Patents by Inventor Douglas Ealey

Douglas Ealey 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: 11547931
    Abstract: An entertainment system includes a two-handed controller comprising corresponding controls in each of opposing halves of the controller, a first of the corresponding controls in each half providing input in at least two dimensions and a second of the corresponding controls in each half providing input in at least one dimension; and an entertainment device comprising a receiver adapted to receive control input signals from the two-handed controller, and adapted to operate in a first mode where the received control input signals from the controller are interpreted according to an asymmetric control assignment, and to operate in a second mode where control input signals from the first and second controls for a respective half of the controller are used to control the position of a respective virtual limb in three dimensions within a virtual environment provided by the entertainment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Tony Munson, Maurizio Cerrato, Douglas Ealey
  • Patent number: 11187895
    Abstract: A content generation system including an image generation unit operable to generate one or more images of a virtual environment for display at a first display device, and an image transmission unit operable to transmit generated images of the virtual environment to each of the first display device and the second display device, where the or each image displayed at one of the first display device and the second display device is a subset of the or each image displayed at the other of the first display device and the second display device, and where the viewpoint of the display device displaying a subset of the or each image is operable to modify the displayed field of view independently of the field of view displayed at the other display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Jesus Lucas Barcias, Claire Rogers, Douglas Ealey
  • Publication number: 20200257112
    Abstract: A content generation system including an image generation unit operable to generate one or more images of a virtual environment for display at a first display device, and an image transmission unit operable to transmit generated images of the virtual environment to each of the first display device and the second display device, where the or each image displayed at one of the first display device and the second display device is a subset of the or each image displayed at the other of the first display device and the second display device, and where the viewpoint of the display device displaying a subset of the or each image is operable to modify the displayed field of view independently of the field of view displayed at the other display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Jesus Lucas Barcias, Claire Rogers, Douglas Ealey
  • Patent number: 8678922
    Abstract: A server for administering an on-line virtual environment comprises a data communication arrangement and a processor. The data communication arrangement receives a signal from a first entertainment device in communication with an instance of the virtual environment. The signal indicates that a user of that device has performed a predetermined action. The processor determines the availability of a second entertainment device, and is operable to switch the second device from a second instance of the virtual environment to the first instance of the virtual environment. The data communication arrangement is operable, if the second device is available, to transmit a signal to the first device indicating that a software controlled avatar within that instance should change modes to represent a user of the second device. The processor is operable to transfer control of a previously software controlled avatar within that instance of the virtual environment to the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited
    Inventor: Douglas Ealey