Nintendo And Panasonic Filed Patent Applications For Two 'Quality Of Life' Devices In February

In June this year, there were suggestions Nintendo's 'Quality of Life' initiative was dead. At the time, it was linked to a dramatic fall in the company's share price. Hardware partner Panasonic had also reportedly withdrawn itself from the project in March. The last official acknowledgment was when Nintendo's Annual Report for 2017 revealed a 'QoL' project was still underway.

The latest update is in the form of two patent applications, filed by Nintendo and Panasonic earlier this year in February at the US patent and trademark office. The applications were for two quality of life lighting devices focused on relaxation, rest and sleep. It is noted the first device saw a non-final rejection in June this year. As always, there's absolutely no certainty surrounding patent applications.

Below are the details including the abstract and excerpt for each:

• Appl. No. 15/904,326, LIGHT EMISSION CONTROL DEVICE, ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AND CONTROL METHOD
• Appl. No. 15/904321, LIGHTING APPARATUS, LUMINAIRE, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

The device:

Abstract
A light emission control device includes a light emission controller which controls a light emitter and performs normal control and wake-up control, the normal control being control for causing the light emitter to emit light having a color temperature and luminance according to an instruction of a user, the wake-up control being control for causing the light emitter to emit light at increasing luminance over time to wake up the user who is sleeping. The maximum luminance of light emitted by the light emitter in the wake-up control is greater than the maximum luminance of light emitted by the light emitter in the normal control.

Claims (excerpt)

1. A light emission control device comprising: a light emission controller which controls a light emitter and performs normal control and wake-up control, the normal control being control for causing the light emitter to emit light having a color temperature and luminance according to an instruction of a user, the wake-up control being control for causing the light emitter to emit light at increasing luminance over time to wake up the user who is sleeping, wherein maximum luminance of light emitted by the light emitter in the wake-up control is greater than maximum luminance of light emitted by the light emitter in the normal control.

The apparatus:

Abstract
A lighting apparatus includes: an illuminator including a light source which emits illumination light; a lighting controller which controls the illuminator; and a receiver which receives, from a control apparatus, a control command signal generated based on at least one of user information and environmental information in order to control the illumination light of the illuminator, wherein the control command signal received by the receiver includes one or more parameters including, as an element, at least one of a brightness of the illumination light of the illuminator, a color temperature of the illumination light of the illuminator, and control time for controlling the illumination light of the illuminator.

Claims (excerpt)

1. A lighting apparatus, comprising: an illuminator including a light source which emits illumination light; a lighting controller which controls the illuminator; and a receiver which receives, from another apparatus, a control command signal generated based on at least one of user information and environmental information in order to control the illumination light, wherein the control command signal includes one or more parameters including, as an element, at least one of a brightness of the illumination light, a color temperature of the illumination light, and control time for controlling the illumination light.

What do you make of this? Would you like to see Nintendo's quality of life project eventually released? Or do you think its days are numbered? Tell us in the comments.