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).
  • User preferences based synthesis of group recommendations
    Patent number: 12015816
    Abstract: A system includes a computing platform having processing hardware and a memory storing an asset library and software code including a recommendation engine. The processing hardware executes the software code to receive, from a user, group generation data and a preferences profile of the user, the group generation data identifying a group including the user and another user, and to send, to the other user, an invitation to join the group. The processing hardware also executes the software code to receive, from the other user, one of an acceptance or a refusal of the invitation, obtain, in response to receiving the acceptance, a preferences profile of the other user, generate, using the preferences profiles of the user and the other user, a group preferences profile for the group, and identify, using the recommendation engine and the group preferences profile, one or more assets in the asset library for the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarah Depew, Claudia Cervon
  • Techniques for performing contextual phrase grounding
    Patent number: 12014143
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a phrase grounding model automatically performs phrase grounding for a source sentence and a source image. The phrase grounding model determines that a first phrase included in the source sentence matches a first region of the source image based on the first phrase and at least a second phrase included in the source sentence. The phrase grounding model then generates a matched pair that specifies the first phrase and the first region. Subsequently, one or more annotation operations are performed on the source image based on the matched pair. Advantageously, the accuracy of the phrase grounding model is increased relative to prior art solutions where the interrelationships between phrases are typically disregarded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignees: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC., ETH Zürich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich)
    Inventors: Pelin Dogan, Leonid Sigal, Markus Gross
  • Techniques for communicating via exchanges of physical charms
    Patent number: 12015612
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a charm application enables user devices to communicate via physical charms. Upon receiving, from a first user device, a read request that is associated with the physical charm, the charm application identifies a message and an authorization list that are associated with the physical charm and previously received from a second user device. The charm application then determines whether a first user associated with the first user device is authorized to read the message based on the authorization list. If the first user is authorized to read the message, then the charm application transmits the message to the first user device. Notably, each physical charm may be exchanged between any number of users, but only read by authorized users via a user device. Accordingly, user devices may communicate private messages including any type of data with other user devices irrespective of whether technical infrastructures are accessible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Goslin, Larra Paolilli, Katherine M. Bassett, Janice Rosenthal
  • CONFIGURING A LAUNCH OF COMPONENTS OF A HARDWARE-IN-THE-LOOP SIMULATION ENVIRONMENT
    Publication number: 20240193073
    Abstract: In some implementations, a hardware-in-the-loop simulation (HIL) platform may receive component information regarding a plurality of software components of an HIL simulation environment. The component information may be received using a launcher application of the HIL simulation platform. The component information may include sequence information indicating a sequence for launching the plurality of software components during an HIL simulation, and interconnectivity information indicating an interdependency between two or more software components of the plurality of software components. The HIL simulation platform may receive a request to perform the HIL simulation. The HIL simulation platform may execute, based on the request, a computer model to perform the HIL simulation. Executing the computer model to perform the HIL simulation comprises launching, using the launcher application, the plurality of software components in an order that is based on the sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Applicant: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick MCNAULL, Matthew J. STRANDSKOV, Robert J. MARRA
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PRE-CALCULATING INFORMATION REGARDING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN OBJECTS DURING A SIMULATION
    Publication number: 20240190400
    Abstract: A simulation platform may receive equipment information regarding ride equipment. The equipment information identifies a first location of a first end of the ride equipment on a travel path and identifies a second location of a second end of the ride equipment. The simulation platform may determine, based on the equipment information, that the first location is at a first distance from a starting location on the travel path and indicates that the second location is at a second distance from the starting location. The simulation platform may execute a computer model to perform a simulation of a movement of a passenger vehicle along the travel path. The simulation platform may determine, during the simulation, that the passenger vehicle is located at a particular distance from the starting location. The simulation platform may determine whether the particular distance corresponds to a location between the first location and the second location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Applicant: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick J MCNAULL, Robert J. MARRA, Christopher C. HOFER
  • Segment quality-guided adaptive stream creation
    Patent number: 12010369
    Abstract: Embodiments provide for improved stream generation. A first encoded segment is generated by encoding a first segment, of a plurality of segments in a media asset, using a first bitrate of a plurality of bitrates specified in an encoding ladder. A second encoded segment is generated by encoding the first segment using a second bitrate, where the second bitrate is lower than the first bitrate. Upon receiving a request for the first segment at the first bitrate, the second encoded segment is output based at least in part on determining that a first quality of the second encoded segment is within a tolerance of a second quality of the first encoded segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott C. Labrozzi, Chetan K. Mathur, Yuanyi Xue, Michael J. Bracco
  • Microdosing for low bitrate video compression
    Patent number: 12010335
    Abstract: A system includes a machine learning (ML) model-based video encoder configured to receive an uncompressed video sequence including multiple video frames, determine, from among the multiple video frames, a first video frame subset and a second video frame subset, encode the first video frame subset to produce a first compressed video frame subset, and identify a first decompression data for the first compressed video frame subset. The ML model-based video encoder is further configured to encode the second video frame subset to produce a second compressed video frame subset, and identify a second decompression data for the second compressed video frame subset. The first decompression data is specific to decoding the first compressed video frame subset but not the second compressed video frame subset, and the second decompression data is specific to decoding the second compressed video frame subset but not the first compressed video frame subset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Abdelaziz Djelouah, Leonhard Markus Helminger, Roberto Gerson de Albuquerque Azevedo, Christopher Richard Schroers, Scott Labrozzi, Yuanyi Xue
  • Techniques for enhanced media experience
    Patent number: 12003821
    Abstract: The present disclosure sets forth a technique for providing supplemental content along with source media. The technique includes receiving source media and content metadata associated with the source media, generating supplemental content based on the content metadata and preferences of one or more media consumers, and delivering the supplement content along with the source media to the one or more media consumers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Douglas A. Fidaleo, Michael P. Goslin
  • Creating interactive digital experiences using a realtime 3D rendering platform
    Patent number: 12003833
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for creating interactive digital experiences for linear content. This includes identifying a plurality of assets relating to presentation of linear content. It further includes generating interactive content using the linear content, including generating an interactive sequence referencing one or more of the plurality of assets and combining the linear content with the interactive sequence on a timeline sequentially describing the linear content. The timeline includes one or more branches relating to the linear content, and selection of a first branch of the one or more branches is based on the interactive sequence. It further includes transmitting the interactive content to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Priyam S. Parikh, Katharine S. Navarre, Andrew E. Wood, Evan A. Binder
  • Automated content segmentation and identification of fungible content
    Patent number: 12003831
    Abstract: A content segmentation system includes a computing platform having processing hardware and a system memory storing a software code and a trained machine learning model. The processing hardware is configured to execute the software code to receive content, the content including multiple sections each having multiple content blocks in sequence, to select one of the sections for segmentation, and to identify, for each of the content blocks of the selected section, at least one respective representative unit of content. The software code is further executed to generate, using the at least one respective representative unit of content, a respective embedding vector for each of the content blocks of the selected section to provide a multiple embedding vectors, and to predict, using the trained machine learning model and the embedding vectors, subsections of the selected section, at least some of the subsections including more than one of the content blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Miquel Angel Farre Guiu, Marc Junyent Martin, Pablo Pernias
  • DETERMINING LOCATION OF A PASSENGER VEHICLE BASED ON A COMPUTER MODEL AND SENSOR DEVICES
    Publication number: 20240173632
    Abstract: A vehicle location system may execute a model to simulate a movement of a passenger vehicle along a ride path. The vehicle location system may determine, based on executing the model, that a current ride location of the passenger vehicle is a first ride location. The vehicle location system may update a map application to indicate that the current ride location is the first ride location. The vehicle location system may receive sensor data generated by a sensor device located at a second ride location. The sensor data indicates that the passenger vehicle has been detected at the second ride location. The vehicle location system may provide the sensor data as an input to the model to update the current ride location to the second ride location. The vehicle location system may update, based on the sensor data, the map application to indicate the second ride location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2022
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Applicant: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick MCNAULL, Chun Sum YEUNG, Robert J. MARRA, Christopher C. HOFER, Brian F. WALTERS
  • Rig-space neural rendering of digital assets
    Patent number: 11995749
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein provide techniques for generating image data of a three-dimensional (3D) animatable asset. A rendering module executing on a computer system accesses a machine learning model that has been trained via first image data of the 3D animatable asset generated from first rig vector data. The rendering module receives second rig vector data. The rendering module generates, via the machine learning model, a second image data of the 3D animatable asset based on the second rig vector data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignees: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC., ETH Zürich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich)
    Inventors: Dominik Borer, Jakob Buhmann, Martin Guay
  • Dynamic authorization rule stacking and routing across multiple systems
    Patent number: 11997099
    Abstract: A system includes a hardware processor that executes a software code to receive an authorization request on behalf of a user for a stacked resource including resources offered separately by multiple resource providers, determine resource provider computers associated with the stacked resource, and send a look-up request including an electronic identity of the user to those computers, where the electronic identity is used as a look-up key for determining user attribute(s) of the user. The software code further receives the user attribute(s) from the resource provider computers, generates an accumulated access profile of the user based on the user attribute(s), applies the profile to a rules engine to determine a stacked access result, and routes the authorization request and the stacked access result to one of the resource provider computers, where that computer completes an authorization process for access to the stacked resource based on the stacked access result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Pankaj Gambhir, Joseph Inzerillo, Rajendra Dubagunta, Adetayo Adeleye, Mahesh Swaminathan, Fekade Sergew, Kazuhiro Kusunoki, Sean Curtis
  • Generating media programs configured for seamless playback
    Patent number: 11997329
    Abstract: A media processing engine selectively transcodes only a portion of the media clips to be included in a personalized media program and generates playback data that allows seamless playback of the personalized media program. The media processing engine analyzes initial playback data associated with the media program that indicates the media clips needed to generate the personalized media program. The media processing engine identifies one or more transitions between media clips in the personalized media program and determines specific segments of those media clips that are associated with the identified transition(s). The media processing engine performs transcoding operations with the determined segments of the media clips to generate one or more transition clips. The media processing engine then updates the initial playback data to indicate that the transition clip(s) should be played during the corresponding transition(s) between the associated media clips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Katharine S. Navarre, Jason Lewis, Dionysius Mavromatis, Adam Eivy, Sujal Shah
  • Systems and methods for intelligent media content segmentation and analysis
    Patent number: 11991417
    Abstract: There is provided a system including a non-transitory memory storing an executable code and a hardware processor executing the executable code to receive a media content including a plurality of frames, divide the media content into a plurality of shots, each of the plurality of shots including a plurality of frames of the media content based on a first similarity between the plurality of frames, determine a plurality of sequential shots of the plurality of shots to be part of a first sub-scene of a plurality of sub-scenes of a scene based on a timeline continuity of the plurality of sequential shots, identify each of the plurality of shots of the media content and each of the plurality of sub-scenes with a corresponding beginning time code and a corresponding ending time code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Nimesh Narayan, Jack Luu, Alan Pao, Matthew C. Petrillo, Anthony M. Accardo, Alexis J. Lindquist, Miquel Angel Farre Guiu, Katharine (Kaki) S. Ettinger, Lena Volodarsky Bareket
  • Guided boat with external discrete yaw control
    Patent number: 11986743
    Abstract: A water ride system configured to provide passengers of boats new and exciting experiences via enhanced storytelling opportunities. The water ride system is designed to allow ride designers to provide 2-dimensional guiding of the boat traveling in a flume in a direction of travel (DOT) coinciding with the direction of water flowing in the flume. The water ride system uses a combination of a guideway (or track) within the flume and a new guide bogie. The guide bogie has a square body and four corner-mounted guide wheels, and the bogie is mounted on the bottom of the boat so as to ride within the guideway to provide guided boats with various headings. Specifically, the boats can be oriented in many different directions rather than having a single fixed orientation, such as with a front of the boat facing in the DOT, as was the case with traditional water rides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Kristopher M. Laffin
  • Automated image analysis and indexing
    Patent number: 11989922
    Abstract: A system includes a computing platform having processing hardware, and a memory storing software code. The processing hardware is configured to execute the software code to receive an image having a plurality of image regions, determine a boundary of each of the image regions to identify a plurality of bounded image regions, and identify, within each of the bounded image regions, one or more image sub-regions to identify a plurality of image sub-regions. The processing hardware is further configured to execute the software code to identify, within each of the bounded image regions, one or more first features, respectively, identify, within each of the image sub-regions, one or more second features, respectively, and provided an annotated image by annotating each of the bounded image regions using the respective first features and annotating each of the image sub-regions using the respective second features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Miquel Angel Farre Guiu, Monica Alfaro Vendrell, Pablo Pernias, Francesc Josep Guitart Bravo, Marc Junyent Martin, Albert Aparicio Isarn, Anthony M. Accardo, Steven S. Shapiro
  • Structural support system for rockwork with mechanical fastening of adjacent chip assemblies
    Patent number: 11987982
    Abstract: Rebar-based support assemblies that can be fabricated without the need for on-site welding. The assemblies include a number of differing sized and shaped crimps used in place of welds to provide rebar assembly-to-rebar assembly connections. Each crimp mechanically couples two or three pieces of rebar together, such as a border bar of one rebar assembly to a border bar of an adjacent rebar assembly. Each crimp includes a body with two or more arcuate recessed surfaces each for receiving a piece of rebar. In a first configuration of the crimp, a pair of spaced-apart arms (or extending members) extend from the body and define an opening through which the rebar is passed and set into the recessed surfaces. A deformation force is applied upon the two arms to deform the body into a second configuration with the arms in abutting contact or nearly so at an outer tip or end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Zsolt Hormay, Philip J. Jackson, Tammy Tosounian, Robert W. Jewell, Angela M. Orovets, Robert Pontrelli, Maeis Heshmati
  • Saliency prioritization for image processing
    Patent number: 11989650
    Abstract: According to one implementation, a system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing a software code including a trained neural network (NN). The hardware processor executes the software code to receive an input image including a pixel anomaly, identify, using the trained NN, one or more salient regions of the input image, and determine whether the pixel anomaly is located inside any of the one or more salient regions. The hardware processor further executes the software code to assign a first priority to the pixel anomaly when it is determined that the pixel anomaly is located inside any of the one or more salient regions, and to assign a second priority, lower than the first priority, to the pixel anomaly when it is determined that the pixel anomaly is not located inside any of the one or more salient regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Erika Varis Doggett, David T. Nguyen, Binghao Tang, Hailing Zhou, Anna M. Wolak, Erick Keyu Qi
  • Techniques for facial appearance capture
    Patent number: 11989971
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for capturing facial appearance properties. In some examples, a facial capture system includes light source(s) that produce linearly polarized light, at least one camera that is cross-polarized with respect to the polarization of light produced by the light source(s), and at least one other camera that is not cross-polarized with respect to the polarization of the light produced by the light source(s). Images captured by the cross-polarized camera(s) are used to determine facial appearance properties other than specular intensity, such as diffuse albedo, while images captured by the camera(s) that are not cross-polarized are used to determine facial appearance properties including specular intensity. In addition, a coarse-to-fine optimization procedure is disclosed for determining appearance and detailed geometry maps based on images captured by the cross-polarized camera(s) and the camera(s) that are not cross-polarized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Riviere, Paulo Fabiano Urnau Gotardo, Abhijeet Ghosh, Derek Edward Bradley, Dominik Thabo Beeler
  • Systems and methods for image compression at multiple, different bitrates
    Patent number: 11983906
    Abstract: Systems and methods for predicting a target set of pixels are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method may include obtaining target content. The target content may include a target set of pixels to be predicted. The method may also include convolving the target set of pixels to generate an estimated set of pixels. The method may include matching a second set of pixels in the target content to the target set of pixels. The second set of pixels may be within a distance from the target set of pixels. The method may include refining the estimated set of pixels to generate a refined set of pixels using a second set of pixels in the target content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Schroers, Erika Doggett, Stephan Mandt, Jared Mcphillen, Scott Labrozzi, Romann Weber, Mauro Bamert
  • Conversation-driven character animation
    Patent number: 11983808
    Abstract: A system for producing conversation-driven character animation includes a computing platform having processing hardware and a system memory storing software code, the software code including multiple trained machine learning (ML) models. The processing hardware executes the software code to obtain a conversation understanding feature set describing a present state of a conversation between a digital character and a system user, and to generate an inference, using at least a first trained ML model of the multiple trained ML models and the conversation understanding feature set, the inference including labels describing a predicted next state of a scene within the conversation. The processing hardware further executes the software code to produce, using at least a second trained ML model of the multiple trained ML models and the labels, an animation stream of the digital character participating in the predicted next state of the scene within the conversation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanchita Tiwari, Justin Ali Kennedy, Mark R. Brashear, Daniel Cahall, Dumene Comploi, Dirk Van Dall, Keith Comito
  • Techniques for training machine learning models using actor data
    Patent number: 11983183
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for learning models of movies, keywords, actors, and roles, and querying the same. In one embodiment, a recommendation application optimizes a model based on training data by initializing the mean and co-variance matrices of Gaussian distributions representing movies, keywords, and actors to random values, and then performing an optimization to minimize a margin loss function using symmetrical or asymmetrical measures of similarity between entities. Such training produces an optimized model with the Gaussian distributions representing movies, keywords, and actors, as well as shift vectors that change the means of movie Gaussian distributions and model archetypical roles. Subsequent to training, the same similarity measures used to train the model are used to query the model and obtain rankings of entities based on similarity to terms in the query, and a representation of the rankings may be displayed via, e.g., a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Boyang Li, Hannah Kim, Denys Katerenchuk
  • Systems and methods for customizing channel programming
    Patent number: 11985371
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides for systems and methods for customizing channel programming. The disclosed methods and systems utilize various data inputs, including affirmative user inputs, non-affirmative user characteristics, environmental data and/or temporal data to customize channel programming for a particular user or group of users. In a further aspect, the disclosed methods and systems provide for various social sharing of viewing experiences and channels by coordinating, broadcasting and/or sharing channels or viewing schedules with other users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Josiah Eatedali, Mark Arana
  • PROVIDING ASSISTANCE BASED ON MACHINE LEARNING MODEL ANALYSIS OF VIDEO DATA
    Publication number: 20240153312
    Abstract: A guest assistance platform may analyze video data of an environment that includes a liquid substance. The video data is analyzed using a machine learning model trained to detect objects in the liquid substance. The guest assistance platform may detect an individual in the liquid substance based on analyzing the video data and may determine a measure of confidence associated with detecting the individual in the liquid substance. The guest assistance platform may determine one or more confidence factors associated with detecting the individual in the liquid substance. The guest assistance platform may modify the measure of confidence using the one or more confidence factors and may determine whether the modified measure of confidence satisfies a confidence threshold. The guest assistance platform may selectively cause assistance to be provided to the individual or continue analyzing the video data based on whether the modified measure of confidence satisfies the confidence threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicant: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Brooks HALE, Gary D. MARKOWITZ, Clifford Aron WILKINSON, Ching-Chien CHEN
  • Buffering data on high bandwidth networks
    Patent number: 11979446
    Abstract: Techniques for buffering data over high bandwidth networks are provided. A first portion of data is downloaded, by a device, into a buffer at a first download speed via a first network connection. Upon determining that the device is downloading data via a second network connection, at a second download speed greater than the first download speed, a second portion of data is downloaded, via the second network connection, into a cache.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Nikita I. Tkachov
  • OBJECT ALIGNMENT TECHNIQUES FOR ANIMATION
    Publication number: 20240144622
    Abstract: Techniques for aligning object representations for animation include analyzing a source object representation and a target object representation to identify a category of the source object and a category of the target object. Based on the category or categories of the objects, a feature extraction machine learning models is selected. The source object representation and the target object representation are provided as input to the selected feature extraction machine learning model to generate respective semantic descriptors and shape vectors for the source and target objects. Based on the semantic descriptors and the shape vectors for the source and target objects, an alignment machine learning model generates an aligned target object representation that is aligned with the source object representation and usable for animating the target object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicants: Pixar, Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Hayko Riemenschneider, Clara Fernandez, Joan Massich, Christopher Richard Schroers, Daniel Teece, Rasmus Tamstorf, Charles Tappan, Mark Meyer, Antoine Milliez
  • Gameplay system with play augmented by merchandise
    Patent number: 11972048
    Abstract: A gameplay system for providing interactivity based on a piece of merchandise or another object held or worn by a player. The system includes an object identification assembly, which may be a modified computer vision system, that operates to sense, for a gameplay participant, the presence and identity of a particular augmenting object such as themed merchandise worn or held by a rider of a theme park ride. The sensing may be performed by detecting an on-and-off pattern of light emitted from the object. In response, the gameplay system selects or modifies the interactive features of gameplay associated with the participant based on the identified augmenting object. For example, the interactive features are selected from memory by the gameplay system controller to match a character associated with the augmenting object during any interactive gameplay. This allows the gameplay participant to choose their abilities or powers for gameplay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Elbert, Bob Hickman, Brent David Strong
  • Client-side web site selection according to device capabilities
    Patent number: 11972198
    Abstract: An aspect provides a method, including: sending a request for a web site from a client device to a server; receiving a response to the web site request from the server, wherein the response to the web site request includes at least a portion of a first version of the web site requested and one or more links describing one or more alternate versions of the web site requested, the one or more links comprising conditional data; the conditional data comprising one or more device characteristics indicating whether the web site requested and one or more of the alternate versions of the web site requested is a version of the web site appropriate for the client device, wherein the one or more device characteristics comprise device capabilities; determining if the conditional data is met; and in response to the conditional data being met, requesting an alternate version of the web site requested. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventor: Brendan P. Houle
  • UNIQUE PLAYLIST CREATION USING VARIABLE SUBSTITUTION IN VIDEO DELIVERY
    Publication number: 20240121459
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method sends a playlist that includes links to segments of media content. At least a portion of the links include a variable, and a presentation of the media content that is attributable to a request for the media content is created by insertion of values for variables in the playlist. The values are associated with a first version of the media content or a second version of the media content. The method receives a request for a segment and the request contains information from a link included in the playlist. The information includes data based on a value provided for insertion into the link as a substitution for a variable included in the link. The value is associated with the first version of the media content or the second version of the media content. The segment that corresponds to the link is sent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicants: HULU, LLC, Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: William B. May, JR., Zachary McKeel Cava
  • Storage efficient content revalidation for multimedia assets
    Patent number: 11943315
    Abstract: Techniques relating to caching a content object are disclosed. These techniques include receiving, at a first server from a requestor, a revalidation request relating to a content object. The techniques further include determining that metadata describing one or more characteristics of the content object is stored in a cache associated with the first server and that the content object is not stored in the cache, and in response: determining, at the first server, whether to retrieve content object data from any server based on analyzing a metric relating to retrieving the content object, and transmitting from the first server to the requestor, based on analyzing the metadata, a response to the revalidation request indicating that the content object is not modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric C. Friedrich, Eric R. Klein, Jeffrey Edwin Grubb
  • Application-specific access privileges in a file system
    Patent number: 11941139
    Abstract: Embodiments provide techniques for managing access to files on a computing system. An example method generally includes receiving, from an application, a request by a user to access a specified file on a file system through the application. A permission record is retrieved from a permission repository based on information about the application, the user, and the specified file. A determination is made of whether the user has permission to access a directory in the file system in which the specified file is located, and a determination is made of whether the application is allowed to access the specified file. Based on determining that the user has permission to access the directory in which the specified file is located and determining that the application has permission to access the specified file, the specified file is retrieved from the directory, and the application is granted access to the specified file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeremy A. Mika
  • Method and system for providing and displaying optional overlays
    Patent number: 11936936
    Abstract: A method including receiving video of an event; generating an overlay for the video; generating an information message containing information enabling a receiver of the video and the overlay to selectively display or hide the overlay; and transmitting the video, the overlay, and the information message. The video is transmitted in a primary stream of a multi-stream transmission including a primary stream and one or more auxiliary streams. The overlay is transmitted in a first one of the auxiliary streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Aljoscha Smolic, Nikolce Stefanoski, Oliver Wang
  • Accessibility enhanced content rendering
    Patent number: 11936940
    Abstract: A user system for rendering accessibility enhanced content includes processing hardware, a display, and a memory storing software code. The processing hardware executes the software code to receive primary content from a content distributor and determine whether the primary content is accessibility enhanced content including an accessibility track. When the primary content omits the accessibility track, the processing hardware executes the software code to perform a visual analysis, an audio analysis, or both, of the primary content, generate, based on the visual analysis and/or the audio analysis, the accessibility track to include at least one of a sign language performance or one or more video tokens configured to be played back during playback of the primary content, and synchronize the accessibility track to the primary content. The processing hardware also executes the software code to render, using the display, the primary content or the accessibility enhanced content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Arana, Katherine S. Navarre, Michael A. Radford, Joseph S. Rice, Noel Brandon Vasquez
  • Illumination-based system for distributing immersive experience content in a multi-user environment
    Patent number: 11936842
    Abstract: An immersive experience system is provided. The immersive experience system has a processor that determines a position of a first head-mounted display. Further, the processor determines a position of a second head-mounted display. The processor also generates a first image for a first immersive experience corresponding to the position of the first head-mounted display. Moreover, the process encodes the first image into a first infrared spectrum illumination having a first wavelength. In addition, the processor generates a second image for a second immersive experience corresponding to the position of the second head-mounted display. Finally, the processor encodes the second image into a second infrared spectrum illumination having a second wavelength. The first wavelength is distinct from the second wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Chapman, Joseph Popp, Alice Taylor, Joseph Hager
  • Systems and methods for providing contextual messages for media contents
    Patent number: 11934412
    Abstract: There is provided a system including a memory and a processor configured to stream a media content for playback to a first media device for viewing by a first user, receive, while streaming the media content, an input from the first media device indicating an insertion point in the media content selected by the first user for inserting a contextual message provided by the first user, receive the contextual message from the first media device, stream the media content for playback to a second media device for viewing by a second user, and deliver the contextual message to the second media device for viewing by the second user when streaming the media content to the second media device reaches the insertion point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Josiah Eatedali, Mark Arana
  • TV-to-game sync
    Patent number: 11931650
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for unlocking in-game content for a video game application. In one embodiment, the video game application may be operated by a user that is concurrently viewing media content. The video game application captures an audio signal from the concurrently-playing media content, performs content recognition on the captured audio signal, and determines whether to unlock one or more portions of in-game content based on the identified media content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Robillard, Michael Peterson, Julius Harper
  • Interactive gameplay system with play augmented by player-selected customization preferences
    Patent number: 11925870
    Abstract: A system for providing user-driven customization and enhanced personalization of interactive experiences. The system includes data storage for storing player profiles, with each including customization preferences useful in enhancing or generating one of the interactive experiences. The system includes a gameplay space adapted to provide an interactive experience, which includes one or more interactive elements. The system includes a gameplay device configured to be worn or carried by a player. A detection device detects a presence of the player in the gameplay space and obtains a unique identifier for the gameplay device. The system includes a controller retrieving a set of the customization preferences in one of the player profiles associated with the identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Christina Jaio, Bob Hickman, Brent D. Strong, Jeffrey L. Elbert
  • Personalized stylized avatars
    Patent number: 11928766
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a method to generate user representative avatars that fit within a design paradigm. The method includes receiving depth information corresponding to multiple user features of the user, determining one or more feature landmarks for the user based on the depth information, utilizing the one or more feature landmarks to classify a first user feature relative to an avatar feature category, selecting a first avatar feature from the avatar feature category based on the classification of the first user feature, combining the first avatar feature within an avatar representation to generate a user avatar, and output the user avatar for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Dumene Comploi, Francisco E. Gonzalez
  • Virtual presentation of a playset
    Patent number: 11918928
    Abstract: A method for interacting with a playset comprises acquiring, using a sensor on a mobile device, data corresponding to the playset, and selecting a virtual presentation to display on the mobile device based on the data. The method further comprises displaying, on the display, the virtual presentation while the mobile device is mounted with the playset. The virtual presentation comprises virtual content corresponding to at least one of an interior of the playset and a first physical object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan D. Nocon, Janice K. Rosenthal, Michael P. Goslin, Hunter J. Gibson, Dawson M. Dill
  • Adaptive multi-window configuration based upon gaze tracking
    Patent number: 11914766
    Abstract: A window in a multi-window display configuration is provided. A gaze of one or more users is directed at the window. The multi-window display configuration has a plurality of windows that are each configured to display corresponding content. Further, a window attribute of the window is modified based upon the gaze. In addition, a request for the content corresponding to the window is sent to a server. The content corresponding to the window is received from the server. The content corresponding to the window is then displayed according to the modified window attribute at the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Mehul Patel
  • GENERATION OF WEIGHTS FOR CAUSAL INFERENCES
    Publication number: 20240054343
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method receives input data to calculate an effect of a variable on a group for a plurality of methods. Methods in the plurality of methods calculate the effect of the variable for the input data using different logic. A plurality of sub-weights for methods in the plurality of methods are generated. The sub-weights are generated based on a balance metric, a dissimilarity metric, and a reliability metric. The method combines the plurality of sub-weights for methods in the plurality of methods to generate a final weight for the methods. The respective final weight is applied to an intermediate result from a respective method in the plurality of methods to generate a weighted intermediate result for the method. The method combines weighted intermediate results for the plurality of methods to generate a final result for the effect of the variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Fabian Gallusser, Corey Katz, Huancen Liu
  • Airframe of a volitant body
    Patent number: 11899470
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for an airframe of a volitant body are presented herein. An apparatus may include a body having a normal axis. The body comprising a central air passage communicating through the body along the normal axis of the body. The central air passage may have an inlet at a first end of the body and an outlet at a second end of the body, the second end being opposite the first end. The central air passage may form an interior surface of the body. The central air passage permitting a flow of air through the body via the central air passage. The inlet may be formed to produce a Venturi effect in the flow of air passing through the central air passage from the inlet to the outlet by choking the flow of air at the inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifford W. Wong, Michael P. Goslin, Stephen A. Thornton
  • Interactive autonomous robot configured with in-character safety response protocols
    Patent number: 11890747
    Abstract: An interactive autonomous robot is configured for deployment within a social environment. The disclosed robot includes a show subsystem configured to select between different in-character behaviors depending on robot status, thereby allowing the robot to appear in-character despite technical failures. The disclosed robot further includes a safety subsystem configured to intervene with in-character behavior when necessary to enforce safety protocols. The disclosed robot is also configured with a social subsystem that interprets social behaviors of humans and then initiates specific behavior sequences in response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Jeremy Andrew Mika, Michael Richard Honeck, Kyle G. Freeman, Michael Fusco
  • Techniques for interpreting spoken input using non-verbal cues
    Patent number: 11887600
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a communication fusion application enables other software application(s) to interpret spoken user input. In operation, a communication fusion application determines that a prediction is relevant to a text input derived from a spoken input received from a user. Subsequently, the communication fusion application generates a predicted context based on the prediction. The communication fusion application then transmits the predicted context and the text input to the other software application(s). The other software application(s) perform additional action(s) based on the text input and the predicted context. Advantageously, by providing additional, relevant information to the software application(s), the communication fusion application increases the level of understanding during interactions with the user and the overall user experience is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Erika Doggett, Nathan Nocon, Ashutosh Modi, Joseph Charles Sengir, Maxwell McCoy
  • Progressive object refreshes in content delivery networks
    Patent number: 11882197
    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: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric C. Friedrich, Luis A. Cruz, Robert Gerard Colantuoni, Jeffrey Edwin Grubb
  • Data-driven extraction and composition of secondary dynamics in facial performance capture
    Patent number: 11875441
    Abstract: A modeling engine generates a prediction model that quantifies and predicts secondary dynamics associated with the face of a performer enacting a performance. The modeling engine generates a set of geometric representations that represents the face of the performer enacting different facial expressions under a range of loading conditions. For a given facial expression and specific loading condition, the modeling engine trains a Machine Learning model to predict how soft tissue regions of the face of the performer change in response to external forces applied to the performer during the performance. The modeling engine combines different expression models associated with different facial expressions to generate a prediction model. The prediction model can be used to predict and remove secondary dynamics from a given geometric representation of a performance or to generate and add secondary dynamics to a given geometric representation of a performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignees: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC., ETH ZÜRICH (EIDGENÖSSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZÜRICH)
    Inventors: Dominik Thabo Beeler, Derek Edward Bradley, Eftychios Dimitrios Sifakis, Gaspard Zoss
  • Systems and methods for crowd sourcing media content selection
    Patent number: 11877035
    Abstract: There is provided a system including a memory storing an executable code and a processor executing the executable code to receive a plurality of video inputs, wherein each video input of the plurality of video inputs includes a video feed from an event, provide the plurality of video inputs to each of a plurality of media devices, receive a plurality of user video inputs each from a different one of the plurality of media devices, wherein each of the plurality of user video inputs is created using the plurality of video inputs, and stream each of the plurality of user video inputs as a separate media channel for display by a plurality of media devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Goslin, Skarphedinn Hedinsson, Scott F. Watson
  • Packager for segmenter fluidity
    Patent number: 11877022
    Abstract: Embodiments provide for methods, computer program products, and systems to improve media playback comprising receiving a variant stream, identifying respective maximum segment durations for a plurality of different types of client devices that will play media content contained in the variant stream, generating, using the variant stream, a respective playlist for each of the plurality of different types of client devices, wherein the respective playlists each contain different maximum segment durations, and delivering the respective playlists to at least one of the plurality of different types of client devices via a distribution network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: William B. May, Jr., Eric R. Klein, William J. Zurat
  • System and method for polarization and wavelength gated transparent displays
    Patent number: RE49878
    Abstract: A transparent display system is provided where broadcast talent (or presenter) can see interactive content, tool palettes, prompts (and the like) as well as their own sketches and annotations, but a viewing audience sees only the broadcast talent and content intended for the viewing audience with the talent's annotation thereof. A transparent scattering screen together with optical filtering or gating of a first optical property of the light (e.g., polarization-based or wavelength-based) is used such that the first property of the light is projected onto the screen so the talent can see the projection, and a camera-side filter blocks the first property of the light so it is not seen by the camera. Simultaneously, a broadcast talent (or presenter) is illuminated by light having properties other than the first property, which allows the talent image to pass through the screen and the camera-side filter allowing the talent to be seen by camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Quinn Smithwick, Samuel J. Reisner