Detecting When Gamers Stop Playing to Save Power

Sony's 2010 patent on using motion and image data to detect when a gamer stops playing, allowing the game console to pause or save energy.

What it covers

This patent describes a system for a game console that figures out if a player has stopped playing. It does this by combining information from different sensors. For example, it might use 'inertial tracking information' (like from a motion controller that senses movement) and 'image tracking information' (from a camera watching the player). By 'mixing' these signals, it creates a picture of the player's position and how they are oriented. Then, it processes this information to see if the player's activity drops below a certain level. If the player is inactive, the game console can then take action, like pausing the game, as described in claim 4. This is useful for saving power or preventing game progress loss.

What it doesn't cover

• —Detecting inactivity using only one type of sensor data (e.g., only motion or only camera).
• —Systems that don't combine at least two types of tracking information.
• —Methods that don't process the combined tracking data to determine inactivity.
• —Systems that don't control the game apparatus based on detected inactivity.
• —Detecting inactivity based solely on button presses or controller input.

The clever bit

The core innovation was combining multiple, diverse sensor inputs (motion, camera) to reliably determine user inactivity, rather than relying on a single, potentially less accurate, data source.

Why it matters

This patent is relevant to the evolution of game consoles and energy-saving features. As consoles became more powerful, managing power consumption and user experience became important. Detecting inactivity allows for automatic pausing or power-down features, enhancing usability and efficiency for devices like the PlayStation.

Real-world examples

• 1.PlayStation consoles with inactivity detection features
• 2.Motion-sensing game controllers
• 3.Camera-based player tracking systems in gaming