An Nvidia patent covering a new type of touch-sensing trackball controller has emerged. The patent is from 2019 and promises a trackball device that offers the precision of a mouse and the "velocity control" of a joystick.

The patent notes that there is currently only one size fits all controller for gaming. Either "one type of input, mouse or joystick input, may be desirable for one type of game, but may be undesirable or incompatible for another type of game. [For example, mouse inputs (such as those used in computer systems) provide relative motion to video games by reporting progressive movement in a particular direction, and are particularly useful for video games that require absolute precision and precise positioning. [On the other hand, joystick input (such as might be used in a gaming system) provides absolute offset information from the center to the video game, such as the greater the offset from the center of the joystick, the faster the cursor or camera in the video game moves in that direction This is useful for video games that require 'speed control', for example, the greater the offset from the center of the joystick, the faster the cursor or camera in the video game moves in that direction.

The solution seems to be "a game controller that employs a dedicated input that has the absolute precision of a mouse or trackball input, but can measure how off-center the input is (e.g., how far off-center it is) and can return to center when released, as joystick inputs do. It is said to be a "game controller with a dedicated input that can measure how far off-center it is (e.g., how far off-center it is) and can return to center when released, just like a joystick input.

The result is that everything can be done with one controller." The introduced game controller integrates a touch-sensing trackball to enjoy the benefits of both mouse-type and joystick-type inputs in a single dedicated input, giving users the freedom to play any type of game without having to worry about game controller compatibility . provide," the patent claims.

Further details of the application include a processor located within the housing and configured to generate simulated joystick input and a conductive core that enables a capacitive touch interface. Of course, the history of gaming is replete with early attempts at game controller alchemy. But even in 2021, the keyboard/mouse combination is not going away.

Whether the controller is a transient patent whim or a device to be introduced into retail stores and familiar PCs is not certain. However, if something close to that premise can be realized, it would certainly be revolutionary. That said, I wouldn't throw out the keyboard and mouse just yet.