Disney Patents

The Walt Disney Company is an entertainment company focused on media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive games. The company's media holdings include ESPN (partial ownership), the Disney channels, ABC Family and A&E Television Networks (partial ownership). The company also operates Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Aulani, the Disney Cruise Line, and has partial ownership interests in Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Shanghai Disney. Tokyo Disneyland is operated by an independent company that licenses Disney intellectual property and pays royalties based on revenues. Disney also produces live-action and animated motion pictures, direct-to-video content, musical recordings and live stage plays, and distributes Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Touchstone films.

Disney Patents by Type
  • Disney Patents Granted: Disney patents that have been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Disney Patent Applications: Disney patent applications that are pending before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Augmenting a physical object with virtual components
    Patent number: 11475647
    Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for immersive and simultaneous animation in a mixed reality environment. Techniques disclosed represent a physical object, present at a scene, in a 3D space of a virtual environment associated with the scene. A virtual element is posed relative to the representation of the physical object in the virtual environment. The virtual element is displayed to users from a perspective of each user in the virtual environment. Responsive to an interaction of one user with the virtual element, an edit command is generated and the pose of the virtual element is adjusted in the virtual environment according to the edit command. The display of the virtual element to the users is then updated according to the adjusted pose. When simultaneous and conflicting edit commands are generated by collaborating users, policies to reconcile the conflicting edit commands are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Corey D. Drake, Kenneth J. Mitchell, Rachel E. Rodgers, Joseph G. Hager, IV, Kyna P. McIntosh, Ye Pan
  • JAW TRACKING WITHOUT MARKERS FOR FACIAL PERFORMANCE CAPTURE
    Publication number: 20220327717
    Abstract: Some implementations of the disclosure are directed to capturing facial training data for one or more subjects, the captured facial training data including each of the one or more subject's facial skin geometry tracked over a plurality of times and the subject's corresponding jaw poses for each of those plurality of times; and using the captured facial training data to create a model that provides a mapping from skin motion to jaw motion. Additional implementations of the disclosure are directed to determining a facial skin geometry of a subject; using a model that provides a mapping from skin motion to jaw motion to predict a motion of the subject's jaw from a rest pose given the facial skin geometry; and determining a jaw pose of the subject using the predicted motion of the subject's jaw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicants: Disney Enterprises, Inc., ETH Zürich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich)
    Inventors: Dominik Thabo Beeler, Derek Edward Bradley, Gaspard Zoss
  • Detail reconstruction for SDR-HDR conversion
    Patent number: 11468548
    Abstract: The exemplary embodiments relate to converting standard dynamic range (SDR) content to high dynamic range (HDR) content. An SDR image may be decomposed into a base layer of the SDR image that includes low frequency information from the SDR image and a detail layer of the SDR image that includes high frequency information from the SDR image. A base layer of an HDR image may be generated using the base layer of the SDR image and a detail layer of the HDR image may be generated using the detail layer of the SDR image. An HDR image is then generated using the base layer of the HDR image and the detail layer of the HDR image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Yang Zhang, Tunc Aydin
  • Boat capture and launch system for water rides
    Patent number: 11465061
    Abstract: A system adapted for stopping and launching boats. The system includes a boat, in moving water, with an interaction member extending outward from its hull. The system includes a boat capture and launch assembly that includes: (a) a body; (b) a drive mechanism rotating the body; (c) a capture arm with a first contact surface on the body; and (d) a launch arm with a second contact surface on the body. When the body is rotated into a first position, the capture arm extends outward into the water to catch the interaction member and stop the boat. When the body is rotated through a range of second positions, the interaction member abuts the second contact surface and a launch force is applied to accelerate the boat in the direction of travel of the boat and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Kristopher M. Laffin, Zachary Royce Kerchman
  • Intelligent board with integrated devices and connected interactions
    Patent number: 11465050
    Abstract: Techniques and systems for immersive interactions are provided. A first smart device available for interaction is identified by an interactivity system. A first physical game piece is detected by the interactivity system, and a first identifier of the first physical game piece is received, from the first physical game piece, via one or more wireless signals. A first set of predefined effects that can be performed using the first smart device is identified based on the first identifier. The first smart device is instructed to perform at least a first predefined effect of the first set of predefined effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Goslin, Elliott H. Baumbach, Tritia V. Medrano, Timothy M. Panec, Clifford Wong, Nathan D. Nocon, Jason A. Yeung
  • Software defined network orchestration to manage media flows for broadcast with public cloud networks
    Patent number: 11470041
    Abstract: Software defined network orchestration to manage media flows for broadcast with public cloud networks is provided by identifying a media flow at a media production facility for multicast transmission; registering the media flow to a registration database; migrating the media flow from multicast transmission to unicast transmission; transmitting the media flow to a public cloud network facility; and updating the registration database with a location of the media flow in the public cloud network facility. Once registered, a media flow management system allows any authorized device to request for a media flow; and in response locates the media flow based on a registration database indicating a location of the media flow (whether in the public cloud network facility, on a common carrier, or in a production facility); receives access to the media flow at the location; and allows the authorized device to consume the media flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Strein, Ryan N. McCormick, Craig L. Beardsley
  • Coordination of media content delivery to multiple media players
    Patent number: 11463784
    Abstract: A system for synchronizing media content playout includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing a software code. The hardware processor executes the software code to receive a first state message from a first media player playing a first media content and a second state message from a second media player playing a second media content, the first media content and the second media content being the same media content. The software code further determines a coordination state for playout of the first media content and the second media content based on one or more of the first and second state messages, and transmits a first coordination message including the coordination state to the first media player and a second coordination message including the coordination state to the second media player to synchronize playout of the first media content and the second media content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Comito, Nathan Lefler, James A. Corrigan-Colville
  • System and method for public API authentication
    Patent number: 11463431
    Abstract: A system and method for public API authentication by an API server includes receiving from a client/app a PK request for a Partial Key (PK), having a User ID, Session ID, rolling hash function (Fn2) version defining a client/app hash function (Fn2), and a received Temporary Key (TK); validating the received TK using Fn2 with the Session ID and either an Initial Key (IK) or a current PK; when the TK validation is complete, sending a PK calculated using a PK hash function (Fn1) with the User ID and a slot-generated rolling random number; receiving an API request for an API service having the User ID, Session ID, Fn2 version, and a received Authorization Key (AK); validating the received AK using Fn2 with the Session ID and the current PK; and when AK validation is complete, sending a successful response from the API service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Carmen Nigro, Jonathan Steinmann
  • Modeling characters that interact with users as part of a character-as-a-service implementation
    Patent number: 11455549
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a character engine models a character that interacts with users. The character engine receives user input data from a user device, and analyzes the user input data to determine a user intent and an assessment domain. Subsequently, the character engine selects inference algorithm(s) that include machine learning capabilities based on the intent and the assessment domain. The character engine computes a response to the user input data based on the selected inference algorithm(s) and a set of personality characteristics that are associated with the character. Finally, the character engine causes the user device to output the response to the user. In this fashion, the character engine includes sensing functionality, thinking and learning functionality, and expressing functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Abrams, Eric Haseltine
  • Non-linear management of real time sequential data in cloud instances via time constraints
    Patent number: 11455228
    Abstract: Non-linear management of real time sequential data in cloud instances via time constraints is provided by: receiving, at a cloud network facility from a media production facility, a selection of component media flows for assembly into an assembled media package; identifying a time constraint for assembling component media flows into the assembled media package; identifying processes to perform with respect to the component media flows during assembly of the assembled media package; in response to an estimated time to perform the processes with respect to the component media flows exceeding the time constraint, adjusting performance of the processes with respect to the component media flows to increase a speed of performance; and performing, in the cloud network facility, the processes with respect to the component media flows as adjusted to produce the assembled media package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Strein, Craig L. Beardsley
  • Techniques for generating contextually-relevant recommendations
    Patent number: 11457281
    Abstract: A recommendation engine generates contextually relevant media programs tailored to the specific context of the user. The recommendation engine interfaces with one or more Internet-of-Things (IoT) appliances to determine one or more food items stored within the IoT appliance(s) and/or one or more cooking capabilities associated with the IoT appliance(s). The recommendation engine also gathers profile data that reflects a set of preferences associated with the user. Based on the gathered data, the recommendation engine queries a database of cooking program data associated with various cooking programs. The recommendation engine obtains cooking program data that is contextually relevant to the user and then generates a contextual cooking program that describes how to perform a given recipe. During playback of the contextual cooking program, the recommendation engine can modify the contextual cooking program based on the progress of the user in following the recipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Goslin, Erika Varis Doggett, Anthony M. Accardo, Noel Brandon Vasquez
  • System and method for monitoring procedure compliance
    Patent number: 11450145
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a user performing a handwashing procedure, including: recognizing a user based upon biometric information obtained at a handwashing station, a user; detecting use of a component of the handwashing station; capturing image data of the user at the handwashing station; capturing data describing components and consumables used at the handwashing station; analyzing, using a processor, the image data; determining compliance with a handwashing procedure based at least in part on the analysis of the image data and the use of the component; and communicating compliance information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprise, Inc.
    Inventors: John David Worrall, Shawn Allen Boling, Ronald J. Dearing, Gregory Brooks Hale, Scott William Rench
  • Selective pre-caching of media streams
    Patent number: 11451603
    Abstract: Various embodiments set forth a computer-implemented method for selectively caching digital content for streaming, comprising analyzing a set of traffic data associated with streaming of a plurality of media items in a first time period, selecting, based on the set of traffic data, a first media item for storage in a cache during a second time period, and storing in the cache, prior to receiving a request for the first media item in the second time period, at least a portion of a first media stream of a plurality of media streams associated with the first media item, and at least a portion of a second media stream of the plurality of media streams, wherein each media stream in the plurality of media streams is encoded with different characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Grubb, Eric Ross Klein, Christopher J. Zucker, William B. May, Jr.
  • Untethered robot with hybrid air and water power for hovering and quick airborne movements
    Patent number: 11447261
    Abstract: A robot including a hybrid fan-based and fluid-based propulsion system to provide thrust, such as deceleration during fall to create a smooth landing or to provide a quick reduction in velocity, and to provide actuation/controlled motion, such as to hover after quick deceleration and to control orientation or pose. The hybrid propulsion system uses discharging of pressurized fluid and exhausted gas (or fluid in some cases) from ducted fans (or propellers, impellers, and the like) to provide controlled thrust and/or lift forces. The hybrid propulsion system uses of pressurized fluid for generating larger or primary thrust and quick changes in velocity. The hybrid propulsion system includes a fan-based propulsion assembly with ducted fans that use environmental air (or fluids) to provide lower or secondary thrust. Both types of propulsion can be integrated into a robot or robotic figure to move the robot during flight (e.g., during falling or hovering).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard-Alexandre Peloquin, David Loyal Christensen, Morgan Thomas Pope, Grant Imahara, Tony Dohi
  • Location-based interactive storytelling
    Patent number: 11445332
    Abstract: A storytelling system includes location-based content (LBC) servers and LBC effects databases for use in a real-world story venue, and a computing platform communicatively coupled to those LBC servers and databases. A processor of the computing platform executes software code to receive story selection data from a user device, obtain a story template including story arcs each associated with one or more LBC effect(s) that corresponds to the story selection data, and determine, using a location of the user device, one of the story arcs as an active story arc. The software code also identifies an LBC interaction zone for the LBC effect(s), designates one LBC server and one LBC effects database for supporting the active story arc, and distributes one or more of the LBC effect(s) to the designated database. The designated server enables instantiation of the one or more of the LBC effect(s) at the LBC interaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Braunschweiler, Steven Poulakos, Mattia Ryffel, Robert W. Sumner
  • Progressive object refreshes in content delivery networks
    Patent number: 11438433
    Abstract: The embodiments herein describe a CDN that uses revalidation to force edge servers to refresh their cached objects (i.e., download new copies of the objects from the origin data center). Revalidation can be used by edge servers to determine whether an object currently cached at the edge servers has been updated or changed in the origin data center. The embodiments herein leverage revalidation to perform a forced refresh to force the edge servers to refresh their cached object, regardless whether those cached objects match the objects stored in the origin data center. A forced refresh can be used when there is a network connection that may have caused the cached objects to become corrupted. Moreover, the forced refresh can be performed in batches so as not to overwhelm the network and computing resources in the CDN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric C. Friedrich, Luis A. Cruz, Robert Gerard Colantuoni, Jeffrey Edwin Grubb
  • Angle enhancing screen
    Patent number: 11435504
    Abstract: Implementations of angle-enhancing screens are disclosed herein. The angle-enhancing screens increase the field of view of an image projected thereon by a projection lens while maintaining an increased size of the projected image, by decreasing the size of picture elements making up the image while maintaining their pitch. In some embodiments, the angle-enhancing screen includes a field lens, such as a Fresnel field lens, for straightening the views of light projected thereon and a double lenslet array of matched lenslet pairs, each of the pairs including either two positive lenslets or one positive and one negative lenslet, for increasing the field of view. In another embodiment, the angle-enhancing screen may include a field lens and an array of four positive lenslet quartets. In a further embodiment, the field lens may be replaced with a Gabor superlens including two lenslet arrays of different pitches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Quinn Yorklun Jen Smithwick
  • Methods and systems for personalized gamification of media content
    Patent number: 11430015
    Abstract: Systems and methods for increasing consumer engagement with a multimedia content distribution system through the use of temporal metadata and gamification techniques. Personalized game-like tasks are created, whereby a consumer is enticed to find and access multimedia content containing a specific content element, or “easter egg,” to earn a reward. The specific content element may be identifiable based on temporal metadata tags associated with multimedia content available within the multimedia content distribution system. To further increase the probability of consumer engagement, the easter egg may be personalized based on data unique to the consumer, such as consumer preferences, viewing habits, and previous engagement level with the multimedia content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Mehul Patel
  • Systems for authenticating digital contents
    Patent number: 11425120
    Abstract: A system for authenticating digital contents includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a memory storing a software code. According to one implementation, the hardware processor executes the software code to receive digital content, identify an image of a person depicted in the digital content, determine an ear shape parameter of the person depicted in the image, determine another biometric parameter of the person depicted in the image, and calculate a ratio of the ear shape parameter of the person depicted in the image to the biometric parameter of the person depicted in the image. The hardware processor is also configured to execute the software code to perform a comparison of the calculated ratio with a predetermined value, and determine whether the person depicted in the image is an authentic depiction of the person based on the comparison of the calculated ratio with the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Miquel Angel Farre Guiu, Edward C. Drake, Anthony M. Accardo, Mark Arana
  • Verbal cues for high-speed control of a voice-enabled device
    Patent number: 11423879
    Abstract: A technique for controlling a voice-enabled device using voice commands includes receiving an audio signal that is generated in response to a verbal utterance, generating a verbal utterance indicator for the verbal utterance based on the audio signal, selecting a first command for a voice-controlled application residing within the voice-enabled device based on the verbal utterance indicator, and transmitting the first command to the voice-controlled application as an input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: William Valentine Zajac, III
  • Modeling characters that interact with users as part of a character-as-a-service implementation
    Patent number: 11423317
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a character engine models a character that interacts with users. The character engine receives user input data from a user device, and analyzes the user input data to determine a user intent and an assessment domain. Subsequently, the character engine selects inference algorithm(s) that include machine learning capabilities based on the intent and the assessment domain. The character engine computes a response to the user input data based on the selected inference algorithm(s) and a set of personality characteristics that are associated with the character. Finally, the character engine causes the user device to output the response to the user. In this fashion, the character engine includes sensing functionality, thinking and learning functionality, and expressing functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Abrams, Eric Haseltine
  • Platform agnostic peer-to-peer networking approach for utilizing multiple user devices with a digital platform
    Patent number: 11425226
    Abstract: The exemplary embodiments relate to improving the user experience associated with a digital platform. A first user device configured to remotely access a digital platform may receive a first signal broadcast by a second user device. Two or more types of communication protocols that are available to use for establishing a direct communication channel between the user devices are identified. One of the communication protocols is selected and a communication channel is established between the user devices in accordance with the selected communication protocol. The first user device then receives authentication information from the second user and establishes a session with the digital platform based on the authentication information received from the second user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Appel, Gary Kagan, Joshua Phelps, Benjamin Manning, James Corrigan-Colville
  • Simulated human-like affect-driven behavior by a virtual agent
    Patent number: 11416732
    Abstract: A system for simulating human-like affect-driven behavior includes a hardware processor and a system memory storing software code providing a virtual agent. The hardware processor executes the software code to identify a character assumed by the virtual agent and having a personality, a target state of motivational fulfillment, a baseline mood, and emotions. The software code identifies current physical and motivational fulfillment states, and currently active emotions of the character, and determines a current mood of the character based on the baseline mood and the currently active emotions. The software code further detects an experience by the character and plans multiple behaviors including a first behavior based on the experience and the current physical state, the second behavior based on the experience, the personality, the current mood, and the currently active emotions, and a third behavior based on the target and current states of motivational fulfillment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jakob Buhmann, Douglas A. Fidaleo, Maayan Shvo, Mubbasir Kapadia, Jill Fain Lehman, Sarah K. Wulfeck, Rylan Gibbens, Steven Poulakos, John Wiseman
  • Aspect ratio error recognition
    Patent number: 11418840
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for recognizing aspect ratio errors in image frames of a video and reporting the same. An aspect ratio checker application receives a video that includes multiple image frames and identifies aspect ratio changes in those image frames using a first differential of a time series that includes determined positions of the top, bottom, left, and right of content regions within the image frames. In particular, the aspect ratio checker may identify aspect ratio changes based on non-zero points of the first differential, and the aspect ratio checker further determines aspect ratios of content regions within image frames corresponding to the non-zero points of the first differential. In addition, the aspect ratio checker may generate and display a report indicating the determined aspect ratios and image frame ranges associated with those aspect ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Erika Elizabeth Varis Doggett, Anna M. C. Wolak, Leonid Sigal
  • Define return value at runtime
    Patent number: 11416585
    Abstract: The exemplary embodiments are related to a device, a system, and a method for implementing a mechanism that is configured to prevent the unauthorized execution of software. A user device is configured to execute a feature access function corresponding to an application feature included in an application. The feature access function is configured to receive one of a plurality of values each time the application is launched. During operation, the feature access function receives a value and determines whether a condition is satisfied. When the condition is satisfied, the value is returned which indicates that execution of the application feature is permitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Lefler, James A. Corrigan-Colville
  • System and method for enabling review of a digital multimedia presentation and redirection therefrom
    Patent number: 11418846
    Abstract: There is presented a system for providing a digital multimedia presentation. The system includes a processor and a memory. The system further includes a presentation content database stored in the memory, the presentation content database configured to store a plurality of episodes of a media series each of the plurality of episodes including and a credit portion. The system also includes a media player for execution by the processor and configured to play a selected episode of the plurality of episodes of the media series, and a review and redirection application for execution by the processor and configured to determine a next episode of the selected episode in the media series, where the processor executes the review and redirection pane during or after the credit portion of the selected episode to present a consumer with the next episode of the selected episode in the media series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan David Barsook, Ariff Sidi, Skarphedinn Hedinsson
  • Method and system for providing digital media rental
    Patent number: 11409891
    Abstract: There is provided a method and system for allocating access to digital media content. In one embodiment, the system may comprise a media server accessible over a communications network, a processor of the media server being configured to encrypt the digital media content to produce a secondary license for the digital media content, and to provide a temporary license key allowing a user to access at least a first portion of the digital media content during an activation usage interval of the secondary license for that portion of the digital media content assigned to the user. The media server further comprises an assignment database configured to store an assignment status of the license. Such a system is configured to permit the user to access the assigned portion of the digital media content during the usage interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Schonfeld, Arnaud Robert
  • Joint heterogeneous language-vision embeddings for video tagging and search
    Patent number: 11409791
    Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for modeling a joint language-visual space. A textual query to be evaluated relative to a video library is received from a requesting entity. The video library contains a plurality of instances of video content. One or more instances of video content from the video library that correspond to the textual query are determined, by analyzing the textual query using a data model that includes a soft-attention neural network module that is jointly trained with a language Long Short-term Memory (LSTM) neural network module and a video LSTM neural network module. At least an indication of the one or more instances of video content is returned to the requesting entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Atousa Torabi, Leonid Sigal
  • Factorized variational autoencoders
    Patent number: 11403531
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for learning latent representations of data using factorized variational autoencoders (FVAEs). The FVAE framework builds a hierarchical Bayesian matrix factorization model on top of a variational autoencoder (VAE) by learning a VAE that has a factorized representation so as to compress the embedding space and enhance generalization and interpretability. In one embodiment, an FVAE application takes as input training data comprising observations of objects, and the FVAE application learns a latent representation of such data. In order to learn the latent representation, the FVAE application is configured to use a probabilistic VAE to jointly learn a latent representation of each of the objects and a corresponding factorization across time and identity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: G. Peter K. Carr, Zhiwei Deng, Rajitha D. B Navarathna, Yisong Yue, Stephan Marcel Mandt
  • Systems and methods to facilitate bi-directional artificial intelligence communications
    Patent number: 11403289
    Abstract: This disclosure presents systems and methods to facilitate artificial intelligence communications. One or more sensors may be configured to generate output signals conveying user behavior information and/or other information. The user behavior information may represent one or more communicative behaviors of a user in a real world. The one or more communicative behaviors may be interpreted based on communication structures of the one or more communicative behaviors to determine a meaning of a message conveyed by the one or more communicative behaviors. The communication structures may be categorized by structure type. The structure types may include one or more of a verbal type communication structure and/or a non-verbal type communication structure. Verbal type communication structure may refer to the conveyance of words via speech and/or non-speech communications. Non-verbal communication structure may refer to the conveyance of one or more of feelings, emotions, and/or impressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael P. Goslin
  • Secure content processing pipeline
    Patent number: 11403369
    Abstract: A system for securing a content processing pipeline includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a memory storing a software code. The hardware processor executes the software code to insert a synthesized test image configured to activate one or more neurons of a malicious neural network into a content stream, provide the content stream as an input stream to a first processing node of the pipeline, and receive an output stream including a post-processed test image. The hardware processor further executes the software code to compare the post-processed test image in the output with an expected image corresponding to the synthesized test image, and to validate at least one portion of the pipeline as secure when the post-processed test image in the output matches the expected image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Miquel Angel Farre Guiu, Edward C. Drake, Anthony M. Accardo, Mark Arana
  • Automated determination of expressions for an interactive social agent
    Patent number: 11403556
    Abstract: A system providing an interactive social agent can include a computing platform having a hardware processor and a memory storing a training content standardization software code configured to receive content depicting human expressions and including annotation data describing the human expressions from multiple content annotation sources, generate a corresponding content descriptor for each content annotation source to translate the annotation data into a standardized data format, and transform the annotation data into the standardized data format using the corresponding content descriptor. The content and the annotation data in the to standardized format are stored as training data for use in training expressions for the interactive social agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Kennedy, Jill Fain Lehman, Kevin El Haddad, Douglas A. Fidaleo
  • System and method for increased spatial resolution
    Patent number: 11399164
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a projection system with increased spatial resolution. The projection system includes one or more light sources, a spatial light modulator configured to reflect light received from the one or more light sources to generate a plurality of sub-images of a composite image, and an optical system configured to reflect each of the plurality of sub-images the sub-images at a different portion of a projection surface. By projecting the single composite image using a plurality of sub-images projected at different times and/or locations from one another, the composite full image has a higher resolution as compared to the resolution defined by the hardware of the spatial light modulator and light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Nicola Ranieri, Markus Gross, Quinn Yorklun Jen Smithwick, Hagen Friedrich Seifert
  • System and method for converting user data from disparate sources to bitmap data
    Patent number: 11392606
    Abstract: Methods and systems for converting user data from disparate sources to bitmap data are described, where user data from a plurality of different data sources are conformed to a conformed user data set using a conform mapping schema, and the conformed data set is then analyzed to create a bitmap mapping schema which provides a mapping from the conformed user data set to a bitmap data set. The conformed user data set is then converted to a bitmap data set using the bitmap mapping schema and the current user data in the conformed user data set. A query user interface (UI) may be provided to allow clients or others to query the resulting bitmap data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Dakshinamurthi Rajavel, Guy Molinari, Ryan J. Junk, Rajagopal Baskaran
  • See-through operator awareness tool using synthesized viewpoints
    Patent number: 11394949
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to providing operator visibility through an object that occludes the view of the operator by using a HMD system in communication with one or more imaging devices. A method of doing so may include: using one or more imaging devices coupled to an exterior of an object to capture image data of a real-world environment surrounding the object: calculating an orientation of a HMD positioned in an interior of the object; using at least the calculated orientation of the HMD, synthesizing a FOV of the image data with a FOV of the HMD; and rendering the synthesized FOV of the image data to the HMD. In some instances, the captured image data is used to create a three-dimensional model of the real-world environment, and synthesizing the FOV of the image data includes synthesizing a FOV of the 3D model with the FOV of the HMD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Chapman, Mark Arana, Michael Goslin, Joseph Popp, Mehul Patel
  • Systems and methods for game profile development based on virtual and/or real activities
    Patent number: 11389730
    Abstract: Systems and methods to facilitate game profile development based on virtual and real activities of users are described herein. A user may perform virtual and/or real activities in order to develop a game profile so that the user can play one or more games where the game profile may be implemented. Users may be motivated to perform the virtual and/or real activities to develop the game profiles and show off and/or test their developed game profiles. The one or more games where the game profile may be implemented may be specific to one or more geo-graphic locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Goslin, Jonathan R. Hsu, Corey D. Drake, Tritia Medrano
  • Jaw tracking without markers for facial performance capture
    Patent number: 11393107
    Abstract: Some implementations of the disclosure are directed to capturing facial training data for one or more subjects, the captured facial training data including each of the one or more subject's facial skin geometry tracked over a plurality of times and the subject's corresponding jaw poses for each of those plurality of times; and using the captured facial training data to create a model that provides a mapping from skin motion to jaw motion. Additional implementations of the disclosure are directed to determining a facial skin geometry of a subject; using a model that provides a mapping from skin motion to jaw motion to predict a motion of the subject's jaw from a rest pose given the facial skin geometry; and determining a jaw pose of the subject using the predicted motion of the subject's jaw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignees: Disney Enterprises, Inc., ETH Zürich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich)
    Inventors: Dominik Thabo Beeler, Derek Edward Bradley, Gaspard Zoss
  • Visual effect system including perspective-correct autostereoscopic retroreflective projection
    Patent number: 11385474
    Abstract: A system creating an autostereoscopic augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), or other visual display experience involving 3D images, presented to a viewer without glasses or other head-gear. The system includes a projection screen, which includes a reflective surface formed using retroreflective material. The system includes a projection assembly and a beamsplitter, which is disposed between an outlet of the projection assembly and the projection screen. The system includes a physical scenic space facing a lower side of the beamsplitter and a viewing space facing an upper side of the beamsplitter. A controller operates the projector assembly to project left and right eye images toward the projection screen. The left and right eye images are then directed to left and right eye positions so a viewer with eyes positioned at the left and right eye positions perceives a virtual object concurrently with light from the physical scenic space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Quinn Y. J. Smithwick, Dawson McLeod Dill, Michael John Ilardi, Elisabeth C. Papadopoulos, Robert J. Bristow, Colleen L. Bristow-Campbell, Chad Michael Smith
  • Autonomous drone play and directional alignment
    Patent number: 11385635
    Abstract: Embodiments provide for autonomous drone play and directional alignment by in response to receiving a command for a remotely controlled device to perform a behavior, monitoring a first series of actions performed by the remotely controlled device that comprise the behavior; receiving feedback related to how the remotely controlled device performs the behavior, wherein the feedback is received from at least one of a user, a second device, and environmental sensors; updating, according to the feedback, a machine learning model used by the remotely controlled device to produce a second, different series of actions to perform the behavior; and in response to receiving a subsequent command to perform the behavior, instructing the remotely controlled device to perform the second series of actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan D. Nocon, Timothy M. Panec, Tritia V. Medrano, Clifford Wong, Nicholas F. Barone, Elliott H. Baumbach
  • Tunable signal sampling for improved key-data extraction
    Patent number: 11386664
    Abstract: A tunable signal sampling system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a memory storing a software code that when executed receives a communications signal, identifies data partitions included in the communications signal, performs, using a first predetermined metric, a first set of comparisons each comparing a different sequential pair of the data partitions with each other, and selects, based on the first set of comparisons, a subset of the data partitions as candidate sample partitions of the communications signal. The software code also determines multiple default sample partitions of the communications signal, performs, using a second predetermined metric, a second set of comparisons each comparing a different one of the default sample partitions with a respective one of the candidate sample partitions, and extracts, using a predetermined weighting factor applied to the results of the second set of comparisons, a sample of the communications signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Miquel Angel Farre Guiu, Pablo Pernias, Marc Junyent Martin, Albert Aparicio Isarn
  • Systems and methods for maintaining a conversation
    Patent number: 11381531
    Abstract: Systems and methods for an interactive communications system capable of generating a response to conversational input are provided. The interactive communications system analyzes the conversational input to determine relevant topics of discussion. The interactive communications system further determines which of the relevant topics of discussion can potentially lead to an unwanted end to a conversation. The interactive communications system redirects the conversation by providing responses to the conversational input that are intended simply to avoid the unwanted end to the conversation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond Scanlon, Douglas Fidaleo
  • Secure recognition of mobile devices
    Patent number: 11379574
    Abstract: Techniques for secure mobile device recognition are disclosed. An IOT edge device determines, based on a network message received at the IOT edge device, that a mobile device is not recognized. The IOT edge device transmits a token request to the mobile device. In response, the IOT edge device receives an encrypted token from the mobile device. The IOT edge device transmits the encrypted token to a server. The server is configured to determine an identifier corresponding with the mobile device, based on the encrypted token. A recognition task is initiated for the mobile device, based on the determined identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott F. Watson, Steven C. Eaton, Harout Jarchafjian, Thomas C. Arthur, Vinay Moharil, Joshua B. Gorin, Adam S. Parish, Ajay M. Prasad, Joshua Caleb Umstead
  • Systems and methods for creating custom media channels
    Patent number: 11381863
    Abstract: There is provided a system including a memory and a processor configured to display a programming guide for a first media channel including a first media content scheduled to play at a first broadcast time and a second media channel including a second media content scheduled to play at a second broadcast time, receive a user input for creating a custom channel, the custom channel including the first media content obtained from the first media channel and the second media content obtained from the second media channel, create a custom content for the custom channel, in response to the user input, by obtaining the first media content from the first media channel at the first broadcast time and obtaining the second media content from the second media channel at the second broadcast time, receive a request for playing the custom channel, and display the custom content of the custom channel on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Skarphedinn Hedinsson, Michael P. Goslin, Scott F. Watson
  • Audio-orientated immersive experience of an event
    Patent number: 11381413
    Abstract: The exemplary embodiments are related to a device, system and method for implementing an audio orientated immersive experience of an event presented at a user device. A server is connected to a user device. The server generates a virtual environment that corresponds to a site of an event. The server receives tracking data corresponding to an object of the event. The tracking data is incorporated into the virtual environment. The server identifies a predetermined condition and selects enhancement data based on the predetermined condition. The predetermined condition corresponds to the tracking data and the virtual environment. The server transmits a data stream to the user device, the data stream including the enhancement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Katherine H. Ham, Jason M. Black, Eliza D. McNair, Jared E. Watterworth, Natalia X. Pulido
  • System and method for delivering secondary content to movie theater patrons
    Patent number: 11375347
    Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein include systems and methods for delivering secondary content to a plurality of user devices, the secondary content comprising events synchronized to primary content. The process can include: delivering an application to a plurality of user devices, the application configured to play or executed secondary content on the user devices; and causing the secondary content executed on the user devices to be synchronized with primary content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Chen, James Voris, Mark Arana, Leon Silverman, Tuomo Korpinen
  • Systems and methods of real-time ambient light simulation based on generated imagery
    Patent number: 11373363
    Abstract: Systems and methods for simulation of ambient light based on generated imagery are disclosed herein. Such a system can include a simulation sled, a simulation display that can display generated imagery viewable from the simulation sled, an ambient light simulator that can selectively illuminate portions of the simulation sled, and a processor. The simulation sled can include a plurality of user controls. The processor can: control the simulation display to generate imagery; identify an effect of the generated imagery on the simulation sled; and control the ambient light simulator to selectively illuminate at least portions of the simulation sled according to the identified effect of the simulated light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Asa K. Kalama, Jose Gutierrez, Paul Bailey, Karl Nettmann, William Hastings
  • Soft-real-time hub providing data transport for processor-in-the-loop (PIL) simulations
    Patent number: 11366945
    Abstract: A software-based (“soft”) real-time hub designed and implemented for use in simulation (or control testing) systems such as to provide a modular soft-real-time PIL. A simulation system of the present description typically may include one or more of the following useful subsystems or components: (a) a soft-real-time hub; (b) simulation interfaces; and (c) hardware emulation subsystems/devices. The soft-real-time hub is typically a combination of hardware and software adapted to provide deterministic data transport between simulations and input/output (I/O) emulation. By creating a common point, the hub enables simulation modules to be swapped out as the simulation system progresses without the operator having to worry about interface timing, forcing, or data visualization. A desirable aspect of the simulation system is it allows for testing certain conditions by forcing I/O and then seeing how the controller or system under testing responds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Jesse Milluzzi, Robert Joseph Marra, III, Christopher Carl Hofer, Jose Lugos Corpuz
  • Light field based projector calibration method and system
    Patent number: 11368657
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for calibrating a projector. In one example, the method includes receiving by a processing element light field data corresponding to a calibration image projected by a projector and captured by a light field capturing device, and modeling by a processing element one or more intrinsic properties of the projector using the light field data and the calibration image. The calibration image may be projected by the projector directly into the light field capturing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Anselm Grundhöfer, Daisuke Iwai
  • Handheld picture reader
    Patent number: D958792
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Lanny S. Smoot, Robert J. Bristow
  • Drinkware
    Patent number: D962704
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Marthe Hoffmann, Kaitlyn Rosette