Nintendo patents may reveal new Switch features

A series of patents filed by Nintendo may offer up a look at some unannounced features for the Switch.

Over the last few months Nintendo has filed a number of patents that seem to relate to the recently announced Switch console. The drawings in the patents seem to show the main tablet device, and point out a number of features that are so far unannounced.

The patents, which were discovered by Polygon, mainly focus on the tablet portion of the device, and one lists potential input methods. These include a touch screen, geomagnetic compass, camera and GPS receiver along with the more standard microphone, speaker and vibration motor.

Interestingly there is also an infrared camera, a light-emitting distance measuring sensor, an infrared emitter and a projector on one side of the device. The patent goes on to list potential uses of these components, saying a player could throw a baseball that was projected onto their hand back into the screen.

Other patents seem to suggest that the Switch can have multiple controller types, and further explain the mysterious projection and infrared components.

It is worth noting that just because some patents from Nintendo have turned out to be the Switch, it doesn’t mean these will make it into the final retail version. One patent suggests that there will be a camera on the back of the tablet for the Switch, but none of the official images sent over by Nintendo include a camera anywhere on the device.