Abstract: A handheld device is provided, comprising: a sensor configured to generate sensor data for determining and tracking a position and orientation of the handheld device during an interactive session of an interactive application presented on a main display, the interactive session being defined for interactivity between a user and the interactive application; a communications module configured to send the sensor data to a computing device, the communications module being further configured to receive from the computing device a spectator video stream of the interactive session that is generated based on a state of the interactive application and the tracked position and orientation of the handheld device, the state of the interactive application being determined based on the interactivity between the user and the interactive application; a display configured to render the spectator video stream.

Abstract: In one embodiment described herein, an automated rating system for an electronic game includes a collector configured to collect game data pertaining to the electronic game and to collect implicit user data pertaining to one or more users, a rating processor configured to rate the game based on the collected game data and implicit user data, and a recommender configured to provide a recommendation as a function of the operation of the game rating.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer programs for simulating the source of sound are provided. One method includes operations for determining a location in space of the head of a user utilizing face recognition of images of the user. Further, the method includes an operation for determining a sound for two speakers, and an operation for determining an emanating location in space for the sound, each speaker being associated with one ear of the user. The acoustic signals for each speaker are established based on the location in space of the head, the sound, the emanating location in space, and the auditory characteristics of the user. In addition, the acoustic signals are transmitted to the two speakers. When the acoustic signals are played by the two speakers, the acoustic signals simulate that the sound originated at the emanating location in space.

Abstract: The disclosure provides methods and systems for warning users of mobile terminals during active phone calls or active data transfer that they approach certain geographical areas known as areas where active phone calls or active data transfer may be interrupted. In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining, by a processor, location information associated with a mobile terminal, determining, by the processor, that the mobile terminal approaches a particular geographical area, the particular geographical area being associated with previous dropped calls based at least in part on historical data, and, based on the determination, sending, by the processor, a warning signal to the mobile terminal for informing a user of the mobile terminal that the mobile terminal is about to enter the particular geographical area.

Abstract: A handheld device is provided, comprising: a sensor configured to generate sensor data for determining and tracking a position and orientation of the handheld device during an interactive session of an interactive application presented on a main display, the interactive session being defined for interactivity between a user and the interactive application; a communications module configured to send the sensor data to a computing device, the communications module being further configured to receive from the computing device a spectator video stream of the interactive session that is generated based on a state of the interactive application and the tracked position and orientation of the handheld device, the state of the interactive application being determined based on the interactivity between the user and the interactive application; a display configured to render the spectator video stream.

Abstract: A tracking system for improving observability of a marker in an image. The tracking system includes a memory unit that stores data; an imaging unit that images the marker and the image; a processor unit that detects the marker in the image; and a communication unit that transmits and receives data. The processor unit determines a first confidence level indicating a visibility of the marker to a user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for executing a game presented on a screen of a head mounted display include executing a game. The execution of the game renders interactive scenes of the game on the screen of the HMD. Images identifying a shift in gaze direction of the user wearing the HMD, are received. The gaze shift is detected during viewing of the interactive scenes presented on the HMD screen. Real-world images that are in line with the gaze direction of the user, are captured from a forward-facing camera of the HMD. A portion of the screen is transitioned from a non-transparent mode to a semi-transparent mode in response to the shift in the gaze direction such that at least part of the real world images are presented in the portion of the screen rendering the interactive scenes of the game. The transparent mode is discontinued after a period of time.

Abstract: A method for transitioning gameplay is provided, the method including: receiving a signal to interrupt gameplay of a video game, the gameplay being presented on a head-mounted display; in response to receiving the signal, transitioning the gameplay from an active state to a paused state; wherein transitioning the gameplay includes identifying an intensity of a gameplay aspect, and progressively reducing the intensity of the gameplay aspect before entering the paused state.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for managing the display of images on a head mounted device (HMD). One method includes an operation for tracking the gaze of a user wearing the HMD, where the HMD is displaying a scene of a virtual world. In addition, the method includes an operation for detecting that the gaze of the user is fixed on a predetermined area for a predetermined amount of time. In response to the detecting, the method fades out a region of the display in the HMD, while maintaining the scene of the virtual world in an area of the display outside the region. Additionally, the method includes an operation for fading in a view of the real world in the region as if the HMD were transparent to the user while the user is looking through the region. The fading in of the view of the real world includes maintaining the scene of the virtual world outside the region.

Abstract: Methods and systems for playing video games with a controller having a display that shares content with a main display are provided. According to embodiments of the invention, a method is provided for interactive gameplay of a video game. The method initiates with executing a video game, the video game providing a virtual environment. A primary view of the virtual environment is rendered on a primary display. A location and orientation of a handheld device in a vicinity of the primary display are tracked. A secondary view of the virtual environment is rendered on the handheld device based on the tracked location and orientation of the handheld device.

Abstract: Consumer electronic devices have been developed with enormous information processing capabilities, high quality audio and video outputs, large amounts of memory, and may also include wired and/or wireless networking capabilities. Additionally, relatively unsophisticated and inexpensive sensors, such as microphones, video camera, GPS or other position sensors, when coupled with devices having these enhanced capabilities, can be used to detect subtle features about users and their environments. A variety of audio, video, simulation and user interface paradigms have been developed to utilize the enhanced capabilities of these devices. These paradigms can be used separately or together in any combination. One paradigm automatically creating user identities using speaker identification. Another paradigm includes a control button with 3-axis pressure sensitivity for use with game controllers and other input devices.

Abstract: A method for processing graphics for a GPU program, translating instructions from a shading language into an intermediate language with a front end of a GPU compiler; translating the instructions from the intermediate language into a GPU object language with a back end of the GPU compiler; wherein the instructions in the shading language include instructions defining a layout of resources for the GPU program.

Abstract: Methods and systems for enabling a handheld device to capture video of an interactive session of an interactive application presented on a main display are provided. An interactive session of the interactive application defines interactivity between a user and the interactive application. An initial position and orientation of a handheld device operated by a spectator are determined. A current state of the interactive application based on the interactivity between the user and the interactive application is determined. The position and orientation of the handheld device are tracked during the interactive session. A spectator video stream of the interactive session based on the current state of the interactive application and the tracked position and orientation of the handheld device is generated. The spectator video stream is rendered on a handheld display of the handheld device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for preparing to prefetch memory in 3D graphical shader programs. Based on the memory addresses of texels from a texture map that were previously read, a memory address of a to-be-read texel is estimated by using a first-order derivative of the memory address with respect to pixel distance. The estimated memory address is then prefetched for use when the pixel corresponding to the texel is rendered. Whether or not to perform the estimation of the texel memory address can be determined by whether the corresponding pixels are on the same, flat facet on a 3D model. Multiple directions on the facet can be used for memory address estimation as well as higher-order derivatives.

Abstract: Consumer electronic devices have been developed with enormous information processing capabilities, high quality audio and video outputs, large amounts of memory, and may also include wired and/or wireless networking capabilities. Additionally, relatively unsophisticated and inexpensive sensors, such as microphones, video camera, GPS or other position sensors, when coupled with devices having these enhanced capabilities, can be used to detect subtle features about users and their environments. A variety of audio, video, simulation and user interface paradigms have been developed to utilize the enhanced capabilities of these devices. These paradigms can be used separately or together in any combination. One paradigm automatically creating user identities using speaker identification. Another paradigm includes a control button with 3-axis pressure sensitivity for use with game controllers and other input devices.

Abstract: A blow tracking user interface method and apparatus may detect an orientation of blowing of a user's breath and a magnitude of blowing of the user's breath. A blow vector may be generated from the orientation and magnitude of the blowing of the user's breath. The blow vector may be used as a control input in a computer program.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for providing overlay content to be placed over captured video content for display on a mobile device. In one embodiment, a system includes a video display, such as a TV, that displays video content. A mobile device with an integrated video camera and display may capture video data which includes the video content from the video display. The location of the video content within the captured video data may be tracked. The mobile device may access overlay content, and display the accessed overlay content over the tracked video content.

Abstract: A thermal imaging interface for control of a computer program may obtain one or more thermal infrared images of one or more objects with one or more thermographic cameras. The images may be analyzed to identify one or more characteristics of the objects. Such characteristics may be used as a control input in the computer program.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for controlling a device through air pressure waves, or “sound”. The system and method involve receiving a sound and analyzing the sound to determine whether or not it has one or more predetermined characteristics. If it is determined that the sound does have one or more predetermined characteristics, at least one control signal is generated for the purpose of controlling at least one aspect of the device.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for performing a floating point collect and operate for a summation across a vector for a dot product operation. A routing network placed before the single instruction multiple data (SIMD) unit allows the SIMD unit to perform a summation across a vector with a singe stage of adders. The routing network routes the vector elements to the adders in a first cycle. The SIMD unit stores the results of the adders into a results vector register. The routing network routes the summation results from the results vector register to the adders in a second cycle. The SIMD unit then stores the results from the second cycle in the results vector register.