Patents by Inventor Jeffrey R. Stafford

Jeffrey R. Stafford has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20180001206
    Abstract: A method for assisting game play. The method includes monitoring game play of the user playing a gaming application, wherein the user has a defined task to accomplish, wherein the task is associated with a task type. The method includes determining a task type proficiency rule for the task type based on results of a plurality of players taking on a plurality of tasks having the task type. The method includes determining a player proficiency score for accomplishing the task based on the task type proficiency rule. The method includes determining a user predictive rate of success in accomplishing the task based on the player proficiency score, the task type proficiency rule, and the task. The method includes determining a recommendation for the user based on the user predictive rate of success.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Steven Osman, Jeffrey R. Stafford, Javier F. Rico, Michael G. Taylor, Todd S. Tokubo
  • Patent number: 9814977
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices, and software are described for providing supplemental content for display on a mobile device. In one embodiment, a system includes a video display that displays video content. A mobile device with an integrated display may track the video display, with a video camera or other methods, and identify the video content in the tracked video display. The mobile device may access supplemental content related to the identified video content, and display the accessed supplemental content on the integrated display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Stafford, Yunpeng Zhu, Steven Osman
  • Publication number: 20170195663
    Abstract: Stereoscopic viewing systems may be adjusted for a user's inter-pupillary distance (IPD). Software-generated calibration images may be presented on a display having two optics. One or more settings for presentation of the calibration image are adjusted. The settings are related to an inter-pupillary distance (IPD) of the user. An input is received from a user when the user perceives the calibration image to be acceptable at a particular value of the one or more settings. An IPD value that corresponds to the particular value of the one or more settings is then determined. The determined IPD value is used in presenting subsequent software-generated images with the stereoscopic display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Stafford
  • Patent number: 9600068
    Abstract: Stereoscopic viewing systems may be adjusted for a user's inter-pupillary distance (IPD). Software-generated calibration images may be presented on a display having two optics. One or more settings for presentation of the calibration image are adjusted. The settings are related to an inter-pupillary distance (IPD) of the user. An input is received from a user when the user perceives the calibration image to be acceptable at a particular value of the one or more settings. An IPD value that corresponds to the particular value of the one or more settings is then determined. The determined IPD value is used in presenting subsequent software-generated images with the stereoscopic display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Stafford
  • Publication number: 20160030845
    Abstract: Methods and systems for using a position of a mobile device with an integrated display as an input to a video game or other presentation are presented. Embodiments include rendering an avatar on a mobile device such that it appears to overlay a competing user in the real world. Using the mobile device's position, view direction, and the other user's mobile device position, an avatar (or vehicle, etc.) is depicted at an apparently inertially stabilized location of the other user's mobile device or body. Some embodiments may estimate the other user's head and body positions and angles and reflect them in the avatar's gestures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Applicant: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Stafford, Yunpeng Zhu, Steven Osman
  • Patent number: 9159165
    Abstract: Methods and systems for using a position of a mobile device with an integrated display as an input to a video game or other presentation are presented. Embodiments include rendering an avatar on a mobile device such that it appears to overlay a competing user in the real world. Using the mobile device's position, view direction, and the other user's mobile device position, an avatar (or vehicle, etc.) is depicted at an apparently inertially stabilized location of the other user's mobile device or body. Some embodiments may estimate the other user's head and body positions and angles and reflect them in the avatar's gestures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Stafford, Yunpeng Zhu, Steven Osman
  • Publication number: 20140274391
    Abstract: Stereoscopic viewing systems may be adjusted for a user's inter-pupillary distance (IPD). Software-generated calibration images may be presented on a display having two optics. One or more settings for presentation of the calibration image are adjusted. The settings are related to an inter-pupillary distance (IPD) of the user. An input is received from a user when the user perceives the calibration image to be acceptable at a particular value of the one or more settings. An IPD value that corresponds to the particular value of the one or more settings is then determined. The determined IPD value is used in presenting subsequent software-generated images with the stereoscopic display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Stafford
  • Patent number: 8730354
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for providing overlay content to be placed over captured video content for display on a mobile device. In one embodiment, a system includes a video display, such as a TV, that displays video content. A mobile device with an integrated video camera and display may capture video data which includes the video content from the video display. The location of the video content within the captured video data may be tracked. The mobile device may access overlay content, and display the accessed overlay content over the tracked video content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Stafford, Steven Osman, Yunpeng Zhu
  • Publication number: 20130021234
    Abstract: Described herein are hand-held controller, system, and method for providing real-time sensations of temperature and texture to a user of the hand-held controller. The hand-held controller comprises a first region to be touched by a user and to provide a real-time computer programmable texture sensation to a user in response to a first trigger signal generated by an interactive program; and a first mechanism, coupled to the first region, to cause the first region to roughen relative to a first state, and to cause the first region to smooth relative to a second state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Frederick Umminger, Jeffrey R. Stafford, Anton Mikhailov
  • Publication number: 20130021233
    Abstract: Described herein are hand-held controller, system, and method for providing real-time sensations of temperature and/or hardness-softness to the hand-held controller. The hand-held controller comprises a first region configured to be touched by a user and to provide a real-time computer programmable hardness-softness sensation to the user in response to a first trigger signal generated by an interactive program; and a first mechanism, coupled to the first region, to cause the first region to harden relative to a first state, and to cause the first region to soften relative to a second state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Frederick Umminger, Jeffrey R. Stafford, Anton Mikhailov
  • Publication number: 20130021235
    Abstract: Described herein are hand-held controller, system, and method for providing real-time sensations of texture and hardness-softness to a user of the hand-held controller. The hand-held controller comprises a first region to be touched by a user and to provide real-time computer programmable texture sensations to the user in response to a first trigger signal generated by an interactive program; and a second region to be touched by the user and to provide real-time computer programmable hardness-softness sensations to the user in response to a second trigger signal generated by the interactive program.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Frederick Umminger, Jeffrey R. Stafford, Anton Mikhailov
  • Publication number: 20130021232
    Abstract: Described herein are hand-held controller, system, and method for providing real-time programmable sensations of texture, hardness-softness, and temperature (thermal) to the hand-held controller. The hand-held controller comprises a first region configured to be touched by a user and to provide a real-time programmable hardness-softness sensation to the user in response to a first trigger signal generated by an interactive program; a second region to be touched by the user and to provide real-time programmable hardness-softness sensations to the user in response to a second trigger signal generated by the interactive program; and a third region to be touched by the user and to provide real-time programmable thermal sensations to the user in response to a third trigger signal generated by the interactive program.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Frederick Umminger, Jeffrey R. Stafford, Anton Mikhailov
  • Publication number: 20120268359
    Abstract: An electronic device may be controlled using nerve analysis by measuring a nerve activity level for one or more body parts of a user of the device using one or more nerve sensors associated with the electronic device. A relationship can be determined between the user's one or more body parts and an intended interaction by the user with one or more components of the electronic device using each nerve activity level determined. A control input or reduced set of likely actions can be established for the electronic device based on the relationship determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Ruxin Chen, Ozlem Kalinli, Richard L. Marks, Jeffrey R. Stafford
  • Publication number: 20120017236
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices, and software are described for providing supplemental content for display on a mobile device. In one embodiment, a system includes a video display that displays video content. A mobile device with an integrated display may track the video display, with a video camera or other methods, and identify the video content in the tracked video display. The mobile device may access supplemental content related to the identified video content, and display the accessed supplemental content on the integrated display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Stafford, Yunpeng Zhu, Steven Osman
  • Publication number: 20120013770
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for providing overlay content to be placed over captured video content for display on a mobile device. In one embodiment, a system includes a video display, such as a TV, that displays video content. A mobile device with an integrated video camera and display may capture video data which includes the video content from the video display. The location of the video content within the captured video data may be tracked. The mobile device may access overlay content, and display the accessed overlay content over the tracked video content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Stafford, Steven Osman, Yunpeng Zhu
  • Publication number: 20120014558
    Abstract: Methods and systems for using a position of a mobile device with an integrated display as an input to a video game or other presentation are presented. Embodiments include rendering an avatar on a mobile device such that it appears to overlay a competing user in the real world. Using the mobile device's position, view direction, and the other user's mobile device position, an avatar (or vehicle, etc.) is depicted at an apparently inertially stabilized location of the other user's mobile device or body. Some embodiments may estimate the other user's head and body positions and angles and reflect them in the avatar's gestures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Stafford, Yunpeng Zhu, Steven Osman