Sony puts patent on PSP-controlled spy car

Another goody out of Sony's party bag of patents has emerged. This one involves a remote-controlled car that can be navigated using a PSP.

While this idea seems merely to exchange a remote for a PSP, and goes where mobile phones have gone before, there is one interesting addition to a fairly familiar set-up -- a camera is mounted on top of the car. According to the patent, visual data from the camera is beamed back to the PSP so the user can navigate obstacles or record and save a movie. That opens up possibilities such as spying on friends using the car as a patrolling security device for the home.

The patent also states that this set-up can be used for a racing game within 'augmented-reality zones' to spice up gameplay. Now all we need is a nitro-powered remote-controlled car that drifts, and we have a winner.