How Nintendo's Wii Remote Tracks Motion and Infrared Light
A patent describing the Wii Remote's technology for tracking physical movement and infrared light to control video games wirelessly.
Original patent title: “USRE45905E1 - Video game system with wireless modular handheld controller”
A patent describing the Wii Remote's technology for tracking physical movement and infrared light to control video games wirelessly. Granted to Nintendo Co Ltd in 2016 with 50 claims and 11 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent details a handheld controller that uses a combination of sensors to track its position in 3D space. It features an infrared camera that detects light emitted from a sensor bar near the TV, allowing the system to calculate the controller's X and Y coordinates on the screen. Simultaneously, an internal three-axis accelerometer measures physical movement and tilt. The controller then wirelessly sends this combined data to the game console, while also providing feedback through a built-in speaker or vibration motor.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover controllers that rely solely on inertial sensors without an infrared-based optical tracking component.
- Does not cover wired controllers that require a physical tether to the main console unit.
- Does not cover systems that track motion using external cameras pointed at the user (like the original Kinect).
- Does not cover touch-based input methods or gesture recognition that does not involve the specific infrared-to-camera tracking method described.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The system offloads the heavy lifting of image processing to the controller itself, which identifies specific infrared light sources and sends only the relevant coordinate data to the console, rather than sending raw video frames.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Nintendo Wii Remote
Wii MotionPlus accessory
Wii U GamePad
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology was the core of the Nintendo Wii, which fundamentally changed the gaming industry by making motion-controlled gaming accessible to non-traditional players. It shifted the focus of console gaming from purely button-based inputs to physical interaction, influencing how developers designed games for over a decade.
Filed
November 27, 2013
Granted
March 1, 2016
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Nintendo remains the primary entity building on this specific architecture, having refined these techniques through the Wii U and into the Joy-Con controllers for the Nintendo Switch. Other companies in the VR space, such as Meta and Sony, have since moved toward more complex inside-out tracking systems that use multiple cameras and SLAM algorithms.
Market impact
This patent protected the core input mechanism of the best-selling Wii console, effectively forcing competitors to innovate alternative motion-tracking solutions. It solidified Nintendo's 'blue ocean' strategy, proving that intuitive, motion-based interfaces could capture a massive audience outside of the traditional hardcore gaming demographic.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent details a handheld controller that uses a combination of sensors to track its position in 3D space. It features an infrared camera that detects light emitted from a sensor bar near the TV, allowing the system to calculate the controller's X and Y coordinates on the screen. Simultaneously, an internal three-axis accelerometer measures physical movement and tilt. The controller then wirelessly sends this combined data to the game console, while also providing feedback through a built-in speaker or vibration motor.
The clever bit
The system offloads the heavy lifting of image processing to the controller itself, which identifies specific infrared light sources and sends only the relevant coordinate data to the console, rather than sending raw video frames.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover controllers that rely solely on inertial sensors without an infrared-based optical tracking component.
- Does not cover wired controllers that require a physical tether to the main console unit.
- Does not cover systems that track motion using external cameras pointed at the user (like the original Kinect).
- Does not cover touch-based input methods or gesture recognition that does not involve the specific infrared-to-camera tracking method described.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
22/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
20/20
Very broad protection
Recency
5/20
Granted 10–20 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$211K – $676K
Midpoint $422K · 7.5 yr remaining · industry ×2.2
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
50 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Ito, K., Kuroda, R., Urata, M., Ikeda, A., & Takeda, G. (2016). How Nintendo's Wii Remote Tracks Motion and Infrared Light (U.S. Patent No. RE45,905). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/RE45905/walkman-portable-cassette-player
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Nintendo's Wii Remote Tracks Motion and Infrared Light cover?
A patent describing the Wii Remote's technology for tracking physical movement and infrared light to control video games wirelessly.
Who owns patent US RE45905?
Nintendo Co Ltd owns this patent, granted in 2016.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on March 1, 2036, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US RE45905 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 11 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology was the core of the Nintendo Wii, which fundamentally changed the gaming industry by making motion-controlled gaming accessible to non-traditional players. It shifted the focus of console gaming from purely button-based inputs to physical interaction, influencing how developers designed games for over a decade.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover controllers that rely solely on inertial sensors without an infrared-based optical tracking component.
Same assignee
More from Nintendo Co Ltd
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