Patents by Inventor Ian Henry Bickerstaff
Ian Henry Bickerstaff 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).
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Image generation apparatus and image generation method using frequency lower than display frame rate
Patent number: 11914147Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for generating an image by way of acquiring information relating to at least one of a position and a rotation of a camera. The image is generated for display on a display unit. A rate at which the image is generated is at a first frequency, which is lower than a second frequency corresponding to a frame rate of the display unit.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2023Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignees: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc., Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe LimitedInventors: Tomohiro Oto, Simon Mark Benson, Ian Henry Bickerstaff -
Patent number: 11663778Abstract: A method and system of generating an image of a subject from the viewpoint of a virtual camera includes obtaining a plurality of source images of a subject and pose data for each source camera or cameras that captured the source images. Virtual camera pose data is also obtained indicating a pose of a virtual camera relative to the subject. Each source image is distorted based on a difference in pose of the corresponding source camera and the pose of the virtual camera. A weighting is determined for each distorted image based on a similarity between the pose of the corresponding source camera and the pose of the virtual camera. The distorted images are then blended together in accordance with the weightings to form an image of the subject from the viewpoint of the virtual camera.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2020Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Andrew Damian Hosfield, Nicola Orrù, Ian Henry Bickerstaff
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Publication number: 20230161157Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for an acquisition process to acquire information relating to at least one of a position and a rotation of a camera and an image generation process to generate an image to be displayed on a display unit in a first frequency lower than a second frequency corresponding to a frame rate of the display unit using information relating to at least one of a position and a rotation acquired at a certain point of time by the acquisition process.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2023Publication date: May 25, 2023Applicants: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc., Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe LimitedInventors: Tomohiro Oto, Simon Mark Benson, Ian Henry Bickerstaff
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Image generation apparatus and image generation method using frequency lower than display frame rate
Patent number: 11592668Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for generating an image by way of acquiring information relating to at least one of a position and a rotation of a camera operated by a user. The image is generated for display on a display unit viewed by the user. A rate at which the image is generated is at a first frequency, which is lower than a second frequency corresponding to a frame rate of the display unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2021Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignees: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc., Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Ltd.Inventors: Tomohiro Oto, Simon Mark Benson, Ian Henry Bickerstaff -
Patent number: 11405531Abstract: Data processing apparatus includes a camera to capture successive images according to an image capture period; an optically detectable indicator having multiple optically detectable states and configured to transition between the multiple optically detectable states according to a transition pattern having interspersed periods in the multiple optically detectable states; the transition pattern including a reference period and two or more second periods which are shorter than the image capture period and which are separated by a separation period different to the image capture period; and a processor to detect timing information from images captured by the camera of the optically detectable indicator.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2018Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Sharwin Winesh Raghoebardajal, Ian Henry Bickerstaff
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Patent number: 11354821Abstract: An image processing method includes detecting, for image positions in an input image, the presence of a predetermined key colour; generating an image texture, the generating step comprising: setting a texture background of the image texture to a predetermined background colour; generating transparency values at image positions of the image texture, the transparency value at an image position being dependent upon a detected property of the predetermined key colour in the input image, the transparency values; and providing a texture foreground of the image texture; and applying the image texture to the input image at image positions at which the predetermined key colour is present.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2020Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Ian Henry Bickerstaff, Andrew Damian Hosfield, William John Dudley, Nicola Orrù
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Patent number: 11277603Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating stereoscopic images for display with respect to a virtual display screen (VDS) include: setting a VDS position for displaying a stereoscopic image of an object in a virtual scene, the VDS having a depth profile that approximates a depth profile of the object; generating the stereoscopic image for display at the VDS within the virtual scene; and controlling a configuration of the VDS based on the detected change in the viewpoint of the stereoscopic image by the viewer.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2018Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Ian Henry Bickerstaff, Hidehiko Morisada, Tomohiro Oto, Andrew Damian Hosfield, Nicola Orrù
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Patent number: 11276196Abstract: A video processing method includes detecting, as a reference pose, a pose of an individual at a reference time point in an input video sequence; at a second, different, time point in the input video sequence, detecting a second pose of the individual; generating from one or more source images of the individual, a transitional video sequence representing a transition of the individual from the second pose to the reference pose; and associating the transitional video sequence with the input video sequence to generate an output video sequence including at least the transitional video sequence to implement a non-linear replay branch from the second time point to the reference time point.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2020Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Ian Henry Bickerstaff, Andrew Damian Hosfield, William John Dudley, Nicola Orrù
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Patent number: 11190756Abstract: A method of generating stereoscopic images for display with respect to a virtual display screen (VDS) position, includes setting a VDS position for a stereoscopic image for display such that the depth profile of one or more VDSs approximates the depth profile of one or more objects in a virtual scene to be displayed by that stereoscopic image, and generating the stereoscopic image for display having image parallax appropriate to the VDS position or positions set by the setting step.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2018Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Ian Henry Bickerstaff, Hidehiko Morisada, Tomohiro Oto, Andrew Hosfield
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Publication number: 20210239978Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for an acquisition process to acquire information relating to at least one of a position and a rotation of a camera operated by a user and an image generation process to generate an image to be displayed on a display unit viewed by the user in a first frequency lower than a second frequency corresponding to a frame rate of the display unit using information relating to at least one of a position and a rotation acquired at a certain point of time by the acquisition process.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2021Publication date: August 5, 2021Applicants: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc., Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe LimitedInventors: Tomohiro Oto, Simon Mark Benson, Ian Henry Bickerstaff
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Patent number: 11045733Abstract: A virtual reality apparatus includes a head mountable display (HMD) to display video content; an orientation detector to detect a current orientation of the HMD; and a display generator to generate video content for display by the HMD, the video content representing a portion of a virtual environment, the display generator selecting the portion for display by the HMD in dependence upon: a current orientation of the HMD; and a location within the virtual environment of a feature of interest.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2017Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventor: Ian Henry Bickerstaff
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Patent number: 11016297Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for receiving an image to be displayed on the head-mounted display unit generated in a first frequency by an image generation apparatus using information relating to at least one of a position and a rotation of the head of a user who wears a head-mounted display unit, where the information is acquired at a certain point of time; correcting the image using updated information relating to at least one of the position and the rotation at a different point of time, where the receiving and correcting includes receiving updated information relating to at least one of a position and a rotation in a second frequency corresponding to a frame rate of the head-mounted display unit, and performing multiple times of correction of the image in the first frequency using a plurality of the updated information relating to at least one of the position and the rotation received in the second frequency higher than the first frequency.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2020Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignees: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC., SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT EUROPE LTD.Inventors: Tomohiro Oto, Simon Mark Benson, Ian Henry Bickerstaff
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Patent number: 11010958Abstract: A method of generating an image of a subject in a scene includes obtaining a first image and a second image of a subject in a scene, each image corresponding to a different respective viewpoint of the subject, each image being captured by a different respective camera, where at least some of the subject is occluded in the first image and not the second image by virtue of the different viewpoints, obtaining camera pose data indicating a pose of a camera for each image, re-projecting, based on the difference in camera poses associated with each image, at least a portion of the second image to correspond to the viewpoint from which the first image was captured, and combining the re-projected portion of the second image with at least some of the first image so as to generate a composite image of the subject from the viewpoint of the first image, the re-projected portion of the second image providing image data for at least some of the occluded part or parts of the subject in the first image.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2020Date of Patent: May 18, 2021Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Ian Henry Bickerstaff, Andrew Damian Hosfield, Nicola Orrù
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Publication number: 20210084197Abstract: Data processing apparatus comprises a camera to capture successive images according to an image capture period; an optically detectable indicator having multiple optically detectable states and configured to transition between the multiple optically detectable states according to a transition pattern having interspersed periods in the multiple optically detectable states; the transition pattern including a reference period and two or more second periods which are shorter than the image capture period and which are separated by a separation period different to the image capture period; and a processor to detect timing information from images captured by the camera of the optically detectable indicator.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2018Publication date: March 18, 2021Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Sharwin Winesh RAGHOEBARDAJAL, Ian Henry BICKERSTAFF
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Publication number: 20210065432Abstract: A method of generating an image of a subject in a scene includes obtaining a first image and a second image of a subject in a scene, each image corresponding to a different respective viewpoint of the subject, each image being captured by a different respective camera, where at least some of the subject is occluded in the first image and not the second image by virtue of the different viewpoints, obtaining camera pose data indicating a pose of a camera for each image, re-projecting, based on the difference in camera poses associated with each image, at least a portion of the second image to correspond to the viewpoint from which the first image was captured, and combining the re-projected portion of the second image with at least some of the first image so as to generate a composite image of the subject from the viewpoint of the first image, the re-projected portion of the second image providing image data for at least some of the occluded part or parts of the subject in the first image.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2020Publication date: March 4, 2021Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Ian Henry Bickerstaff, Andrew Damian Hosfield, Nicola Orrù
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Publication number: 20200342631Abstract: An image processing method includes detecting, for image positions in an input image, the presence of a predetermined key colour; generating an image texture, the generating step comprising: setting a texture background of the image texture to a predetermined background colour; generating transparency values at image positions of the image texture, the transparency value at an image position being dependent upon a detected property of the predetermined key colour in the input image, the transparency values; and providing a texture foreground of the image texture; and applying the image texture to the input image at image positions at which the predetermined key colour is present.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2020Publication date: October 29, 2020Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Ian Henry Bickerstaff, Andrew Damian Hosfield, William John Dudley, Nicola Orrù
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Publication number: 20200334852Abstract: A video processing method includes detecting, as a reference pose, a pose of an individual at a reference time point in an input video sequence; at a second, different, time point in the input video sequence, detecting a second pose of the individual; generating from one or more source images of the individual, a transitional video sequence representing a transition of the individual from the second pose to the reference pose; and associating the transitional video sequence with the input video sequence to generate an output video sequence including at least the transitional video sequence to implement a non-linear replay branch from the second time point to the reference time point.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2020Publication date: October 22, 2020Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Ian Henry Bickerstaff, Andrew Damian Hosfield, William John Dudley, Nicola Orrù
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Publication number: 20200304769Abstract: A method of generating stereoscopic images for display with respect to a virtual display screen (VDS) position, includes setting a VDS position for a stereoscopic image for display such that the depth profile of one or more VDSs approximates the depth profile of one or more objects in a virtual scene to be displayed by that stereoscopic image, and generating the stereoscopic image for display having image parallax appropriate to the VDS position or positions set by the setting step.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2018Publication date: September 24, 2020Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Ian Henry Bickerstaff, Hidehiko Morisada, Tomohiro Oto, Andrew Hosfield
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Publication number: 20200302688Abstract: A method and system of generating an image of a subject from the viewpoint of a virtual camera includes obtaining a plurality of source images of a subject and pose data for each source camera or cameras that captured the source images. Virtual camera pose data is also obtained indicating a pose of a virtual camera relative to the subject. Each source image is distorted based on a difference in pose of the corresponding source camera and the pose of the virtual camera. A weighting is determined for each distorted image based on a similarity between the pose of the corresponding source camera and the pose of the virtual camera. The distorted images are then blended together in accordance with the weightings to form an image of the subject from the viewpoint of the virtual camera.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2020Publication date: September 24, 2020Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Andrew Damian Hosfield, Nicola Orrù, Ian Henry Bickerstaff
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Publication number: 20200296354Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating stereoscopic images for display with respect to a virtual display screen (VDS) include: setting a VDS position for displaying a stereoscopic image of an object in a virtual scene, the VDS having a depth profile that approximates a depth profile of the object; (ii) generating the stereoscopic image for display at the VDS within the virtual scene; and (iii) controlling a configuration of the VDS based on the detected change in the viewpoint of the stereoscopic image by the viewer.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2018Publication date: September 17, 2020Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Ian Henry Bickerstaff, Hidehiko Morisada, Tomohiro Oto, Andrew Damian Hosfield, Nicola Orrù