Prior art — US Patent 9289688

Based on the prosecution history of US patent 9,289,688, the following prior art references are identified as most relevant. The analysis focuses on the potential for each reference to anticipate claims of the '688 patent under 35 U.S.C. § 102, which requires a single prior art reference to disclose every element of a claim.

Analysis of Cited Prior Art

GB2481633A

Full Citation: GB2481633A, "Games console controller with buttons on underside," published January 4, 2012, assigned to Simon David Burgess (one of the inventors of the '688 patent).
Brief Description: This British patent application describes a game controller modified to include additional buttons on its underside, specifically on the inner faces of the grip portions. These buttons are positioned to be operated by the user's middle fingers. The application's goal is to allow users to perform actions without removing their thumbs from the analog sticks, a core problem also addressed by the '688 patent. The actuators are described as "paddles" which are elongate and can be retrofitted to an existing controller.
Potential Anticipation: This reference is highly relevant as it discloses the core concept of adding controls to the back of a controller for operation by the middle, ring, or little fingers.
- Claim 1: The '633 application discloses a controller case, standard top/front controls, and additional controls on the back ("underside") in the form of "elongate" paddles operable by a user's middle fingers. It therefore teaches most elements of claim 1. However, the '633 application does not appear to explicitly teach or suggest the key limitation of claim 1: that the second (outer) surface of the elongate member is "non-parallel with a portion of the outer surface of the back of the case to which the first elongate member is mounted." The paddles in the figures of GB'633 appear to be substantially flat and mounted parallel to the surface. Therefore, it is unlikely to anticipate claim 1.
- Dependent Claims: Because it does not appear to anticipate the independent claim 1, it would not anticipate the dependent claims which add further limitations.

US20120322553A1

Full Citation: US20120322553A1, "Controller for video game console," published December 20, 2012, assigned to Ironburg Inventions Ltd.
Brief Description: This application, from the same assignee, describes a controller with additional actuators on the rear surface, positioned to be operated by the user's middle, ring, or little fingers. The actuators are depicted as paddle levers that can be removably attached to the controller body. The design allows a user to actuate functions without removing their thumbs from the thumbsticks. The paddles are described as being flexible and resilient.
Potential Anticipation: This reference builds on the concepts in GB'633 and is very close to the '688 patent's claims.
- Claim 1: The '553 application clearly discloses a controller with rear-mounted, elongate paddle levers operable by the middle/ring/little fingers. The central question for anticipation is again the "non-parallel" surface limitation. The figures in the '553 application generally show flat paddles mounted flush within channels on the controller's back surface. It does not appear to describe or illustrate an arrangement where the outer, user-facing surface of the paddle is intentionally non-parallel to the controller surface it is mounted on. Thus, it does not seem to anticipate claim 1.
- Claim 4: The '553 application discloses configurations with multiple paddles per side. However, it does not describe the specific geometry where an outer paddle's surface is shaped to "direct the user's finger towards the second elongate member disposed adjacent thereto."
- Other Claims: Without anticipating claim 1, this reference is unlikely to anticipate the other claims.

US20150238855A1

Full Citation: US20150238855A1, "Game controller," published August 27, 2015 (priority date September 26, 2012), assigned to Razer (Asia-Pacific) Pte. Ltd.
Brief Description: This application, cited by the patent examiner, discloses a game controller with additional multi-function triggers on the underside of the controller body. These triggers are positioned between the two hand grips and are intended to be operated by the user's middle or ring fingers. The triggers are shown as elongate levers that pivot to activate a switch.
Potential Anticipation:
- Claim 1: The Razer application discloses the placement of additional, elongate controls on the back of the controller for operation by the fingers not used for the top/front controls. However, similar to the Ironburg prior art, the triggers shown in the figures appear to have surfaces that are largely parallel to the controller casing. The focus is on the pivoting mechanical action rather than a specific non-parallel surface geometry for ergonomic purposes. Therefore, it does not appear to anticipate the specific geometric limitation of claim 1.
- Claim 26: The controls are described as "triggers" but function as paddle levers, potentially reading on this claim's language. However, this is dependent on the anticipation of claim 1.

US7510477B2

Full Citation: US7510477B2, "Control apparatus for use with a computer or video game system," published March 31, 2009, assigned to Eric J. Argentar.
Brief Description: This patent describes a game controller with a primary and secondary gripping position. In the secondary position, the controller is rotated, and the user's fingers can access button actuators located on what would normally be the back/bottom surface of the controller handles.
Potential Anticipation:
- Claim 1: The Argentar patent discloses controls on the rear surface of the controller. However, these are described as "button actuators" rather than "elongate members." Furthermore, the design does not appear to contemplate or disclose the non-parallel surface geometry that is the key limitation of claim 1 of the '688 patent. The primary inventive concept in Argentar is the dual-grip configuration, not the specific ergonomics and shape of the rear controls. Therefore, it does not anticipate claim 1.

EP2479636A2

Full Citation: EP2479636A2, "Portable electronic device with rear touch panel," published July 25, 2012, assigned to Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Brief Description: This European application describes a handheld gaming device (similar to a PlayStation Vita) that features a touch-sensitive panel on the rear surface of the device. This allows for user input using the fingers that are naturally positioned on the back of the device while holding it.
Potential Anticipation:
- Claim 1: This reference fails to anticipate claim 1 for a fundamental reason: it discloses a touch panel, not a mechanically "displaceable" "elongate member" that activates a control function. The claims of the '688 patent are directed to a physical, movable actuator (a paddle lever), which is distinct from a capacitive or resistive touch surface. Therefore, this reference does not anticipate claim 1 or any of its dependent claims.