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).
  • System and method for facilitating clearance of online content for distribution platforms
    Patent number: 10832216
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing clearance workflows for facilitating clearance of online content for distribution platforms. The online content may be obtained and may include an individual online content. A clearance workflow for the individual online content may be identified. The clearance workflow may include an itemized representation of clearance items to be addressed for clearance of the individual online content. The clearance workflow may be stored in electronic storage. Fulfillment information indicating that one or more of the clearance items included in the clearance workflow has been addressed may be obtained. The fulfillment information may identify which of the one or more clearance items have been addressed. The clearance workflow stored in the electronic storage for the individual online content may be updated in a reoccurring or ongoing manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Woods, Ryan Lissack, Christine Ordaz, Yael Miller
  • Range detection and motion capture
    Patent number: 10827453
    Abstract: Embodiments herein disclose a range detection system that includes a line-of-sight (LOS) emitter that outputs a LOS signal (e.g., visible light, infrared, etc.) which is detected at a receiver (e.g., a photodiode). The receiver outputs a signal representing the intensity of the LOS signal at the receiver. The output signal is converted into a digital signal which is then used to identify a distance value corresponding to the intensity of the LOS signal. For example, the range detection system may include a data structure that maps a plurality of digital signals to respective distance values. In this manner, the intensity of the LOS signal measured at the receiver can be correlated to a distance between the emitter and the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Robert Barton, Michael Paul Goslin, Eric C. Haseltine
  • Systems and methods for dynamically adjusting a synthetic view of a scene for showing the scene from a virtual camera perspective
    Patent number: 10827167
    Abstract: There is provided a system including a non-transitory memory storing an executable code and a hardware processor executing the code to receive a video content including a plurality of frames showing a scene from a perspective of a real camera, create a three-dimensional (3D) model of the scene using the plurality of frames, store the 3D model of the scene in the non-transitory memory, construct a synthetic view of the scene showing additional perspectives from one or more virtual cameras at one or more locations in the scene, transmit the synthetic view of the scene for being displayed on a display, display a scene of the video content on the display, track a position of a viewer moving in a room, and adjust the display of the scene being displayed on the display based on the position of the viewer in the room relative to the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott F. Watson, Lanny S. Smoot
  • Systems and methods to provide a shared interactive experience across multiple presentation devices
    Patent number: 10818089
    Abstract: This disclosure presents systems and methods to provide a shared augmented reality experience across multiple presentation devices. A first presentation device may display an AR marker, and may use a map of the physical environment to correctly orient the AR marker with an orientation of an anchor object. A second presentation device may then scan the marker, which places the anchor object in the position and orientation in their perceived views of the virtual environment in accordance with the marker. Once the location of the anchor object is established, networking between the first and second devices can be used to place other virtual objects in the virtual environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: R. Hunter Gough, Hunter Gibson, Tri Desa, Christopher Painter, Brittany Bruegel, Maxwell McCoy
  • Affect-driven dialog generation
    Patent number: 10818312
    Abstract: According to one implementation, an affect-driven dialog generation system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing a software code including a sequence-to-sequence (seq2seq) architecture trained using a loss function having an affective regularizer term based on a difference in emotional content between a target dialog response and a dialog sequence determined by the seq2seq architecture during training. The hardware processor executes the software code to receive an input dialog sequence, and to use the seq2seq architecture to generate emotionally diverse dialog responses based on the input dialog sequence and a predetermined target emotion. The hardware processor further executes the software code to determine, using the seq2seq architecture, a final dialog sequence responsive to the input dialog sequence based on an emotional relevance of each of the emotionally diverse dialog responses, and to provide the final dialog sequence as an output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashutosh Modi, Mubbasir Kapadia, Douglas A. Fidaleo, James R. Kennedy, Wojciech Witon, Pierre Colombo
  • Piecewise-polynomial coupling layers for warp-predicting neural networks
    Patent number: 10818080
    Abstract: According to one implementation, a system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing a software code including multiple artificial neural networks (ANNs). The hardware processor executes the software code to partition a multi-dimensional input vector into a first vector data and a second vector data, and to transform the second vector data using a first piecewise-polynomial transformation parameterized by one of the ANNs, based on the first vector data, to produce a transformed second vector data. The hardware processor further executes the software code to transform the first vector data using a second piecewise-polynomial transformation parameterized by another of the ANNs, based on the transformed second vector data, to produce a transformed first vector data, and to determine a multi-dimensional output vector based on an output from the plurality of ANNs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignees: Disney Enterprises, Inc., ETH Zürich (EIDGENÖSSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZÜRICH)
    Inventors: Thomas Muller, Brian McWilliams, Fabrice Pierre Armand Rousselle, Jan Novak
  • Toy with build-time effects
    Patent number: 10814242
    Abstract: A design for build-your-own (BYO) toys in which each build participant is provided a toy body or base part and asked to select a data key for their toy. The key has associated with it a set of build-time functions or special effects as well as post build-time functions. The toy body includes a controller that is operable to sense or detect when the key is properly installed or attached to the toy body (e.g., in a key receptacle or interface) and, in response, to read an identifier (ID) (e.g., a static code as may be provided in an RFID tag/chip). The controller may then operate onboard functional elements such as lights and a sound system to provide functions or special effects linked to that key's ID. Each key type may have different special effects associated with it for use during build time and during post build time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: John C. Hampton, Alex Christopher Wilde
  • Spatial position calculation system for objects in virtual reality or augmented reality environment
    Patent number: 10818097
    Abstract: A user control apparatus has a laser emitter that emits a laser beam in a real-world environment. Further, the user control apparatus has an optical element that receives the laser beam and generates a plurality of laser beams such that a starting point and a plurality of endpoints, each corresponding to one of the plurality of laser beams, form a laser frustum. In addition, the user control apparatus has an image capture device that captures an image of a shape of the laser frustum based on a reflection of the plurality of laser beams from an object in the real-world environment so that a spatial position of the object in the real-world environment is determined for an augmented reality or virtual reality user experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Steven Chapman, Joseph Hager, Joseph Popp, Calis Agyemang, Mehul Patel
  • Automation of media content tag selection
    Patent number: 10817565
    Abstract: A media content tagging system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor, and a system memory storing a tag selector software code configured to receive media content having segments, each segment including multiple content elements each associated with metadata tags having respective pre-computed confidence scores. For each content element, the tag selector software code assigns each of the metadata tags to at least one tag group, determines a confidence score for each tag group based on the pre-computed confidence scores of its assigned metadata tags, discards tag groups having less than a minimum number of assigned metadata tags, and filters the reduced number of tag groups based on the second confidence score to identify a further reduced number of tag groups. The tag selector software code then selects at least one representative tag group for a segment from among the further reduced number of tag groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Miquel Angel Farre Guiu, Matthew Petrillo, Monica Alfaro, Pablo Beltran Sanchidrian, Marc Junyent Martin, Evan A. Binder, Anthony M. Accardo, Katharine S. Ettinger, Avner Swerdlow
  • Communicative self-guiding automation
    Patent number: 10814487
    Abstract: A self-guiding automaton includes sensors, a hardware processor, and a memory storing a self-guidance software code. The hardware processor executes the self-guidance software code to detect a location and/or travel path of one or more human being(s) in a pedestrian environment using the sensors, and identify a self-guided path forward in the pedestrian environment based on the location and/or travel path of each human being(s). The self-guidance software code also determines a social cue for communicating the self-guided path forward to the human being(s), detects any change in the location and/or travel path of each human being(s) using the sensors, determines a pedestrian safety score of the self-guided path forward based on the location and/or travel path and any change in the location and/or travel path of each human being(s), and moves the automaton along the self-guided path forward if the pedestrian safety score satisfies a safety threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Honeck, Shelley O. Short, Jerry Rees, Kyle G. Freeman, Cory J. Rouse, Jeremy A. Mika, Michael Fusco
  • Techniques for capturing dynamic appearance of skin
    Patent number: 10818038
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure techniques for modeling and capturing the dynamic appearance of skin. These techniques can couple dynamic reflectance parameters for skin (albedo and specular reflectance) with dynamic geometry. The disclosed techniques allow for capture and modeling of the dynamic appearance of skin for an actor. The techniques can re-render the actor's face accurately to accurately model the appearance of skin including the albedo of skin that can change primarily due to blood flow. The techniques can also re-render the actor's face accurately under multiple different lighting conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Thabo Beeler, Abhijeet Ghosh, Derek Bradley, Jeremy Riviere, Paulo F. Urnau Gotardo
  • Systems and methods for non-linear content creation
    Patent number: 10817583
    Abstract: A system includes a memory configured to store a plurality of tools and a processor configured to use the plurality of tools. The processor uses the plurality of tools to retrieve historical information relating to a storyline, retrieve user information relating to user interactions with the storyline, provide the historical information and the user information for incorporating into the content, and generate the content using the historical information and the user information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Accardo, Mark Arana, Markus Gross, Chris Thomes
  • Wireless power transmission
    Patent number: 10819151
    Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus for wireless power transmission, comprising: a resonator comprising: a three dimensional structure; and an energy storage mechanism operatively coupled to the three dimensional structure; wherein the three dimensional structure and energy storage mechanism produce standing electromagnetic waves upon driving the resonator. Other systems, methods, apparatuses, and products are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Alanson P. Sample, Matthew J. Chabalko
  • Systems and methods for enhancing accuracy of spatial location and rotational orientation determination of wearable head-mounted display device
    Patent number: 10816813
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing the accuracy of spatial location and rotational orientation determination of a wearable head-mounted display device while in a motion simulating vehicle are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: generate output signals conveying vehicle information; generate output signals conveying user information of a user; obtain presentation information; determine, based on the user information and the vehicle information, spatial location and rotational orientation of the wearable head-mounted display device with respect to a reference frame such that accuracy of the determination is enhanced with respect to only using the user information; determine a view of the virtual space that corresponds to the spatial location and the rotational orientation of the wearable head-mounted display device determined; and effectuate, via the wearable head-mounted display device, presentation of the view of the virtual space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Goslin, Timothy M. Panec, Corey D. Drake, Jason Yeung
  • Dead reckoning positional prediction for augmented reality and virtual reality applications
    Patent number: 10810747
    Abstract: Techniques for predicting a virtual camera view in an augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) application. A first change in position of a user device over a first time period is determined based on analyzing a plurality of frames of image data related to an AR or VR application. A dead reckoning calculation is used to predict a second change in position of the user device over a second time period, based on the first change in position and data received from an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) associated with the user device. A plurality of frames of image data are generated for display in the AR or VR application, based on the predicted second change in position of the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Michael Graham, Amy E. Nelson
  • Interactive charging of battery-operated vehicles
    Patent number: 10807490
    Abstract: A method and associated computer program product and system are disclosed. The method comprises, while a battery-operated vehicle is not being charged by a power supply, receiving a first input at a user interface displayed on a computing device. The method further comprises, responsive to the first input, wirelessly transmitting a first control signal to the battery-operated vehicle to control motive operation thereof. The method further comprises, responsive to receiving an indication that the battery-operated vehicle is being charged by the power supply, displaying one or more tasks to be completed using the user interface. The method further comprises receiving a second input at the user interface while the one or more tasks are displayed, and responsive to the second input, wirelessly transmitting a second control signal to operate one or more output devices of the battery-operated vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Corey D. Drake, Nicholas F. Barone, Clifford Wong, Jason A. Yeung, Michael P. Goslin
  • Content processing automation
    Patent number: 10810367
    Abstract: In one implementation, a content processing system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing a content classification software code, a natural language processor, and a computer vision analyzer. The hardware processor executes the content classification software code to receive content inputs from multiple content sources, and, for each content input, to parse the content input for metadata describing the content input, obtain a description of language-based content included in the content input from the natural language processor, and obtain a description of visual content included in the content input from the computer vision analyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Concetta Maratta, Brian Kennedy, Zachary Toback, Jared L. Wiener, Fabian Westerwelle
  • Method and system for mimicking human camera operation
    Patent number: 10812686
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for mimicking human camera operation with an autonomous camera system. In one embodiment, camera planning is formulated as a supervised regression problem in which an automatic broadcasting application receives one video input captured by a human-operated camera and another video input captured by a stationary camera with a wider field of view. The automatic broadcasting application extracts feature vectors and pan-tilt-zoom states from the stationary camera and the human-operated camera, respectively, and learns a regressor which takes as input such feature vectors and outputs pan-tilt-zoom settings predictive of what the human camera operator would choose. The automatic broadcasting application may then apply the learned regressor on newly captured video to obtain planned pan-tilt-zoom settings and control an autonomous camera to achieve the planned settings to record videos which resemble the work of a human operator in similar situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: George Peter Carr, Jianhui Chen
  • Code generation system for image capture device parameters
    Patent number: 10810697
    Abstract: A process receives, with a processor, a plurality of image device properties corresponding to an image capture device. Further the process selects, with the processor, one or more of the plurality of image device properties based on one or more pipeline criteria. The pipeline criteria indicate one or more weights corresponding to the plurality of image device properties. Additionally, the process truncates, with the processor, the one or more selected image device properties to a predetermined number of characters based on a human readability factor. The human readability factor is provided by the one or more pipeline criteria. The process automatically generates, with the processor, a device parameter data structure by ordering the truncated one or more image device properties according to the one or more weights. Moreover, the process transmits, with the processor, the device parameter data structure through a video post-production pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Maloney, Vince Cerundolo, Steven Shapiro, Blake Sloan
  • Techniques for automated data record generation from live programs
    Patent number: 10812839
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention disclosed herein provide techniques for automatically generating a recorded version of a live video program. A live program extraction application executing on a live program extraction system receives an automation list associated with the live video program from a traffic and automation system and an integration message associated with the live video program from an integration control system. The live program extraction application generates a first data entry that includes a timecode based on at least one of the automation list and the integration message. The live program extraction application stores the first data entry into a data record associated with the live video program. The live program extraction application transmits the data record to a broadcast system. The broadcast system automatically replaces a portion of the recorded version of the live video program based on the timecode included in the first data entry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladislav Feldman, Joseph Kenny, Michael Strein
  • Ballistic robot system with spin and other controlled motion of robot during flight
    Patent number: 10807244
    Abstract: Systems and corresponding control methods providing a ballistic robot that flies on a trajectory after being released (e.g., in non-powered flight as a ballistic body) from a launch mechanism. The ballistic robot is adapted to control its position and/or inflight movements by processing data from onboard and offboard sensors and by issuing well-timed control signals to one or more onboard actuators to achieve an inflight controlled motion. The actuators may move an appendage such as an arm or leg of the robot or may alter the configuration of one or more body links (e.g., to change from an untucked configuration to a tucked configuration), while other embodiments may trigger a drive mechanism of an inertia moving assembly to change/move the moment of inertia of the flying body. Inflight controlled movements are performed to achieve a desired or target pose and orientation of the robot during flight and upon landing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Paul Dohi, Steven Niels Christensen, Mark Sox Setrakian, David Loyal Christensen, Grant Masaru Imahara, Morgan T. Pope, Scott Frazier Watson, Günter D. Niemeyer
  • Automated conversion of vocabulary and narrative tone
    Patent number: 10810382
    Abstract: There is provided a content translation system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing a language conversion software code including a vocabulary conversion convolutional neural network (CNN). The hardware processor is configured to execute the language conversion software code to obtain a content including a language-based content expressed in a first vocabulary. The hardware processor also executes the language conversion software code to convert a wording of the language-based content from the first vocabulary to a second vocabulary using the vocabulary conversion CNN, where the first vocabulary and the second vocabulary are in the same language. The hardware processor further executes the language conversion software code to output a translated content corresponding to the content for rendering on a display, the translated content including the language-based content expressed in the second vocabulary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: David Horn
  • Content aggregation and distribution for real-time and non-real-time production
    Patent number: 10805674
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for content aggregation and distribution for real-time and non-real-time production of video content items may be realized by receiving, at a first device from a second device, an annotated video stream that includes principal material in a principal spectrum (which is in-band for output on a display device) and supplemental material in a supplemental spectrum (which is out-of-band for the display device) and in response to receiving, from the downstream device, an indication that the principal material is of secondary interest and that the supplemental material is of primary interest: repackaging the annotated video stream to include the supplemental material in the principal spectrum via insertion, substitution, or splicing. The content may be repackaged in real-time with linear delivery, and in non-real-time with on-demand delivery, and various entities may add content for later inclusion, and adjust which content is transmitted to downstream entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon M. Edwards, Michael J. Strein, Bradley C. Wall
  • System and method for detection and visualization of anomalous media events
    Patent number: 10795560
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detection and visualization of anomalous media events are described, where AV media data of a sporting event (game) are analyzed to identify AV media segments indicative of unscripted anomalous events (AE's) that elicit a social media response (SMR), and selectable AE graphic visualization (or AE GUI) is provided showing the position of the AE on the court or field of play graphic, corresponding to the actual field of play, as a form of augmented reality. The graphic may also show the level of interest and the sentiment allocation (positive, negative, neutral) for each AE, a social media source allocation, details about the AE, social media posts, and other graphic display features related to the AE. Feedback may also be provided to adjust the logic that identifies AE. AE Alerts may also be sent to users autonomously or based on user-set parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Joel Branch, Samuel J. Reisner, James S. Williams, Chenna Varri, Tasneem Brutch
  • Perceptual data association
    Patent number: 10796195
    Abstract: Embodiments provide for perceptual data association from at least a first and a second sensor disposed at different positions in an environment, in respective series of local scene graphs that identify characteristics of objects in the environment that are updated asynchronously and merging the series of local scene graphs to form a coherent image of the environment from multiple perspectives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremie A. Papon, Kyle G. Freeman
  • Kernel-predicting convolutional neural networks for denoising
    Patent number: 10796414
    Abstract: Supervised machine learning using convolutional neural network (CNN) is applied to denoising images rendered by MC path tracing. The input image data may include pixel color and its variance, as well as a set of auxiliary buffers that encode scene information (e.g., surface normal, albedo, depth, and their corresponding variances). In some embodiments, a CNN directly predicts the final denoised pixel value as a highly non-linear combination of the input features. In some other embodiments, a kernel-prediction neural network uses a CNN to estimate the local weighting kernels, which are used to compute each denoised pixel from its neighbors. In some embodiments, the input image can be decomposed into diffuse and specular components. The diffuse and specular components are then independently preprocessed, filtered, and postprocessed, before recombining them to obtain a final denoised image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignees: Disney Enterprises, Inc., ETH Zürich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich)
    Inventors: Thijs Vogels, Jan Novák, Fabrice Rousselle, Brian McWilliams
  • Systems and methods for interacting with a virtual interface
    Patent number: 10788966
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems and methods for interacting with a virtual interface. The virtual interface may include a virtual object. The virtual object may correlate with an instruction to change the virtual interface. A user's interaction with the virtual object may be determined. The virtual interface may be changed in accordance with the instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Goslin, Joseph Olson, Jason Yeung
  • Automated network navigation
    Patent number: 10791047
    Abstract: A network navigation system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing a routing software code, and communicatively coupled to multiple hardware nodes of a communication network. The hardware processor executes the routing software code to monitor performance data for each hardware node, identify a network destination for a content stream, identify a source hardware node for providing source content of the content stream based on the performance data, and identify hardware transmission nodes for delivery of the content stream based on the performance data. The source and transmission nodes determine a first network route for delivery of the content stream. The routing software code also receives test data for the first network route during delivery of the content stream, and determines a second network route for delivery of the content stream if the test data fails to meet a predetermined test standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprise Inc.
    Inventors: Efthimis Stefanidis, Vladislav Feldman, Michael J. Strein, Craig L. Beardsley
  • Ray-mediated illumination control
    Patent number: 10789757
    Abstract: There is provided a method for ray-mediated illumination control. The method includes identifying a first activation region corresponding to one of an origin and a destination of a ray, where the ray is described by a ray data associated with the ray. The method further includes identifying a second activation region corresponding to the other one of the origin and the destination of the ray, interpreting an illumination rule for the ray based on at least one of the first activation region and the second activation region, and modifying an illumination in one of the first activation region and the second activation region based on the illumination rule and the ray data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises Inc.
    Inventors: Brent Burley, Christian Eisenacher, Sean Jenkins, Gregory Nichols, Andrew Selle, Charles Tappan, Henry A. Driskill, Brett W. Achorn
  • Techniques for optimizing video content based on redundant internet protocol addresses
    Patent number: 10791378
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a change over application distributes video content received from multiple origination sources. The change over application computes a first score based on a portion of first origination video content received from a first origination source, where the first origination source is associated with a first IP address. The change over application then determines a second origination source of second origination video content based on the first score and a selection criterion, where the second origination source is associated with a second IP address. Subsequently, the change over application transmits portions of the second origination video content received from the second origination source to the destination as portions of the distribution video content. Advantageously, unlike previous approaches to optimizing distribution video content, because a processor executes the change over application, dedicated hardware is not required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Strein, Efthimis Stefanidis, Vladislav Feldman
  • Denoising Monte Carlo renderings using machine learning with importance sampling
    Patent number: 10789686
    Abstract: Supervised machine learning using neural networks is applied to denoising images rendered by MC path tracing. Specialization of neural networks may be achieved by using a modular design that allows reusing trained components in different networks and facilitates easy debugging and incremental building of complex structures. Specialization may also be achieved by using progressive neural networks. In some embodiments, training of a neural-network based denoiser may use importance sampling, where more challenging patches or patches including areas of particular interests within a training dataset are selected with higher probabilities than others. In some other embodiments, generative adversarial networks (GANs) may be used for training a machine-learning based denoiser as an alternative to using pre-defined loss functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignees: Pixar, Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Thijs Vogels, Fabrice Rousselle, Brian McWilliams, Mark Meyer, Jan Novak
  • Systems and methods for extending access to subscription-based media contents
    Patent number: 10791372
    Abstract: There is provided a system including a non-transitory memory storing a subscription entitlement database and a hardware processor configured to provide access to a media content to a user during an availability window for the media content, according to a subscription right associated with the media content in the subscription entitlement database, notify a user of the availability window for the media content, present the user with an option to extend access to the media content beyond the availability window for the media content, in response to a selection of the option to extend access from the user, extend access to the media content after the availability window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Josiah Eatedali, Edward C. Drake, Mark Arana
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ALLOWING INTERACTIVE BROADCAST STREAMED VIDEO FROM DYNAMIC CONTENT
    Publication number: 20200298113
    Abstract: Some implementations of the disclosure are directed to allowing interactive broadcast streamed video from games and other dynamic content. In accordance with some implementations, a content creator may publish a plurality of video surfaces of an environment for streaming to a plurality of client devices for video playback. The plurality of video surfaces may correspond, for example, to a cube map of a gaming environment captured from the perspective of a player. Upon receiving a stream including multiple video surfaces such as a cubemap, a media player of a viewer may generate a fully-rendered three-dimensional view of the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Andi Smithers
  • Dense reconstruction for narrow baseline motion observations
    Patent number: 10783704
    Abstract: Techniques for constructing a three-dimensional model of facial geometry are disclosed. A first three-dimensional model of an object is generated, based on a plurality of captured images of the object. A projected three-dimensional model of the object is determined, based on a plurality of identified blendshapes relating to the object. A second three-dimensional model of the object is generated, based on the first three-dimensional model of the object and the projected three dimensional model of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Mitchell, Frederike Dümbgen, Shuang Liu
  • Systems and methods for providing media content
    Patent number: 10783505
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides for systems and methods for delivering and unlocking restricted media content on physical media. The disclosed methods and systems provide restricted media assets on a physical media. The restricted media assets may be ad-sponsored media content. Restrictions on the restricted media assets may be removed by providing an unlock code, either on an online or offline media player. In the ad-sponsored media context, an unlocked version might comprise an ad-free version.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Arana
  • Componentized data storage
    Patent number: 10783127
    Abstract: There are provided computer systems and methods for performing componentized data storage. Such a system includes a hardware processor, a system memory, and a data componentization unit including a data resolution module and a data archiving module stored in the system memory. The hardware processor is configured to execute the data componentization unit to receive a data file including multiple data types, and to transform the data file into data components corresponding respectively to the multiple data types. The hardware processor is further configured to execute the data componentization unit to generate database entries each including one of the data components, and to store each of the database entries in one of multiple databases based on the data type corresponding to the data component included in the database entry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises Inc.
    Inventor: James A. Malone
  • Circular visual representation of media content
    Patent number: 10783679
    Abstract: According to one implementation, a system for visualizing media content includes a computing platform including a hardware processor and a system memory, storing a content visualization software code. The hardware processor is configured to execute the content visualization software code to receive a media file, parse the media file to identify a primary content and metadata describing the primary content, and analyze the metadata to determine representative features of the primary content. The hardware processor further executes the content visualization software code to generate a circular visual representation of the primary content based on the metadata and the representative features, the circular visual representation having a non-linear correspondence to at least one of the representative features. The circular visual representation includes a central circle having a central radius, and multiple, at least semicircular segments, each having a respective radius greater than the central radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises Inc.
    Inventors: Katherine Watson, Markus Gross, Sasha Anna Schriber
  • Retail venue providing automated customer assistance
    Patent number: 10783567
    Abstract: According to one implementation, a system for automating customer assistance includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a memory storing a venue inventory and activity guide software code. The hardware processor is configured to execute the venue inventory and activity guide software code to receive a query from a customer of the retail venue, and determine if the query corresponds to either a retail product or an experience available at the retail venue. If the retail product or the experience is not available at the retail venue, the hardware processor executes the venue inventory and activity guide software code to generate a negative response. If the retail product or the experience is available at the retail venue, the hardware processor executes the venue inventory and activity guide software code to identify a location of the retail product or the experience, and guide the customer to the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises Inc.
    Inventors: Lanny S. Smoot, Steven Makofsky, Scott F. Watson, Nitzan Katz
  • Systems and methods for generating event-centric animations using a graphical user interface
    Patent number: 10783689
    Abstract: A user interface may be presented to a user that may provide an intuitive interface configured for generating animations. The user interface may be users of varying levels of expertise, while retaining the freedom of authoring complex narratives in an animation. A given narrative may be constrained by user input related to one or more of events to occur in an animation, individual animation components that may be included in the events, and/or other input. The system may be configured to “fill in” missing gaps in a narrative to generate a consistent animation while still meeting one or more narrative constraints specified by user input. By way of non-limiting example, gaps may be “filled in” by effectuating non-user selections of one or more of events, animation components, and/or other information used to generate an animation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Shoulson, Mubbasir Kapadia, Robert Sumner
  • Systems and methods to provide an interactive space based on vehicle-to-vehicle communications
    Patent number: 10785621
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems and methods to provide an interactive space based on vehicle-to-vehicle communications. A vehicle may store experience information and/or other information. The experience information may define virtual content to be presented to a user residing in the vehicle to create an interactive space. The virtual content may be associated with an experience location in a real-world environment. Responsive to a vehicle location of the vehicle being at or near the experience location, the user may be presented with views of the virtual content. The user may interact with the virtual content causing an update of the experience information. Upon detection of presence of a second vehicle, the vehicle may communicate the updated experience information to the second vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Corey D. Drake, Hunter Gibson, Jason Yeung, Michael P. Goslin
  • Location-based mobile storytelling using beacons
    Patent number: 10785333
    Abstract: There is provided a system and method for location-based mobile storytelling using beacons. The system including a memory storing a storytelling software application, the storytelling software application configured to generate a story that includes a plurality of segments, each segment of the plurality of segments of the story being associated with one of a plurality of beacons, and a processor configured to execute the storytelling software application to receive a first message transmitted from a first beacon of the plurality of beacons, determine a first beacon identity of the first beacon using the first message, generate a first segment of the plurality of segments of the story based on the first beacon identity, the first segment of the story being associated with the first beacon, and play the first segment of the story.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises Inc.
    Inventors: Malcolm Murdock, Kimberly Porter, Richard Ginter, Mohammad Poswal, Michele Wells
  • Weakly-supervised spatial context networks to recognize features within an image
    Patent number: 10776662
    Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for training a convolutional neural network for feature recognition within digital images. A spatial context neural network is trained using a plurality of patches cropped from a plurality of digital images, the spatial context neural network comprising a first convolutional neural network configured to predict a feature representation for a first specified portion of a first digital image, a second convolutional neural network configured to compute a feature representation for a second specified portion of a second digital image, and a spatial context module that accepts output of the first and second convolutional neural networks as input. The second convolutional neural network is refined by regressing features of the second convolutional neural network to features of the first convolutional neural network. The refined second convolutional neural network is used to recognize one or more features within a third digital image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonid Sigal, Zuxuan Wu
  • Aerial imaging high-accuracy scale calibration
    Patent number: 10776987
    Abstract: The disclosure provides for a system of markers and methods of using the system of markers to provide a precise scene scale reference for captured aerial images. Each of the markers may include one or more pairs of aligned collimated light emitters, where each pair of light emitters is configured to emit two light beams that converge at a known distance from the marker. When two or more markers are used, the system of markers may be aligned in a unique physical orientation to form a shape of known dimensions (e.g., a line, a triangle, or square) that provides an accurate scene scale reference for captured images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Steven M. Chapman, Mehul Patel, Joseph Popp, Steven Kosakura
  • Mounted displays that autorotate to match content on display
    Patent number: 10775838
    Abstract: Some implementations of the disclosure are directed to automatically rotating displays to display media content based on metadata extracted from the media content that provides an indication of a target display orientation to display the media content. In one implementation, a method includes: detecting media content for display on a display, wherein the display is mounted on a rotatable display mount; extracting metadata from the detected media content, the extracted metadata providing an indication of a target display orientation to display the media content; using at least the extracted metadata, automatically causing the rotatable display mount to rotate the display to the target orientation; and displaying the media content on the rotated display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Mehul Patel, Steven M. Chapman, Joseph Popp, Matthew Deuel
  • Automatic identification and verification of transmission of content
    Patent number: 10779025
    Abstract: Techniques for identifying aired content are described. A first audio sample is received and processed, using a computer processor, to extract an embedded audio watermark. A content identifier identifying a first item of programming content is determined, using the computer processor and based on the audio watermark. A timestamp associated with the first audio sample is also determined based on the audio watermark. An as-aired log is updated based on the content identifier and the timestamp. The computer processor is used to identify that the first item of programming content has aired, based on the as-aired log.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn J. Godfrey, Gerald A. Rapella, Michael J. Strein
  • System and method for coordinating asset entitlements
    Patent number: 10776477
    Abstract: There is presented a system and method for coordinating asset entitlements, the system comprising a server including a processor and a memory and accessible by multiple domains over a network, and an asset entitlement database searchable by the server, wherein an entry of the asset entitlement database links a domain transcendent user identification (ID) of a user and at least one asset entitlement acquired by the user from any of the domains. In one embodiment, the server is configured to receive an asset entitlement inquiry from one of the domains, search the asset entitlement database for asset entitlements acquired by the user from any of the domains, generate a search result identifying the asset entitlements acquired by the user from the domains, and send data corresponding to the search result to the domain from which the asset entitlement inquiry was received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises Inc.
    Inventors: Edward C. Drake, Arnaud Robert
  • Drones generating various air flow effects around a virtual reality or augmented reality user
    Patent number: 10777008
    Abstract: Systems and methods described herein are directed to enhancing a virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) experience by using one or more unmanned vehicles to generate effects around a user of a headmounted display (HMD). The generated effects may be synchronized with VR/AR content presented to the user of the HMD. Particular systems and methods described herein are directed to enhancing a VR/AR experience by using one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to generate air flow effects around a user of a HMD. The air flow effects generated by UAV may simulate a physical and/or olfactory sensation corresponding to a VR/AR environment presented to the user using the HMD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Alexander C. Chen, Steven Chapman, Benjamin Havey
  • Systems and methods for facilitating the sharing of user-generated content of a virtual space
    Patent number: 10771514
    Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating the sharing of user-generated content of a virtual space are presented herein. The user-generated content may be shared between users of different computing platforms. The computing platforms may be of different platform types. The user-generated content may be shared through platform type-specific conversions of the information that defines the user-generated content. The processing cost and/or other cost information may be determined and/or estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Nelson, James Rowe, Jose Villeta
  • Apparatus, systems and methods for shadow assisted object recognition and tracking
    Patent number: 10769810
    Abstract: Described herein are apparatus, systems and methods for shadow assisted object recognition and tracking. The methods performed by the apparatus and system include identifying a blob within a video image, the video image having at least one object and at least one shadow of the at least one object, the at least one shadow of the at least one object cast by at least one light source. Identifying the blob includes identifying an object projection corresponding to the at least one object and a shadow projection corresponding to the at least one shadow. A location of an object portion of the at least one object is determined based on the shadow projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuecheng Zhang, Ilke Akin
  • Multi-mode haptic effects delivery system
    Patent number: 10761607
    Abstract: In one implementation, a multi-mode haptic effects delivery system includes an impact surface, a mass adjacent to the impact surface, and a driving mechanism configured to reciprocate the mass. The multi-mode haptic effects delivery system also includes a motor configured to generate a vibrational mode haptic effect. The driving mechanism configured to reciprocate the mass causes the mass to strike the impact surface so as to generate a recoil mode haptic effect. In one implementation, the driving mechanism is a gear assembly powered by the same motor used to generate the vibrational mode haptic effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Nocon, Jonathan R. Hsu