This Graphics & Rendering category contains 6 granted patents from Activision Blizzard (2), Tencent (1), EA (1), Nintendo (1), and Sony (1).
The patents address real-time rendering challenges through diverse technical approaches, from Activision Blizzard's dynamic shadow map scaling and LED wall reflectance capture for character lighting to EA's neural network replacement for physics-based cloth simulation. Nintendo describes a vertex shader technique that introduces depth scaling to orthographic 2D games without affecting collision detection, while Tencent covers volumetric fog of war systems that replace traditional 2D overlays with 3D fog responsive to units and terrain. Sony's patent details a controller button mechanism for real-time transitions between graphics quality modes.
Activision Blizzard received 2 patents tackling different aspects of visual fidelity. The first addresses shadow rendering by dynamically allocating shadow map resolution across multiple lights within a frame budget, adjusting each light's resolution based on its size and distance from the camera rather than relying on fixed settings. The system then applies a curved filtering profile to soften shadow edges while minimizing artifacts, tying performance management directly to visual quality. The second patent describes a method for capturing material reflectance data using massive LED walls, where each pixel on the display functions as a controllable light source that feeds directly into the game engine. This approach eliminates the need for separate light stage equipment and allows real-time capture of how skin and materials respond to arbitrary lighting conditions, replacing earlier workflows that required multiple exposure passes.
EA received 1 patent replacing traditional physics-based cloth simulation with a neural network trained to predict fabric deformation. The model takes character joint positions as input and outputs compressed representations of both the deformed mesh geometry and corresponding normal maps in a single forward pass. Because the network predicts the cloth state directly from body pose without reference to previous frames, it avoids the iterative physics calculations that make conventional cloth simulation expensive during gameplay.
Nintendo received 1 patent describing a rendering technique that simulates depth in side-scrolling games with orthographic cameras. The method scales objects larger or smaller during the vertex shader stage to create the appearance of moving closer or farther from the camera, while leaving the underlying game logic and collision detection unchanged. This separation allows 2D games to convey visual depth through size variation without introducing the physics complications that would arise from actually repositioning objects along a Z axis.
Tencent received 1 patent covering a volumetric fog of war system for strategy games. Instead of toggling 2D transparency layers over unexplored areas, the method constructs a 3D density field that wraps around terrain geometry and carves out space around moving units using signed distance fields. The fog renders at reduced resolution with temporal upsampling and includes layered noise and flow animation to produce a three-dimensional atmospheric effect while managing GPU performance.
Sony received 1 patent for a dedicated controller button that transitions between different graphics quality presets. When pressed, the system interpolates between rendering modes over several frames to produce a smooth visual fade rather than an immediate switch. This differs from automatic dynamic resolution systems that adjust quality based on frame rate targets, instead giving players manual control over the fidelity tradeoff without navigating through settings menus.
All data sourced from USPTO patent filings. Google Patents may take several weeks to index recent publications. If a link is unavailable, search for the patent number at USPTO Patent Public Search.