring operatively intermediate the user-actuatable trigger and the rack gear, a force-feedback motor and a posture sensor configured to determine a posture of the user-actuatable trigger about the trigger axis.
“The return spring is configured to forward bias the user-actuatable trigger toward an extended posture. The force-feedback motor is configured to drive the rack gear based on a force-feedback signal and thereby adjust a spring force applied by the return spring to the user-actuatable trigger”
2019 is shaping up to be a huge year for Xbox gamers, which is greatly needed for Microsoft to stand up to the likes of Nintendo in the coming years.