Platforms & Ecosystems

Sony received 7 patents addressing metaverse engagement, parental controls, and game platform automation. Two applications describe systems for broadcasting activity across virtual worlds: one lets users in a given metaverse see live representations of what's happening in a separate metaverse to encourage migration between platforms, while another triggers special performances when certain users enter a virtual space, creating a VIP entrance mechanic visible to others. Three patents tackle the problem of interrupting children mid-gameplay when time limits expire. One evaluates real-time gameplay context, such as whether a player is in a boss battle or online match, before enforcing restrictions. Another replaces time-based limits with activity counts, letting parents set boundaries by number of matches or battles rather than minutes, so restrictions activate at natural stopping points. A third uses GPS geofencing to restrict online multiplayer interactions to players within a defined real-world radius, with layered zones and proximity-based verification. The remaining two patents cover platform-level automation: one runs games in emulation and uses machine learning to automatically generate compliant marketing screenshots and preview videos for storefronts, while the other describes hot-patching technology that injects compiled code updates into a running game binary without stopping execution or forcing a reload.

Samsung received 1 patent for technology that turns smartphones into touch controllers for games running on TVs or consoles via screen mirroring. The system detects game control interfaces by identifying repeated patterns of specific-shaped elements on the mirrored screen, then converts touch inputs into key-based commands the game server can process. This allows existing games to gain touch control functionality without modification, enabling players to switch seamlessly between devices.

Tencent received 1 patent for a cross-platform bullet comment system that synchronizes real-time user comments from a video platform and a gaming platform inside a virtual screen embedded in a game environment. The system aggregates comments from both sources simultaneously, letting users on each platform interact without switching applications. Players viewing comments from the video platform can also trigger follow relationships on the gaming platform directly from the in-game display.

Cross Game Play received 1 patent for a system that enables avatars and cosmetic assets to move across games, metaverses, and VR applications with cryptographic controls to prevent unauthorized copies. The technology introduces a Derived-Asset Receipt framework that extends identity verification and policy enforcement to assets reconstructed from indirect sources like screenshots, video captures, or AI prompts, rather than only tracking direct file transfers. The system pairs a signed Similarity Contract, which defines acceptable reconstruction criteria, with enforcement mechanisms embedded in game engines and marketplaces to maintain a chain of custody across platforms.