Patents by Inventor Greg LoPiccolo

Greg LoPiccolo 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: 8444486
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying cues indicating input actions in a rhythm-action game may include: displaying, to a player of a rhythm-action game, a lane divided into at least two sub-lanes, each sub-lane containing cues indicating a drum input element; and displaying, to the player, an additional cue spanning a plurality of the sub-lanes, the additional cue indicating a foot pedal action. In some embodiments, the additional cue may span all the sub-lanes. In some embodiments, each sub-lane may contain cues indicating a drum input element of a set of linearly arranged drum input elements. In other embodiments, each sub-lanes may correspond to a fret button of a simulated guitar and the additional cue may correspond to an open strum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Kay, Greg LoPiccolo, Daniel Schmidt, Alexander Rigopulos
  • Patent number: 8419536
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying cues indicating input actions in a rhythm-action game may include: displaying, to a player of a rhythm-action game, a lane divided into at least two sub-lanes, each sub-lane containing cues indicating a drum input element; and displaying, to the player, an additional cue spanning a plurality of the sub-lanes, the additional cue indicating a foot pedal action. In some embodiments, the additional cue may span all the sub-lanes. In some embodiments, each sub-lane may contain cues indicating a drum input element of a set of linearly arranged drum input elements. In other embodiments, each sub-lanes may correspond to a fret button of a simulated guitar and the additional cue may correspond to an open strum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Kay, Greg LoPiccolo, Daniel Schmidt, Alexander Rigopulos
  • Publication number: 20100041477
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying cues indicating input actions in a rhythm-action game may include: displaying, to a player of a rhythm-action game, a lane divided into at least two sub-lanes, each sub-lane containing cues indicating a drum input element; and displaying, to the player, an additional cue spanning a plurality of the sub-lanes, the additional cue indicating a foot pedal action. In some embodiments, the additional cue may span all the sub-lanes. In some embodiments, each sub-lane may contain cues indicating a drum input element of a set of linearly arranged drum input elements. In other embodiments, each sub-lanes may correspond to a fret button of a simulated guitar and the additional cue may correspond to an open strum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Kay, Greg LoPiccolo, Dan Schmidt, Alexander Rigopulos
  • Patent number: 7625284
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying cues indicating input actions in a rhythm-action game may include: displaying, to a player of a rhythm-action game, a lane divided into at least two sub-lanes, each sub-lane containing cues indicating a drum input element; and displaying, to the player, an additional cue spanning a plurality of the sub-lanes, the additional cue indicating a foot pedal action. In some embodiments, the additional cue may span all the sub-lanes. In some embodiments, each sub-lane may contain cues indicating a drum input element of a set of linearly arranged drum input elements. In other embodiments, each sub-lanes may correspond to a fret button of a simulated guitar and the additional cue may correspond to an open strum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Kay, Greg LoPiccolo, Daniel Schmidt, Alexander Rigopulos
  • Publication number: 20080311969
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying cues indicating input actions in a rhythm-action game may include: displaying, to a player of a rhythm-action game, a lane divided into at least two sub-lanes, each sub-lane containing cues indicating a drum input element; and displaying, to the player, an additional cue spanning a plurality of the sub-lanes, the additional cue indicating a foot pedal action. In some embodiments, the additional cue may span all the sub-lanes. In some embodiments, each sub-lane may contain cues indicating a drum input element of a set of linearly arranged drum input elements. In other embodiments, each sub-lanes may correspond to a fret button of a simulated guitar and the additional cue may correspond to an open strum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Robert Kay, Greg LoPiccolo, Daniel Schmidt, Alexander Rigopulos
  • Publication number: 20050215319
    Abstract: A method for allowing a player of a video game to control a three-dimensional game character in a three-dimensional game world includes the steps of acquiring video image data of a player of a game, analyzing the acquired video image data to identify the location or movement of a portion of the player's body; and using the identified location of the portion of the player's body to control behavior of a game character.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2004
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Applicant: HARMONIX MUSIC SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Rigopulos, Eran Egozy, Dan Schmidt, Eric Metois, Greg Lopiccolo
  • Patent number: 6429863
    Abstract: A method for displaying musical data in three dimensions includes displaying musical data along a spatial path that does not lie within the image plane of a display. Graphical symbols corresponding to the musical data may be displayed on graphical surfaces aligned with the spatial path. The graphical surfaces form, in some embodiments, a tunnel through which the time axis associated with the musical data runs. The musical data may be manipulated to provide the viewer with the appearance of motion along the time axis associated with the musical data. In some embodiments, the viewer is represented by a virtual camera in the three-dimensional environment and the virtual camera is “moved” to provide the appearance of motion. A corresponding apparatus is also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg LoPiccolo, Jonathon Bell, Eran Egozy, Ryan Lesser, Joshua Randall, Alexander Rigopulos, Dan Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6353174
    Abstract: Described are a system and method for achieving near real-time musical collaboration by a group of users using computers connected by a network. Each computer system plays a stream of musical data to each user. The musical data stream played to each user corresponds to the musical collaboration produced by the users. The playing of the musical data streams is staggered such that each user is located at a different time in the musical collaboration than every other user. This staggering separates any two users by a temporal offset that exceeds the maximum time required to transmit musical data from one user to another user over the network. Each user is allowed to modify the portion of the musical data stream that is currently being played to that user. Such musical data modifications are transmitted to other users over the network to become incorporated into the musical data streams played to those other users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan Schmidt, Jonathon Bell, Eran Egozy, Michael James, Greg LoPiccolo, Alexander Rigopulos