A recently found patent has shed light on Microsoft's cancelled Xbox streaming device codenamed ‘Keystone'. The device, originally unveiled in 2021, was designed to enable users to stream Xbox games to TVs or monitors without needing a console. However, it was reportedly put on the back burner after Microsoft struggled …
Read More »Microsoft patents method to increase ray tracing performance with limited VRAM
Ray tracing has become a critical component in the gaming industry. However, this technology often comes at a severe performance cost, especially when GPUs have limited VRAM capacity. As a result, developers have been exploring ways to optimise ray tracing for GPUs with limited memory. Microsoft's new patent (via Tom's …
Read More »Cooler Master is suing several AIO makers for patent infringement
Cooler Master has recently filed a lawsuit against SilverStone, Enermax, and their joint OEM Apaltek. Cooler Master has accused the three companies of infringing on its patents. The complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. According to TechPowerUp, Cooler Master claims the …
Read More »Sony patents dynamic difficulty system for future games
Sony has been exploring ways to bring in-game help and tips to PlayStation users since the PS5's inception. The console launched with a guide feature that would give players quest-by-quest walkthroughs for supported games. A new patent from Sony reveals a new idea – dynamic difficulty that can be adjusts …
Read More »Nintendo patent shows new dual-screen gaming device
All signs are pointing to a new Nintendo console in 2024, widely expected to carry forward the hybrid console idea. A new Nintendo patent gives us a small peek at one idea its had, showing a new dual-screen device that splits in half.
Read More »EA’s new patent details system to change controls automatically based on skill
Each year, hundreds if not thousands of video game related patents are submitted by publishers and console manufacturers alike. While most of them are unlikely to come to fruition in any major manner, these patents do give us insight into the minds of those making games. EA has now patented …
Read More »Sony patent suggests legacy peripheral support coming to PS5
Sony’s current implementation of backwards compatibility and emulation of previous generations of systems has left a lot to be desired, however the company looks to be determined to improve it over time. A new patent from Sony shows that the console manufacturer may be planning to bring support for its …
Read More »Valve’s next-gen VR headset shown in newly discovered patent
For a while now, we've been hearing rumours that Valve is working on a new standalone, wireless virtual reality headset. Now, a new patent filed be Valve in late 2021 has confirmed this, showing a new HMD design. The patent was filed in December 2021, so Valve is actively working …
Read More »Apple’s latest patent details a keyboard with a built-in Mac
A newly found patent from Apple suggests the company may be working on a keyboard computer similar to the Raspberry Pi 400. Simply put, this device would be like a laptop without a monitor. The patent shared by Tom's Hardware includes various images where we see the keyboard Mac with …
Read More »BlackBerry mobile, networking and messaging patents sold for $600 million
At one point in time, BlackBerry was one of the smartphone industry's biggest forces, but nowadays, the company is merely a name that can be licensed out, and a collection patents. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that a company known as “Catapult IP Innovations” has …
Read More »Sony patents PS5 face plates – so no one else can sell them
Sony creating the PlayStation 5 with removable faceplates meant that users would inevitably face the desire to replace them with custom plates. Some companies tried, however got into legal trouble with Sony. Now, the console manufacturer has officially been issued a design patent which means that no-one else will be …
Read More »EA is opening patents to give developers free access to gaming accessibility tech
There has been a lot of discussion around accessibility features in video games over the last few years, with industry giants chipping in to help make video games easier for everyone to play. EA is joining those ranks today, announcing plans to open some of its patents, making them free …
Read More »Apple ordered to pay $300 million in patent dispute
It is pretty common for Apple to find itself in court battling patent disputes. This time around, Apple found itself on the defensive, as a company known as Optis demanded royalties from sales of iPhones. A jury has now sided with Optis in this case, forcing Apple to pay $300 …
Read More »AMD patent describes task relocation system in a hybrid processor architecture
We've known for a while now that AMD plans to switch to a big.LITTLE hybrid processor architecture in the future, but we've seen very little about how this architecture will work. That changed this week, as patent filings from AMD have been unearthed, giving us our first glimpse at the …
Read More »AMD patent details how FidelityFX Super Resolution may work
AMD's latest patent gives yet another update on FidelityFX Super Resolution technology. The last official word about the release of this technology comes from AMD's Scott Herkelman, who claimed it would come before year's end. However, rumours are much more specific and optimistic, pointing to a release in June. The …
Read More »EA patents a season pass system that allows players to choose their rewards
Season passes are becoming the standard for every online game, but since its inception, most of them have followed the same logic. Generally speaking, all season passes demand that gamers have to grind for what they want, but EA might be about to change that according to its latest patent. …
Read More »EA granted patent for Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment system
Two years ago, EA filed a patent for a dynamic difficulty adjustment system, the same patent that spawned a class action lawsuit over claims that EA uses dynamic difficulty to push players towards microtransactions in games like FIFA. That lawsuit was eventually dropped after a conversation with EA's engineers and …
Read More »AMD patents active bridge chiplet design with integrated cache for next-gen GPUs
AMD is planning to introduce an active bridge chiplet with integrated cache on an upcoming GPU architecture. A new patent filed by the company has been spotted describing the use of the active bridge chiplet, which seems to offer a significant upgrade over the passive bridge chiplet design showed earlier …
Read More »AMD has a new patent showing a GPU chiplet design
AMD submitted a new patent describing a GPU chiplet design. Besides the thorough explanation of the chiplet design, AMD also mentions the problems that come with it and how to solve them. Found by @davideneco25320, AMD's patent starts by stating multiple problems that come by using a GPU chiplet design. Unlike …
Read More »AMD’s Project Quantum resurfaces in new patent listings
Back in 2015, AMD announced Project Quantum, an interesting mini PC utilising an all new form factor. Since then, there has been silence on the Project Quantum front, but that changed this week thanks to new patent listings. The patent spotted by @PeteB (via @_rogame) suggests that AMD hasn't abandoned …
Read More »Apple patent details a foldable iPhone with ‘self-healing display’
Over the last 18 months, foldable smartphones have really begun to take off. Samsung had a rough start with the Galaxy Fold but found its footing with the Galaxy Z Flip. Since then, Microsoft, Motorola and other smartphone companies have also tried their hands at foldable displays. Now behind the …
Read More »AMD files patent for an heterogeneous processor architecture
It looks like AMD has started to do some research on hybrid processor architectures. A new patent filed by AMD describes a technique used to transfer data in a heterogeneous processor that will feature both “high-feature” and “low-feature” processors, similar to ARM's big.LITTLE architecture and Intel Lakefield processors. The AMD …
Read More »Sony patents technology similar to DLSS
Nvidia’s DLSS 2.0 has recently overtaken the conversation across the PC gaming sphere thanks to its excellent reconstructive techniques, saving on hardware resources and allowing games to look better, while running better. While Sony has used a similar technique via checkerboard rendering for many of its first-party titles, the console …
Read More »Seagate to open up its patents in fight against COVID-19
Seagate has announced that it will make its patents available as part of the Open COVID Pledge. The pledge grants free access to all of Seagate's patented technologies to help diagnose, prevent, contain and treat COVID-19. The Open COVID Pledge is a call for companies to make their “intellectual property available free …
Read More »Valve patents Steam Controller with swappable controls
Towards the end of last year, Valve officially discontinued the Steam Controller, but that doesn't mean that the project is entirely dead. In fact, new evidence of an updated Steam Controller came to light this week, thanks to a newly filed Valve patent. The patent in question depicts a version …
Read More »Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and more targeted for allegedly infringing touchscreen patents
A company known as Neodron recently filed complaints with the US International Trade Commission alleging that many top smartphone and tablet makers are infringing on touchscreen patents. A series of lawsuits have been filed, targeting the likes of Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Asus, LG, Sony and more, in an effort to gain …
Read More »The PS5 controller might track your heart rate, according to patent
While patents may not be the most reliable way to predict future products, it is always interesting nonetheless to see what mindset companies may be in with regards to the implementation of features in products. A new patent filed by Sony shows that the console manufacturer is at least considering …
Read More »Apple patent details a curved iMac
While the iMac has gone through some changes over the last decade, the biggest shifts have been found under the hood rather than with the overall design. That could be changing, as Apple's latest patent depicts a brand new iMac built into a curved sheet of glass, complete with an …
Read More »A Joy-Con stylus attachment has been patented by Nintendo
While the Nintendo Switch has proven to be very successful for Nintendo, one of its perceived shortcomings when compared to the company’s last generation console, the Wii U, is its lack of an integrated stylus. For games such as Super Mario Maker, a stylus allows for a much greater level …
Read More »Apple’s latest patent shows new under-display Touch ID sensor
Over the last couple of years, Apple has been slowly phasing out the Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the iPhone and replacing it with Face ID. Touch ID might not be gone forever though, as Apple has been awarded a patent for an under-display Touch ID sensor. Apple will continue …
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