PS3.5: Sony Patent Shows Plans To Increase PS3′s Power With External Processor

[Aman27deep]

The PlayStation 3 was a massive investment for many gamers, especially for those that bought the console at launch. For Sony, the costs were even higher, with billions spent on development, and more spent on selling the console at a loss. So its no wonder the company wants to extend the PS3′s life-cycle, and thus make profit on the platform. Now, a Sony patent has hinted that they will release external processors to make the console even more powerful – without the need for a PS4.
The benefits of an upgrade to the PS3 are obvious – allowing for a more powerful machine, without having to pay so much for a new console. However, the “PS3 External Processor†has its drawbacks: it wouldn’t give consumers the same experience as a full new console, and would run the risk of both fragmenting and confusing the market.

The patent – from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Tokyo, JP – explains the reasoning behind the processing peripheral:

The dotted area 500, is the external processor, with the patent explaining that the memory it shares (514) with the internal processor could be DRAM, MRAM or SRAM, among others:

PE 500 is closely associated with a shared (main) memory 514 through a high bandwidth memory connection 516. Although the memory 514 preferably is a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), the memory 514 could be implemented using other means, e.g., as a static random access memory (SRAM), a magnetic random access memory (MRAM), an optical memory, a holographic memory, etc.

The patent expressly states that several external processors may be used:

In accordance with an alternative embodiment, two processor elements may be cascaded by each employing its respective BIC in a coherent symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) interface (or BIF) configuration. The coherent SMP interface (BIF) of each processing element is coupled to one another to set up a coherent interface there between.

The patent was filed this August and only recently published, showing that any plans are most likely in the early stages.

Last year, EA’s Chief Creative Officer, Rich Hilleman, told VentureBeat how he “expected we’ll see a PlayStation 3.5 before we see a PlayStation 4 and an Xbox 560 before we see an Xbox 720,†â€

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PlayStation LifeStyle » PS3.5: Sony Patent Shows Plans To Increase PS3′s Power With External Processor

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Three alphabets. WTF.

 

[xXx]

Damn....Nice Move IMO, without releasing a new console, it just keeps getting better n better for SONY's PlayStation3 :clap:

 

[dinjo]

So PS4 can wait for a while

 

[Gannu]

^^Exactly. I'd love this change so the existing hardware can be upgraded and the games can utilise it. The PS2 was alive for 10+ years and there is still a demand for the console. This way at least the develofers will not be forced to port it to another console which takes a lot of time, code and moolah. However,tThis would call for a lot of confusion though (and a whole lot of threads on TE!). As such, there are a lot of consoles retailing in the market with several flavors based on the internal hard drive and the move bundle.

I wonder how would this be implemented without opening up the unit - I mean there're a couple of USB ports on both the models. And can USB transmit the required bandwidth? Perhaps the consumer would be required to take the unit to the Sony Centre for an upgrade.

It only does everything lol.

 

[Ethan_Hunt]

I wonder why it needs a 3.5 version? The existing model already has the capability to pull off some seriously high end graphics, case in point, Uncharted 2 and God of War III. If the 3rd party developers continue to shaft their games on the PS3, I wouldn't blame the hardware. Full Utilization of the existing hardware is the key to Sony's success. Back when God of War released on the PS2, people thought this was the boundary of pushing the hardware's capability, but then God of War II came out and it pushed the envelope a bit more. Also the question of how this upgrade would propagate into the market. Will it be with a new bundle? What about the existing ones?

 

[jojothedragon]

Highly innovative plan by Sony.

 

[Aman27deep]

I dunno but if this happens, i kinda see sony die the sega way.