Abrégé

A head mountable display (HMD) system comprises a detector to detect an illumination level in one of a display image for display to a user via an HMD and an ambient environment around the HMD; and a controller to control an illumination level in the other of the display image for display to a user via an HMD and the ambient environment around the HMD, according to the detection.

Classes IPC  ?

• H04N 5/58 - Réglage du contraste ou de la luminance en fonction de la lumière ambiante
• H04N 13/04 - Reproducteurs d'images

Abrégé

A position and rotation information acquisition unit 730 acquires information relating to a position and a rotation of the head of a user who wears a head-mounted display unit 100. A coordinate transformation unit 740 and a panorama image processing unit 750 generate an image to be displayed on the head-mounted display unit using the information relating to the position and the rotation acquired at a certain point of time by the position and rotation information acquisition unit 730. A correction processing unit 780 corrects the generated image using updated information relating to the position and the rotation at a different point of time.

Classes IPC  ?

• G02B 27/01 - Dispositifs d'affichage "tête haute"
• A63F 13/25 - Dispositions de sortie pour les dispositifs de jeu vidéo
• G06F 3/01 - Dispositions d'entrée ou dispositions d'entrée et de sortie combinées pour l'interaction entre l'utilisateur et le calculateur

Abrégé

Management of user-generated game play advice is disclosed. The present invention allows for management of game play advice that is complete and up-to-date regardless of when a particular interactive gaming title is released. Game play advice is pervasive and easily accessible to game players in addition to being accurate and credible such that game players can trust or rely upon the rendered advice.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/5375 - Commande des signaux de sortie en fonction de la progression du jeu incluant des informations visuelles supplémentaires fournies à la scène de jeu, p. ex. en surimpression pour simuler un affichage tête haute [HUD] ou pour afficher une visée laser dans un jeu de tir utilisant des indicateurs, p. ex. en montrant l’état physique d’un personnage de jeu sur l’écran pour suggérer graphiquement ou textuellement une action, p. ex. en affichant une flèche indiquant un tournant dans un jeu de conduite
• G06F 3/048 - Techniques d’interaction fondées sur les interfaces utilisateur graphiques [GUI]
• G06Q 50/00 - Technologies de l’information et de la communication [TIC] spécialement adaptées à la mise en œuvre des procédés d’affaires d’un secteur particulier d’activité économique, p. ex. aux services d’utilité publique ou au tourisme
• A63F 13/30 - Dispositions d’interconnexion entre des serveurs et des dispositifs de jeuDispositions d’interconnexion entre des dispositifs de jeuDispositions d’interconnexion entre des serveurs de jeu
• A63F 13/54 - Commande des signaux de sortie en fonction de la progression du jeu incluant des signaux acoustiques, p. ex. pour simuler le bruit d’un moteur en fonction des tours par minute [RPM] dans un jeu de conduite ou la réverbération contre un mur virtuel
• A63F 13/798 - Aspects de sécurité ou de gestion du jeu incluant des données sur les joueurs, p. ex. leurs identités, leurs comptes, leurs préférences ou leurs historiques de jeu pour évaluer les compétences ou pour classer les joueurs, p. ex. pour créer un tableau d’honneur des joueurs
• A63F 13/80 - Adaptations particulières pour exécuter un genre ou un mode spécifique de jeu

Abrégé

A method of encoding an input image captured using a wide-angle lens comprises for at least some of a set of image regions, increasing or decreasing the size of those image regions relative to others of the set of image regions according to an encoder mapping between image region size in the input image and image region size in the encoded image.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 3/00 - Transformations géométriques de l'image dans le plan de l'image
• G06T 5/00 - Amélioration ou restauration d'image

Abrégé

An image encoding method comprises generating image content according to a viewpoint defined by image viewpoint data; generating successive output images such that each output image includes image content generated according to one or more viewpoints; and encoding metadata associated with each output image which indicates each viewpoint relating to image content contained in that output image, and which defines which portions of that output image were generated according to each of those viewpoints.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/525 - Changement des paramètres des caméras virtuelles
• H04N 13/02 - Générateurs de signaux d'image
• G06T 19/00 - Transformation de modèles ou d'images tridimensionnels [3D] pour infographie
• H04N 5/232 - Dispositifs pour la commande des caméras de télévision, p.ex. commande à distance
• H04N 13/04 - Reproducteurs d'images

Abrégé

An image encoding method comprises for each of a left and a right image of a stereo pair of images, identifying, in an input image, a region of interest; generating at least two generating representations of that input image, such that one of the representations is a high field of view (FOV) representation including substantially all of the input image, and another representation is a low FOV representation having a lower FOV than the high FOV representation, and including at least the region of interest; in which the relationship between pixel resolution and image size for the high FOV representation and the low FOV representation is such that, in relation to the region of interest, the low FOV representation provides a higher amount of image detail than the high FOV representation; generating one or more multiplexed images by juxtaposing at least portions of the left and right, high FOV and low FOV representations, so as to include all of the image content of the left and right, high FOV and low FOV representations in fewer than four multiplexed images; and transmitting and/or storing the multiplexed images.

Classes IPC  ?

• H04N 13/00 - Systèmes vidéo stéréoscopiquesSystèmes vidéo multi-vuesLeurs détails
• H04N 13/04 - Reproducteurs d'images
• H04N 21/2343 - Traitement de flux vidéo élémentaires, p. ex. raccordement de flux vidéo ou transformation de graphes de scènes du flux vidéo codé impliquant des opérations de reformatage de signaux vidéo pour la distribution ou la mise en conformité avec les requêtes des utilisateurs finaux ou les exigences des dispositifs des utilisateurs finaux
• H04N 19/167 - Position dans une image vidéo, p. ex. région d'intérêt [ROI]

Abrégé

　A position/rotation information acquisition unit (730) acquires information relating to the position and rotation of the head of a user wearing a head-mounted display (100). A coordinate conversion unit (740) and a panoramic-image processing unit (750) generate images to be displayed in a head-mounted display using the information relating to position and rotation acquired at a given point in time by the position/rotation information acquisition unit (730). A correction processing unit (780) corrects the generated image using information relating to position and rotation updated at a different time.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 19/00 - Transformation de modèles ou d'images tridimensionnels [3D] pour infographie
• G09G 3/20 - Dispositions ou circuits de commande présentant un intérêt uniquement pour l'affichage utilisant des moyens de visualisation autres que les tubes à rayons cathodiques pour la présentation d'un ensemble de plusieurs caractères, p. ex. d'une page, en composant l'ensemble par combinaison d'éléments individuels disposés en matrice
• G09G 5/00 - Dispositions ou circuits de commande de l'affichage communs à l'affichage utilisant des tubes à rayons cathodiques et à l'affichage utilisant d'autres moyens de visualisation
• H04N 5/232 - Dispositifs pour la commande des caméras de télévision, p.ex. commande à distance
• H04N 5/64 - Détails de structure des récepteurs, p. ex. ébénisterie ou housses

Abrégé

Ahead mountable display (HMD) comprises a camera operable to capture images of a peripheral and/or control device in use by a wearer of the HMD and to render a virtual version of the peripheral and/or control device for display to the HMD wearer.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 15/40 - Suppression de parties cachées
• G06T 19/00 - Transformation de modèles ou d'images tridimensionnels [3D] pour infographie
• G06T 19/20 - Édition d'images tridimensionnelles [3D], p. ex. modification de formes ou de couleurs, alignement d'objets ou positionnements de parties
• G06T 7/00 - Analyse d'image

Abrégé

A head mountable display (HMD) system in which images are generated for display to the user comprises a detector configured to detect the eye position and/or orientation and/or the head orientation of the HMD wearer; and a controller configured to control the generation of images for display, at least in part, according to the detection of the eye position and/or orientation and/or the head orientation of the HMD wearer; in which the controller is configured to change the display of one or more image features according to whether or not the user is currently looking at those image features, the image features are menu items or information items, by rendering an image feature so as to be more prominent on the display if the user is looking at it, such that the image feature is enlarged, moved from a peripheral display position, replaced by a larger image feature and/or brought forward in a 3-D display space if the user is looking at it.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 3/01 - Dispositions d'entrée ou dispositions d'entrée et de sortie combinées pour l'interaction entre l'utilisateur et le calculateur
• G06F 3/0482 - Interaction avec des listes d’éléments sélectionnables, p. ex. des menus

Abrégé

Ahead mountable display (HMD) has an upward facing camera associated with a wide angle (such as a fisheye) lens arranged to capture images of the environment of the HMD, and an image comparator arranged to derive an indication of yaw of the HMD from images captured by the upward facing camera at different points in time.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 7/00 - Analyse d'image

Abrégé

A head mountable display (HMD) has a head motion detection function and one or more operations which depend upon detected head motion, in which detected head motion is stored as motion data, and in which the way in which detected head motion is applied to a current operation depends upon the stored motion data.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 3/01 - Dispositions d'entrée ou dispositions d'entrée et de sortie combinées pour l'interaction entre l'utilisateur et le calculateur
• G02B 27/01 - Dispositifs d'affichage "tête haute"

Abrégé

A display method using a display operable to display an image to a viewer comprises detecting an initial position and/or orientation of the viewer's head; generating an image for display according to the detected position and/or orientation; detecting a current position and/or orientation of the viewer's head at a time at which the image is to be displayed; re-projecting the generated image according to any differences between the initial position and/or orientation and the current position and/or orientation of the viewer's head; and displaying the re-projected image using the display.

Classes IPC  ?

• G02B 27/01 - Dispositifs d'affichage "tête haute"
• G06F 3/01 - Dispositions d'entrée ou dispositions d'entrée et de sortie combinées pour l'interaction entre l'utilisateur et le calculateur
• H04N 5/232 - Dispositifs pour la commande des caméras de télévision, p.ex. commande à distance

Produits et services

Computer games programs; video games programs; interactive games software; entertainment software; leisure software; electronic games pre-recorded on CDs, DVDs, disks and other data carriers; digital games provided by means of local computer networks, global computer networks, the Internet, cable or wire communications services, wireless telecommunications services and broadband telecommunications services. Entertainment services; electronic games services; provision of games by means of local computer networks, global computer networks, the Internet, cable or wire communications services, wireless telecommunications services and broadband telecommunications services. Designing of computer games programs and i video games programs; developing of computer games programes and video games programs; testing of computer games programs and video games programs; provision of specialist computer services for electronic games and digital games.

Abrégé

A head-mountable apparatus (20) comprises a frame which is configured to be mounted on a user's head, the frame supporting one or more electrical and/or optical devices (122); a cable (82), (84) connecting the one or more electrical and/or optical devices to an external device (300) separate to the head-mountable apparatus (20); and a detector for detecting head movements of a magnitude which, assuming a substantially stationary external device, may cause the cable (82), (84) to become at least partially wrapped around the user's body.

Classes IPC  ?

• G02B 27/01 - Dispositifs d'affichage "tête haute"
• G02B 27/00 - Systèmes ou appareils optiques non prévus dans aucun des groupes ,
• G01L 5/04 - Appareils ou procédés pour la mesure des forces, du travail, de la puissance mécanique ou du couple, spécialement adaptés à des fins spécifiques pour la mesure de la tension dans les éléments flexibles, p. ex. dans les cordages, les câbles, les fils métalliques, les filaments, les courroies ou les bandes
• G06F 3/01 - Dispositions d'entrée ou dispositions d'entrée et de sortie combinées pour l'interaction entre l'utilisateur et le calculateur

Produits et services

Computer games programs; video games programs; interactive games software; entertainment software; leisure software; electronic games pre-recorded on CDs, DVDs, disks and other data carriers; digital games provided by means of local computer networks, global computer networks, the Internet, cable or wire communications services, wireless telecommunications services and broadband telecommunications services. Entertainment services; electronic games services; provision of games by means of local computer networks, global computer networks, the Internet, cable or wire communications services, wireless telecommunications services and broadband telecommunications services. Designing of computer games programs and i video games programs; developing of computer games programes and video games programs; testing of computer games programs and video games programs; provision of specialist computer services for electronic games and digital games.

Abrégé

A head-mountable display comprises a frame configured to be mounted on a user's head, the frame defining a left-hand eye display position and a right-hand eye display position which, when in use, are positioned in front of the respective eye of the user; a left-hand display element mounted with respect to the left-hand eye display position,where the left-hand display element is operable to provide an image from a left-hand video signal to the left-hand eye of the user; and a right-hand display element mounted with respect to the right-hand eye display position,where the right-hand display element is operable to provide an image from a right- hand video signal to the right-hand eye of the user. The head-mountable display also comprises at least one light emitting element positioned on a right-hand periphery of the left-hand display element and at least one light emitting element positioned on a left-hand periphery of the right- hand display element; and a controller operable to control light emitted by the light emitting elements dependent upon the video signals so as to reduce luning. The controller controls the light emitted by the at least one light emitting element on the left-hand display element such that it is dependent upon the right-hand periphery of the image provided by the left-hand display element, and controlling the light emitted by the at least one light emitting element on the right- hand display element such that it is dependent upon the left-hand periphery of the image provided by the right-hand display element.

Classes IPC  ?

• G02B 27/01 - Dispositifs d'affichage "tête haute"

Abrégé

A head-mountable display device comprises a frame (30) to be mounted onto a user's head, the frame defining an eye display position which, in use, is positioned in front of an eye of the user;a reflective element (40) mounted with respect to the eye display position, the reflective element comprising a reflective surface which, in use, is visible to the eye (80) of the user; and a mobile device holder (50) configured to hold a mobile device (60) at a location and orientation on the frame; wherein : the reflective surface is configured to reflect light incident upon the reflective surface so as to form a reflected image; and the location and orientation in which the mobile device is held relative to a location and orientation of the reflective surface are such that, in use, light I arriving from a screen (62) of the mobile device held in the mobile device holder is reflected by the reflective surface so that a reflected image of at least a portion of the screen is visible to the user.

Classes IPC  ?

• G02B 27/01 - Dispositifs d'affichage "tête haute"

Abrégé

A head-mountable display comprises a frame which is configured to be mounted on a user's head, a camera (600) mounted on the frame for capturing a view of the user's eyes, a motion detector (610) for detecting motion of the head mountable display device and for generating a motion signal representing a movement of the head mountable display with respect to time, and a controller. The controller is configured to estimate a distance Dr between the user's eyes by capturing a relative separation of the user's eyes from an image of the user's eyes captured by the camera at a start position, to process a motion period of the motion signal corresponding to a process in which the user moves the head mountable display from the start position (900) to dispose the head mountable display on the user's head at an end position, and to estimate a displacement of the user's eyes with respect to the frame by determining a distance Dx from the start position of the head mountable display at which the image of the user's eyes was captured to the end position in which the head mountable display is disposed on the user's head. The head mountable display can be arranged therefore to adjust a relative position at which a first image is displayed to one of the user's eyes and position at which a second image is displayed to the other of the user's eyes in accordance with the estimated distance between the user's eyes so as to provide an improved viewing experience.

Classes IPC  ?

• G02B 27/01 - Dispositifs d'affichage "tête haute"
• A61B 3/11 - Appareils pour l'examen optique des yeuxAppareils pour l'examen clinique des yeux du type à mesure objective, c.-à-d. instruments pour l'examen des yeux indépendamment des perceptions ou des réactions du patient pour mesurer la distance interpupillaire ou le diamètre de la pupille

Abrégé

An imaging device comprises an array of light sensor pixels, an array of steerable light redirection units, respectively operable to redirect incident light onto at least one sensor pixel of the array of light sensor pixels, and an input operable to receive steering configuration data to configure the respective steering of light redirection units in the array of light redirection units, so as to collectively form a virtual lens. The imaging device may then refocus by reconfiguring respective angles of light redirection units in the array of steerable light redirection units, so as to collectively form a new virtual lens with a different focal length.

Classes IPC  ?

• G02B 13/00 - Objectifs optiques spécialement conçus pour les emplois spécifiés ci-dessous

Abrégé

A method of detecting the presence of a building in a captured image comprises dividing the captured image into a plurality of image regions;detecting a dominant angle of detected edges within each image region; and detecting the presence of a building in an image region if the dominant angle of detected edges within that image region, excluding edges within a first threshold angle of vertical, is within a second threshold angle of horizontal and if the distribution of detected edges within the second threshold angle of horizontal is substantially the same as that of at least one adjacent image region.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 7/00 - Analyse d'image

Abrégé

A method of generating a three-dimensional map of a region from successive images of that region captured from different camera poses, the map comprising a set of landmark points each defined by a three dimensional spatial position and image information associated with that three dimensional position comprises capturing successive images of the region;detecting a gravitational vertical direction in respect of each captured image; detecting feature points within the captured images;designating a subset of the captured images as a set of key frames each having respective sets of image position data representing image positions of landmark points detected as feature points in that image;in respect of an image captured at a relocalisation operation: (i) deriving a camera pose for that image from detected feature points in that image; (ii) rotating the gravitational vertical direction in respect of that image to the coordinates of a reference keyframe using the camera poses derived for that image and the reference keyframe; and (iii) comparing the rotated gravitational vertical direction with the actual gravitational vertical direction associated with the reference keyframe so as to detect a quality measure of that image.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 7/00 - Analyse d'image

Abrégé

A method of generating a three-dimensional map of a region from successive images of that region captured from different camera poses, the map comprising a set of landmark points each defined by a three dimensional spatial position and image information associated with that three dimensional position comprises capturing successive images of the region using a camera; designating a subset of the captured images as a set of keyframes each having respective sets of image position data representing image positions of landmark points detected as feature points in that image; in respect of a newly captured image, detecting a position of the camera by detecting the position of landmark points in the newly captured image, the detecting step comprising: generating a prediction of the camera pose; selecting an ordering of the landmark points; and detecting whether an image region of the newly captured image approximately matches an expected image position of a landmark point based on the predicted camera pose by detecting, for successive landmark points in the ordering, whether the image region is substantially identical to the image information associated with that landmark point; and refining the prediction of the camera pose based on the detecting step; in which the selecting step comprises: performing a statistical test on the set of landmark points; and selecting the ordering according to the results of the statistical test.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 7/00 - Analyse d'image

Abrégé

A method of generating a three-dimensional map of a region from successive images of that region captured from different camera positions, the map comprising a set of landmark points each defined by a three dimensional spatial position and image information associated with that three dimensional position, comprises capturing successive images of the region; detecting feature points within the captured images; designating a subset of the captured images as a set of keyframes each having respective sets of measurement data representing image positions of landmark points detected as feature points in that image, each keyframe being connected to at least one other keyframe in the set by a connection comprising at least a threshold number of landmark points, having corresponding measurement data for that keyframe, in common with the same landmark points having corresponding measurement data for that other keyframe in the set, and the set of keyframes being such that each keyframe in the set is directly or indirectly connected to all of the other keyframes in the set by a sequence of one or more such connections; detecting whether candidate measurement data associated with a keyframe may be removed from the set of measurement data for that keyframe, by detecting whether each keyframe, in the set of keyframes without the candidate measurement data, is still directly or indirectly connected to all of the other keyframes in the set of keyframes by a sequence of one or more connections; and if so, removing that candidate measurement data.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 7/00 - Analyse d'image

Abrégé

A method of generating a three-dimensional map of a region from successive images of that region captured from different camera poses, the map comprising a set of landmark points each defined by a three dimensional spatial position and image information associated with that three dimensional position comprises capturing successive images of the region;detecting feature points within the captured images;designating a subset of the captured images as a set of keyframes each having camera pose data indicative of a camera pose and respective sets of measurement data representing image positions of landmark points detected as feature points in that image;in respect of the keyframes, performing bundle-adjustment to generate bundle- adjusted landmark points by iteratively refining the three dimensional spatial positions of the landmarks and the camera pose data associated with at least a subset of the keyframes by:(i) deriving a difference between the measurement data for landmark points in the keyframes and corresponding image positions obtained from the camera pose data and the three dimensional spatial position of that landmark point; and(ii) adjusting one or both of the camera pose data for one or more keyframes and the three dimensional spatial position of one or more landmark points so as to reduce the detected difference; for a feature point,not corresponding to a bundle-adjusted landmark point, detected at an intervening image which is not a keyframeand present in another intervening image which is not a keyframe, generating a non-bundle-adjusted point corresponding to that feature point; and deriving a camera pose in respect of an image using the non-bundle-adjusted points and the bundle adjusted landmark points.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 7/00 - Analyse d'image

Abrégé

A method for interfacing with an interactive program is provided. The method includes: capturing images of first and second pages of a book object, the first and second pages being joined along a fold axis defined along a spine of the book; analyzing the captured images to identify a first tag on the first page and a second tag on the second page; tracking movement of the first and second pages by tracking the first and second tags, respectively; generating augmented images by replacing, in the captured images, the book object with a virtual book, the virtual book having a first virtual page corresponding to the first page of the book object, the virtual book having a second virtual page corresponding to the second page of the book object; rendering first and second scenes on the first and second virtual pages, respectively; and presenting the augmented images on a display.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/10 - Commande du déroulement du jeu, p.ex. début, progression, fin

Abrégé

A method of determining the performance of a processor when processing a unit of data is described. The method comprises the steps of: receiving, at a first sample rate, information indicating the performance of the processor when processing the unit of data; generating an identifier that identifies the unit of data being processed; comparing the identifier with previous identifiers at a second sample rate; and outputting the identifier of the unit of data being processed and the performance information when, during the comparing step, a predetermined condition is met.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 11/34 - Enregistrement ou évaluation statistique de l'activité du calculateur, p. ex. des interruptions ou des opérations d'entrée–sortie
• G06T 15/00 - Rendu d'images tridimensionnelles [3D]

Abrégé

A portable data processing apparatus is provided. It has at least one data processing function which depends on detected motion of the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a video camera operable to capture successive images of a part of the real environment around the apparatus; a video motion detector operable to detect motion of the apparatus by analysis of image motion between pairs of captured images; a hardware motion detector operable to detect motion of the apparatus, whereby the data processing function depends on motion detected by the hardware motion detector; and a controller operable to adjust the operation of the hardware motion detector if the motion detected by the video motion detector and the motion detected by the hardware motion detector differ by at least a threshold difference.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 3/033 - Dispositifs de pointage déplacés ou positionnés par l'utilisateurLeurs accessoires

Abrégé

A method of determining the performance of a processor when processing a unit of data is described. The method comprises the steps of: receiving, at a first sample rate, information indicating the performance of the processor when processing the unit of data; generating an identifier that identifies the unit of data being processed; comparing the identifier with previous identifiers at a second sample rate; and outputting the identifier of the unit of data being processed and the performance information when, during the comparing step, a predetermined condition is met.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 11/34 - Enregistrement ou évaluation statistique de l'activité du calculateur, p. ex. des interruptions ou des opérations d'entrée–sortie
• G06T 15/00 - Rendu d'images tridimensionnelles [3D]

Abrégé

A method of determining the state of a tile based deferred rendering processor is described. The method comprising the steps of: generating information indicating the state of the tile based deferred rendering processor when processing a unit of data during the geometry phase; generating an identifier that identifies the unit of data being processed during the geometry phase; storing the identifier identifying the unit of data processed during the geometry phase in association with the state of the tile based deferred rendering processor when processing the identified unit of data; generating information indicating the state of the tile based deferred rendering processor when processing the identified unit of data during the rasterisation phase; and outputting the stored identifier and the stored state information relating to the processing of the unit of data when the state of the tile based deferred rendering processor meets a condition. An apparatus therefor is also described.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 11/34 - Enregistrement ou évaluation statistique de l'activité du calculateur, p. ex. des interruptions ou des opérations d'entrée–sortie
• G06T 15/00 - Rendu d'images tridimensionnelles [3D]
• G06F 11/07 - Réaction à l'apparition d'un défaut, p. ex. tolérance de certains défauts

Abrégé

A method of user interaction with an entertainment device comprises generating an audio-visual output for use with audio-visual reproduction equipment, initiating an audio¬ visual event as part of the generated audio-visual output, receiving input data from one or more game control devices associated with the entertainment device, analysing the received input data to evaluate an involuntary physical response by a user interacting with the or each game control device occurring within a predetermined period associated with the initiation of the audio-visual event, and adjusting subsequently generated audio-visual output responsive to the evaluation of the user's involuntary physical response.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 3/01 - Dispositions d'entrée ou dispositions d'entrée et de sortie combinées pour l'interaction entre l'utilisateur et le calculateur

Abrégé

A method of administering a virtual dance floor for an entertainment device, wherein the virtual dance floor is part of an online virtual environment that is operable to host a plurality of users each connecting to the online virtual environment using a respective entertainment device, and where each user is represented in the virtual environment by an avatar, and for each respective entertainment device, comprises the steps of receiving from an administrator of the online virtual environment an indicator of the music currently being played on the virtual dance floor, initiating playback of the music from a locally stored copy in response to a placement of the avatar of the respective user within the online virtual environment, detecting breakpoints in the currently played music, receiving from the administrator of the online virtual environment a music event signal, and in response to receiving the music event signal selecting the next detected breakpoint in the currently played music and substituting the currently played music at the selected breakpoint with a piece of music of a predetermined length that is substantially shorter than the currently played music it replaces.

Classes IPC  ?

• G07F 17/32 - Appareils déclenchés par pièces de monnaie pour la location d'articlesInstallations ou services déclenchés par pièces de monnaie pour jeux, jouets, sports ou distractions

Abrégé

A stereoscopic image processing method for a stereoscopic image pair forming a 3D image comprises the steps of evaluating whether the distance of a user is closer or further than a preferred distance from a 3D image display upon which the stereoscopic image pair is to be displayed, and if the evaluation indicates that the user is further than the preferred distance from the 3D image display, adjusting the respective displacements between corresponding image elements in the stereoscopic image pair, thereby changing the stereoscopic parallax in the 3D image.

Classes IPC  ?

• H04N 13/00 - Systèmes vidéo stéréoscopiquesSystèmes vidéo multi-vuesLeurs détails

Abrégé

An entertainment device comprises a display generator operable to output a stereoscopic image for display, a first program operable to generate a monoscopic image of a virtual environment, a memory arranged to store depth information associated with the generation of the monoscopic image of the virtual environment, and an image processor; and the image processor is arranged in operation to generate a stereoscopic image for display comprising a pair of monoscopic images showing different respective viewpoints, in which at least one of the pair of monoscopic images comprises a new monoscopic image generated by the image processor, and the image processor is arranged to generate the at least one new monoscopic image by displacing elements of the monoscopic image generated by the first program dependent upon a determined respective viewpoint of the at least one new monoscopic image and the depth information associated with the monoscopic image generated by the first program.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/10 - Commande du déroulement du jeu, p.ex. début, progression, fin
• H04N 13/00 - Systèmes vidéo stéréoscopiquesSystèmes vidéo multi-vuesLeurs détails

Abrégé

An augmented reality entertainment device for receiving images from a video camera. The device comprises a combiner operable to combine images captured by the camera with a computer -generated image of an object resting on a virtual surface so as to generate a composite image, and a detector operable to detect image movement in the captured images in one or more contact point regions corresponding to image positions at which the object contacts the virtual surface. The device further comprises an initiator operable to initiate movement of the object to a new position with respect to the virtual surface in response to detected motion in the contact point regions of the captured images. The detector is operable to detect whether a first image area corresponding to a captured image feature is greater than a predetermined proportion of a second image area corresponding to a full field of view of the camera. In that case the initiator is operable to initiate movement of the object to an avoidance position within the composite image.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 13/00 - Animation
• G06F 3/00 - Dispositions d'entrée pour le transfert de données destinées à être traitées sous une forme maniable par le calculateurDispositions de sortie pour le transfert de données de l'unité de traitement à l'unité de sortie, p. ex. dispositions d'interface
• G06F 3/01 - Dispositions d'entrée ou dispositions d'entrée et de sortie combinées pour l'interaction entre l'utilisateur et le calculateur
• G06T 13/20 - Animation tridimensionnelle [3D]

Abrégé

An entertainment device comprises an image receiver operable to receive, from a video camera, images captured by the video camera, and display logic, connectable to a display,for displaying the images captured by the video camera, together with one or more selection icons. Each selection icon corresponds to a game object. The entertainment device further comprises an image processor operable to detect the presence and position of an augmented reality marker in images received from the camera, a detector operable to detect the presence of an augmented reality marker at an image position corresponding to a selection icon for at least a predetermined selection time period, and associating logic, responsive to such a detection, operable to associate the game object corresponding to the first one of the selection icons with the augmented reality marker, so that the display logic displays the game object so as to move the game object with the detected position of the augmented reality marker.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 7/00 - Analyse d'image

Abrégé

A method of image transmission comprises acquiring a pair of stereoscopic images from a stereoscopic camera, evaluating the displacement of corresponding image features between the pair of stereoscopic images, processing at least one of the pair of stereoscopic images to render unviewable those image features whose displacement falls outside a previously determined range, and transmitting the or each processed image to a remote viewer. The determined range may be defined relative to a user, and the pair of cameras of the stereoscopic par of cameras may respectively have different overall qualities.

Classes IPC  ?

• H04N 5/225 - Caméras de télévision
• H04N 5/272 - Moyens pour insérer une image de premier plan dans une image d'arrière plan, c.-à-d. incrustation, effet inverse
• H04N 13/00 - Systèmes vidéo stéréoscopiquesSystèmes vidéo multi-vuesLeurs détails
• G06T 7/00 - Analyse d'image
• H04N 7/14 - Systèmes à deux voies
• H04N 7/15 - Systèmes pour conférences

Abrégé

An entertainment system comprises a broadcast receiver, a memory, a processor operable to monitor usage of the entertainment system and operable to detect if that usage satisfies a usage criterion, and in which the entertainment system is operable to record to memory some or all of a permitted broadcast item received by the broadcast receiver, a permitted broadcast item being a broadcast item carrying data indicating that its broadcaster has permitted that the broadcast item can be distributed by the entertainment system, the entertainment system is operable to supply some or all of the recording of the permitted broadcast item to a remote entertainment system via a network connection, and the usage criterion is that the entertainment system records to the memory some or all of the received permitted broadcast item, and then subsequently supplies some or all of the received permitted broadcast item to a remote entertainment system via a network connection, and wherein in response to the usage of the entertainment system satisfying the usage criterion, a credit or a part thereof subsequently redeemable for goods or services is associated with the entertainment system.

Classes IPC  ?

• H04H 60/19 - Dispositions d'accès conditionnel aux informations radiodiffusées ou aux services relatifs à la radiodiffusion lors de la transmission des informations

Abrégé

A method of interaction for an augmented reality environment comprises the steps of capturing an image of a drawn picture comprising one or more drawn shapes, identifying the or each respective drawn shape as corresponding to a component of an archetypal model and generating a three dimensional virtual model representing the archetypal model using generation rules associated with the archetypal model, wherein components of the three dimensional virtual model generated from components of the archetypal model corresponding to the or each respective drawn shape have the appearance of the or each respective drawn shape.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/10 - Commande du déroulement du jeu, p.ex. début, progression, fin

Abrégé

A method of generating an e-book document comprises the steps of representing some or all of a page of an electronic document as a sequence graphic textures derived from the page of the electronic document, wherein the sequence comprises successively smaller graphic textures, arranging the them to form a first mip-map suitable for use by 3D graphics hardware, and outputting an e-book document comprising said first mip-map representing some or all of said page of said document; meanwhile a corresponding method of reading an e-book document, in which some or all of a page of the document is represented by a mip-map, comprises the steps of accessing at least a portion of the mip-map comprising the sequence of graphic textures, constructing a surface in a 3D virtual space comprising one or more polygons, applying to the polygon surface a graphic texture derived from the accessed part of the mip-map that is responsive to the scaling of the polygon surface with respect to a graphical display of an e-book reader, and displaying the textured polygon surface on the graphical display of the e-book reader, thereby displaying some or all of the page of the document.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 15/04 - Mappage de texture

Abrégé

A method of data conversion comprises the steps of parsing two or more user- language data files to detect dependencies between the user-language data files relevant to a subsequent conversion step, distributing the user-language data files to two or more data converters for conversion such that a user-language data file upon which another user- language data file has one or more detected dependencies is sent to the same data converter as that other user-language data file, and then converting the user-language data files at the respective data converters into a target form of machine-language data.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 9/45 - Compilation ou interprétation de langages de programmation évolués

Abrégé

A television receiver, comprises an optical character recogniser to identify text in a received video image and a hypertext link generator to generate a hypertext link responsive to respective identified text, wherein the television receiver is operable to form a connection to a network in accordance with the hypertext link, in which the hypertext link has a default target that comprises as an argument at least part of the content of the respective identified text, and the default target is selected according to the context of the received video image.

Classes IPC  ?

• H04N 5/445 - Circuits de réception pour visualisation d'information additionnelle

Abrégé

A method of audio processing an ensemble of sounds for output to a plurality of audio channels comprises the steps of evaluating an overall level of audio detail generated by the contributing sounds of the ensemble by analysing metadata associated with respective sounds of the ensemble, the metadata being indicative of the contribution of a respective sound of the ensemble to an overall level of audio detail across the plurality of audio channels, and comparing the overall level of audio detail to a first threshold; and in which if the overall level of audio detail exceeds the first threshold, altering the ensemble of sounds to reduce the indicated contribution of the ensemble to the overall level of audio detail.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/00 - Jeux vidéo, c.-à-d. jeux utilisant un affichage à plusieurs dimensions généré électroniquement

Abrégé

A computer-implemented method is provided to automatically apply predefined privileges for identified and tracked users in a space having one or more media sources The method includes an operation to define and save to memory, a user profile The user profile may include data that identifies and tracks a user with a depth-sensing camera Alternatively, privileges defining levels of access to particular media for the user profile are defined and saved The method also includes an operation to capture image and depth data from the depth-sensing camera of a scene within the space In yet another operation, the user is tracked and identified within the scene from the image and depth data Alternatively, defined privileges automatically apply to media sources so that the user is granted access to selected content from the one or more media sources when identified and tracked within the scene.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales

Abrégé

A method of audio processing comprises the steps of estimating a position where acoustic signals from a plurality of loudspeakers are coincident (a 'sweet spot'), estimating the position of a user, estimating the position of the user relative to the estimated position of coincident signals, and adjusting the output timing of sound data signals for reproduction by respective loudspeakers in accordance with the difference in the above estimated positions so as to move the effective position of the sweet spot to the estimated position of the user.

Classes IPC  ?

• H04S 7/00 - Dispositions pour l'indicationDispositions pour la commande, p. ex. pour la commande de l'équilibrage

Abrégé

A hand-held electronic device is disclosed. The device may comprise a case having one or more major surfaces; a touch screen disposed on one of the major surfaces; a processor operably coupled to the touch screen; and one or more tactile pixels disposed proximate the touch screen. Each of the tactile pixels includes an actuatable portion coupled to an actuator and a sensor. The actuator and sensor are coupled to the processor. The actuator is configured to actuate in response to instructions from the processor and the sensor is configured to generate signals as inputs to one or more programs executed by the processor when pressure is applied to the actuatable portion. The actuatable portion is actuatable by the actuator between first and second positions. A tactile feel of the actuatable portion is different in the first and second positions.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 15/02 - Calculateurs numériques en généralÉquipement de traitement de données en général commandés manuellement avec entrée par clavier et à calcul commandé par programme incorporé, p. ex. calculettes
• G06F 3/041 - Numériseurs, p. ex. pour des écrans ou des pavés tactiles, caractérisés par les moyens de transduction
• G06F 1/16 - Détails ou dispositions de structure

Abrégé

A computer-implemented method is provided to interactively capture and utilize a three-dimensional object as a controlling device for a computer system. One operation of the method is capturing depth data of the three-dimensional object. In another operation, the depth data of the three-dimensional object undergoes processing to create geometric defining parameters for the three-dimensional object. The method can also include defining correlations between particular actions performed with the three-dimensional object and particular actions to be performed by the computer system. The method also includes an operation to save the geometric defining parameters of the three-dimensional object to a recognized object database. In another operation, the correlations between particular actions performed with the three-dimensional object and particular actions to be performed by the computer system in response to recognizing the particular actions are also saved to the recognized object database.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 15/00 - Rendu d'images tridimensionnelles [3D]

Abrégé

A method of static branch prediction for a branch instruction of a computer program, the method comprises detecting a conditional bias in a property of data representative of input data supplied in operation to the branch instruction, the conditional bias being a bias dependent upon preceding data within the data supplied to the branch instruction, and modifying the flow of the computer program in response to the detected conditional bias in the property of the data.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 9/38 - Exécution simultanée d'instructions, p. ex. pipeline ou lecture en mémoire
• G06F 9/32 - Formation de l'adresse de l'instruction suivante, p. ex. par incrémentation du compteur ordinal
• G06F 9/45 - Compilation ou interprétation de langages de programmation évolués

Abrégé

In a modular on-line virtual environment, in which each module of the on-line virtual environment has a plurality of parallel instances each able to host a limited number of users, a server arranged to administer the modular on-line virtual environment comprises a network communications arrangement operable to receive data representative of the actions of users within an instance of a first module of the modular on-line virtual environment, and to transmit to each user within that instance of that module data representative of the actions of each other user within that instance of that module, behaviour analysis means operable to analyse user behaviour within that instance of the first module, in which if the behaviour of two or more users satisfies a predetermined criterion then the two or more users are classified as belonging to a social group comprising the two or more users, module instance selection means operable to select an instance of a second module for a user when that user moves within the modular on-line virtual environment from the first module to a second module, in which the module instance selection means is operable to select an instance of the second module that has the capacity to accommodate the greatest number of the common social group once one member of that social group moves within the modular on-line virtual environment from the first module to the second module and the server is operable to place a subsequent respective member of the social group in that same selected instance of the second module if that member moves within the modular on-line virtual environment from the first module to the second module.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/00 - Jeux vidéo, c.-à-d. jeux utilisant un affichage à plusieurs dimensions généré électroniquement
• G06Q 10/00 - AdministrationGestion

Abrégé

An entertainment device comprises a display generator arranged to generate for display a representation of an on-line virtual environment comprising one or more avatars corresponding to users of one or more remote entertainment devices each interacting with that online virtual environment, a network communicator operable to receive data representative of the actions of other users within the on-line virtual environment and to receive content sourced from one or more users of the one or more remote entertainment devices interacting with that online virtual environment, an input device operable by the user to instigate a reporting event and a content identifier operable to generate information indicative of content sourced from one or more users of the one or more remote entertainment devices and that was available to the entertainment device when the reporting event was instigated, and in which the network communicator is operable to transmit a report to a remote device comprising said generated information.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/12 - comprenant une interaction entre plusieurs dispositifs de jeu, p.ex. systèmes de transmission ou de distribution

Abrégé

A method of analysing a captured image comprising an instance of a target object comprises the steps of: for each of a plurality of different brightness threshold levels, generating contours from the captured digital image that indicate where in the captured digital image the pixel values of the captured digital image cross the respective brightness threshold level; identifying instances of a contour corresponding to a characteristic feature of said target object, the instances being detected at substantially similar image positions in the contours derived using at least two of the respective brightness threshold levels; and estimating a homography which maps the characteristic feature of the target object to its representation in the captured image, based upon the two or more instances of that target object's corresponding contour.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 7/00 - Analyse d'image

Abrégé

An entertainment device comprises communication means for communicating with a remote device over a network; program code and resources for running a full version of the program, the program code being operable to interact with remote devices also running a full version of the program; and program resource classification means, and in which when communication with a remote device indicates that the remote device is running a demonstration version of the program code; the program code on the entertainment device restricts the use of program resources to those identified by the program resource classification means as being available to or compatible with the demonstration version of the program, thereby restricting the full version of the program to operate substantially as a demo version of the program for the purposes of interaction with a demo version of the program being run on the remote device.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 9/44 - Dispositions pour exécuter des programmes spécifiques
• G06F 21/12 - Protection des logiciels exécutables
• G06F 21/62 - Protection de l’accès à des données via une plate-forme, p. ex. par clés ou règles de contrôle de l’accès
• G06F 9/46 - Dispositions pour la multiprogrammation
• G06F 9/50 - Allocation de ressources, p. ex. de l'unité centrale de traitement [UCT]

Abrégé

In one embodiment, a method and apparatus detects an object; detects a measured distance between the object and an imaging device; matches the object with a profile; selects an allowable distance between the object and the imaging device; compares the allowable distance with the measured distance; and selectively reduces operation of the imaging device based on the allowable distance and the measured distance.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 15/16 - Associations de plusieurs calculateurs numériques comportant chacun au moins une unité arithmétique, une unité programme et un registre, p. ex. pour le traitement simultané de plusieurs programmes

Abrégé

An entertainment device comprises skeletal modelling means to control placements of a three dimensional mesh representing some or all of a user avatar in response to the position of one or more skeletal components of the user avatar, skeleton modification means to modify one or more physical properties of one or more skeletal components of the user avatar via a user interface, and rendering means to render the user avatar responsive to the modified user avatar skeleton.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/12 - comprenant une interaction entre plusieurs dispositifs de jeu, p.ex. systèmes de transmission ou de distribution
• G06T 13/40 - Animation tridimensionnelle [3D] de personnages, p. ex. d’êtres humains, d’animaux ou d’êtres virtuels
• G06T 17/00 - Modélisation tridimensionnelle [3D] pour infographie

Abrégé

One embodiment of the invention provides a method and apparatus for decompressing a compressed data set using a processing device having a plurality of processing units and a shared memory. The compressed data set comprises a plurality of compressed data segments, in which each compressed data segment corresponds to a predetermined size of uncompressed data. The method includes loading the compressed data set into the shared memory so that each compressed data segment is stored into a respective memory region of the shared memory. The respective memory region has a size equal to the predetermined size of the corresponding uncompressed data segment. The method further includes decompressing the compressed data segments with the processing units; and storing each decompressed data segment back to its respective memory region within the shared memory.

Classes IPC  ?

• H03M 7/30 - CompressionExpansionÉlimination de données inutiles, p. ex. réduction de redondance

Abrégé

A data transfer system comprises a server and a plurality of devices each operable as a client of the server; the server in turn comprises notification means to notify a device that it is to become a member of a peer group comprising other clients of the server, and a client/server data transmission means to send data to the respective device upon such notification; each device in turn comprises client/server data reception means to receive respective data from the server, and peer-to-peer communication means to send respective data received from the server to one or more peers, and to receive from one or more peers respective data that was sent to it or them by the server.

Classes IPC  ?

• H04L 29/06 - Commande de la communication; Traitement de la communication caractérisés par un protocole

Abrégé

A body characterising system comprises a computing device, an optical imaging device to capture one or more images, and a scale estimator comprising an optical distance measuring device, the computing device comprising an image processor to identify the image of the user within the background of the one or more captured images, and in which the computing device is operable to estimate the scale of the image of the user from the scale estimator, and to generate data descriptive of the user's body dependent upon to the identified image of the user and the estimated scale of the identified image of the user.

Classes IPC  ?

• A61B 5/107 - Mesure de dimensions corporelles, p. ex. la taille du corps entier ou de parties de celui-ci
• G01B 11/25 - Dispositions pour la mesure caractérisées par l'utilisation de techniques optiques pour mesurer des contours ou des courbes en projetant un motif, p. ex. des franges de moiré, sur l'objet

Abrégé

An entertainment system comprises a remotely controlled toy having a video camera operable to capture video images of a real environment and an entertainment device operable to communicate using a data communications link with the remotely controlled toy, in which the device comprises transmitting means operable to transmit, via the data communications link, control data to the remotely controlled toy that relates to the control of the remotely controlled toy, receiving means operable to receive, from the data communications link, video images captured by the video camera- of the remotely controlled toy, detecting means operable to detect a real environment feature within the real environment, processing means operable to generate a virtual image feature in dependence upon the detected real environment feature, and displaying means operable to generate a combined display of the captured video images and the virtual image feature such that the virtual image feature is arranged with respect to the video images so as to correspond to the position of the real environment feature within the real environment.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63H 13/10 - Figurines mécaniques imitant les mouvements de joueurs ou de travailleurs tirant des flèches ou autres projectiles
• A63H 17/26 - Véhicules, p. ex. automoteursLeurs accessoires DétailsAccessoires
• A63H 30/04 - Agencements électriques par transmission sans fil

Abrégé

An entertainment system comprises an entertainment device and an interactive toy. The entertainment device comprises a wireless receiver arranged in operation to receive data descriptive of the physical capabilities of an interactive toy from an interactive toy, processing means to generate interaction signals, and a wireless transmitter arranged in operation to transmit interaction signals to the interactive toy, and in which the generated interaction signals are responsive to the data descriptive of the physical capabilities of the interactive toy. The interactive toy comprises a wireless receiver arranged in operation to receive a query signal requesting information about physical capabilities of the interactive toy, data provision means for providing data descriptive of the capabilities of the interactive toy, and a wireless transmitter arranged in operation to transmit the data descriptive of the physical capabilities of the interactive toy in response to the query signal. The entertainment device is arranged in operation to transmit interactive control data to the interactive toy responsive to media content being played by the entertainment device, the interactive control data being further responsive to physical capabilities of the recipient interactive toy previously transmitted from the interactive toy to the entertainment system.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63H 30/04 - Agencements électriques par transmission sans fil
• A63H 3/28 - Agencement dans les poupées de moyens pour produire des sonsMoyens dans les poupées pour produire des sons
• A63H 33/00 - Autres jouets
• G09B 5/06 - Matériel à but éducatif à commande électrique avec présentation à la fois visuelle et sonore du sujet à étudier

Abrégé

A removable storage medium comprising media content, and further comprising supplementary data for use with interactive toys, the supplementary data being categorised according to one or more criteria selected from the list consisting of: i. physical capabilities of an interactive toy; ii. target age-range of a user of an interactive toy; iii. licensing type of an interactive toy; iv. personality type of an interactive toy; v. the apparent gender of an interactive toy; and vi. the apparent age of an interactive toy.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63H 3/28 - Agencement dans les poupées de moyens pour produire des sonsMoyens dans les poupées pour produire des sons
• A63H 30/04 - Agencements électriques par transmission sans fil
• A63H 33/00 - Autres jouets

Abrégé

Methods and systems for executing a network application is provided. The network application is defined to render a virtual environment, and the virtual environment is depicted by computer graphics. The method includes generating an animated user and controlling the animated user in the virtual environment. The method presents advertising objects in the virtual environment and detects actions by the animated user to determine if the animated user is viewing one of the advertising object in the virtual environment. Reactions of the animated user are captured when the animated user is viewing the advertising object. The reactions by the animated user within the virtual environment are those that relate to the advertising object, and are presented to a third party to determine effectiveness of the advertising object in the virtual environment. Additionally, actual reactions (e.g., physical, audible, or combinations) of the real-world user can be captured and analyzed, or captured and mapped to the avatar for analysis of the of the avatar response.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 13/00 - Interconnexion ou transfert d'information ou d'autres signaux entre mémoires, dispositifs d'entrée/sortie ou unités de traitement
• G06T 17/40 -

Abrégé

A system and method for communicating with a virtual world are disclosed. The virtual world may comprise a simulated public space and one or more private spaces. Each private space may be associated with a particular user. A user's interactions with the virtual world may be represented by one or more actions of an avatar. A communication device may be simulated in the virtual world. Communication may take place between the simulated communication device and a real communication device. The virtual world may be generated by one or more processors configured to simulate a communication device in the virtual world and communicate between the simulated communication device and a real communication device. Systems and methods for virtual world communication with avatars, custom avatar gestures, mapping of user emotional state to an avatar and routing of communications between virtual and real communication devices are also disclosed.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 17/00 - Équipement ou méthodes de traitement de données ou de calcul numérique, spécialement adaptés à des fonctions spécifiques

Abrégé

An entertainment device that is operable to execute a game application program associated with a game, in which the device comprises a processor operable to generate game action data from game action of the game and a transmitter operable to transmit the game action data such that the game action can be rendered within a virtual environment by a second entertainment device in data communication with the entertainment device, the virtual environment being associated with the second entertainment device, and in which the virtual environment is associated with a virtual environment application program that is different from the game application program, and the game action data comprises graphics data indicative of graphical content of the game action data.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/12 - comprenant une interaction entre plusieurs dispositifs de jeu, p.ex. systèmes de transmission ou de distribution

Abrégé

An entertainment device comprises a display generator arranged to generate for display a representation of an on-line virtual environment corresponding to a first instance of a plurality of substantially similar on-line virtual environments and to generate for display within the representation of the on-line virtual environment an avatar controlled by the user of the entertainment device and one or more software-controlled avatars; a data communications arrangement operable to transmit an alert signal in response to a predetermined action of the user of the entertainment device within the first instance of the on-line virtual environment, said signal serving to request interaction with a human operator, the data communications arrangement being further operable to receive a notification signal; the display generator being arranged to respond to the notification signal by changing the mode of a software controlled avatar to represent an additional user of another entertainment device in data communication with the entertainment device, wherein the additional user is an operator whose entertainment device has been switched to the same first instance of the on-line virtual environment as that of the entertainment device in response to the transmitted alert signal; and the data communications arrangement being arranged to exchange information between the user of the entertainment device and the operator within the same first instance of the on-line virtual environment via their respective avatars.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/00 - Jeux vidéo, c.-à-d. jeux utilisant un affichage à plusieurs dimensions généré électroniquement
• A63F 13/12 - comprenant une interaction entre plusieurs dispositifs de jeu, p.ex. systèmes de transmission ou de distribution

Abrégé

An entertainment device comprises a detector operable to detect whether a representation of a game feature of one or more games associated with the entertainment device should be obtained from the one or more games in response to a predetermined game event of the one or more games, a processor operable to obtain the representation of the game feature from the one or more games, a storage arrangement operable to store the representation of the game feature obtained from the one or more games, and a renderer operable to render the obtained representation of the game feature stored in the storage arrangement as a game feature within a virtual environment associated with the entertainment device, the rendered game feature within the virtual environment being a trophy object.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/00 - Jeux vidéo, c.-à-d. jeux utilisant un affichage à plusieurs dimensions généré électroniquement
• A63F 13/12 - comprenant une interaction entre plusieurs dispositifs de jeu, p.ex. systèmes de transmission ou de distribution

Abrégé

One embodiment of the invention provides a method of transferring real-time multimedia data in a virtual environment between a plurality of entertainment devices each having a peer-to- peer communication device operable to transmit data to and receive data from other entertainment devices. Each entertainment device has an associated avatar within the virtual environment, and each entertainment device has a corresponding client index. The method includes generating, at a first one of the entertainment devices, a target list of client indices associated with entertainment devices to which the real-time multimedia data should be forwarded and dividing, at the first one of the entertainment devices, the target list into a first subset of entertainment devices and a second subset of entertainment devices. The method further includes allocating, at the first one of the entertainment devices, the client index for each entertainment device in the second subset to an entertainment device in the first subset, and transmitting, from the first one of the plurality of entertainment devices to each entertainment device in the first subset, the real-time multimedia data together with the respective client indices from the second subset allocated to the respective entertainment devices. The target list is generated in dependence upon attribute data associated with each entertainment device, and the attribute data comprises data indicating whether the avatar associated with each entertainment device is within a predetermined area within the virtual environment.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/12 - comprenant une interaction entre plusieurs dispositifs de jeu, p.ex. systèmes de transmission ou de distribution
• A63F 13/00 - Jeux vidéo, c.-à-d. jeux utilisant un affichage à plusieurs dimensions généré électroniquement

Abrégé

An entertainment device comprises a display generator arranged to generate for display a representation of an on-line virtual environment, that on-line virtual environment being able to host interactions between a user of the entertainment device and other users of one or more remote entertainment devices, a network communications arrangement operable to receive data representative of the actions of the other users within the on-line virtual environment and to receive data indicative of any supplementary data files interoperable with the on-line virtual environment that are associated with one or more remote entertainment devices of one or more of the other users, a data file searcher operable to search the entertainment device for any supplementary data files indicated by the received data, a data file acquisition arrangement operable to acquire, from a networked device, a copy of a supplementary data file indicated by the received data that was not found on the entertainment device, and a data file integrator operable to incorporate relevant elements of the or each supplementary data file into the representation of the on-line virtual environment.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/12 - comprenant une interaction entre plusieurs dispositifs de jeu, p.ex. systèmes de transmission ou de distribution
• A63F 13/00 - Jeux vidéo, c.-à-d. jeux utilisant un affichage à plusieurs dimensions généré électroniquement

Abrégé

An entertainment device operable to connect to a first on-line virtual environment comprises a group membership selector operable to select members of a group of entertainment devices connected to a first on-line virtual environment comprising a plurality of connected entertainment devices, a server evaluator operable to evaluate a plurality of servers of a second on-line virtual environment according to one or more criteria whilst the entertainment device is connected to the first on-line virtual environment, a server selector operable to select at least a first server of the second on-line virtual environment based upon the evaluation whilst the entertainment device is connected to the first on-line virtual environment, and a storage arrangement operable to cause the storage of server selection data defining the selected server.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/12 - comprenant une interaction entre plusieurs dispositifs de jeu, p.ex. systèmes de transmission ou de distribution

Abrégé

Methods and systems for rendering an interactive virtual environment for communication is provided. The interactive virtual environment is depicted from images to be displayed on a display and the interactive virtual environment is generated by a computer program that is executed on at least one computer of a computer network system. The interactive virtual environment includes one or more virtual user avatars controlled by real- world users. The method further includes controlling a virtual user avatar to move about a virtual space and generating an interface for composing a message to be displayed as a virtual message within the virtual space. The virtual message is posted to an interactive space within the virtual space. The method further includes associating permissions to the virtual message, such that the permissions define which of the one more virtual user avatars are able to view the virtual message that is posted to the interactive space. The virtual message is one of a plurality of virtual message posted to the interactive space, and the permissions prevent viewing of the virtual message by virtual user avatars that do not have permission to view the virtual message. The permissions may be based on one of buddy lists, game familiarity relative to other real- world users, skill level of other real-world users, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the avatars can be computer controlled bots, thus not requiring a real-world user to dictate control.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 13/00 - Interconnexion ou transfert d'information ou d'autres signaux entre mémoires, dispositifs d'entrée/sortie ou unités de traitement
• G06T 17/40 -

Abrégé

A method for controlling an avatar in a virtual space, the virtual space accessed through a computer network using a console, is disclosed. The method begins by capturing activity of a console controller and processing the captured activity of the console controller to identify input parameters. Another operation of the method is to map selected ones of the input parameters to portions of the avatar, the avatar being a virtual space representation of a user. Wherein the capturing, processing and mapping are continuously performed to define a correlation between activity of the console controller and the avatar that is the virtual space representation of the user.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06Q 50/00 - Technologies de l’information et de la communication [TIC] spécialement adaptées à la mise en œuvre des procédés d’affaires d’un secteur particulier d’activité économique, p. ex. aux services d’utilité publique ou au tourisme

Abrégé

A method of image compression in which multiple versions of an image are compressed, each version having a different image resolution, comprises the steps of: for one or more compressed versions of the image: decompressing that compressed version to generate decompressed image data; detecting image differences between a higher resolution version of the image and the decompressed image data; and compressing difference data dependent upon the detected image differences.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06T 15/20 - Calcul de perspectives
• G06T 9/00 - Codage d'image
• H04N 7/26 - utilisant la réduction de la largeur de bande (réduction d'information par conversion de code en général H03M 7/30)
• H04N 7/46 - utilisant le sous-échantillonnage au codeur et la restitution de l'échantillon par interpolation au codeur ou au décodeur

Abrégé

An entertainment device comprises communication means operable to receive media data from a media data source, storage means operable to store the received media data, in which the storage means limits the duration of access to the media data which was received from the media data source.

Classes IPC  ?

• H04L 29/06 - Commande de la communication; Traitement de la communication caractérisés par un protocole

Abrégé

An entertainment device, comprises a communication arrangement operable to receive audio segment data from an audio segment data source and to receive audio segment selection data from an audio segment selection data source in connection with an interactive audio segment data selection session as between the entertainment device and the audio segment selection data source; an audio segment selector operable to generate audio segment selection data in response to selections made by a user interacting with a user interface of the entertainment device; and a storage arrangement operable to store the received audio segment data; in which: the storage arrangement is operable to limit the duration of storage of audio segment data which was received from the audio segment data source and which was selected according to either the received audio segment selection data or the generated audio segment selection data.

Classes IPC  ?

• G01H 1/00 - Mesure des vibrations dans des solides en utilisant la conduction directe au détecteur
• H04L 29/06 - Commande de la communication; Traitement de la communication caractérisés par un protocole

Abrégé

A method of audio processing comprises composing one or more transformation profiles for transforming audio characteristics of an audio recording and then generating for the or each transformation profile, a metadata set comprising transformation profile data and location data indicative of where in the recording the transformation profile data is to be applied; the or each metadata set is then stored in association with the corresponding recording. A corresponding method of audio reproduction comprises reading a recording and a meta-data set associated with that recording from storage, applying transformations to the recording data in accordance with the metadata set transformation profile; and then outputting the transformed recording.

Classes IPC  ?

• G10L 21/04 - Compression ou expansion temporelles
• G10L 21/06 - Transformation de la parole en une représentation non audible, p. ex. visualisation de la parole ou traitement de la parole pour les aides tactiles
• G06T 15/70 -
• G10L 21/00 - Techniques de traitement du signal de parole ou de voix pour produire un autre signal audible ou non audible, p. ex. visuel ou tactile, afin de modifier sa qualité ou son intelligibilité

Abrégé

Video game apparatus in which a game object acts within a game environment of a video game under the control of a user controller, the video game ending in respect of that game object when a game continuation variable reaches a game end amount; comprises: means for adjusting the game continuation variable towards the game end amount in response to time spent -playing that instance of the game; means for detecting game actions in respect of the game object; means for maintaining a game style variable indicative of the manner in which one or more predetermined game actions are carried out by the game object; means, responsive to a game action carried out successfully by the game object, for adjusting the game style variable to indicate a greater game style; means, responsive to a game action adverse to the game object, for adjusting the game style variable to indicate a lower game style or, if the game style variable reaches a level indicative of zero game style, for adjusting the game continuation variable towards the game end amount; and means for enhancing the ability of the game object to perform a game action in dependence on the level of the game style variable.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/10 - Commande du déroulement du jeu, p.ex. début, progression, fin

Abrégé

Video game apparatus, in which a primary game object is displayed within a game environment of a video game, comprises a user controller (725); and a game program defining a sequence of one or more target tasks required to be performed with respect to the primary game object by operating the user controller (725); in which the apparatus displays a further representation of the primary game object displaced, in the game environment, from the displayed primary game character, a display property of the further representation being dependent upon a next target task in the sequence.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/10 - Commande du déroulement du jeu, p.ex. début, progression, fin

Abrégé

A method of interaction with a data processor such as a games machine comprises the steps of capturing a wide angle image of an environment, obtaining image features from the wide angle image, and then interpreting these image features as inputs to software running on the games machine. The step of obtaining image features from the wide angle image further comprises the step of mapping one or more regions of the wide-angle image to corresponding one or more flat image planes, and obtaining image features from one or more of said planes of the mapped wide-angle image. Advantageously, the planes can be arranged to reflect the topology of a room or the positioning of players, and allow a consistent representation of image features and consequently of input motion to a process such as a game, without position dependent distortions of the features inherent in the wide angle image.

Classes IPC  ?

• G06F 3/048 - Techniques d’interaction fondées sur les interfaces utilisateur graphiques [GUI]
• A63F 13/06 - utilisant des moyens actionnés par le joueur pour commander la position d'une zone spécifique sur l'affichage
• G02B 13/06 - Objectifs panoramiquesLentilles dites "de ciel"

Abrégé

Data processing apparatus arranged to receive successive images from a video camera comprises means for detecting inter-image motion for selected points in an image region associated with a control function of the data processing apparatus; and means for executing the control function if inter-image motion is detected in the image region; in which the detecting means is arranged to detect inter-image motion by detecting the cumulative inter-image motion for the points in the image region over a group of m consecutive images, where m is at least three.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/00 - Jeux vidéo, c.-à-d. jeux utilisant un affichage à plusieurs dimensions généré électroniquement

Abrégé

Data processing apparatus arranged to receive successive images from a video camera comprises means for detecting inter-image motion for selected points in an image region associated with a control function of the data processing apparatus; and means for executing the control function if inter-image motion is detected in the image region; in which the detecting means is arranged to select points in an image region of a current image that are validated by selecting test points in a currently received image based upon their correspondence with points in a preceding received image, the points in the preceding received image themselves corresponding with the points originally selected in the currently received image, and deselect points in the current image whose corresponding test points do not to substantially coincide.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/00 - Jeux vidéo, c.-à-d. jeux utilisant un affichage à plusieurs dimensions généré électroniquement

Abrégé

An entertainment system comprises a primary entertainment device operable to output a first viewpoint of a game, and one or more secondary entertainment devices. The primary entertainment device is operable to transmit game based data to the or each secondary entertainment device, the game based data enabling the or each secondary entertainment device in operation to display a respective further viewpoint of the game. Consequently, an embodiment of the present invention enables the user of the entertainment system to look away from the primary display associated with the primary entertainment device to see an additional viewpoint displayed by a secondary entertainment device such as the Sony ꡞ Playstation Portable ꡞ entertainment device (PSP). In one example, the PSP acts as a rear- view mirror for a driving game.

Classes IPC  ?

• A63F 13/10 - Commande du déroulement du jeu, p.ex. début, progression, fin
• A63F 13/12 - comprenant une interaction entre plusieurs dispositifs de jeu, p.ex. systèmes de transmission ou de distribution

Abrégé

An audio apparatus is suitable for generating crowd sounds from an audio signal is disclosed in which the apparatus comprises modulation means operable to modulate a noise signal in response to the audio signal to generate a modulated noise signal, and diffusion delay means. The diffusion delay means is operable to apply a series of two or more delay operations, the input signal to a first such delay operation in the series being the modulated noise signal, and input to each subsequent delay operation in the series being the output signal generated by a preceding delay operation. Each delay operation comprises modifying that operation's input signal by the addition of a delayed version of that operation's input signal.

Classes IPC  ?

• G10L 21/00 - Techniques de traitement du signal de parole ou de voix pour produire un autre signal audible ou non audible, p. ex. visuel ou tactile, afin de modifier sa qualité ou son intelligibilité
• G10H 1/10 - Circuits pour établir le contenu harmonique des sons en combinant des sons pour obtenir des effets de chœur, des effets célestes ou des effets d'ensemble

Abrégé

An audio processing apparatus operable to determine, for each loudspeaker of a plurality of loudspeakers, the respective volume at which an audio signal is to be output through that loudspeaker, the volume being determined in dependence on a desired characteristic of a simulated source for the audio signal, the position of a listening location for listening to the audio signal and the position of the loudspeaker.

Classes IPC  ?

• H04S 7/00 - Dispositions pour l'indicationDispositions pour la commande, p. ex. pour la commande de l'équilibrage
• H04S 3/00 - Systèmes utilisant plus de deux canaux, p. ex. systèmes quadriphoniques

Abrégé

An audio processing apparatus operable to mix a plurality of input audio streams to form an output audio stream, the apparatus comprising: a mixer operable to receive the input audio streams and to output a mixed frequency-based audio stream in a frequency-based representation; and a frequency-to-time converter operable to convert the mixed frequency-based audio stream from the frequency-based representation to a time-based representation to form the output audio stream.

Classes IPC  ?

• H04S 3/00 - Systèmes utilisant plus de deux canaux, p. ex. systèmes quadriphoniques
• H04H 60/04 - Équipement de studioInterconnexion des studios