Patents Examined by Steve Rowland
  • Patent number: 11654358
    Abstract: Systems and methods for executing content to be rendered on a screen of a head mounted display (HMD) are provided. One method includes executing the content to render interactive scenes on the screen and tracking an orientation direction of the HMD when worn on a head of a user and the interactive scenes are being rendered on the screen. The method includes changing view directions into the interactive scenes based on changes in the orientation direction of the HMD, such that movements of the head of the user causes the changes in the view directions into the interactive scenes. The method further includes receiving images of a real world space using a camera of the HMD. The camera of the HMD is configured to capture a location of real world objects in the real world space relative to the user of the HMD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Osman, Xiaodong Mao
  • Patent number: 11648471
    Abstract: Provided are a program, a control method, and an information processing apparatus which may provide an improved user interface on which a user may easily and efficiently execute various processes on a game content. The information processing apparatus may be caused to execute a game content specifying step of specifying a selected game content on the basis of first input operation data from an operation unit, a step of retrieving information from a storage unit, a step of specifying a direction from a start point to an end point of a second input operation on the basis of second input operation data from an operation unit, and an execution step of executing one process associated with the direction from the start point to the end point of the second input operation in the information from the storage unit on the selected game content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: GREE, INC.
    Inventors: Junko Yamanokuchi, Masato Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11638877
    Abstract: When a first input is performed in a predetermined scene, options including elements available in a predetermined game are presented. An element to be used in the predetermined game is determined on the basis of an operation input by a user. In response to a second input, the predetermined game using the determined element is executed. Meanwhile, at a predetermined timing before the predetermined game is started, an element to be used in the predetermined game is automatically determined. When a third input is performed in the predetermined scene, the predetermined game is executed using the automatically determined element. After the predetermined game is ended, a first reward is given to the user if the element used in the predetermined game is the element determined on the basis of the operation input by the user, and a second reward is given if the element is the automatically determined element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yugo Hayashi, Ryosuke Ogata
  • Patent number: 11617947
    Abstract: A video server is configured to provide streaming video to players of computer games over a computing network. The video server can provided video of different games to different players simultaneously. This is accomplished by rendering several video streams in parallel using a single GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The output of the GPU is provided to graphics processing pipelines that are each associated with a specific client/player and are dynamically allocated as needed. A client qualifier may be used to assure that only clients capable of presenting the streaming video to a player at a minimum level of quality receive the video stream. Video frames provided by the video server optionally include overlays added to the output of the GPU. These overlays can include voice data received from another game player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Buchanan Gault, David Perry, Rui Filipe Andrade Pereira
  • Patent number: 11617951
    Abstract: A game summary may be produced using an event log of in-game events and corresponding game content based on game data associated with a gameplay session(s). The event log may include metadata that indicates times of in-game events and associations between in-game events and game content items that capture the in-game events. A user may interact with in-game events with temporal context, allowing for more informed selections and a better understanding of the gameplay session. Using the event log, a game summary may provide such features as a timeline to convey relative timing of in-game events, a list of in-game events, a map of a virtual environment of the game that is temporally annotated based on in-game events, game status information, and statistical and performance information. A game summary may show trends over time and/or game sessions and convey information for selected sets of players, such as teams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: James Lewis van Welzen, Glenn R. Cochran, Jean Wang, Po-Shih Wang, Jeffrey David Weintraub, Toshant Sharma, Shyam Raikar
  • Patent number: 11607613
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for switching a game mode, and an electronic device are disclosed. The method includes: receiving a game switching instruction in a current game mode; selecting a target game mode according to the game switching instruction; acquiring first game process data of the target game mode and game character data of the current game mode; running a game process of the target game mode according to the first game process data and the game character data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Shanghai Yiyu Network Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhiqin Xu, Mei Peng
  • Patent number: 11607612
    Abstract: A computer device configured to provide a game to a user and to implement a special game element. A gameboard comprising gameboard locations is rendered on a display. A first set of the gameboard locations comprise tiles supporting game objects, and at least one of the gameboard locations does not comprise a tile. A user input selecting one of user selectable game elements supported by the tiles is received, and the device detects match game conditions. At least one tile of the gameboard supports a special game element, which is activated or triggered when a special game element triggering condition is detected. On detection of the special game element triggering condition, The special game element is triggered to cause it to move to a target gameboard location. If there is no tile at the target gameboard location a new tile is generated on the gameboard at the target gameboard location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: KING.COM LTD.
    Inventor: Mick Heijkens
  • Patent number: 11610450
    Abstract: Gaming systems that employ a timer to make one or more inputs, wherein different amounts of time of the timer are based on different inputs made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Vincent S. Lai, Patrick Danielson, Dwayne R. Nelson
  • Patent number: 11602691
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques for providing an in-game virtual boundary. First data is received that is indicative of a user position while the user is playing a video game. It is determined whether the user position is within a warning zone, wherein the warning zone comprises an area between a soft boundary indicative of a safe area for the user and a safe boundary indicative of one or more real-world objects around the user. Based on a relationship between the user position and the safe boundary, a visual indication of a plurality of visual indications of the in-game virtual boundary is determined to provide to the user. Second data indicative of the visual indication is transmitted to a display being viewed by the user while playing the video game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan William Challinor
  • Patent number: 11600198
    Abstract: Methods and systems allow a user or operator to easily create cyber-training environments for use in a cyber-training system. In one embodiment, the environments are configured as missions. The missions may have a plurality of features, such as training objectives, a mission storyline, a mission order and mission objectives, relative to a mission environment. The mission environment comprises a virtual environment, such as defined by a virtual network having virtual machines or devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Circadence Corporation
    Inventors: Laura Lee, Raymond C. Prouty, Joseph T. Kowtko, Ryan Pressley
  • Patent number: 11590419
    Abstract: A video game system includes a video server system (VSS) having a first network address. The VSS pairs a game controller having a second network address with a display system having a third network address. The VSS receives controller data packets directed to the first network address from the game controller over a first communication channel. The controller data packets include the second network address and information for updating a game state of a video game. The VSS decodes the controller data packets and directs generation of an updated game state of the video game using information within the controller data packets. The VSS generates a video stream of the video game using the updated game state. The VSS transmits the video stream to the display system at the third network address over a second communication channel. The first and second communication channels differ by at least one network segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC
    Inventors: David Perry, Rui Filipe Andrade Pereira
  • Patent number: 11590392
    Abstract: Athletic performance monitoring systems and methods, many of which utilize, in some manner, global positioning satellite (“GPS”) data, provide data and information to athletes and/or to equipment used by athletes during an athletic event. Such systems and methods may provide route information to athletes and/or their trainers, e.g., for pre-event planning, goal setting, and calibration purposes. Such systems and methods optionally may provide real time information to the athlete while the event takes place, e.g., to assist in reaching the pre-set goals. Additionally, data and information collected by such systems and methods may assist in post-event analysis for athletes and their trainers, e.g., to evaluate past performances and to assist in improving future performances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles W. Case, Jr., Jason P. Martin
  • Patent number: 11583716
    Abstract: A pump panel training device is provided and includes a plurality of simulated gages operable to imitate gages upon a fire truck pump panel, a plurality of simulated controls operable to imitate controls upon the fire truck pump panel, and a simulated water hose operable to imitate one of water temperature changes, water temperature pressure, and water hose vibration for the fire truck pump panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: FAAC Incorporated
    Inventors: David S. Bouwkamp, William Martin, Nikolaos Dimitri Zachary Kazakos, James R. Mason, Dale Eammon Atkin, Travis Staley, Steven Olson, Joseph Lewis Clift, Stuart Ball, Philip C. Duczyminski
  • Patent number: 11573881
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for role-based failure response training for distributed systems are disclosed. A failure response training system determines a failure mode associated with an architecture for a distributed system comprising a plurality of components. The training system generates a scenario based at least in part on the failure mode. The scenario comprises an initial state of the distributed system which is associated with one or more metrics indicative of a failure. The training system provides, to a plurality of users, data describing the initial state. The training system solicits user input representing modification of a configuration of the components. The training system determines a modified state of the distributed system based at least in part on the input. The performance of the distributed system in the modified state is indicated by one or more modified metrics differing from the one or more initial metrics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Massaguer, Ryan Hicke, Katy Humble, Dhiraj Chaudhary
  • Patent number: 11573082
    Abstract: Systems, methods and computer-readable media are provided for determining an effective altitude in relation to a moving sports object. In some examples, a method includes determining respective values for an air temperature, an air pressure, and a relative humidity of an environment of interest. Based on the determined respective values of the air temperature, the air pressure, and the relative humidity, an air density for the environment of interest is calculated to derive a first air density value. A second air density value is derived for a reference environment. An absolute value of a difference between the first and second air densities is compared against a preset comparison value and, based on the comparison being equal to or smaller than the preset comparison value, an output including an indicator of the effective altitude is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: EDH US LLC
    Inventor: Henri Johnson
  • Patent number: 11574526
    Abstract: A method for conducting a raffle comprising reading an item identifier from an identification tag affixed to an item at an equipment management system, prior to an event related to the item. The raffle notification data is then transmitted to users after the event has occurred. A plurality of raffle ticket purchase requests are then received from the plurality of devices and are processed. The raffle tickets are then delivered to the plurality of devices, such as in electronic form. One of the raffle tickets is then selected, and winning notification data is transmitted to the associated device. The winner can authenticate the winning item by reading the identification tag affixed to the item after the event at the equipment management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: PROVA GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: Haroon I. Alvi, Charles B. Humphreyson, Richard L. Lackey, Emmitt J. Smith, III
  • Patent number: 11565175
    Abstract: Force feedback is applied to a computer simulation controller, such as to a joystick element or analog trigger of the controller, depending on the context of the simulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Black, Michael Taylor, Javier Fernandez Rico
  • Patent number: 11562271
    Abstract: A control method includes obtaining feature data using at least one sensor, the feature data being acquired by the terminal using the at least one sensor, generating an action instruction based on the feature data and a decision-making mechanism of the terminal, and executing the action instruction. In this application, various aspects of feature data are acquired using a plurality of sensors, data analysis is performed on the feature data, and a corresponding action instruction is then generated based on a corresponding decision-making mechanism to implement interactive control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jianfeng Wang, Hao Chen, Shengfeng Zhou, Qing Wang
  • Patent number: 11562629
    Abstract: Some examples may include a poker indexing service. For example, a multi dimensional vector of player performance and/or other data may be determined based on gaming related activity that is input or otherwise captured. Such a vector may be used in various forms to generate a metric or to facilitate wagering and/or other gaming activity. Other methods and apparatus are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: CFPH, LLC
    Inventor: Kenneth Miller
  • Patent number: 11551519
    Abstract: Systems and methods that provide one or more mobile device facilitated non-cash avenues to redeem a ticket voucher associated with an amount of funds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: Jeffery Shepherd, Kevin Higgins