Patent hints at PSP redesign

Filing with USPTO raises possibility of a new, screen-swiveling portable from Sony.

Last March, a rumor surfaced from a PSP in Education event hinting at a PlayStation Portable redesign. One of the more perplexing tidbits offered up by Sony Computer Entertainment UK managing director Ray Maguire was that despite being smaller and lighter, one of the PSP's most attractive elements, its screen, would emerge from the slimming unscathed. Some light has been shed on how Sony might pull this feat off in a filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which was updated last week.

Sony's screen swiveler.

In question is a patent for Sony's much-speculated-upon mobile-communication-equipped PSP, which details a way to switch between gaming functionality and phone functionality on the fly. According to a diagram (pictured) accompanying the patent, which was first filed last November, this is done by rotating the screen and a portion of the face buttons 90 degrees. The system would be equipped with a sensor that could detect the position of the screen, which in turn would determine the handheld's video output. The patent also details a third position for the screen, which would control TV and video function.

While promising, the patent is not concrete proof that a new PSP is being made, since many prospective designs are registered but never put into production. However, in May, Sony announced it would be joining with UK telecom service provider BT to bring wireless broadband communication to the PSP. Such a service would allow for voice and video calls, as well as text messaging, by integrating BT products into the PSP.

427 Comments

  • arnoldarm

    Posted May 17, 2009 12:15 am PT

    that is the ugliest design i've seen yet, but im really confused at what the redesign will look like because almost every article i've read comes up with all these other hideous psp's. heres hoping it will look like this: http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/resources/2008/02/2257628900_77906cf29f_o-12.jpg

  • forgiven_beast

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 4:20 pm PT

    Well i have read all the comments and just judging from thier comments I tink the psp lite is gonna suck although it will have improved loading times,tv imput,3.60 firmware,better gaming experience,lengthened battery life,more effective speakers,a PS logo,speakers,a stick,a dpad,youtube and wikipedia,it will still suck

  • spedinc

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 7:39 pm PT

    if it was only a bit slimmer.. it would be king ****

  • mosE_D

    Posted Jul 21, 2007 8:29 am PT

    Sony wants to put as many things as they can into it! Guys is not a car!!! The present PSP is great. Leave it the way it is!

  • ub3132

    Posted Jul 13, 2007 11:43 pm PT

    they should show a chart of compaing

  • miningguy

    Posted Jul 12, 2007 8:10 am PT

    i think this would work better with a dual slider

  • karnovrpg

    Posted Jul 11, 2007 4:31 pm PT

    I don't care if it makes toast, just fix the controller!

  • Zeppolie

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 9:03 am PT

    Now honestly y don't they just add t-vo to the psp also i mean they'r gonna have everything else.

  • Panzer88mm

    Posted Jun 12, 2007 7:35 pm PT

    Thats ok, I grew out of pokemon years ago

  • Ocram_Zepol

    Posted Jun 12, 2007 7:08 pm PT

    Panzer88mm, Just get a DS.

  • lil-maxy

    Posted Jun 12, 2007 11:44 am PT

    If the psp is going to be this big then there will be no point of buying it because i dont think it will be able to fit in peoples pockets.

  • Panzer88mm

    Posted Jun 12, 2007 9:39 am PT

    What would be sweet is if the screen was a touch screen and it detached to become a more portable music/video player. That way you wouldn't have a bulky psp to carry around. Think about it. Make it happen sony.

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Jun 12, 2007 3:35 am PT

    That looks way worse than the first N-gage.

  • ElmorePOW

    Posted Jun 11, 2007 5:52 pm PT

    Hmm, there is nothing wrong with PSP's controls, maybe they won't suit to FPS-games, but I don't think they are at their best at PSP anyways. Playing MGS: PO, those controls are just perfect. You forget one thing - making analog stick for portable console is achievement of it's own. And, if you compare the screensize and the graphics PSP produces to the amount of battery life - it's really astonishing piece of hardware. And, they really packed that into a smallest possible package already. Most of the people should play PSP, I mean not try, but play - before they open their mouth. As somebody already said, don't fix it if it's not broken.

  • Ocram_Zepol

    Posted Jun 11, 2007 5:46 pm PT

    That looks... disgusting.

  • ElmorePOW

    Posted Jun 11, 2007 5:37 pm PT

    Hey! First time I don't care if it's a PSP redesign, cause if it's that kind of redesign - I don't wan't it! I love my original, without any tilting screens and stuff! Go PSP, I love you.

  • Pr3curs0r0fwar

    Posted Jun 11, 2007 1:44 pm PT

    I think they might as well add a blender to the thing to that way wile im talking and playing a game I can make a delicious smoothie too... idiots

  • X-7

    Posted Jun 11, 2007 10:50 am PT

    I just bought a PSP. They better not make a PSP2 that plays PSP2 games. Cause that would get me POed.

  • mushi799

    Posted Jun 10, 2007 5:09 pm PT

    sony doesnt need better graphics for its psp. The currently psp is lightyears ahead than the DS in terms of graphics, but that isn't the problem for sony.

  • Techno_Burn

    Posted Jun 10, 2007 12:24 pm PT

    You know what the problem is? Sony actually DOES listen to what the people want. Then they do something completely different. It's almost like almost like the boss just looks at what everyone wants and says "Fukk'em, we're Sony! We don't NEED another analog stick! That's for normal, common people!" Then they probably apply this to everything. "Pah! Trousers are for common people! We're Sony! We don't NEED clothes!"

  • xcollector

    Posted Jun 9, 2007 10:19 pm PT


    Imbeciles!!!

  • Chief_Mendez

    Posted Jun 9, 2007 3:22 pm PT

    Sony should really be working on a completely new PSP, smaller, lighter, sleeker, better graphics, two analogs,more game exclusives, etc. You know, a PSP 2. Not a dumb looking swiveling PSP. Or just make a smaller, sleeker and lighter one with two analogs if they can't make a PSP2. Sony needs to step up with its gaming products.

  • neuromancer123

    Posted Jun 9, 2007 2:49 pm PT

    lets put a swivel screen on our psp instead of a 2nd analog stick that would make games actually worth playing on our system!!! no wonder sony lost 4 billion last year, morons...

  • AceCometh

    Posted Jun 9, 2007 1:47 pm PT

    I don't like sounding cliche, but as the saying goes 'if it's not broke, don't fix it'. While the joystick on the PSP is useless, everything else about it works great! The R&D department needs to leave the system alone and focus on getting more exclusives on the market. All the PS2 ports really suck.

  • JiminycricketX

    Posted Jun 9, 2007 11:57 am PT

    It's the new, PSN-Gage! Brilliant!

  • nate64

    Posted Jun 9, 2007 11:29 am PT

    well i'm just gonna be honest. if sony is making it part phone this is really more focused on the non-gamer. someone who wants a new phone and why not get the cool one that plays psp games. and for anybody that is a gamer then you can just keep the original design. sony just wants to make more money.

  • iamsouledge

    Posted Jun 9, 2007 9:48 am PT

    BAD IDEA ALERT!

  • StiltBros

    Posted Jun 9, 2007 9:39 am PT

    im pretty sure thats not how its going to look, because if u look closely at the design the way that the screen flips is completely pointless and only makes the machine itself look terrible. as for the whole games issue, there are good games out there.

    -Viewtiful Joe Red hot rumble (4 player gamesharing)
    -Medal of honor heroes (32 player online)
    -Untold legends (Diablo style dungeon crawling)
    -Tekken Dark Ressurection (who doesnt like tekken?)
    -apparently socom (not one of my favorites ill admit)
    -test drive unlimited
    -grand theft auto
    later on u got god of war, alien syndrome, oblivion, so there are games out there that are good, however i do agree in the fact that they need to get psp Exclusives

  • funkporker

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 3:31 pm PT

    Well. judging by almost every comment I've read, this is going to be a major flop. Personally I have a PSP and after I got an mp3 player it's sat in my drawer for a year. All in all THEY NEED BETTER GAMES. Look at the facts, games sell systems, not extra features.

  • DJ_Lae

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 11:49 am PT

    I don't like it. Needs more sidetalkin'.

  • Spooky_Otaku

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 11:21 am PT

    This has nothing to do with a PSP redesign it is strictly a phone...get your facts straight!

  • NWA_31

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 11:06 am PT

    Video calls and text messaging are cool, but how about some GAMES ??

  • betabp

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 6:52 am PT

    Cool! The world totally needs another Zodiac/Gizmodo/N-Gage!

  • JoshWolf

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 8:57 pm PT

    Isn't that the Sony Mylo?

  • AgileNate

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 8:05 pm PT

    For a PSP 2, I think Sony needs to put games WAY ahead of media capabilities, as of now thats not what they have in mind.

  • Blk-Gnome

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 7:33 pm PT

    The PSP needs a lot of things...this isn't one of them.
    First work on getting your system to sell and off the shelves. even now last week i had to hunt for a Nintendo DS lite...and its way past when it came out.

  • SocaWarrior

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 6:21 pm PT

    A better design would be to have it look the same as now, except have the right side swivel, all the way behind so it looks like a pda... Thats what I thought this was, then I looked at the full picture, and it does suck balls

  • V-Nine

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 5:30 pm PT

    Sony is really pulling out all the stops to totally mess themselves.

  • unclejohn0525

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 4:50 pm PT

    Keep it up, Sony! Doing great with your handheld gaming branch as it is!! *sarcasm*

  • Panzer88mm

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 9:43 am PT

    I think a PSP2 is in the works but I doubt it would look like that. Or even have any phone features. If sony learns from it's mistakes (Please learn from your mistakes) a phone should be optional. But I do think sony has something up their sleeves. For one Sony has sent surveys about what people like and don't like about the psp. I think it's likely it will happen, but I hope sony waits. The market isn't ready for the next psp yet. Lets see how the current one does after the holidays, when games like god of war come out. The psp still has potential, I'd hate to see it destroyed by making a new one to soon. But their are ton's of rumors about a new psp, and if the features they have come true, I can't wait. Just do it right sony!

  • rety5

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 8:16 am PT

    OK the psp is already making losses due to the fiddly control scheme and they decide that the cure to it is a phone function? I seriously think that the rumours of SONY having to drop the playstation branch because of bad business are going to come true if this keeps up!

  • compu_brain

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 7:20 am PT

    Another reason to buy a PSP without any gaming improvement...

  • DoctorFu

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 4:50 am PT

    Man, that swiveler looks uh-gley.

  • Jerrymiru

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 4:21 am PT

    Um..... no.

  • 9344891

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 3:37 am PT

    If this is It SONY Srewed up again.

  • anamnawshad

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 2:42 am PT

    Ew. That looks ugly
    Just make a redesigned PSP with 2 thumbsticks which are better than the current one.....

  • DrKill09

    Posted Jun 6, 2007 11:46 pm PT

    Ewww... that looks like a turd. Keep it the way it is, just get some more good games on it, please.

  • icemancell

    Posted Jun 6, 2007 10:40 pm PT

    just give us a PSPlite, psp is great, just make it smaller and lighter

  • freakmanultra

    Posted Jun 6, 2007 10:01 pm PT

    how much useless junk can one company make? Oh yeah its sony.

  • AceCometh

    Posted Jun 6, 2007 9:55 pm PT

    Wow, let's see how fragile and easy to break we can make it!

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