Patents by Inventor Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan

Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan 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: 20240082707
    Abstract: A method for identifying a cutscene in gameplay footage, the method comprising: receiving a first video signal and a second video signal each comprising a plurality of images; creating a first video fingerprint comprising a plurality of signatures, each signature of the plurality of signatures based on at least one image of the plurality of images in the first video signal; creating a second video fingerprint comprising a plurality of signatures, each signature of the plurality of signatures based on at least one image of the plurality of images in the second video signal; comparing the first video fingerprint with the second video fingerprint; and identifying a cutscene when at least a portion of the first video fingerprint has at least a threshold level of similarity with at least a portion of the second video fingerprint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Limited
    Inventors: Simon Andrew St John Brislin, Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan
  • Patent number: 11766618
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods for providing contextual game guidance are described herein. An example method includes determining based on contextual information regarding an application an objective of the user; automatically deriving based on the contextual information and the objective contextual guidance to assist the user; generating a user interface having the contextual guidance; and transmitting the user interface to a client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC
    Inventors: Warren Benedetto, Landon Noss, Adil Sherwani, Nitin Mohan, Matthew Ito, Xifan Chen, Hugh Alexander Dinsdale Spencer, Paul Edridge, Andrew John Nicholas Jones, Simon Andrew St. John Brislin, Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Charles Wayne Denison, II, Matthew Stewart Bloom-Carlin, Derek Andrew Parker
  • Publication number: 20230211234
    Abstract: A method of video editing includes: receiving data identifying a videogame, and data representative of one or more in-game events, analysing one or more aspects of the in-game events to generate at least a first statistical model for identifying statistically significant in-game events, identifying whether a current in-game event is statistically significant based on a generated statistical model and if so, extracting video of the event from a video buffer, and evaluating whether to include the extracted video in a themed highlight reel and if so, including the extracted video in the themed highlight reel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Marina Villanueva-Barreiro, Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Mark Anthony
  • Publication number: 20230182008
    Abstract: A system for modifying interactions between a user and displayed content, the system comprising an input detection unit operable to detect one or more inputs from a peripheral device operated by a user, an input characterisation unit operable to characterise the detected one or more inputs, and a content modification unit operable to modify one or more aspects of the user’s interaction in dependence upon the characterisation of the detected inputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Anthony, Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Marina Villanueva-Barreiro, Calum Armstrong
  • Publication number: 20230120898
    Abstract: A content generation system operable to generate one or more actions to be performed by an agent, the system comprising an input receiving unit operable to receive information defining an input action, the input action being an action associated with the agent, a constraint identifying unit operable to identify one or more constraints associated with the input action, and an action generation unit operable to generate, using a machine learning model, one or more actions in dependence upon the information defining the input action and the identified constraints wherein the one or more actions are variations of the defined action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Calum Armstrong, Marina Villanueva-Barreiro, Mark Anthony, Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan
  • Publication number: 20230117530
    Abstract: A content generation system operable to generate one or more actions to be performed by an agent, the system comprising an input receiving unit operable to receive two or more actions for the agent, a model generation unit operable to input the actions to a machine learning model so as to generate a trained machine learning model, and an action generation unit operable to generate an action to be performed by the agent, wherein the generation comprises the selection of a latent space interpolation state associated with the trained machine learning model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Calum Armstrong, Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Marina Villanueva-Barreiro, Mark Anthony
  • Publication number: 20220280875
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods for providing contextual game guidance are described herein. An example method includes determining based on contextual information regarding an application an objective of the user; automatically deriving based on the contextual information and the objective contextual guidance to assist the user; generating a user interface having the contextual guidance; and transmitting the user interface to a client device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Warren Benedetto, Landon Noss, Adil Sherwani, Nitin Mohan, Matthew Ito, Xifan Chen, Hugh Alexander Dinsdale Spencer, Paul Edridge, Andrew John Nicholas Jones, Simon Andrew St. John Brislin, Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Charles Wayne Denison, II, Matthew Stewart Bloom-Carlin, Derek Andrew Parker
  • Patent number: 11338210
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods for providing contextual game guidance are described herein. An example method includes determining based on contextual information regarding an application an objective of the user; automatically deriving based on the contextual information and the objective contextual guidance to assist the user; generating a user interface having the contextual guidance; and transmitting the user interface to a client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Inventors: Warren Benedetto, Landon Noss, Adil Sherwani, Nitin Mohan, Matthew Ito, Xifan Chen, Hugh Alexander Dinsdale Spencer, Paul Edridge, Andrew John Nicholas Jones, Simon Andrew St. John Brislin, Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Charles Wayne Denison, II, Matthew Stewart Bloom-Carlin, Derek Andrew Parker
  • Patent number: 11229843
    Abstract: A video recording method includes recording a sequence of video images output by a videogame, recording a sequence of depth buffer values for a depth buffer used by the videogame, recording a sequence of in-game virtual camera positions used to generate the video images, recording one or more in-game events and their respective in-game positions, associating the depth buffer value sequence, the in-game virtual camera position sequence, and an identifier for the videogame, with the video image sequence, and associating the one or more in-game events and their respective in-game positions with the identifier for the videogame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Hugh Alexander Dinsdale Spencer, Andrew Swann
  • Patent number: 11033825
    Abstract: A user analysis method of assisting a current user within the videogame, includes: obtaining an indication that a hint is required for a scenario within the videogame; and if so, providing a hint to the current user relating to successful behaviour in the scenario; where providing a hint comprises: obtaining one or more indicators of behaviour for the scenario within the videogame, a difference detecting step comprising detecting a respective difference between the one or more obtained indicators of behaviour and corresponding data derived from a corpus of measured indicators of behaviour previously generated from a subset of other users detected to have a predetermined level of success in the scenario, and the providing step comprising providing a hint to the current user indicating a change in one or more behaviours that reduces a respective difference in the one or more measured indicators of behaviour between the current user and the subset of other users detected to have a predetermined level of success
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainement Inc.
    Inventors: Pritpal Singh Panesar, Mohammed Mansoor Nusrat, Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Hugh Alexander Dinsdale Spencer
  • Patent number: 11007436
    Abstract: A method of detecting significant footage for recording from a videogame includes obtaining position information for a target object within a virtual environment of the videogame, obtaining depth buffer information for a current position of a virtual camera used to generate a current image of the virtual environment for display by the videogame, calculating a first distance along a line between the current position of the virtual camera and the obtained position of the target object, detecting whether a depth buffer value along the line corresponds to at least a threshold distance from the virtual camera, the threshold distance being based upon the calculated first distance, and if so, associating the current image with an indicator that the image is significant for the purposes of recording footage from the videogame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Hugh Alexander Dinsdale Spencer, Andrew Swann, Simon Andrew St John Brislin, Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan
  • Patent number: 10918958
    Abstract: A user analysis method for assisting a current user within the videogame includes: measuring one or more indicators of success for a scenario within the videogame as played by the current user, detecting if the one or more measured indicators of success are below an evaluation threshold, and if so then providing a hint to the current user relating to successful behaviour in the scenario, wherein providing a hint has a measuring step including measuring one or more indicators of behaviour for the scenario within the videogame as played by the current user, an evaluating step including evaluating the one or more measured indicators of behaviour with respect to data derived from a corpus of measured indicators of behaviour previously generated for other users for the scenario, a difference detecting step including detecting a respective difference in the one or more measured indicators of behaviour between the current user and a subset of other users detected to have a predetermined level of success in the scena
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Pritpal Singh Panesar, Mohammed Mansoor Nusrat, Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Hugh Alexander Dinsdale Spencer
  • Patent number: 10898805
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for: recording a first sequence of video images output by a videogame, recording a sequence of depth buffer values for a depth buffer used by the videogame, recording a sequence of in-game virtual camera positions used to generate the video images, recording one or more in-game events and their respective in-game positions, generating a second sequence of video images encoding the depth buffer value sequence, and associating the in-game virtual camera position sequence, with at least one of the first and second sequence of video images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Hugh Alexander Dinsdale Spencer, Andrew Swann, Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan
  • Patent number: 10874948
    Abstract: A method of mapping a virtual environment includes: obtaining a first sequence of video images output by a videogame title; obtaining a corresponding sequence of in-game virtual camera positions at which the video images were created; obtaining a corresponding sequence of depth buffer values for a depth buffer used by the videogame whilst creating the video images; and, for each of a plurality of video images and corresponding depth buffer values of the obtained sequences, obtain mapping points corresponding to a selected predetermined set of depth values corresponding to a predetermined set of positions within a respective video image; where for each pair of depth values and video image positions, a mapping point has a distance from the virtual camera position based upon the depth value, and a position based upon the relative positions of the virtual camera and the respective video image position, thereby obtaining a map dataset of mapping points corresponding to the first sequence of video images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Hugh Alexander Dinsdale Spencer, Andrew Swann, Simon Andrew St John Brislin, Pritpal Singh Panesar
  • Publication number: 20200376395
    Abstract: A video recording method includes recording a sequence of video images output by a videogame, recording a sequence of depth buffer values for a depth buffer used by the videogame, recording a sequence of in-game virtual camera positions used to generate the video images, recording one or more in-game events and their respective in-game positions, associating the depth buffer value sequence, the in-game virtual camera position sequence, and an identifier for the videogame, with the video image sequence, and associating the one or more in-game events and their respective in-game positions with the identifier for the videogame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Hugh Alexander Dinsdale Spencer, Andrew Swann
  • Patent number: 10780357
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for: recording a sequence of video images output by a videogame, recording a sequence of depth buffer values for a depth buffer used by the videogame, recording a sequence of in-game virtual camera positions used to generate the video images, recording one or more in-game events and their respective in-game positions, associating the depth buffer value sequence, the in-game virtual camera position sequence, and an identifier for the videogame, with the video image sequence, and associating the one or more in-game events and their respective in-game positions with the identifier for the videogame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Hugh Alexander Dinsdale Spencer, Andrew Swann
  • Patent number: 10780355
    Abstract: A method of automatically providing a hint to a first user about how a second user is likely to interact with them within a videogame includes: obtaining first indicators of behaviour for the second user recorded during at least a first previous interaction with the first user or an approximate representation of the first user, obtaining second indicators of behaviour for a corpus of a plurality of players having had at least a first successful previous interaction with the first user or an approximate representation of the first user, comparing the first and second indicators of behaviour to obtain comparison information about how the second user compares to the corpus of successful players, and providing a hint to the first user about the second user, based upon the comparison information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Pritpal Singh Panesar, Mohammed Mansoor Nusrat, Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Hugh Alexander Dinsdale Spencer
  • Publication number: 20200155947
    Abstract: A user analysis method for assisting a current user within the videogame includes: measuring one or more indicators of success for a scenario within the videogame as played by the current user, detecting if the one or more measured indicators of success are below an evaluation threshold, and if so then providing a hint to the current user relating to successful behaviour in the scenario, wherein providing a hint has a measuring step including measuring one or more indicators of behaviour for the scenario within the videogame as played by the current user, an evaluating step including evaluating the one or more measured indicators of behaviour with respect to data derived from a corpus of measured indicators of behaviour previously generated for other users for the scenario, a difference detecting step including detecting a respective difference in the one or more measured indicators of behaviour between the current user and a subset of other users detected to have a predetermined level of success in the scena
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Pritpal Singh PANESAR, Mohammed Mansoor NUSRAT, Nicholas Anthony Edward RYAN, Hugh Alexander Dinsdale SPENCER
  • Publication number: 20200122043
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods for providing contextual game guidance are described herein. An example method includes determining based on contextual information regarding an application an objective of the user; automatically deriving based on the contextual information and the objective contextual guidance to assist the user; generating a user interface having the contextual guidance; and transmitting the user interface to a client device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Warren Benedetto, Landon Noss, Adil Sherwani, Nitin Mohan, Matthew Ito, Xifan Chen, Hugh Alexander Dinsdale Spencer, Paul Edridge, Andrew John Nicholas Jones, Simon Andrew St. John Brislin, Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Charles Wayne Denison, II, Matthew Stewart Bloom-Carlin, Derek Andrew Parker
  • Publication number: 20200016499
    Abstract: A method of mapping a virtual environment includes: obtaining a first sequence of video images output by a videogame title; obtaining a corresponding sequence of in-game virtual camera positions at which the video images were created; obtaining a corresponding sequence of depth buffer values for a depth buffer used by the videogame whilst creating the video images; and, for each of a plurality of video images and corresponding depth buffer values of the obtained sequences, obtain mapping points corresponding to a selected predetermined set of depth values corresponding to a predetermined set of positions within a respective video image; where for each pair of depth values and video image positions, a mapping point has a distance from the virtual camera position based upon the depth value, and a position based upon the relative positions of the virtual camera and the respective video image position, thereby obtaining a map dataset of mapping points corresponding to the first sequence of video images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Anthony Edward Ryan, Hugh Alexander Dinsdale Spencer, Andrew Swann, Simon Andrew St John Brislin, Pritpal Singh Panesar