accessibility – Patent Arcade

Nov

2022

U.S. Patent No. 10,977,872: Graphical Style Modification for Video Games Using Machine Learning

Issued April 13, 2021, to Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
Filed/Priority to October 31, 2018

Overview:

U.S. Patent No. 10,977,872 (the ‘872 patent) relates to modifying and enhancing graphics of a video stream via machine learning to accommodate users’ disabilities or preferences. The ‘872 patent details a system which adapts video frames in a buffered video stream of preexisting media. The video frames are treated as a source image to be altered by a style adapted from a target image, and the target image provides a desired style which a user chooses. The system can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of the two and uses machine learning to apply the modifications to media, so it potentially could offer a wide range of modifications. The style adapted video stream is generated by applying the style from the target image to the source image while the video buffers, so the user receives the media with their selected style change as the video stream plays, ideally without creating synchronization problems. This manifests as an On-Demand Accessibility system which disabled and nondisabled players can use to customize already existing media to their needs or preferences, and can be used over a variety of media such as video games and movies.

The system described in the ‘872 patent presently relates to Graphical Style Modification but also mentions several more potential functionalities providing support for a range of disabilities and preferences such as: Acoustic Effect Annotation, Color Accommodation, and Scene Annotation. This potentially could make games previously inaccessible to disabled players accessible, and lessen the workload of game developers who want to accommodate a wider audience.

Abstract:

Graphical style modification may be implemented using machine learning. A color accommodation module receives an image frame from a host system and generates a color-adapted version of the image frame. A Graphical Style Modification module receives a first image frame from a host system and applies a style adapted from a second image frame to the first image frame to generate a style adapted first image frame.

Illustrative Claim:

A system for enhancing Audio Visual content, the system comprising: a processor; a memory coupled to the processor; non-transitory instructions embedded in memory for a method of Graphical Style Modification comprising receiving a source image frame from a host system; applying a style adapted from a target image frame to the source image frame to generate a style adapted source image frame, wherein the source image frame is part of a buffered video stream; and generating a style adapted video stream wherein generating the style adapted video steam includes applying the style adapted from the target image frame to each image frame in the buffered video stream for a duration of the buffered video stream that is less than or equal to the time it takes for a Graphical Style Modification neural network to apply the style adapted from the target image frame to the source image frame.

Sep

2021

Electronic Arts Pledges to Share Innovative Technologies Which Help Disabled Gamers

Electronic Arts (“EA”) has pledged to help breakdown barriers for players with disabilities or medical issues through sharing technologies which help such individuals. EA has promised to not enforce its patent rights in (as of 9/8/2021) five patents, in hopes of these technologies being used by other developers to accommodate players. The only exception to this rule is if someone files a lawsuit against EA, it reserves the right to defensively terminate the pledge for only that party/individual.

This decision by EA to share technologies which help accommodate disabilities could help make the gaming space more accessible. It also comes at a time in which there has been a recent influx in patents which help accommodate disabilities or medical issues in gaming. An example of a similarly helpful patent (which we will cover soon) is U.S. Patent No. 10,977,872, which allows graphical style modification and is assigned to Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

“Patent pledges” like this are seen as ways to make beneficial technologies available to other industry players while still reserving defensive rights. For example, Tesla made a pledge in 2014 to allow anyone to use their patented technologies for electric vehicles, so long as they have not come after Tesla or any third parties with their own patent infringement claims on electric vehicles.

Overall, decisions like this may benefit the gaming community in becoming a more inclusive place. Experiences once unavailable to some may become available, and sharing technologies may mean that individuals will have access to more game experiences outside of just one publisher.

Check back here for future posts covering game related patents, trademarks, copyrights, and more!

Jun

2020

U.S. Patent no. 10,322,336: Haptic braille output for a game controller

Issued June 18, 2019 to Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
Priority Date February 28, 2017

Summary:
U.S. Patent No. 10,322,336 (the ‘336 Patent) relates to video game controllers. The controller is the way any player engages and interacts with most video games. However, controllers and video games themselves pose inherent difficulties for people who are visually-impaired or blind. Text heavy games are especially difficult for this group. Games with complex graphics and also quick movements, such as fighting games, also provide further problems for this group of users. The ‘336 Patent addresses a game controller system including a Braille accessory. This controller allows for the user to receive output similar to other Braille devices as well as other accessibility related output. The controller is designed to fit in the hands of an average user and contains the other features one would expect from a controller including triggers and joysticks. This invention could represent a significant step in increasing the accessibility of video games to those who are visually-impaired.

Abstract:
A game controller with haptic Braille chording capability. While a conventional game controller are geared to sighted players, the disclosed controller configurations include various adaptations that provide alternative input and outputs to facilitate game play by sight-impaired or blind users, as well as other users knowledgeable of Braille. A number of paddles may be arranged on a game controller housing so that a player may engage selected ones of the paddles to enable encoding braille characters using the paddles. This input may be used to control a game, enter text into a chat session or take any other action desired. The converse may also occur, where a combination of the paddles may provide haptic feedback detectable by a user holding a game controller so that the paddles encode braille output (or other data), allowing a user to receive output simply by contact with the paddles.

Illustrative Claim:
1. A game controller with haptic Braille chording capability, comprising: a plurality of paddles arranged as a Braille cell on a housing; a control circuit to translate a touch force applied to selected ones of the paddles into a Braille character input; and a first haptic feedback emitter coupled with at least one paddle of the plurality of paddles to generate a force, detectable by contact with the at least one paddle, corresponding to a portion of a Braille character output.

U.S. Patent No. 10,977,872: Graphical Style Modification for Video Games Using Machine Learning

U.S. Patent No. 10,977,872: Graphical Style Modification for Video Games Using Machine Learning

Electronic Arts Pledges to Share Innovative Technologies Which Help Disabled Gamers

Electronic Arts Pledges to Share Innovative Technologies Which Help Disabled Gamers

U.S. Patent no. 10,322,336: Haptic braille output for a game controller

U.S. Patent no. 10,322,336: Haptic braille output for a game controller

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