Invalidity dossier
US 9289688
Added 5/9/2026, 12:47:38 AM
Got a demand letter citing US 9289688?
Paste the full letter into the analyzer. We extract every asserted patent (this one and any others), characterize the asserter, flag validity vulnerabilities, and draft a sample response letter your attorney can adapt.
Generic sample response letter (PDF)
Generates a draft reply letter to a generic infringement claim citing this patent, using the analysis below. For a response tailored to a specific letter you received, use the demand letter analyzer instead. Sample only — not legal advice. Do not send without review by a licensed patent attorney.
Watchlist
Get alerted when this patent moves.
Email-only, free, anonymous. We'll notify you when US 9289688 gets a new lawsuit, a new PTAB proceeding, or a new dossier section. One-click unsubscribe from any alert.
Active provider: Google · gemini-2.5-pro
Auto-generating section 1 of 1: PTAB challenges…
Each section takes ~30-60s with web-search grounding. Keep this tab open — sections will fill in below as they complete.
Patent summary
Title, assignee, inventors, filing/issue dates, abstract, and a plain-language overview of the claims.
A concise summary of US Patent 9,289,688, including its key details and a plain-language explanation of its independent claims, is provided below.
Summary of US Patent 9,289,688
Title: Games controller
Assignee: Ironburg Inventions Ltd.
Inventors: Simon Burgess, Duncan Ironmonger
Filing Date: August 21, 2015
Issue Date: March 22, 2016
Abstract:
An improved controller (10) for a games console that is intended to be held by a user in both hands in the same manner as a conventional controller (1). Additionally, the controller (10) may include the same controls (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) as a conventional controller (1). The controller (10) is advantageous as it additionally comprises additional controls (11A, 11B, 11C, 11D) located on the rear of the controller (10) in a position to be operated by the middle fingers of a user (12). The additional controllers (11A, 11B, 11C, 11D) may be paddle levers and may replicate the functions of one or more of the controls (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) located on the front or top of the controller (10).
Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims
US Patent 9,289,688 has two independent claims which define the core of the invention.
Claim 1: This claim outlines a game controller with a standard layout of controls on the front and top surfaces for the user's thumbs and index fingers. The inventive aspect is the inclusion of at least one additional control located on the back of the controller. This extra control is designed as an elongated member, such as a paddle, positioned to be operated by the user's middle, ring, or little finger. A key feature of this additional control is that its inner surface (the one facing away from the user's finger) is intentionally not parallel to the outer surface of the controller's back where it is mounted.
Claim 30: This claim describes a control actuator designed to be added to a game controller. This actuator is an elongated member that can be mounted on the base of the controller in a position accessible to the user's middle, ring, or little finger. When displaced by the user, this actuator activates a control function. Similar to the first claim, the defining characteristic is that the surface of the actuator that is positioned next to the controller's outer surface is not parallel to that surface.
CAFC 2026 Docket Search
As of April 26, 2026, a search of the dockets for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) for the year 2026 did not reveal any specific cases pertaining to US Patent 9,289,688. It is important to note that this patent has been the subject of significant litigation in previous years, notably in cases between Ironburg Inventions Ltd. and Valve Corporation.
Generated 5/9/2026, 6:47:10 AM