Patents by Inventor Jeffrey Elbert

Jeffrey Elbert 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).

  • Publication number: 20250303272
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method for providing an interactive experience. The method includes illuminating, by an enhancer, an area with light having wavelength invisible to humans. A plurality of image detectors capture at least two images of a person in the area including a portion of the light reflected from the person. A processing element determines a first skeletal feature of the person based on the at least two images. The processing element determines a position characteristic of the first skeletal feature; constructs, from the first skeletal feature, a vector in three dimensions corresponding to the position characteristic; and outputs an interactive effect based on the position characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2025
    Publication date: October 2, 2025
    Applicant: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Przemyslaw Iwanowski, Bob Hickman, Brent D. Strong, Sarit Ghildayal, Matthew S. Daly, Jeffrey Elbert
  • Patent number: 12343616
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method for providing an interactive experience. The method includes illuminating, by an enhancer, an area with light having wavelength invisible to humans. A plurality of image detectors capture at least two images of a person in the area including a portion of the light reflected from the person. A processing element determines a first skeletal feature of the person based on the at least two images. The processing element determines a position characteristic of the first skeletal feature; constructs, from the first skeletal feature, a vector in three dimensions corresponding to the position characteristic; and outputs an interactive effect based on the position characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Przemyslaw Iwanowski, Bob Hickman, Brent D. Strong, Sarit Ghildayal, Matthew S. Daly, Jeffrey Elbert
  • Patent number: 11972048
    Abstract: A gameplay system for providing interactivity based on a piece of merchandise or another object held or worn by a player. The system includes an object identification assembly, which may be a modified computer vision system, that operates to sense, for a gameplay participant, the presence and identity of a particular augmenting object such as themed merchandise worn or held by a rider of a theme park ride. The sensing may be performed by detecting an on-and-off pattern of light emitted from the object. In response, the gameplay system selects or modifies the interactive features of gameplay associated with the participant based on the identified augmenting object. For example, the interactive features are selected from memory by the gameplay system controller to match a character associated with the augmenting object during any interactive gameplay. This allows the gameplay participant to choose their abilities or powers for gameplay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Elbert, Bob Hickman, Brent David Strong
  • Publication number: 20230025448
    Abstract: A gameplay system for providing interactivity based on a piece of merchandise or another object held or worn by a player. The system includes an object identification assembly, which may be a modified computer vision system, that operates to sense, for a gameplay participant, the presence and identity of a particular augmenting object such as themed merchandise worn or held by a rider of a theme park ride. The sensing may be performed by detecting an on-and-off pattern of light emitted from the object. In response, the gameplay system selects or modifies the interactive features of gameplay associated with the participant based on the identified augmenting object. For example, the interactive features are selected from memory by the gameplay system controller to match a character associated with the augmenting object during any interactive gameplay. This allows the gameplay participant to choose their abilities or powers for gameplay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventors: Jeffrey Elbert, Bob Hickman, Brent David Strong
  • Patent number: 11524239
    Abstract: A gameplay system for providing interactivity based on a piece of merchandise or other object held or worn by a player. The system includes an object identification assembly, which may be a modified computer vision system, that operates to sense, for a gameplay participant, the presence and identity of a particular augmenting object such as themed merchandise worn or held by a rider of a theme park ride. The sensing may be performed by detecting an on-and-off pattern of light emitted from the object. In response, the gameplay system selects or modifies the interactive features of gameplay associated with the participant based on the identified augmenting object. For example, the interactive features are selected from memory by the gameplay system controller to match a character associated with the augmenting object during any interactive gameplay. This allows the gameplay participant to choose their abilities or powers for gameplay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Elbert, Przemyslaw Iwanowski, Brent David Strong, Matthew S. Daly, Sarit Ghildayal, Bob Hickman, John Cody Hampton, Alex Christopher Wilde, Amanda Marie Leahy
  • Patent number: 11474602
    Abstract: A gameplay system for providing interactivity based on a piece of merchandise or another object held or worn by a player. The system includes an object identification assembly, which may be a modified computer vision system, that operates to sense, for a gameplay participant, the presence and identity of a particular augmenting object such as themed merchandise worn or held by a rider of a theme park ride. The sensing may be performed by detecting an on-and-off pattern of light emitted from the object. In response, the gameplay system selects or modifies the interactive features of gameplay associated with the participant based on the identified augmenting object. For example, the interactive features are selected from memory by the gameplay system controller to match a character associated with the augmenting object during any interactive gameplay. This allows the gameplay participant to choose their abilities or powers for gameplay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Elbert, Bob Hickman, Brent David Strong
  • Publication number: 20220080321
    Abstract: A gameplay system for providing interactivity based on a piece of merchandise or other object held or worn by a player. The system includes an object identification assembly, which may be a modified computer vision system, that operates to sense, for a gameplay participant, the presence and identity of a particular augmenting object such as themed merchandise worn or held by a rider of a theme park ride. The sensing may be performed by detecting an on-and-off pattern of light emitted from the object. In response, the gameplay system selects or modifies the interactive features of gameplay associated with the participant based on the identified augmenting object. For example, the interactive features are selected from memory by the gameplay system controller to match a character associated with the augmenting object during any interactive gameplay. This allows the gameplay participant to choose their abilities or powers for gameplay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Jeffrey Elbert, Przemyslaw Iwanowski, Brent David Strong, Matthew S. Daly, Sarit Ghildayal, Bob Hickman, John Cody Hampton, Alex Christopher Wilde, Amanda Marie Leahy
  • Patent number: 11207599
    Abstract: A gameplay system for providing interactivity based on a piece of merchandise or other object held or worn by a player. Th system includes an object identification assembly, which may be a modified computer vision system, that operates to sense, for a gameplay participant, the presence and identity of a particular augmenting object such as themed merchandise worn or held by a rider of a theme park ride. The sensing may be performed by detecting an on-and-off pattern of light emitted from the object. In response, the gameplay system selects or modifies the interactive features of gameplay associated with the participant based on the identified augmenting object. For example, the interactive features are selected from memory by the gameplay system controller to match a character associated with the augmenting object during any interactive gameplay. This allows the gameplay participant to choose their abilities or powers for gameplay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Elbert, Przemyslaw Iwanowski, Brent David Strong, Matthew S. Daly, Sarit Ghildayal, Bob Hickman, John Cody Hampton, Alex Christopher Wilde, Amanda Marie Leahy
  • Publication number: 20210279893
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method for providing an interactive experience. The method includes illuminating, by an enhancer, an area with light having wavelength invisible to humans. A plurality of image detectors capture at least two images of a person in the area including a portion of the light reflected from the person. A processing element determines a first skeletal feature of the person based on the at least two images. The processing element determines a position characteristic of the first skeletal feature; constructs, from the first skeletal feature, a vector in three dimensions corresponding to the position characteristic; and outputs an interactive effect based on the position characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Przemyslaw Iwanowski, Bob Hickman, Brent D. Strong, Sarit Ghildayal, Matthew S. Daly, Jeffrey Elbert
  • Publication number: 20210263588
    Abstract: A gameplay system for providing interactivity based on a piece of merchandise or another object held or worn by a player. The system includes an object identification assembly, which may be a modified computer vision system, that operates to sense, for a gameplay participant, the presence and identity of a particular augmenting object such as themed merchandise worn or held by a rider of a theme park ride. The sensing may be performed by detecting an on-and-off pattern of light emitted from the object. In response, the gameplay system selects or modifies the interactive features of gameplay associated with the participant based on the identified augmenting object. For example, the interactive features are selected from memory by the gameplay system controller to match a character associated with the augmenting object during any interactive gameplay. This allows the gameplay participant to choose their abilities or powers for gameplay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Jeffrey Elbert, Bob Hickman, Brent David Strong
  • Publication number: 20210260485
    Abstract: A gameplay system for providing interactivity based on a piece of merchandise or other object held or worn by a player. Th system includes an object identification assembly, which may be a modified computer vision system, that operates to sense, for a gameplay participant, the presence and identity of a particular augmenting object such as themed merchandise worn or held by a rider of a theme park ride. The sensing may be performed by detecting an on-and-off pattern of light emitted from the object. In response, the gameplay system selects or modifies the interactive features of gameplay associated with the participant based on the identified augmenting object. For example, the interactive features are selected from memory by the gameplay system controller to match a character associated with the augmenting object during any interactive gameplay. This allows the gameplay participant to choose their abilities or powers for gameplay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Jeffrey Elbert, Przemyslaw Iwanowski, Brent David Strong, Matthew S. Daly, Sarit Ghildayal, Bob Hickman, John Cody Hampton, Alex Christopher Wilde, Amanda Marie Leahy