Patents by Inventor Frederick Umminger

Frederick Umminger 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: 11899835
    Abstract: Methods and systems for filtering content include identifying content for presenting in a rendering space defined by one or more mechanisms of a head mounted display (HMD), wherein the content is interactive, streaming content. A rating score for the content is identified. The content is dynamically adjusted to selectively filter a portion of the content based on a user profile of the user, rating score of the content, and ongoing interactions detected at the content. The adjusted content is formatted for rendering on the HMD. The formatted content is automatically transmitted to the HMD for rendering, in response to the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Roger Stafford, Frederick Umminger, Richard Marks
  • Publication number: 20230075644
    Abstract: Methods and systems for filtering content include identifying content for presenting in a rendering space defined by one or more mechanisms of a head mounted display (HMD), wherein the content is interactive, streaming content. A rating score for the content is identified. The content is dynamically adjusted to selectively filter a portion of the content based on a user profile of the user, rating score of the content, and ongoing interactions detected at the content. The adjusted content is formatted for rendering on the HMD. The formatted content is automatically transmitted to the HMD for rendering, in response to the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Jeffrey Roger Stafford, Frederick Umminger, Richard Marks
  • Patent number: 11442532
    Abstract: Methods and systems for filtering content include identifying content for presenting in a rendering space defined by one or more mechanisms of a head mounted display (HMD), wherein the content is interactive, streaming content. A rating score for the content is identified. The content is dynamically adjusted to selectively filter a portion of the content based on a user profile of the user, rating score of the content, and ongoing interactions detected at the content. The adjusted content is formatted for rendering on the HMD. The formatted content is automatically transmitted to the HMD for rendering, in response to the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Roger Stafford, Frederick Umminger, Richard Marks
  • Publication number: 20200409453
    Abstract: Methods and systems for filtering content include identifying content for presenting in a rendering space defined by one or more mechanisms of a head mounted display (HMD), wherein the content is interactive, streaming content. A rating score for the content is identified. The content is dynamically adjusted to selectively filter a portion of the content based on a user profile of the user, rating score of the content, and ongoing interactions detected at the content. The adjusted content is formatted for rendering on the HMD. The formatted content is automatically transmitted to the HMD for rendering, in response to the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Jeffrey Roger Stafford, Frederick Umminger, Richard Marks
  • Patent number: 10775878
    Abstract: Methods and systems for filtering content include identifying content for presenting in a rendering space defined by one or more mechanisms of a head mounted display (HMD), wherein the content is interactive, streaming content. A rating score for the content is identified. The content is dynamically adjusted to selectively filter a portion of the content based on a user profile of the user, rating score of the content, and ongoing interactions detected at the content. The adjusted content is formatted for rendering on the HMD. The formatted content is automatically transmitted to the HMD for rendering, in response to the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Roger Stafford, Frederick Umminger, Richard Marks
  • Patent number: 10210666
    Abstract: A method for executing computer instructions for presenting an interactive environment in a head-mounted display (HMD) is described. The method includes identifying content associated with the interactive environment to be presented on the HMD for a user and determining whether an interactive object within the identified content satisfies a threshold for presentation to the user. The method includes augmenting the interactive object with augmentation data. The augmented data acts to change a characteristic of the interactive object. The operation of augmenting the interactive object is performed after determining that the interactive object does not satisfy the threshold for presentation to the user. The augmentation data modifies the interactive object to conform the interactive object to be within the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Roger Stafford, Frederick Umminger, Steven Osman
  • Patent number: 10073516
    Abstract: Inertial sensors within a head mounted display are used to track movement of the head mounted display. The tracked movement of the head mounted display is correlated to an action within a virtual reality scene that is currently displayed to a user wearing the head mounted display. The action within the virtual reality scene is based on a context of the virtual reality scene that is currently displayed. The detected movement of the head mounted display can be combined with other sensor data, such as gaze detection data, to determine the action within the virtual reality scene. In this manner, movements of the user as detected using the inertial sensors within the head mounted display are used as inputs to cause actions within the current context of the virtual reality scene as displayed within the head mounted display to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Larsen, Frederick Umminger, Xiaoyong Ye, Noam Rimon, Jeffrey Roger Stafford, Xia Lou
  • Patent number: 10055018
    Abstract: A glove interface object is provided, comprising: an index finger portion; a resistance circuit including an index resistor defined along a length of the index finger portion, and a power source for applying a current across the index resistor; a thumb portion; a probe circuit including a thumb contact defined on the thumb portion, the probe circuit configured to read a voltage, via the thumb contact, at a location along the length of the index resistor at which contact between the thumb contact and the index resistor occurs; a data processing module for processing the voltage read by the probe circuit to generate thumb-index control data that is indicative of the location at which the contact between the thumb contact and the index resistor occurs; a communications module configured to send the thumb-index control data to a computing device for processing to define a setting for a virtual environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Tokubo, Frederick Umminger
  • Patent number: 10022625
    Abstract: Methods and systems for adjusting a weight of a peripheral device while presenting content to a head mounted display are disclosed. One method includes processing instructions for rendering a virtual reality scene in the head mounted display. The virtual reality scene includes a virtual object. The method also includes receiving pairing of the peripheral device for use with the head mounted display for rendering the virtual reality scene and determining a movement of the virtual object. The method causes sending of instructions to the peripheral device for execution by a controller of the peripheral device to move a weight in the peripheral device. The weight is moved to provide a correlation to the determined movement of the virtual object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Black, Frederick Umminger
  • Publication number: 20180018827
    Abstract: A method for executing computer instructions for presenting an interactive environment in a head-mounted display (HMD) is described. The method includes identifying content associated with the interactive environment to be presented on the HMD for a user and determining whether an interactive object within the identified content satisfies a threshold for presentation to the user. The method includes augmenting the interactive object with augmentation data. The augmented data acts to change a characteristic of the interactive object. The operation of augmenting the interactive object is performed after determining that the interactive object does not satisfy the threshold for presentation to the user. The augmentation data modifies the interactive object to conform the interactive object to be within the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey Roger Stafford, Frederick Umminger, Steven Osman
  • Publication number: 20180001191
    Abstract: Methods and systems for adjusting a weight of a peripheral device while presenting content to a head mounted display are disclosed. One method includes processing instructions for rendering a virtual reality scene in the head mounted display. The virtual reality scene includes a virtual object. The method also includes receiving pairing of the peripheral device for use with the head mounted display for rendering the virtual reality scene and determining a movement of the virtual object. The method causes sending of instructions to the peripheral device for execution by a controller of the peripheral device to move a weight in the peripheral device. The weight is moved to provide a correlation to the determined movement of the virtual object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Glenn Black, Frederick Umminger
  • Patent number: 9779554
    Abstract: A method for executing computer instructions for presenting an interactive environment in a head-mounted display (HMD) is described. The method includes identifying content associated with the interactive environment to be presented on the HMD for a user and determining whether an interactive object within the identified content satisfies a threshold for presentation to the user. The method includes augmenting the interactive object with augmentation data. The augmented data acts to change a characteristic of the interactive object. The operation of augmenting the interactive object is performed after determining that the interactive object does not satisfy the threshold for presentation to the user. The augmentation data modifies the interactive object to conform the interactive object to be within the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Roger Stafford, Frederick Umminger, Steven Osman
  • Patent number: 9769589
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques for processing a source audio signal in order to localize sounds. In particular, aspects of the present disclosure relate to sound localization techniques which externalize sounds for headphone audio, such as a virtual surround sound headphone system. In various implementations, room reverberations and other acoustic effects of the environment may be more accurately modeled using improved room reverberation models. For example, in some implementations, the underlying source signal may be filtered with a filter representing a room impulse response that is a combination of a stereo room impulse response and a mono room impulse response. By way of further example, in some implementations the source signal may be filtered with a combined impulse response filter that is derived from binaural recordings of simulated impulses recorded in a desired reverberant environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Frederick Umminger, Scott Wardle
  • Patent number: 9744449
    Abstract: A system and method of simulating weight of a virtual object in a virtual environment includes receiving a weight adjusting profile in a handheld peripheral device. The weight adjusting profile corresponding to at least one weight characteristic and/or a movement characteristics of the virtual object presented in the virtual environment where the handheld peripheral device represents the virtual object. The handheld peripheral device includes a movable weight. The weight adjusting profile is stored in the handheld peripheral device and a position of the movable weight in the handheld peripheral device is adjusted to correspond to a movement of the virtual object in the virtual environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Black, Frederick Umminger
  • Publication number: 20160299563
    Abstract: Methods and systems for filtering content include identifying content for presenting in a rendering space defined by one or more mechanisms of a head mounted display (HMD), wherein the content is interactive, streaming content. A rating score for the content is identified. The content is dynamically adjusted to selectively filter a portion of the content based on a user profile of the user, rating score of the content, and ongoing interactions detected at the content. The adjusted content is formatted for rendering on the HMD. The formatted content is automatically transmitted to the HMD for rendering, in response to the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Jeffrey Roger Stafford, Frederick Umminger, Richard Marks
  • Publication number: 20160300388
    Abstract: A method for executing computer instructions for presenting an interactive environment in a head-mounted display (HMD) is described. The method includes identifying content associated with the interactive environment to be presented on the HMD for a user and determining whether an interactive object within the identified content satisfies a threshold for presentation to the user. The method includes augmenting the interactive object with augmentation data. The augmented data acts to change a characteristic of the interactive object. The operation of augmenting the interactive object is performed after determining that the interactive object does not satisfy the threshold for presentation to the user. The augmentation data modifies the interactive object to conform the interactive object to be within the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Jeffrey Roger Stafford, Frederick Umminger, Steven Osman
  • Publication number: 20160187969
    Abstract: Inertial sensors within a head mounted display are used to track movement of the head mounted display. The tracked movement of the head mounted display is correlated to an action within a virtual reality scene that is currently displayed to a user wearing the head mounted display. The action within the virtual reality scene is based on a context of the virtual reality scene that is currently displayed. The detected movement of the head mounted display can be combined with other sensor data, such as gaze detection data, to determine the action within the virtual reality scene. In this manner, movements of the user as detected using the inertial sensors within the head mounted display are used as inputs to cause actions within the current context of the virtual reality scene as displayed to the user within the head mounted display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Eric Larsen, Frederick Umminger, Xiaoyong Ye, Noam Rimon, Jeffrey Roger Stafford, Xia Lou
  • Publication number: 20160175702
    Abstract: A system and method of simulating weight of a virtual object in a virtual environment includes receiving a weight adjusting profile in a handheld peripheral device. The weight adjusting profile corresponding to at least one weight characteristic and/or a movement characteristics of the virtual object presented in the virtual environment where the handheld peripheral device represents the virtual object. The handheld peripheral device includes a movable weight. The weight adjusting profile is stored in the handheld peripheral device and a position of the movable weight in the handheld peripheral device is adjusted to correspond to a movement of the virtual object in the virtual environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Glenn Black, Frederick Umminger
  • Publication number: 20150092965
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques for processing a source audio signal in order to localize sounds. In particular, aspects of the present disclosure relate to sound localization techniques which externalize sounds for headphone audio, such as a virtual surround sound headphone system. In various implementations, room reverberations and other acoustic effects of the environment may be more accurately modeled using improved room reverberation models. For example, in some implementations, the underlying source signal may be filtered with a filter representing a room impulse response that is a combination of a stereo room impulse response and a mono room impulse response. By way of further example, in some implementations the source signal may be filtered with a combined impulse response filter that is derived from binaural recordings of simulated impulses recorded in a desired reverberant environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Frederick Umminger, Scott Wardle
  • Publication number: 20130021234
    Abstract: Described herein are hand-held controller, system, and method for providing real-time sensations of temperature and texture to a user of the hand-held controller. The hand-held controller comprises a first region to be touched by a user and to provide a real-time computer programmable texture sensation to a user in response to a first trigger signal generated by an interactive program; and a first mechanism, coupled to the first region, to cause the first region to roughen relative to a first state, and to cause the first region to smooth relative to a second state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Frederick Umminger, Jeffrey R. Stafford, Anton Mikhailov