New patents filed by Redmond-based Microsoft shows off Xbox One controllers with notable improvements. The patents detail future Xbox One controller with minor tweaks for the trigger.

A successor to Xbox One controller is long overdue and despite the rumours, the controller hasn’t been announced by Microsoft yet. It looks like the software giant is cooking something in its labs.

We have discovered multiple patents granted to Microsoft for its gaming controller in December 2018. The patents have revealed that the company might be considering improvements for the next-generation Xbox controller.

Controller with improved force-feedback motor

Filed by Microsoft in June 2017, the first patent is titled ‘INPUT DEVICE WITH LINEAR GEARED FEEDBACK TRIGGER’ and it was published by USPTO on December 6, 2018. It details an Xbox controller with the focus entirely on the trigger feedback improvements.

In the background section of the patent application, Microsoft says that gaming controller could feature controls such as triggers, joysticks, bumpers, and directional pads. The patented controller is configured to drive the rack gear based on a force-feedback signal.

“A user-input device includes a user-actuatable trigger configured to pivot about a trigger axis, a rack gear interfacing with the user-actuatable trigger, a force-feedback motor including a drive gear interfacing with the rack gear, and a posture sensor configured to determine a posture of the user-actuatable trigger about the trigger axis. The force-feedback motor is configured to drive the rack gear based on a force-feedback signal,” Microsoft explains in the summary section of the patent.

Controller with adjustable-tension trigger

Another patent titled ‘MOTOR-DRIVEN ADJUSTABLE-TENSION TRIGGER’ was published by USPTO on December 6, 2018, and filed by the software giant in June 2017.

This patent, on the other hand, details a controller which comes with the actuatable trigger and it is configured to pivot about a trigger axis.

“A user-input device includes a user-actuatable trigger configured to pivot about a trigger axis, a rack gear, a return spring operatively intermediate the user-actuatable trigger and the rack gear, a force-feedback motor and a posture sensor configured to determine a posture of the user-actuatable trigger about the trigger axis. The return spring is configured to forward bias the user-actuatable trigger toward an extended posture. The force-feedback motor is configured to drive the rack gear based on a force-feedback signal and thereby adjust a spring force applied by the return spring to the user-actuatable trigger,” the patent description reads.