Patents by Inventor Chihiro KANNO

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

  • Patent number: 11748961
    Abstract: A client device can display various augmented reality and virtual reality images to a user. For example, the client device captures images of an external environment and identifies objects in the environment. If an object satisfies a virtual environment criterion, the client device displays a window to a virtual environment at the location of the object in the environment. In another example, the client device includes a light assembly that can generate light. If the user turns the light assembly on, virtual objects displayed in the environment will gather to a region highlighted by the light from the light assembly. In another example, the client device estimates depth information of an object in the environment. The client device then displays a virtual object in the environment based on the depth information and may also display the virtual object interacting with an object in the external environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: Chihiro Kanno, Shigeru Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20230128475
    Abstract: A non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program executed in a computer of an information processing apparatus including an image pick-up unit that picks up an image of a real space is provided. At least one computer is configured to perform operations including generating an augmented reality image by superimposing a virtual space image corresponding to a virtual space that has been picked up by a virtual camera arranged in the virtual space and a real space image corresponding to the real space that has been picked up by the image pick-up unit on each other, recognizing a feature included in the real space image, and controlling, when the real space image includes a feature as a result of recognition, a character object to perform an action at a position associated with the feature included in the real space image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Shigeru MIYAMOTO, Tatsuo NOMURA, Chihiro KANNO
  • Patent number: 11590423
    Abstract: A system provides an augmented reality (AR) experience in a parallel-reality application in which a geography of a virtual world parallels a geography of the real world. The system receives a connection request from a client device and receives a route that the client device traversed in the real world. The route comprises a plurality of locations in the real world. The system determines a plurality of virtual locations to place virtual elements at, where each virtual element corresponds to a location in the real world of the route. The system updates a global state of the AR experience to include the plurality of virtual elements at the plurality of virtual locations. The system provides, to a second client device, AR data including some of the virtual locations for display of some of the virtual elements at the corresponding locations in the real world.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: John Hanke, Chihiro Kanno, Yuki Sonoda, Tatsuo Nomura, Kousuke Kawahira, Kentaro Morikawa, Hiroki Asakawa, Shunsuke Uematsu, Madoka Katayama, Motoki Yano
  • Publication number: 20220309756
    Abstract: A client device can display various augmented reality and virtual reality images to a user. For example, the client device captures images of an external environment and identifies objects in the environment. If an object satisfies a virtual environment criterion, the client device displays a window to a virtual environment at the location of the object in the environment. In another example, the client device includes a light assembly that can generate light. If the user turns the light assembly on, virtual objects displayed in the environment will gather to a region highlighted by the light from the light assembly. In another example, the client device estimates depth information of an object in the environment. The client device then displays a virtual object in the environment based on the depth information and may also display the virtual object interacting with an object in the external environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Chihiro Kanno, Shigeru Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20220305388
    Abstract: A system provides an augmented reality (AR) experience in a parallel-reality application in which a geography of a virtual world parallels a geography of the real world. The system receives a connection request from a client device and receives a route that the client device traversed in the real world. The route comprises a plurality of locations in the real world. The system determines a plurality of virtual locations to place virtual elements at, where each virtual element corresponds to a location in the real world of the route. The system updates a global state of the AR experience to include the plurality of virtual elements at the plurality of virtual locations. The system provides, to a second client device, AR data including some of the virtual locations for display of some of the virtual elements at the corresponding locations in the real world.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: John Hanke, Chihiro Kanno, Yuki Sonoda, Tatsuo Nomura, Kousuke Kawahira, Kentaro Morikawa, Hiroki Asakawa, Shunsuke Uematsu, Madoka Katayama, Motoki Yano
  • Publication number: 20220297010
    Abstract: An in-game object is changed from a first state to a second state on the basis of elapse of a first period. When the in-game object is in the second state, an in-game reward is given to a user. When a first condition is satisfied by the in-game reward being given, the in-game object is changed from the second state to a third state. The in-game object is changed from the third state to the first state in accordance with elapse of a second period. A remaining period of the second period is shortened in accordance with a parameter regarding an exercise amount of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Shigeru MIYAMOTO, Motoki YANO, Chihiro KANNO, Ruofan YE
  • Patent number: 11361519
    Abstract: A client device can display various augmented reality and virtual reality images to a user. For example, the client device captures images of an external environment and identifies objects in the environment. If an object satisfies a virtual environment criterion, the client device displays a window to a virtual environment at the location of the object in the environment. In another example, the client device includes a light assembly that can generate light. If the user turns the light assembly on, virtual objects displayed in the environment will gather to a region highlighted by the light from the light assembly. In another example, the client device estimates depth information of an object in the environment. The client device then displays a virtual object in the environment based on the depth information and may also display the virtual object interacting with an object in the external environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Niantic, Inc.
    Inventors: Chihiro Kanno, Shigeru Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 9111391
    Abstract: An image generating device includes: a gravity parameter changing section for changing a parameter relating to gravity of each of a plurality of rigid bodies which are constrained to one another and included in a first object based on a positional relationship between each of the plurality of rigid bodies and a second object; a physical calculation section for physically calculating a motion of each of the plurality of rigid bodies included in the first object based on the changed parameter; and an image rendering section for rendering an image representing a surface of the first object based on the motions of the plurality of rigid bodies included in the first object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Fumito Ueda, Hitoshi Ishikawa, Rui Guerreiro, Atsuhiko Terada, Chihiro Kanno, Toshihiro Kamei
  • Patent number: 9050538
    Abstract: An object placement managing unit (44) controls whether or not to change the position or direction of a first object according to a positional relationship between a passive area determined based on the position of the first object, and a judging area determined based on the position of a second object. The object placement managing unit (44) controls whether or not to change the position or direction of the second object according to a positional relationship between an active area determined based on the position of the first object and differing from the passive area, and the judging area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Corporation Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Hajime Sugiyama, Hitoshi Ishikawa, Chihiro Kanno, Tomohisa Kano
  • Patent number: 8909506
    Abstract: An object placement managing unit changes at least one of a position and a direction of a virtual object based on a value of a parameter associated with a physical quantity that is an attribute of the virtual object. The object placement managing unit determines a first change, which corresponds to a user's operation, in a first physical quantity of the virtual object. The object placement managing unit determines a second change in a second physical quantity. The second change corresponds to and is different from the first change. The object placement managing unit changes a value of a parameter based on the first change and the second change. The object placement managing unit changes, after the value of the parameter is changed, at least one of the position and the direction of the virtual object based on the changed value of the parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Tomohito Ito, Chihiro Kanno, Hiroshi Matsuike
  • Publication number: 20130027414
    Abstract: An image generating device includes: a gravity parameter changing section for changing a parameter relating to gravity of each of a plurality of rigid bodies which are constrained to one another and included in a first object based on a positional relationship between each of the plurality of rigid bodies and a second object; a physical calculation section for physically calculating a motion of each of the plurality of rigid bodies included in the first object based on the changed parameter; and an image rendering section for rendering an image representing a surface of the first object based on the motions of the plurality of rigid bodies included in the first object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Fumito Ueda, Hitoshi Ishikawa, Rui Guerreiro, Atsuhiko Terada, Chihiro Kanno, Toshihiro Kamei
  • Publication number: 20120310610
    Abstract: An object placement managing unit changes at least one of a position and a direction of a virtual object based on a value of a parameter associated with a physical quantity that is an attribute of the virtual object. The object placement managing unit determines a first change, which corresponds to a user's operation, in a first physical quantity of the virtual object. The object placement managing unit determines a second change in a second physical quantity. The second change corresponds to and is different from the first change. The object placement managing unit changes a value of a parameter based on the first change and the second change. The object placement managing unit changes, after the value of the parameter is changed, at least one of the position and the direction of the virtual object based on the changed value of the parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Tomohito Ito, Chihiro Kanno, Hiroshi Matsuike
  • Publication number: 20120303343
    Abstract: An object placement managing unit (44) controls whether or not to change the position or direction of a first object according to a positional relationship between a passive area determined based on the position of the first object, and a judging area determined based on the position of a second object. The object placement managing unit (44) controls whether or not to change the position or direction of the second object according to a positional relationship between an active area determined based on the position of the first object and differing from the passive area, and the judging area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Hajime SUGIYAMA, Hitoshi ISHIKAWA, Chihiro KANNO, Tomohisa KANO