Patents by Inventor Paul Edward Prayle

Paul Edward Prayle 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: 11138794
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a virtual reality environment comprising: controller circuitry configured to: insert a captured image of an object in the virtual reality environment; move the captured image within the virtual reality environment; pause the movement of the captured image in the virtual reality environment; generate a rendered representation of at least part of the captured image; replace the at least part of the captured image with the rendered representation in the virtual reality environment; and move the rendered representation within the virtual reality environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Williams, Paul Edward Prayle, Michael Goldman, William Jack Leathers-Smith
  • Patent number: 11003256
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a graphical representation of a content display in a virtual reality environment, comprising: controller circuitry configured to determine a position of a device relative to a virtual reality headset in the real world, and when the device is at a predetermined position in front of the virtual reality headset, the controller circuitry is further configured to: generate a graphical representation of a content display in the virtual reality environment, the position of the graphical representation in the virtual reality environment being determined by the real world position of the device in front of the virtual reality headset, wherein the size of the graphical representation of a content display is changed in dependence on the position of the distance between the virtual reality headset and the device, wherein, in response to a user input, the controller circuitry is configured to: lock the position of the graphical representation of the content display in the virtual reality enviro
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Williams, Paul Edward Prayle, Michael Goldman, William Jack Leathers-Smith
  • Patent number: 11004129
    Abstract: An image processing method includes partitioning an image under test to form a plurality of contiguous image segments having similar image properties, deriving feature data from a subset including one or more of the image segments, and comparing the feature data from the subset of image segments with feature data derived from respective image segments of one or more other images so as to detect a similarity between the image under test and the one or more other images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Europe B.V.
    Inventors: Mikael Carl Lang, Robert Mark Stefan Porter, Paul Edward Prayle, Ratna Beresford, Jonathan Richard Thorpe, Michael John Williams
  • Publication number: 20200050288
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a graphical representation of a content display in a virtual reality environment, comprising: controller circuitry configured to determine a position of a device relative to a virtual reality headset in the real world, and when the device is at a predetermined position in front of the virtual reality headset, the controller circuitry is further configured to: generate a graphical representation of a content display in the virtual reality environment, the position of the graphical representation in the virtual reality environment being determined by the real world position of the device in front of the virtual reality headset, wherein the size of the graphical representation of a content display is changed in dependence on the position of the distance between the virtual reality headset and the device, wherein, in response to a user input, the controller circuitry is configured to: lock the position of the graphical representation of the content display in the virtual reality enviro
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John WILLIAMS, Paul Edward PRAYLE, Michael GOLDMAN, William Jack LEATHERS-SMITH
  • Patent number: 10496878
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus, comprising: receiver circuitry configured to receive i) a video stream comprising a plurality of images, each image containing at least one object located at a position in a plane and the image having associated image timing information indicating its temporal position in the video stream and ii) a stream of object tracking information each having associated object timing information indicating its temporal position in the stream of object tracking information wherein the stream of object tracking information corresponds to the video stream and separately defines the position of the object in the plane captured in each image in the video stream; and controller circuitry configured to perform pattern matching on the position of each of the objects in the video stream and the object tracking information, and when there is a closest matching position, synchronising the image timing information and the object timing information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Williams, William Jack Leathers-Smith, Paul Edward Prayle
  • Publication number: 20180225736
    Abstract: An image processing method includes partitioning an image under test to form a plurality of contiguous image segments having similar image properties, deriving feature data from a subset including one or more of the image segments, and comparing the feature data from the subset of image segments with feature data derived from respective image segments of one or more other images so as to detect a similarity between the image under test and the one or more other images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Applicant: SONY EUROPE LIMITED
    Inventors: Mikael Carl LANG, Robert Mark Stefan Porter, Paul Edward Prayle, Ratna Beresford, Jonathan Richard Thorpe, Michael John Williams
  • Publication number: 20180137684
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a virtual reality environment comprising: controller circuitry configured to: insert a captured image of an object in the virtual reality environment; move the captured image within the virtual reality environment; pause the movement of the captured image in the virtual reality environment; generate a rendered representation of at least part of the captured image; replace the at least part of the captured image with the rendered representation in the virtual reality environment; and move the rendered representation within the virtual reality environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John WILLIAMS, Paul Edward PRAYLE, Michael GOLDMAN, William Jack LEATHERS-SMITH
  • Patent number: 9940655
    Abstract: An image processing method includes partitioning an image under test to form a plurality of contiguous image segments having similar image properties, deriving feature data from a subset including one or more of the image segments, and comparing the feature data from the subset of image segments with feature data derived from respective image segments of one or more other images so as to detect a similarity between the image under test and the one or more other images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SONY EUROPE LIMITED
    Inventors: Mikael Carl Lang, Robert Mark Stefan Porter, Paul Edward Prayle, Ratna Beresford, Jonathan Richard Thorpe, Michael John Williams
  • Publication number: 20180018510
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus, comprising: receiver circuitry configured to receive i) a video stream comprising a plurality of images, each image containing at least one object located at a position in a plane and the image having associated image timing information indicating its temporal position in the video stream and ii) a stream of object tracking information each having associated object timing information indicating its temporal position in the stream of object tracking information wherein the stream of object tracking information corresponds to the video stream and separately defines the position of the object in the plane captured in each image in the video stream; and controller circuitry configured to perform pattern matching on the position of each of the objects in the video stream and the object tracking information, and when there is a closest matching position, synchronising the image timing information and the object timing information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John WILLIAMS, William Jack LEATHERS-SMITH, Paul Edward PRAYLE
  • Patent number: 9773523
    Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing a video recording of a sporting event, comprising: a video clip generating circuitry operable to, in response to a selection of one of a first timeline element, generate a video clip from a video recording of the sporting event and to output the video clip for display, the video clip being a portion of the video recording of a sporting event temporally extending between a first time and a second time, each of the start time and the end time of a first event record corresponding to the selected first timeline element being within a period defined between the first time and the second time, and the video clip comprising one or more cut out portions of the video recording of the sporting event, each cut-out portion being generated on the basis of participant tracking data of the participant of the sporting event identified by a identifier of the first event record corresponding to the selected first timeline element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Williams, Paul Edward Prayle, William Jack Leathers-Smith
  • Patent number: 9747870
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a device for generating a graphic and superimposing the generated graphic on a second image generated from a cut-out of a first image of a scene, the cut-out representing the field of view of a virtual camera, the device comprising: receiver circuitry configured to receive the second image and a set of cut-out corner coordinates; homography determining circuitry configured to determine, a homography between coordinates of the first 2D coordinate system defined within the cut-out and coordinates of a second 2D coordinate system defined for the second image; feature determining circuitry configured to determine a feature of the virtual 3D map of the scene within the field of view of the virtual camera; graphic generator circuitry configured to generate the graphic from the determined feature of the virtual 3D map; and graphic superimposing circuitry configured to superimpose the generated graphic on the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Clive Henry Gillard, Michael John Williams, Robert Mark Stefan Porter, Paul Edward Prayle
  • Publication number: 20160379682
    Abstract: An apparatus for analysing a video recording of a sporting event, comprising: avideo clip generating circuitry operable to, in response to a selection of one of a first timeline element, generate a video clip from a video recording of the sporting event and to output the video clip for display, the video clip being a portion of the video recording of a sporting event temporally extending between a first time and a second time, each of the start time and the end time of a first event record corresponding to the selected first timeline element being within a period defined between the first time and the second time, and the video clip comprising one or more cut out portions of the video recording of the sporting event, each cut-out portion being generated on the basis of participant tracking data of the participant of the sporting event identified by a identifier of the first event record corresponding to the selected first timeline element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John WILLIAMS, Paul Edward PRAYLE, William Jack LEATHERS-SMITH
  • Publication number: 20160381290
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus, comprising an input connectable to a remote controlled camera to receive an image of a scene from the camera and an output connectable to said camera to automatically control the movement of the camera to follow an object; and a processing unit configured to predict a future position of the object and to control the field of view of the camera to capture the scene at the predicted future position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Edward PRAYLE, Michael John WILLIAMS, William Jack LEATHERS-SMITH, Adrian Richard BROWNE
  • Publication number: 20160140636
    Abstract: An image processing method includes partitioning an image under test to form a plurality of contiguous image segments having similar image properties, deriving feature data from a subset including one or more of the image segments, and comparing the feature data from the subset of image segments with feature data derived from respective image segments of one or more other images so as to detect a similarity between the image under test and the one or more other images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: Sony Europe Limited
    Inventors: Mikael Carl Lang, Robert Mark Stefan Porter, Paul Edward Prayle, Ratna Beresford, Jonathan Richard Thorpe, Michael John Williams
  • Patent number: 9269105
    Abstract: An image processing method includes partitioning an image under test to form a plurality of contiguous image segments having similar image properties, deriving feature data from a subset including one or more of the image segments, and comparing the feature data from the subset of image segments with feature data derived from respective image segments of one or more other images so as to detect a similarity between the image under test and the one or more other images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: SONY EUROPE LIMITED
    Inventors: Mikael Carl Lang, Robert Mark Stefan Porter, Paul Edward Prayle, Ratna Beresford, Jonathan Richard Thorpe, Michael John Williams
  • Publication number: 20150138188
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a device for generating a graphic and superimposing the generated graphic on a second image generated from a cut-out of a first image of a scene, the cut-out representing the field of view of a virtual camera, the device comprising: receiver circuitry configured to receive the second image and a set of cut-out corner coordinates; homography determining circuitry configured to determine, a homography between coordinates of the first 2D coordinate system defined within the cut-out and coordinates of a second 2D coordinate system defined for the second image; feature determining circuitry configured to determine a feature of the virtual 3D map of the scene within the field of view of the virtual camera; graphic generator circuitry configured to generate the graphic from the determined feature of the virtual 3D map; and graphic superimposing circuitry configured to superimpose the generated graphic on the second image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Clive Henry GILLARD, Michael John WILLIAMS, Robert Mark Stefan PORTER, Paul Edward PRAYLE
  • Patent number: 8385646
    Abstract: An image processing method includes partitioning an image under test to form a plurality of contiguous image segments having similar image properties, deriving feature data from a subset including one or more of the image segments, and comparing the feature data from the subset of image segments with feature data derived from respective image segments of one or more other images so as to detect a similarity between the image under test and the one or more other images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventors: Mikael Carl Lang, Robert Mark Stefan Porter, Paul Edward Prayle, Ratna Beresford, Jonathan Richard Thorpe, Michael John Williams
  • Patent number: 8311100
    Abstract: An information handling method in which information items are mapped to respective nodes in an array of nodes by mutual similarity of the information items, such that similar information items map to nodes at similar positions in the array of nodes; a mapping relationship being defined between feature data relating to an information item and nodes in the array of nodes comprises the steps of: (a) for each of a group of information items: detecting feature data representing each of a set of properties of that information item; (b) for the ensemble of feature data corresponding to the group of information items: detecting more significant and less significant properties within the ensemble; discarding feature data relating to less significant properties, the remaining non-discarded feature data being associated so as to generate a reduced feature vector for each information item; (c) defining a mapping between the reduced feature vectors and nodes in the array of nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventors: Jonathan Richard Thorpe, Paul Edward Prayle, Mikael Carl Lang
  • Publication number: 20090310861
    Abstract: An image processing method includes partitioning an image under test to form a plurality of contiguous image segments having similar image properties, deriving feature data from a subset including one or more of the image segments, and comparing the feature data from the subset of image segments with feature data derived from respective image segments of one or more other images so as to detect a similarity between the image under test and the one or more other images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: SONY UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED
    Inventors: Mikael Carl Lang, Robert Mark Stefan Porter, Paul Edward Prayle, Ratna Beresford, Jonathan Richard Thorpe, Michael John Williams
  • Patent number: 7158974
    Abstract: An application programmer's interface provides a facility for accessing metadata describing the content or attributes of information material. The application programmer's interface comprises a signalling protocol processor operable to receive a metadata string which includes a resource identifier providing an address of a metadata resource, and a file transfer processor operable to provide access to the metadata resource in accordance with a request from the application program. The signalling protocol processor provides an efficient facility for communicating the metadata string. The metadata string may be in the form of a mark-up language such as XML. The metadata resource may be for example a proxy version of the information material, such as a video proxy if the information material is video. Accordingly, the file transfer processor is arranged to provide efficient access to the video proxy using the address provided with metadata string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited
    Inventors: Michael John Williams, Jonathan Richard Thorpe, Mark John McGrath, Matthew Brian Spencer, Paul Edward Prayle, John Edward Hodgkins