Tag: Patents
News Latest Sony Patent Wants to Take the Grind Out of Games by Playing Them For You
Auto-play, anyone?
Sony loves filing patents for gaming ideas that'll, more than likely, never come to fruition. It's done it again with a recent listing that focuses on the idea of "auto-playing portions of a video game". Essentially, an auto-play feature would mean a game takes over control and plays itself during segments that a player might...
News Sony Wants PS5 Games to Automatically Adjust the Difficulty While You Play
Ups and downs
While this article will undoubtedly be read by numerous people who have the Platinum in Elden Ring, it’s worth remembering that gaming has massive global appeal these days, and not everyone is capable of beating Malenia while blindfolded with a Buzz! controller. Sony’s worked really hard to ensure players of all abilities can beat...
News Sony Patent Plots Movie Theatre Co-Op Experiences for Hundreds
Massively multiplayer
Sony may be exploring a way it can bring co-op experiences to the masses in cinema-sized sessions for potentially hundreds of players. While the platform holder posts a lot of patents that rarely ever come to fruition, this massively multiplayer solution is interesting enough to warrant reporting on – even if it’s unlikely...
News This PlayStation Patents Terminology Row Is the Stupidest Story in Games
Sony underfire for insinuating other systems are inferior
Sony is underfire for insinuating in patents that it makes superior products to its rivals. While it shouldn’t be particularly surprising for a giant corporation to back its own output, boilerplate terminology discovered in a slew of PlayStation applications has sent the Internet into a...
News Uh Oh! Sony Patents NFT Trading Framework for Gaming Platforms
Can't funge this
Rifling through publicly available patents is a strange pastime, but it's one that observant industry-watchers seem to be into. Last we heard, Sony had patented a system to help people's posture during play, and now we're onto another one — only this one may leave a sour taste. As you can see here, Sony has filed a patent for an...
News Sony Wants You to Sit Up Straight While You're Playing PS5, PS4
Patent posturing
A new PlayStation patent – filed a few years ago but published this week – hopes to fix your posture while you’re playing, so no more slouching or slumping while you grind out your Fortnite quests! The document’s abstract, as spotted by OpAttack, explains: “A game intervention server may evaluate, based on learning models,...
News PlayStation Emulation Patent Raises Hopes of Retro Support
But we've seen it all before
Despite Sony remaining shtum about its plans for the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita’s storefronts, many fans are frustrated by the firm’s perceived lack of respect for its legacy platforms. While we wait for official confirmation on that front, a patent has been dug up by
News This Sh*t Is Bananas! PlayStation Patents Fruit Peripheral
Probably won't come to fruition
Sony rakes in obscene sums of cash from its range of PlayStation peripherals, but in a new patent, the company has acknowledged that expensive hardware could be considered a barrier to people enjoying its games. While a DualSense pad currently retails for £59.99/$69.99, the platform holder has proposed an...
News Some Fans Think a PS5 Back Button Attachment May Be Imminent
Patent renews interest in peripheral
Do you remember the DualShock 4’s Back Button Attachment? It was a huge deal when it was revealed in late 2019, with many assuming Sony would add rear paddles to the then-unannounced PlayStation 5 controller. Of course, that never turned out to be the case, but the programmable accessory was still extremely...
News Is This Our First Glimpse of PS5's User Interface?
Patent potentially reveals new details
Excuse the crude patent diagrams, but this could very well be our first glimpse at the PlayStation 5’s user interface. Sony bigwig Jim Ryan has promised that all will be revealed soon, but this documentation submitted by the platform holder potentially reveals some of the things we can expect to experience...
News Sony May Be Exploring Its Own DLSS-Esque Graphics Technology
Not-so native
What have we learned these past few years? It’s easy: native 4K is a waste of horsepower. Sony’s own checkerboard solutions in games like Horizon Zero Dawn already proved that point, but NVidia’s proprietary DLSS – or Deep Learning Super Sampling, to give it its full title – has sealed the deal. For those of you who don’t...
News PS5 Patent Points to Potential Picture-in-Picture Options
Overlay options
You may be able to set up multiple screens with the PlayStation 5, allowing you to play a game while watching a streamer – or potentially even follow a YouTube guide. A new patent published by Sony Interactive Entertainment reveals a concept whereby overlays could be placed on top of gameplay, or alternatively off to the side...
News PS5's User Interface Could Help You to Plan Your Game Sessions
How long to beat?
We know that Sony’s planning to streamline the PlayStation 5 experience by creating interactive widgets for games to take advantage of. On current consoles, for example, you have to load up a title and then select the multiplayer component before you can hop into a match. Next-gen will change this, as you’ll be able to bypass...
News PS5 Heatsink Patent Has the Web Hyped About Sony's Next-Gen Cooling Solution
Cool runnings
Sony’s range of PlayStation 4 hardware is so loud it could be considered a public disturbance. We’re all praying to the hardware gods that it’s come up with a solution to keep its next-gen console quiet, then, and
Random Sony's Experimenting with a Robot Buddy for Lonely Gamers
Forever alone
The Sony of today may not be quite as batsh*t crazy as it was in the Rolly era, but that doesn’t mean it’s completely given up on outlandish concepts for good. A new patent filed by the platform holder introduces the idea of a robot companion who will watch you play your PlayStation and react to your emotions. Apparently, research...
News Xbox Series X Storage Drives Look a Lot Like This Sony PS5 Patent
Expandable SSD storage is a thing
Here's a recap. Last year, it was discovered that Sony had filed a patent in Brazil for a cartridge device of some sort. It resembles old-school game cartridges, or those you plug into your PS Vita, for instance, but its real purpose remained unclear. In November 2019, tech site LetsGoDigital created 3D renders of...
News PS5 Controller Will Track Your Heart Rate and Sweat Secretion, Suggests Patent
Vitality Sensor returns?
Another patent has been filed by Sony which could potentially hint at new features coming our way as part of the next-generation, this time around focused on the PlayStation 5's controller. Biofeedback could be used to modify game experiences through sensors that would track your heart rate and sweat secretion. Reported by...
News Sony Patent Shows Concept for Improved PSVR Controllers with Finger-Tracking
PSVR 2 controllers?
It's highly likely Sony will be looking into a new iteration of its PlayStation VR tech, especially with PS5 on the horizon. One recently approved patent goes over some nifty ideas for a supposed PSVR 2, though whether the final product bears any resemblance remains to be seen. Now, yet another patent from Sony (thanks,
News PS5 Patent Has Some Fans Panicking Sony's Going to Push Microtransactions on Players
Buy now
There’s an illustration from a PlayStation patent doing the rounds which suggests that Sony may be eager to push microtransactions on unsuspecting players. The diagram shows a user conversing with their console in an Alexa-esque scenario. In this example, the device reveals that 80 per cent of players beat a particular boss using a...
News Artist's Rendition of PS5 Controller Is Our Best Look Yet at the DualShock 5
Is this what it will really look like?
We've had several clues about what the PlayStation 5's controller may look like. Whether it's reports from Wired or directly from patents, the DualShock 5 has been described in pretty clear detail. According to the aforementioned publication, it looks very similar to the PS4's pad, which shouldn't come as a...
News Sony Wants to Make Every PS5 Game Multiplayer with Cloud Controller Sharing
So says yet another patent
The USPTO has been very busy lately, approving and publishing several patents from Sony Interactive Entertainment. With PlayStation 5 on the horizon, it's always interesting to look at these, as they could possibly give us a glimpse at what the future holds. Just last week, we learned about a proposed PS5 controller device...
News Don't Worry, This Isn't What the PS5 Controller Will Look Like
Another interesting Sony patent surfaces
What the heck is that thing? Surely that's not Sony's final design for the PlayStation 5 controller? Well, you can rest easy -- this is something else entirely. We already know that the DualShock 5 will look pretty much the same as the PS4 controller, so where does this crazy device come into play? It's...
News PS5 Patent Suggests Shared Content Will Play an Even Bigger Role with 'Scene Tagging'
Share and share alike
One of Sony's greatest innovations with PlayStation 4 is the Share button, allowing players to quickly grab screenshots or video clips from games they're currently playing and post them for all to see. Yet another patent, dug up by RespawnFirst, suggests sharing this type of content isn't going anywhere on PS5. Not only that,...
Rumour Is the Recently Patented PlayStation Cartridge Upgradable SSD Storage for PS5?
Report suggests cartridges may be for system storage
A couple of days ago, LetsGoDigital managed to get hold of another PlayStation related patent. This time, it seems Sony has listed an interesting cartridge device, but what is this thing's purpose? We already know the PS5 will have a 4K Blu-ray drive for phy
News Sony Files Patent for Curious New Cartridge
Tomorrow is in your hands?
Sony has filed a patent for a curious new cartridge in Brazil, raising speculation about the nature of the product it’s designed for. The last cartridge-based console that the company released was the ill-fated PS Vita, and with the PlayStation 5 already confirmed to include a 4K Blu-ray drive, it’s unlikely to be...
News PS5's Controller Could Reduce Latency with PlayStation Now
Direct input
Sony’s been in the streaming business for years now, but it’s finally taking it seriously. As reported earlier today, PlayStation Now will continue to be supported on the PlayStation 5, and the console’s controller could have a big advantage for those looking to subscribe to the service. As discovered by Dutch website Techtastic,...
News A Newly Approved Sony Patent May Give Us the First Details on PlayStation VR 2
Reality improved
Will there be a PSVR 2 on PlayStation 5? We certainly wouldn't bet against it. Sony's confirmed the current PlayStation VR hardware will be compatible with PS5, but it's almost certainly in the midst of developing a follow-up. If there was any doubt about this, a newly filed patent from SIE might give us our first taste of what...
News Will We Be Playing PS5 Games on a 3D Holographic Display?
Sony patents futuristic tech
Companies file patents all the time, but sometimes one comes along that's particularly interesting. Sony is, of course, not just PlayStation; it's a tech company with vast experience in cameras, sound systems, and much more besides. It's been toying around with holographic displays the last few years, attempting to...
News Sony Wants You to Talk to Your PS4 Games for Assistance
Helping hand
What if the next time you’re stuck in a game, you could just ask it for help? That’s something that Sony appears to be planning, as it’s submitted a patent for a smartphone application named PlayStation Assist, which would effectively function like Alexa for PlayStation 4 games. The examples shown include Horizon: Zero Dawn, where...
News Sony Patented a Cartridge and Everyone Went Mental Over It
But it's not for a new handheld
A patent filed by Sony Interactive Entertainment and published this week prompted many to believe that the Japanese giant may be working on a successor to the PlayStation Vita, but despite the documentation depicting a new cartridge-like product, it’s got absolutely nothing to do with a hypothetical handheld –...
News Did Sony Just Patent a Next-Gen PSVR Controller?
A sign of the future
PlayStation VR is an amazing piece of technology, but as time goes on, the PlayStation Move is starting to reveal itself as something of a weak link. Sony was right to recycle the PlayStation 3 motion wand and it’s more than adequate for the job, but compared to the superior Oculus Touch controllers it’s not quite up to...
News Microtransactions Are Being Implemented in the Scariest of Ways
Activision patent sheds light on shadiness
Whichever side of the microtransaction fence you sit on, we can all probably agree that they shouldn’t be affecting the way multiplayer matchmaking functions. Typically this technology is used to balance teams to an equivalent skill level, and ensure everyone has a quality connection to the match...
News Move Over Power Glove! Sony Patents PlayStation VR Mittens
Everything else is child's play
They do say that everything comes full-circle eventually, so if PlayStation VR is merely a next-gen Virtual Boy, then we suppose that it makes sense for Sony to be planning a Power Glove alternative, too. A patent filed by SCEA shortly after the announcement of Project Morpheus in 2014 suggests that the company's at...
News Sony Picks Up 140 Patents from Cloud Rival OnLive's Carcass
"We have a formidable patent portfolio in cloud gaming"
OnLive is shutting down – and Sony's whipped out its cheque book. The platform holder's announced today that it's purchased 140 patents off the closing cloud gaming company, a move which it stresses has earned it a "formidable patent portfolio" in the emerging sector. It's unclear how much it...
News This Patent May Shed Some Light on Sony's Plans for Gaikai Streaming
The sky's the limit
You may remember early last year when Sony revealed that Gaikai technology would be used to allow streaming of PlayStation 3 games on the PlayStation 4. You'll probably also recall that, since that time, details surrounding the proposed services have proven as illusive as information regarding The Last Guardian. However, we may...
Rumour PS4 Virtual Reality Headset Could Track Your Pulse, Brain Waves, and Eyes
In the game
We know that Sony is almost certainly working on a virtual reality peripheral for the PlayStation 4. Rumours seeping out of the platform holder earlier in the year suggested that it's deep into development on an Oculus Rift-esque peripheral that will allow you to physically examine virtual worlds by moving your head for real. Reports...
Rumour Sony Working on Touch Powered PS Move for PS4?
Move it, move it
Sony has recently patented a new controller design, hinting at some form of revamped motion device for the PlayStation 4. Similar in form to the PlayStation Move controller on the PlayStation 3, this fresh peripheral includes all of the same core functionality as its current generation counterpart. However, there is one area that it...
Rumour Could PS4 Copy Xbox One's Universal Remote Features?
PlayStation, watch TV
Sony has filed a series of patent applications straight out of its office in California. All six of the patents – submitted by Sony Network Entertainment – refer to the topic of using “movements sensed with a motion sensor or camera, pointer movements and clicks, and touches that involve movements and multiple touches”...
News Patents Suggest PS4 Will Take You to Another Dimension Soon
Headset speculation continues to mount
It’s looking increasingly likely that you’ll be playing your PlayStation 4 with an Oculus Rift-esque headset in the near future. Rumours regarding the wearable technology have been seeping out of Sony for several weeks, but now one eagle-eyed N
News Who Wants to Peruse Another Bonkers PS Move Patent?
Urgh
Sony is more prolific with patents than Mario Balotelli is with controversy. Following last week’s divisive anti-used games registration, the platform holder has now concocted an updated PlayStation Move set-up that uses the current controller’s light-tracking technology in conjunction with sound detection to provide greater “depth”...
News Sony Patent Plots an End to Used Game Sales
Like it or lump it
Before you dive off the deep end, it’s worth noting that Sony patents a lot of things, but very few of them turn out to be genuine products. As such, a new document outlining anti-used game technology may just be another of the platform holder’s experiments. At least, we hope so. The patent – filed by Sony Computer...
News Sony Patents Bizarre Break Apart DualShock Controller
Shake it all about
Sony has patented a product called the Hybrid Separable Motion Controller. While it may sound like a fancy gizmo, it actually amounts to little more than a DualShock 3 controller that snaps in half. Oh, and it’s got PlayStation Move bobbles bunged on top. The registration – which was filed in May last year and published on...
Rumour Capcom's Planning a Mascot Mash-Up of Its Own
Fighters megamix
Industry attention may be laser focused on PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale this afternoon, but that’s not stopping Capcom from quietly formulating some crossover plans of its own. The company has filed a patent for a game named Fighters of Capcom, which suggests that it’s looking to leverage its impressive stable of...
News This PlayStation Move Controller Turns Hot and Cold
In the game
It looks like Sony’s taken inspiration from Katy Perry for its latest controller patent. The platform holder’s most recent off-the-wall idea proposes a PlayStation Move-esque motion controller that could turn hot or cold depending on gameplay feedback. According to Kotaku, Sony’s got a slew of applications in mind for the
News Sony Patents Biometric Player Identification Technology
Big brother
If you’re tired of inputting passwords and illegible CAPTCHA codes, then Sony has a solution that just might interest you. The platform holder has registered a patent for a technology that would allow various consumer electronics devices (including
News Sony Patents Interactive Commercials for PlayStation
Uh oh
The next time you criticise the Xbox 360’s dashboard for being inundated with advertisements, you might want to stop and count your blessings. Sony has patented a new interactive commercial scheme that shows users playing branded mini-games on PlayStation consoles. The patent flags the DualShock 3 controller, PlayStation Move motion...
News Sony Patent Details Advert Delivery Mechanism for Games
Uh oh
We can already hear your blood pumping from the other end of the Internet. Don’t worry, Sony may have filed a patent for an advert delivery mechanism in games, but we doubt it’ll ever actually be implemented. The patent – spotted by the always eagle-eyed masses over at NeoGAF – discusses a system that would interrupt gameplay in order...
News Sony Patents Bizarre Move Controller Holder
Reinventing the wheel
Sony hasn't released quite as many plastic add-ons for the Move controller as some may have expected, but according to a patent found by PlayStation Lifestyle it could yet release a very versatile-looking plastic shell. The patent shows a plastic housing into which the Move controller would slot, but with handles and face...
News Sony Patents Kinect-like PlayStation Eye Technology
You are the controller
We suspected that the next version of the PlayStation Eye camera would come with Kinect-like depth tracking abilities, and it looks like we might have been right. A patent filed by Eye Toy and PlayStation Move visionary Dr. Richard Marks has hinted that Sony is toying with controller less techno
News Sony Patented a Wii U Style Controller Too
Great minds think alike
It turns out Nintendo isn’t the only company intent on merging handheld devices with home console experiences. A patent uncovered by Games Beat, shows Sony had a similar concept in mind way back in 2010. The patent – aw
