Disney Patents

The Walt Disney Company is an entertainment company focused on media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive games. The company's media holdings include ESPN (partial ownership), the Disney channels, ABC Family and A&E Television Networks (partial ownership). The company also operates Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Aulani, the Disney Cruise Line, and has partial ownership interests in Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Shanghai Disney. Tokyo Disneyland is operated by an independent company that licenses Disney intellectual property and pays royalties based on revenues. Disney also produces live-action and animated motion pictures, direct-to-video content, musical recordings and live stage plays, and distributes Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Touchstone films.

Disney Patents by Type
  • Disney Patents Granted: Disney patents that have been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Disney Patent Applications: Disney patent applications that are pending before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • High speed binary compressive light field projection system
    Patent number: 11503274
    Abstract: Implementations of a compressive light field projection system are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the compressive light field projection system utilizes a pair of light modulators, such as digital micromirror devices (DMDs), that interact to produce a light field. The light field is then projected via a projection lens onto a screen, which may be an angle expanding projection screen that includes a Fresnel lens for straightening the views of the light field and either a double lenticular array of Keplerian lens pairs or a single lenticular, for increasing the field of view. In addition, compression techniques are disclosed for generating patterns to place on the pair of light modulators so as to reduce the number of frames needed to recreate a light field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Quinn Yorklun Jen Smithwick
  • Predictive modeling techniques for generating ratings forecasts
    Patent number: 11494814
    Abstract: A technique for predictive modeling to generate ratings forecasts in a media network is described. An episode-level programming schedule is imported into a viewership forecasting application to generate episode-level ratings predictions. Episode-level ratings predictions for media content in the episode-level programming schedule are generated by implementing multiple different predictive algorithms in parallel for each instance of specific media content in the programming schedule. In addition, for each such predicted viewership value, an accuracy value is generated that indicates the likely accuracy of that predicted viewership value. The episode-level ratings predictions can be uploaded by a business unit of the media network, and merged with a programming schedule currently employed by the business unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin A. Schnoor, David T. Parker, Thomas W. Denslow, John B. Ruddy
  • Realistic illumination of a character for a scene
    Patent number: 11496691
    Abstract: A system for illuminating a character for a scene includes a computing platform communicatively coupled to a lighting source and a camera, the computing platform including a hardware processor and a system memory storing a software code. The hardware processor executes the software code to identify a background for the scene, generate, using the lighting source, a simulation of the background on a surface illuminated by the lighting source, and utilize the simulation of the background generated on the surface illuminated by the lighting source to illuminate the character for the scene. The hardware processor also executes the software code to track, using the camera, a plurality of parameters of the camera during recording of an image of the illuminated character and the simulation of the background, and to remove the simulation of the background from the image based on the plurality of parameters of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Chapman, Alice Taylor, Joseph Popp
  • Automated prediction of pixel error noticeability
    Patent number: 11494584
    Abstract: A system includes a hardware processor and a memory storing a software code including a predictive model. The hardware processor executes the software code to receive an input including an image having a pixel anomaly, and image data identifying the location of the pixel anomaly in the image. The software code uses the predictive model to extract a global feature map of a global image region of the image, the pixel anomaly being located within the global image region; to extract a local feature map of a local image region of the image, the pixel anomaly being located within the local image region and the local image region being smaller than the global image region; and to predict, based on the global feature map and the local feature map, a distraction level of the pixel anomaly within the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Erika Varis Doggett, David T. Nguyen, Erick Keyu Qi, Yingying Zhong, Weichu Cui, Anna M. Wolak
  • System and method for configurable control of voice command systems
    Patent number: 11495226
    Abstract: A method of providing configurable control of voice command systems is disclosed herein. The method comprising a parent device receiving a voice command and comparing the voice command to a set of preferences for a user. The set of preferences may relate to one or more interactions between the user and a playback device. The method further comprises the parent device translating the voice command to a user interface (UI) command sequence for the playback device based on the comparison. The playback device may then send the UI command sequence to the playback device as the configurable voice command. The playback device executes the UI command sequence to transition from the current output state to the desired output state intended by the user. A system for providing configurable voice control and computer program product are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Noel Brandon Vasquez
  • Interactive editing of virtual three-dimensional scenes
    Patent number: 11494966
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for interactive editing of virtual three-dimensional scenes. In the disclosed techniques, rendering is divided into (1) an interactive phase during which a user interactively edits a virtual scene while preview image frames are rendered using a modified ray tracing technique, and (2) a refinement phase during which full ray tracing is performed to show the user a final rendered image frame. The modified ray tracing technique may limit the number of bounces of light rays and/or the computations performed at each bounce, thereby reducing computational expense relative to a full ray tracing technique. Further, the modified ray tracing technique may be user-selectable and associated with a particular department within an animation studio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Yining Karl Li, Mark Lee, Daniel Teece
  • Automatic low contrast detection
    Patent number: 11494944
    Abstract: A method includes generating a delicate area map by performing a morphological function on a portion of a received first image and identifying a plurality of edges in the first image, the plurality of edges comprising a plurality of pixels. The method also includes verifying a first contrast metric for a first subset of pixels that are in the plurality of pixels but not in the delicate area map, verifying a second contrast metric for a second subset of pixels that are in the plurality of pixels and in the delicate area map, and generating a validation result based on the verifying of the first contrast metric and the verifying of the second contrast metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Miquel Angel Farré Guiu, Marc Junyent Martin, Pablo Pernias
  • Systems and methods to determine when to rejoin a live media broadcast after an interruption
    Patent number: 11490148
    Abstract: Systems and methods to determine when to rejoin a live media broadcast after an interruption are presented herein. Weighting information including individual weights conveying importance of attribute values for a set of broadcast attributes of the live media broadcast may be obtained. One or more of the weighting information, the attribute values, and/or other information may facilitate making a determination of a rejoin point in time in the live media broadcast for rejoining the live media broadcast upon a completion of an interruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Wolan, II, Efthimis Stefanidis, Vladislav Feldman, Michael J. Strein
  • Boat motion simulator
    Patent number: 11478718
    Abstract: A boat motion simulator or system configured specially to impart boat-type motions (e.g., roll, sway, heave, pitch, surge, and yaw) to a passenger boat. The simulator or system is also configured to use buoyancy or buoyant forces to vertically support the boat such that the system's components imparting the boat motions do not provide vertical support of the boat, which, instead, floats naturally in a volume of water provided within the simulator or system while or concurrently with motions being imparted upon the boat by a drive or motion assembly. The simulator or system may also include a display and sound system operable with this drive or motion assembly to display imagery and a soundtrack that are synchronized with the motions imparted upon the boat by the drive or motion assembly to provide a unique and realistic boat simulator or boat ride experience for passengers in the boat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Kristopher M. Laffin
  • Computational vibration suppression for robotic systems
    Patent number: 11478931
    Abstract: A robot control method, and associated robot controllers and robots operating with such methods and controllers, providing computational vibration suppression. Given a desired animation cycle for a robotic system or robot, the control method uses a dynamic simulation of the physical robot, which takes into account the flexible components of the robot, to predict if vibrations will be seen in the physical robot. If vibrations are predicted with the input animation cycle, the control method optimizes the set of motor trajectories to return a set of trajectories that are as close as possible to the artistic or original intent of the provider of the animation cycle, while minimizing unwanted vibration. The new control method or design tool suppresses unwanted vibrations and allows a robot designer to use lighter and/or softer (less stiff) and, therefore, less expensive systems in new robots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Moritz Niklaus Bâcher, Shayan Hoshyari, Hongyi Xu, Stelian Coros, Lars Espen Knoop
  • Compact augmented reality (AR)-capable display with increased field of view
    Patent number: 11480794
    Abstract: Aspects described herein include an optical arrangement that defines a field of view relative to an optical reference point. The optical arrangement comprises a reflective element arranged within the field of view, an off-axis, short-throw projector arranged outside the field of view, and a substantially transparent projection screen arranged within the field of view. The projection screen is configured to preferentially direct imagery projected by the off-axis, short-throw projector toward the reflective element, and to, after direction by the reflective element, transmit the imagery toward the optical reference point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric C. Haseltine, Quinn Yorklun Jen Smithwick
  • Fast video content matching
    Patent number: 11482004
    Abstract: A video content matching system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a memory storing a software code. When executed, the software code obtains a reference digital profile of a reference video segment, obtains a target digital profile of target video content, and compares the reference and target digital profiles to detect a candidate video segment of the target video content for matching to the reference video segment. The software code also frame aligns reference video frames of the reference video segment with corresponding candidate video frames of the candidate video segment to provide frame aligned video frame pairs, pixel aligns the frame aligned video frame pairs to produce frame and pixel aligned video frame pairs, and identifies, using the frame and pixel aligned video frame pairs, the candidate video segment as a matching video segment or a non-matching video segment for the reference video segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Miquel Angel Farre Guiu, Pablo Pernias, Albert Aparicio Isarn, Marc Junyent Martin
  • Virtual experience imaging products
    Patent number: 11483486
    Abstract: Systems and methods for virtual experience video generation are disclosed herein. The system can include a passenger vehicle including a plurality of passenger locations, a content presentation system for presenting images from a virtual world to passengers in the passenger vehicle, at least one camera for capturing video of the passenger locations, and a processor. The processor can: capture video data of a passenger of a passenger vehicle during a ride experience, identify portions of captured video data for inclusion in the virtual experience video, select video data generated from a virtual world, and combine captured video data and generated video data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Robert E. Huebner, Asa K. Kalama, Peter Stepniewicz, Robert S. Trowbridge, Joshua B. Gorin
  • Gameplay system with play augmented by merchandise
    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
  • Data object classification using an optimized neural network
    Patent number: 11475280
    Abstract: A system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a memory storing a software code and a neural network (NN) having multiple layers including a last activation layer and a loss layer. The hardware processor executes the software code to identify different combinations of layers for testing the NN, each combination including candidate function(s) for the last activation layer and candidate function(s) for the loss layer. For each different combination, the software code configures the NN based on the combination, inputs, into the configured NN, a training dataset including multiple data objects, receives, from the configured NN, a classification of the data objects, and generates a performance assessment for the combination based on the classification. The software code determines a preferred combination of layers for the NN including selected candidate functions for the last activation layer and the loss layer, based on a comparison of the performance assessments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignees: Disney Enterprises, Inc., ETH Zurich
    Inventors: Hayko Jochen Wilhelm Riemenschneider, Leonhard Markus Helminger, Christopher Richard Schroers, Abdelaziz Djelouah
  • Image enhancement using normalizing flows
    Patent number: 11475543
    Abstract: According to one implementation, an image enhancement system includes a computing platform including a hardware processor and a system memory storing a software code configured to provide a normalizing flow based generative model trained using an objective function. The hardware processor executes the software code to receive an input image, transform the input image to a latent space representation of the input image using the normalizing flow based generative model, and perform an optimization of the latent space representation of the input image to identify an enhanced latent space representation of the input image. The software code then uses the normalizing flow based generative model to reverse transform the enhanced latent space representation of the input image to an enhanced image corresponding to the input image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignees: Disney Enterprises, Inc., ETH Zurich
    Inventors: Abdelaziz Djelouah, Leonhard Markus Helminger, Michael Bernasconi, Christopher Richard Schroers
  • Augmenting a physical object with virtual components
    Patent number: 11475647
    Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for immersive and simultaneous animation in a mixed reality environment. Techniques disclosed represent a physical object, present at a scene, in a 3D space of a virtual environment associated with the scene. A virtual element is posed relative to the representation of the physical object in the virtual environment. The virtual element is displayed to users from a perspective of each user in the virtual environment. Responsive to an interaction of one user with the virtual element, an edit command is generated and the pose of the virtual element is adjusted in the virtual environment according to the edit command. The display of the virtual element to the users is then updated according to the adjusted pose. When simultaneous and conflicting edit commands are generated by collaborating users, policies to reconcile the conflicting edit commands are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Corey D. Drake, Kenneth J. Mitchell, Rachel E. Rodgers, Joseph G. Hager, IV, Kyna P. McIntosh, Ye Pan
  • JAW TRACKING WITHOUT MARKERS FOR FACIAL PERFORMANCE CAPTURE
    Publication number: 20220327717
    Abstract: Some implementations of the disclosure are directed to capturing facial training data for one or more subjects, the captured facial training data including each of the one or more subject's facial skin geometry tracked over a plurality of times and the subject's corresponding jaw poses for each of those plurality of times; and using the captured facial training data to create a model that provides a mapping from skin motion to jaw motion. Additional implementations of the disclosure are directed to determining a facial skin geometry of a subject; using a model that provides a mapping from skin motion to jaw motion to predict a motion of the subject's jaw from a rest pose given the facial skin geometry; and determining a jaw pose of the subject using the predicted motion of the subject's jaw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicants: Disney Enterprises, Inc., ETH Zürich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich)
    Inventors: Dominik Thabo Beeler, Derek Edward Bradley, Gaspard Zoss
  • Detail reconstruction for SDR-HDR conversion
    Patent number: 11468548
    Abstract: The exemplary embodiments relate to converting standard dynamic range (SDR) content to high dynamic range (HDR) content. An SDR image may be decomposed into a base layer of the SDR image that includes low frequency information from the SDR image and a detail layer of the SDR image that includes high frequency information from the SDR image. A base layer of an HDR image may be generated using the base layer of the SDR image and a detail layer of the HDR image may be generated using the detail layer of the SDR image. An HDR image is then generated using the base layer of the HDR image and the detail layer of the HDR image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Yang Zhang, Tunc Aydin
  • Boat capture and launch system for water rides
    Patent number: 11465061
    Abstract: A system adapted for stopping and launching boats. The system includes a boat, in moving water, with an interaction member extending outward from its hull. The system includes a boat capture and launch assembly that includes: (a) a body; (b) a drive mechanism rotating the body; (c) a capture arm with a first contact surface on the body; and (d) a launch arm with a second contact surface on the body. When the body is rotated into a first position, the capture arm extends outward into the water to catch the interaction member and stop the boat. When the body is rotated through a range of second positions, the interaction member abuts the second contact surface and a launch force is applied to accelerate the boat in the direction of travel of the boat and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Kristopher M. Laffin, Zachary Royce Kerchman
  • Intelligent board with integrated devices and connected interactions
    Patent number: 11465050
    Abstract: Techniques and systems for immersive interactions are provided. A first smart device available for interaction is identified by an interactivity system. A first physical game piece is detected by the interactivity system, and a first identifier of the first physical game piece is received, from the first physical game piece, via one or more wireless signals. A first set of predefined effects that can be performed using the first smart device is identified based on the first identifier. The first smart device is instructed to perform at least a first predefined effect of the first set of predefined effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Goslin, Elliott H. Baumbach, Tritia V. Medrano, Timothy M. Panec, Clifford Wong, Nathan D. Nocon, Jason A. Yeung
  • Software defined network orchestration to manage media flows for broadcast with public cloud networks
    Patent number: 11470041
    Abstract: Software defined network orchestration to manage media flows for broadcast with public cloud networks is provided by identifying a media flow at a media production facility for multicast transmission; registering the media flow to a registration database; migrating the media flow from multicast transmission to unicast transmission; transmitting the media flow to a public cloud network facility; and updating the registration database with a location of the media flow in the public cloud network facility. Once registered, a media flow management system allows any authorized device to request for a media flow; and in response locates the media flow based on a registration database indicating a location of the media flow (whether in the public cloud network facility, on a common carrier, or in a production facility); receives access to the media flow at the location; and allows the authorized device to consume the media flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Strein, Ryan N. McCormick, Craig L. Beardsley
  • Coordination of media content delivery to multiple media players
    Patent number: 11463784
    Abstract: A system for synchronizing media content playout includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing a software code. The hardware processor executes the software code to receive a first state message from a first media player playing a first media content and a second state message from a second media player playing a second media content, the first media content and the second media content being the same media content. The software code further determines a coordination state for playout of the first media content and the second media content based on one or more of the first and second state messages, and transmits a first coordination message including the coordination state to the first media player and a second coordination message including the coordination state to the second media player to synchronize playout of the first media content and the second media content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Comito, Nathan Lefler, James A. Corrigan-Colville
  • System and method for public API authentication
    Patent number: 11463431
    Abstract: A system and method for public API authentication by an API server includes receiving from a client/app a PK request for a Partial Key (PK), having a User ID, Session ID, rolling hash function (Fn2) version defining a client/app hash function (Fn2), and a received Temporary Key (TK); validating the received TK using Fn2 with the Session ID and either an Initial Key (IK) or a current PK; when the TK validation is complete, sending a PK calculated using a PK hash function (Fn1) with the User ID and a slot-generated rolling random number; receiving an API request for an API service having the User ID, Session ID, Fn2 version, and a received Authorization Key (AK); validating the received AK using Fn2 with the Session ID and the current PK; and when AK validation is complete, sending a successful response from the API service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Carmen Nigro, Jonathan Steinmann
  • Modeling characters that interact with users as part of a character-as-a-service implementation
    Patent number: 11455549
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a character engine models a character that interacts with users. The character engine receives user input data from a user device, and analyzes the user input data to determine a user intent and an assessment domain. Subsequently, the character engine selects inference algorithm(s) that include machine learning capabilities based on the intent and the assessment domain. The character engine computes a response to the user input data based on the selected inference algorithm(s) and a set of personality characteristics that are associated with the character. Finally, the character engine causes the user device to output the response to the user. In this fashion, the character engine includes sensing functionality, thinking and learning functionality, and expressing functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Abrams, Eric Haseltine
  • Non-linear management of real time sequential data in cloud instances via time constraints
    Patent number: 11455228
    Abstract: Non-linear management of real time sequential data in cloud instances via time constraints is provided by: receiving, at a cloud network facility from a media production facility, a selection of component media flows for assembly into an assembled media package; identifying a time constraint for assembling component media flows into the assembled media package; identifying processes to perform with respect to the component media flows during assembly of the assembled media package; in response to an estimated time to perform the processes with respect to the component media flows exceeding the time constraint, adjusting performance of the processes with respect to the component media flows to increase a speed of performance; and performing, in the cloud network facility, the processes with respect to the component media flows as adjusted to produce the assembled media package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Strein, Craig L. Beardsley
  • Techniques for generating contextually-relevant recommendations
    Patent number: 11457281
    Abstract: A recommendation engine generates contextually relevant media programs tailored to the specific context of the user. The recommendation engine interfaces with one or more Internet-of-Things (IoT) appliances to determine one or more food items stored within the IoT appliance(s) and/or one or more cooking capabilities associated with the IoT appliance(s). The recommendation engine also gathers profile data that reflects a set of preferences associated with the user. Based on the gathered data, the recommendation engine queries a database of cooking program data associated with various cooking programs. The recommendation engine obtains cooking program data that is contextually relevant to the user and then generates a contextual cooking program that describes how to perform a given recipe. During playback of the contextual cooking program, the recommendation engine can modify the contextual cooking program based on the progress of the user in following the recipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Goslin, Erika Varis Doggett, Anthony M. Accardo, Noel Brandon Vasquez
  • System and method for monitoring procedure compliance
    Patent number: 11450145
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a user performing a handwashing procedure, including: recognizing a user based upon biometric information obtained at a handwashing station, a user; detecting use of a component of the handwashing station; capturing image data of the user at the handwashing station; capturing data describing components and consumables used at the handwashing station; analyzing, using a processor, the image data; determining compliance with a handwashing procedure based at least in part on the analysis of the image data and the use of the component; and communicating compliance information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprise, Inc.
    Inventors: John David Worrall, Shawn Allen Boling, Ronald J. Dearing, Gregory Brooks Hale, Scott William Rench
  • Selective pre-caching of media streams
    Patent number: 11451603
    Abstract: Various embodiments set forth a computer-implemented method for selectively caching digital content for streaming, comprising analyzing a set of traffic data associated with streaming of a plurality of media items in a first time period, selecting, based on the set of traffic data, a first media item for storage in a cache during a second time period, and storing in the cache, prior to receiving a request for the first media item in the second time period, at least a portion of a first media stream of a plurality of media streams associated with the first media item, and at least a portion of a second media stream of the plurality of media streams, wherein each media stream in the plurality of media streams is encoded with different characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Grubb, Eric Ross Klein, Christopher J. Zucker, William B. May, Jr.
  • Untethered robot with hybrid air and water power for hovering and quick airborne movements
    Patent number: 11447261
    Abstract: A robot including a hybrid fan-based and fluid-based propulsion system to provide thrust, such as deceleration during fall to create a smooth landing or to provide a quick reduction in velocity, and to provide actuation/controlled motion, such as to hover after quick deceleration and to control orientation or pose. The hybrid propulsion system uses discharging of pressurized fluid and exhausted gas (or fluid in some cases) from ducted fans (or propellers, impellers, and the like) to provide controlled thrust and/or lift forces. The hybrid propulsion system uses of pressurized fluid for generating larger or primary thrust and quick changes in velocity. The hybrid propulsion system includes a fan-based propulsion assembly with ducted fans that use environmental air (or fluids) to provide lower or secondary thrust. Both types of propulsion can be integrated into a robot or robotic figure to move the robot during flight (e.g., during falling or hovering).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard-Alexandre Peloquin, David Loyal Christensen, Morgan Thomas Pope, Grant Imahara, Tony Dohi
  • Location-based interactive storytelling
    Patent number: 11445332
    Abstract: A storytelling system includes location-based content (LBC) servers and LBC effects databases for use in a real-world story venue, and a computing platform communicatively coupled to those LBC servers and databases. A processor of the computing platform executes software code to receive story selection data from a user device, obtain a story template including story arcs each associated with one or more LBC effect(s) that corresponds to the story selection data, and determine, using a location of the user device, one of the story arcs as an active story arc. The software code also identifies an LBC interaction zone for the LBC effect(s), designates one LBC server and one LBC effects database for supporting the active story arc, and distributes one or more of the LBC effect(s) to the designated database. The designated server enables instantiation of the one or more of the LBC effect(s) at the LBC interaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Braunschweiler, Steven Poulakos, Mattia Ryffel, Robert W. Sumner
  • Progressive object refreshes in content delivery networks
    Patent number: 11438433
    Abstract: The embodiments herein describe a CDN that uses revalidation to force edge servers to refresh their cached objects (i.e., download new copies of the objects from the origin data center). Revalidation can be used by edge servers to determine whether an object currently cached at the edge servers has been updated or changed in the origin data center. The embodiments herein leverage revalidation to perform a forced refresh to force the edge servers to refresh their cached object, regardless whether those cached objects match the objects stored in the origin data center. A forced refresh can be used when there is a network connection that may have caused the cached objects to become corrupted. Moreover, the forced refresh can be performed in batches so as not to overwhelm the network and computing resources in the CDN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric C. Friedrich, Luis A. Cruz, Robert Gerard Colantuoni, Jeffrey Edwin Grubb
  • Angle enhancing screen
    Patent number: 11435504
    Abstract: Implementations of angle-enhancing screens are disclosed herein. The angle-enhancing screens increase the field of view of an image projected thereon by a projection lens while maintaining an increased size of the projected image, by decreasing the size of picture elements making up the image while maintaining their pitch. In some embodiments, the angle-enhancing screen includes a field lens, such as a Fresnel field lens, for straightening the views of light projected thereon and a double lenslet array of matched lenslet pairs, each of the pairs including either two positive lenslets or one positive and one negative lenslet, for increasing the field of view. In another embodiment, the angle-enhancing screen may include a field lens and an array of four positive lenslet quartets. In a further embodiment, the field lens may be replaced with a Gabor superlens including two lenslet arrays of different pitches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Quinn Yorklun Jen Smithwick
  • Methods and systems for personalized gamification of media content
    Patent number: 11430015
    Abstract: Systems and methods for increasing consumer engagement with a multimedia content distribution system through the use of temporal metadata and gamification techniques. Personalized game-like tasks are created, whereby a consumer is enticed to find and access multimedia content containing a specific content element, or “easter egg,” to earn a reward. The specific content element may be identifiable based on temporal metadata tags associated with multimedia content available within the multimedia content distribution system. To further increase the probability of consumer engagement, the easter egg may be personalized based on data unique to the consumer, such as consumer preferences, viewing habits, and previous engagement level with the multimedia content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Mehul Patel
  • Systems for authenticating digital contents
    Patent number: 11425120
    Abstract: A system for authenticating digital contents includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a memory storing a software code. According to one implementation, the hardware processor executes the software code to receive digital content, identify an image of a person depicted in the digital content, determine an ear shape parameter of the person depicted in the image, determine another biometric parameter of the person depicted in the image, and calculate a ratio of the ear shape parameter of the person depicted in the image to the biometric parameter of the person depicted in the image. The hardware processor is also configured to execute the software code to perform a comparison of the calculated ratio with a predetermined value, and determine whether the person depicted in the image is an authentic depiction of the person based on the comparison of the calculated ratio with the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Miquel Angel Farre Guiu, Edward C. Drake, Anthony M. Accardo, Mark Arana
  • Verbal cues for high-speed control of a voice-enabled device
    Patent number: 11423879
    Abstract: A technique for controlling a voice-enabled device using voice commands includes receiving an audio signal that is generated in response to a verbal utterance, generating a verbal utterance indicator for the verbal utterance based on the audio signal, selecting a first command for a voice-controlled application residing within the voice-enabled device based on the verbal utterance indicator, and transmitting the first command to the voice-controlled application as an input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: William Valentine Zajac, III
  • Modeling characters that interact with users as part of a character-as-a-service implementation
    Patent number: 11423317
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a character engine models a character that interacts with users. The character engine receives user input data from a user device, and analyzes the user input data to determine a user intent and an assessment domain. Subsequently, the character engine selects inference algorithm(s) that include machine learning capabilities based on the intent and the assessment domain. The character engine computes a response to the user input data based on the selected inference algorithm(s) and a set of personality characteristics that are associated with the character. Finally, the character engine causes the user device to output the response to the user. In this fashion, the character engine includes sensing functionality, thinking and learning functionality, and expressing functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Abrams, Eric Haseltine
  • Platform agnostic peer-to-peer networking approach for utilizing multiple user devices with a digital platform
    Patent number: 11425226
    Abstract: The exemplary embodiments relate to improving the user experience associated with a digital platform. A first user device configured to remotely access a digital platform may receive a first signal broadcast by a second user device. Two or more types of communication protocols that are available to use for establishing a direct communication channel between the user devices are identified. One of the communication protocols is selected and a communication channel is established between the user devices in accordance with the selected communication protocol. The first user device then receives authentication information from the second user and establishes a session with the digital platform based on the authentication information received from the second user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Appel, Gary Kagan, Joshua Phelps, Benjamin Manning, James Corrigan-Colville
  • Simulated human-like affect-driven behavior by a virtual agent
    Patent number: 11416732
    Abstract: A system for simulating human-like affect-driven behavior includes a hardware processor and a system memory storing software code providing a virtual agent. The hardware processor executes the software code to identify a character assumed by the virtual agent and having a personality, a target state of motivational fulfillment, a baseline mood, and emotions. The software code identifies current physical and motivational fulfillment states, and currently active emotions of the character, and determines a current mood of the character based on the baseline mood and the currently active emotions. The software code further detects an experience by the character and plans multiple behaviors including a first behavior based on the experience and the current physical state, the second behavior based on the experience, the personality, the current mood, and the currently active emotions, and a third behavior based on the target and current states of motivational fulfillment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jakob Buhmann, Douglas A. Fidaleo, Maayan Shvo, Mubbasir Kapadia, Jill Fain Lehman, Sarah K. Wulfeck, Rylan Gibbens, Steven Poulakos, John Wiseman
  • Aspect ratio error recognition
    Patent number: 11418840
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for recognizing aspect ratio errors in image frames of a video and reporting the same. An aspect ratio checker application receives a video that includes multiple image frames and identifies aspect ratio changes in those image frames using a first differential of a time series that includes determined positions of the top, bottom, left, and right of content regions within the image frames. In particular, the aspect ratio checker may identify aspect ratio changes based on non-zero points of the first differential, and the aspect ratio checker further determines aspect ratios of content regions within image frames corresponding to the non-zero points of the first differential. In addition, the aspect ratio checker may generate and display a report indicating the determined aspect ratios and image frame ranges associated with those aspect ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Erika Elizabeth Varis Doggett, Anna M. C. Wolak, Leonid Sigal
  • Define return value at runtime
    Patent number: 11416585
    Abstract: The exemplary embodiments are related to a device, a system, and a method for implementing a mechanism that is configured to prevent the unauthorized execution of software. A user device is configured to execute a feature access function corresponding to an application feature included in an application. The feature access function is configured to receive one of a plurality of values each time the application is launched. During operation, the feature access function receives a value and determines whether a condition is satisfied. When the condition is satisfied, the value is returned which indicates that execution of the application feature is permitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Lefler, James A. Corrigan-Colville
  • System and method for enabling review of a digital multimedia presentation and redirection therefrom
    Patent number: 11418846
    Abstract: There is presented a system for providing a digital multimedia presentation. The system includes a processor and a memory. The system further includes a presentation content database stored in the memory, the presentation content database configured to store a plurality of episodes of a media series each of the plurality of episodes including and a credit portion. The system also includes a media player for execution by the processor and configured to play a selected episode of the plurality of episodes of the media series, and a review and redirection application for execution by the processor and configured to determine a next episode of the selected episode in the media series, where the processor executes the review and redirection pane during or after the credit portion of the selected episode to present a consumer with the next episode of the selected episode in the media series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan David Barsook, Ariff Sidi, Skarphedinn Hedinsson
  • Method and system for providing digital media rental
    Patent number: 11409891
    Abstract: There is provided a method and system for allocating access to digital media content. In one embodiment, the system may comprise a media server accessible over a communications network, a processor of the media server being configured to encrypt the digital media content to produce a secondary license for the digital media content, and to provide a temporary license key allowing a user to access at least a first portion of the digital media content during an activation usage interval of the secondary license for that portion of the digital media content assigned to the user. The media server further comprises an assignment database configured to store an assignment status of the license. Such a system is configured to permit the user to access the assigned portion of the digital media content during the usage interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Schonfeld, Arnaud Robert
  • Joint heterogeneous language-vision embeddings for video tagging and search
    Patent number: 11409791
    Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for modeling a joint language-visual space. A textual query to be evaluated relative to a video library is received from a requesting entity. The video library contains a plurality of instances of video content. One or more instances of video content from the video library that correspond to the textual query are determined, by analyzing the textual query using a data model that includes a soft-attention neural network module that is jointly trained with a language Long Short-term Memory (LSTM) neural network module and a video LSTM neural network module. At least an indication of the one or more instances of video content is returned to the requesting entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Atousa Torabi, Leonid Sigal
  • Factorized variational autoencoders
    Patent number: 11403531
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for learning latent representations of data using factorized variational autoencoders (FVAEs). The FVAE framework builds a hierarchical Bayesian matrix factorization model on top of a variational autoencoder (VAE) by learning a VAE that has a factorized representation so as to compress the embedding space and enhance generalization and interpretability. In one embodiment, an FVAE application takes as input training data comprising observations of objects, and the FVAE application learns a latent representation of such data. In order to learn the latent representation, the FVAE application is configured to use a probabilistic VAE to jointly learn a latent representation of each of the objects and a corresponding factorization across time and identity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: G. Peter K. Carr, Zhiwei Deng, Rajitha D. B Navarathna, Yisong Yue, Stephan Marcel Mandt
  • Systems and methods to facilitate bi-directional artificial intelligence communications
    Patent number: 11403289
    Abstract: This disclosure presents systems and methods to facilitate artificial intelligence communications. One or more sensors may be configured to generate output signals conveying user behavior information and/or other information. The user behavior information may represent one or more communicative behaviors of a user in a real world. The one or more communicative behaviors may be interpreted based on communication structures of the one or more communicative behaviors to determine a meaning of a message conveyed by the one or more communicative behaviors. The communication structures may be categorized by structure type. The structure types may include one or more of a verbal type communication structure and/or a non-verbal type communication structure. Verbal type communication structure may refer to the conveyance of words via speech and/or non-speech communications. Non-verbal communication structure may refer to the conveyance of one or more of feelings, emotions, and/or impressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael P. Goslin
  • Secure content processing pipeline
    Patent number: 11403369
    Abstract: A system for securing a content processing pipeline includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a memory storing a software code. The hardware processor executes the software code to insert a synthesized test image configured to activate one or more neurons of a malicious neural network into a content stream, provide the content stream as an input stream to a first processing node of the pipeline, and receive an output stream including a post-processed test image. The hardware processor further executes the software code to compare the post-processed test image in the output with an expected image corresponding to the synthesized test image, and to validate at least one portion of the pipeline as secure when the post-processed test image in the output matches the expected image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Miquel Angel Farre Guiu, Edward C. Drake, Anthony M. Accardo, Mark Arana
  • Automated determination of expressions for an interactive social agent
    Patent number: 11403556
    Abstract: A system providing an interactive social agent can include a computing platform having a hardware processor and a memory storing a training content standardization software code configured to receive content depicting human expressions and including annotation data describing the human expressions from multiple content annotation sources, generate a corresponding content descriptor for each content annotation source to translate the annotation data into a standardized data format, and transform the annotation data into the standardized data format using the corresponding content descriptor. The content and the annotation data in the to standardized format are stored as training data for use in training expressions for the interactive social agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Kennedy, Jill Fain Lehman, Kevin El Haddad, Douglas A. Fidaleo
  • Handheld picture reader
    Patent number: D958792
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Lanny S. Smoot, Robert J. Bristow
  • Drinkware
    Patent number: D962704
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Marthe Hoffmann, Kaitlyn Rosette