This period includes 6 filed patent applications across Platforms & Ecosystems, with Microsoft contributing 3, Sony 1, Beijing Momo Information Technology 1, and Kabam 1.
Microsoft's filings focus on social gaming infrastructure, covering age-gated help systems that restrict player interactions during assistance sessions, achievement tracking that distinguishes solo versus collaborative completion, and proximity-based console authentication using smartphones. Sony filed for instant gameplay DVR rewind functionality accessible via controller button, allowing players to review recent actions without exiting the game. Beijing Momo Information Technology and Kabam both address specialized gaming platforms, with filings covering VR tabletop games with spatial audio and custom rule support, plus dynamic optimization systems that adjust graphics and performance based on device capabilities.
Microsoft received 3 patents addressing different aspects of gaming platform safety and convenience. The first creates an age-gated help system that monitors and restricts how helpers can interact with younger players during live gameplay assistance sessions, going beyond simple content filtering to enforce different interaction rules based on player age. Another patent tracks which video game achievements were earned with helper assistance versus solo effort, automatically labeling accomplishments based on whether collaborative support was involved while maintaining game state integrity throughout the process. The third handles authentication by using proximity signals from smartphones to automatically log players into gaming consoles when they visit friends and terminate sessions when they leave, eliminating manual password entry and preventing forgotten logins that create security risks.
The Kabam patent describes a dynamic game optimization system that continuously monitors device performance during active gameplay and automatically adjusts graphics quality, frame rate, and enabled features in real-time without requiring user input. Rather than checking capabilities only at startup like conventional approaches, this system polls device status throughout the session and makes ongoing adjustments based on weighted threshold comparisons and priority lists, adapting to changing device conditions as they occur.
Sony received 1 patent for instant gameplay DVR rewind functionality triggered by a controller button that lets players review recently completed gameplay segments without exiting their current session. The system maintains a rolling buffer of gameplay history and provides an overlay interface for reviewing missed NPC dialogue, quest details, or forgotten objectives, treating the experience like a DVR that continuously records and allows immediate playback without interrupting the active game.
Beijing Momo Information Technology received 1 patent covering a VR tabletop game platform designed for card and mahjong games that doesn't require pre-programmed rule logic for specific games. The system handles game state synchronization for any tabletop game players want to use while incorporating 3D spatial audio that calculates position vectors and constructs transformation matrices to create directional sound from each player's perspective, replicating the acoustic experience of sitting around a physical table.
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.