Nintendo employees reportedly filed a patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office that is starting to generate media buzz. The reason for the interest is that the concept could turn out to be Nintendo NX's controller or even the NX device itself.

Based on the patent details, the device has an oblong form factor that is also a touch screen display. The accompanying description in the patent application revealed more details.

"A display panel and a touch panel constitute one main surface of the first portion," the patent application stated. "Holes are formed in left and right end portions of the display panel and the touch panel, and two operation sticks are provided through the two holes. When viewing the first portion from the front, an area except key tops of the operation sticks becomes a display area."

The last part of the above statement has fueled speculations that the concept will be the actual Nintendo NX device. This is supported by the fact that the concept included a protruding sticks, that appears to be touch-enabled controller as well, Geek noted. Since the screen covers almost all of the touch panel, and separate sticks could serve as the controller, observers begin considering the new technology as the new NX device.

There is no word yet coming from Nintendo that would confirm the patent application. More information however, is bound to be released as the company is believed to be eyeing an early 2016 release for the new NX console. As early as October, Nintendo has already distributed developer kits for the new console, the Wall Street Journal reported.