EP-4736973-A1 - GAME DEVICE AND GAME SYSTEM

EP4736973A1EP 4736973 A1EP4736973 A1EP 4736973A1EP-4736973-A1

Abstract

A main body apparatus, which is an example of a game apparatus, is removably attachable to a controller. The main body apparatus includes a housing and a magnet. The housing houses an electronic circuit. The magnet is conductive and attracts the controller by magnetic force to attach the controller to the main body apparatus. The magnet is electrically connected to the ground of the electronic circuit. In the state where the controller is attached to the main body apparatus, the controller is attracted to the main body apparatus by the attracting force by the magnet.

Inventors

HIROSE, SHINJI
KORIYAMA, KAZUHIKO
FUJITA, TOMOKI
IKUTA, HIROKI
NABE, Shusuke
ITO, KUNIAKI
GOTO, HIROKI

Assignees

Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20230801

Claims (20)

A game apparatus that is removably attachable to a controller, the game apparatus comprising: a housing that houses an electronic circuit; and a first magnet that is conductive and that is configured to attract the controller by magnetic force to attach the controller to the game apparatus, wherein: the first magnet is electrically connected to ground of the electronic circuit.
The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: a first through hole running through the housing is formed; and at least a part of the first magnet is arranged in the first through hole.
The game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a portion of the first magnet other than the part that is arranged in the first through hole is housed in the housing.
The game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an opening of the first through hole outside the housing is covered by an insulative member.
The game apparatus according to any one of claim 1 to claim 4, further comprising: a yoke that is conductive and forms a magnetic circuit with the first magnet, wherein: the yoke is electrically connected to the ground of the electronic circuit.
The game apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a yoke that is conductive and forms a magnetic circuit with the first magnet, wherein: at least a part of the first magnet and at least a part of the yoke are arranged in the first through hole.
The game apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the yoke protrudes more than the first magnet in an outward direction, the outward direction being defined as a direction from an opening of the first through hole on an inner side of the housing toward an opening of the first through hole on an outer side of the housing.
The game apparatus according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein: the yoke includes: a first portion at least a part of which is located in the first through hole; and a second portion that is located in the housing and that is longer than an opening of the first through hole on an inner side of the housing in a state where the yoke is arranged in place.
The game apparatus according to claim 7, wherein an area of the housing that opposes a first portion of the yoke and an area of the housing that opposes a second portion of the yoke are made of an insulative member.
The game apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a pressing member that presses at least one of the first magnet and the yoke in the outward direction.
The game apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a first conductive member that is conductive and electrically connects the first magnet and the yoke.
The game apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first conductive member is sandwiched between the pressing member and a magnet unit, the magnet unit including the first magnet and the yoke, in a direction parallel to the outward direction.
The game apparatus according to claim 11, wherein: the game apparatus comprises, as the yoke, a first yoke that is in contact with one side of the first magnet and a second yoke that is in contact with the other side of the first magnet; and the game apparatus further comprises: a second conductive member that is conductive and is arranged between the second yoke and a metal portion of the housing or a metal member in the housing connected to the ground of the electronic circuit, thereby electrically connecting the second yoke and the metal portion or the metal member.
The game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: a recessed portion is formed on an outside surface of the housing; and the first through hole is formed at a bottom of the recessed portion.
The game apparatus according to claim 14, wherein: a second through hole running through the housing is formed at the bottom of the recessed portion, and the game apparatus further comprise: a second magnet that is conductive and at least a part of which is arranged in the second through hole, the second magnet being capable of attracting the controller attached to the game apparatus by magnetic force; and a game apparatus-side terminal that is arranged between the first magnet and the second magnet as the recessed portion is seen from an open side of the recessed portion, the game apparatus-side terminal being connectable to a controller-side terminal of the controller.
The game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: a predetermined surface of the housing includes a metal portion connected to the ground of the electronic circuit; and an opening of the first through hole is formed on the predetermined surface.
The game apparatus according to claim 16, wherein an inner surface of the first through hole is made of an insulative member different from the metal portion.
The game apparatus according to claim 16 or claim 17, wherein: the predetermined surface is a side surface that connects a front surface and a rear surface of the housing; the electronic circuit is arranged in the housing at a position sandwiched by a metal member with respect to a direction from the front surface toward the rear surface of the housing; and the metal member is at least one of a metal frame portion of the housing that is electrically connected to the ground of the electronic circuit and a metal frame housed in the housing that is electrically connected to the ground of the electronic circuit.
The game apparatus according to claim 16 or claim 17, wherein a metal frame portion of the housing is made of non-magnetic metal.
The game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the controller comprises a magnetic sensor; the game apparatus includes a front surface, a rear surface on a side opposite to the front surface, an upper surface, a lower surface, and two side surfaces; the first magnet is provided in an upper side portion of one of the two side surfaces; the game apparatus further comprises a second magnet that is conductive and that is arranged in a lower side portion of said one of the side surfaces, the second magnet being configured to attract the controller attached to the game apparatus by magnetic force; the first magnet is provided in such an orientation that a first polarity faces the front surface side and a second polarity faces the rear surface side; and the second magnet is provided in such an orientation that the second polarity faces the front surface side and the first polarity faces the rear surface side.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a game system that includes a controller and a game apparatus that can be attached to and detached from the controller. BACKGROUND ART There has been an information processing system in which a controller can be attached to and detached from a main body apparatus (see, for example, PTL 1). CITATION LIST PATENT LITERATURE PTL 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2017-4523 SUMMARY OF INVENTION PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION With regard to an information processing system in which a controller can be attached to and detached from a main body apparatus, there is a demand for realizing an information processing system with a configuration that has not been seen before. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus or a game system with a novel configuration. MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS In order to solve this problem, the present invention employs configurations (1) to (25) below. (1) An example of the present invention is a game apparatus that is removably attachable to a controller. The game apparatus includes a housing and a first magnet. The housing houses an electronic circuit. The first magnet is conductive and attracts the controller by magnetic force to attach the controller to the game apparatus. The first magnet is electrically connected to ground of the electronic circuit.(2) A first through hole running through the housing may be formed. At least a part of the first magnet may be arranged in the first through hole.(3) A portion of the first magnet other than the part that is arranged in the first through hole may be housed in the housing.(4) An opening of the first through hole outside the housing may be covered by an insulative member.(5) The game apparatus may further include a yoke. The yoke is conductive and forms a magnetic circuit with the first magnet. The yoke is electrically connected to the ground of the electronic circuit.(6) The game apparatus may further include a yoke. The yoke is conductive and forms a magnetic circuit with the first magnet. At least a part of the first magnet and at least a part of the yoke are arranged in the first through hole.(7) The yoke may protrude more than the first magnet in an outward direction, where a direction from an opening of the first through hole on an inner side of the housing toward an opening of the first through hole on an outer side of the housing is defined as the outward direction .(8) The yoke may include a first portion and a second portion. At least a part of the first portion is located in the first through hole. The second portion is located in the housing and is longer than the opening of the first through hole on an inner side of the housing in a state where the yoke is arranged in place.(9) An area of the housing that opposes the first portion of the yoke and an area of the housing that opposes the second portion of the yoke may be made of an insulative member.(10) The game apparatus may further include a pressing member. The pressing member presses at least one of the first magnet and the yoke in the outward direction.(11) The game apparatus may further include a first conductive member that is conductive. The first conductive member electrically connects the first magnet and the yoke.(12) The first conductive member may be sandwiched between the pressing member and a magnet unit, the magnet unit including the first magnet and the yoke, in a direction parallel to the outward direction.(13) The game apparatus may comprise, as the yoke, a first yoke and a second yoke. The first yoke is in contact with one side of the first magnet. The second yoke is in contact with the other side of the first magnet. The game apparatus may further comprise a second conductive member that is conductive. The second conductive member is arranged between the second yoke and a metal portion of the housing or a metal member in the housing connected to the ground of the electronic circuit, thereby electrically connecting the second yoke and the metal portion or the metal member.(14) A recessed portion may be formed on an outside surface of the housing. The first through hole may be formed at a bottom of the recessed portion.(15) A second through hole running through the housing may be formed at the bottom of the recessed portion. The game apparatus may further comprise a second magnet and a game apparatus-side terminal. The second magnet is conductive and at least a part of the second magnet is arranged in the second through hole, wherein the second magnet is capable of attracting the controller attached to the game apparatus by magnetic force. The game apparatus-side terminal is arranged between the first magnet and the second magnet as the recessed portion is seen from an open side of the recessed portion, wherein the game apparatus-side terminal is connectable to a controller-side terminal of the controller.(16) A predetermined surface of the housing may includ