U.S. Pat. No. 11,511,190

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure relates generally to computer ecosystems including aspects of consumer electronics (CE) device networks such as but not limited to computer game networks. A system herein may include server and client components which may be connected over a network such that data may be exchanged between the client and server components. The client components may include one or more computing devices including game consoles such as Sony PlayStation® or a game console made by Microsoft or Nintendo or other manufacturer, virtual reality (VR) headsets, augmented reality (AR) headsets, portable televisions (e.g., smart TVs, Internet-enabled TVs), portable computers such as laptops and tablet computers, and other mobile devices including smart phones and additional examples discussed below. These client devices may operate with a variety of operating environments. For example, some of the client computers may employ, as examples, Linux operating systems, operating systems from Microsoft, or a Unix operating system, or operating systems produced by Apple, Inc., or Google. These operating environments may be used to execute one or more browsing programs, such as a browser made by Microsoft or Google or Mozilla or other browser program that can access websites hosted by the Internet servers discussed below. Also, an operating environment according to present principles may be used to execute one or more computer game programs.

Servers and/or gateways may include one or more processors executing instructions that configure the servers to receive and transmit data over a network such as the Internet. Or a client and server can be connected over a local intranet or a virtual private network. A server or controller may be instantiated by a game console such as a Sony PlayStation®, a personal computer, etc.

Information may be exchanged over a network between the clients and servers. To this end and for security, servers and/or clients can include firewalls, load balancers, temporary storages, and proxies, and other network infrastructure for reliability and security. One or more servers may form an apparatus that implement methods of providing a secure community such as an online social website to network members.

A processor may be a single- or multi-chip processor that can execute logic by means of various lines such as address lines, data lines, and control lines and registers and shift registers.

Components included in one embodiment can be used in other embodiments in any appropriate combination. For example, any of the various components described herein and/or depicted in the Figures may be combined, interchanged, or excluded from other embodiments.

“A system having at least one of A, B, and C” (likewise “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” and “a system having at least one of A, B, C”) includes systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.

Now specifically referring toFIG. 1, an example system10is shown, which may include one or more of the example devices mentioned above and described further below in accordance with present principles. The first of the example devices included in the system10is a consumer electronics (CE) device such as an audio video device (AVD)12such as but not limited to an Internet-enabled TV with a TV tuner (equivalently, set top box controlling a TV). The AVD12alternatively may also be a computerized Internet enabled (“smart”) telephone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, a HMD, a wearable computerized device, a computerized Internet-enabled music player, computerized Internet-enabled headphones, a computerized Internet-enabled implantable device such as an implantable skin device, etc. Regardless, it is to be understood that the AVD12is configured to undertake present principles (e.g., communicate with other CE devices to undertake present principles, execute the logic described herein, and perform any other functions and/or operations described herein).

Accordingly, to undertake such principles the AVD12can be established by some or all of the components shown inFIG. 1. For example, the AVD12can include one or more displays14that may be implemented by a high definition or ultra-high definition “4K” or higher flat screen and that may be touch-enabled for receiving user input signals via touches on the display. The AVD12may include one or more speakers16for outputting audio in accordance with present principles, and at least one additional input device18such as an audio receiver/microphone for entering audible commands to the AVD12to control the AVD12. The example AVD12may also include one or more network interfaces20for communication over at least one network22such as the Internet, an WAN, an LAN, etc. under control of one or more processors24. A graphics processor may also be included. Thus, the interface20may be, without limitation, a Wi-Fi transceiver, which is an example of a wireless computer network interface, such as but not limited to a mesh network transceiver. It is to be understood that the processor24controls the AVD12to undertake present principles, including the other elements of the AVD12described herein such as controlling the display14to present images thereon and receiving input therefrom. Furthermore, note the network interface20may be a wired or wireless modem or router, or other appropriate interface such as a wireless telephony transceiver, or Wi-Fi transceiver as mentioned above, etc.

In addition to the foregoing, the AVD12may also include one or more input ports26such as a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port or a USB port to physically connect to another CE device and/or a headphone port to connect headphones to the AVD12for presentation of audio from the AVD12to a user through the headphones. For example, the input port26may be connected via wire or wirelessly to a cable or satellite source26aof audio video content. Thus, the source26amay be a separate or integrated set top box, or a satellite receiver. Or the source26amay be a game console or disk player containing content. The source26awhen implemented as a game console may include some or all of the components described below in relation to the CE device44.

The AVD12may further include one or more computer memories28such as disk-based or solid-state storage that are not transitory signals, in some cases embodied in the chassis of the AVD as standalone devices or as a personal video recording device (PVR) or video disk player either internal or external to the chassis of the AVD for playing back AV programs or as removable memory media. Also, in some embodiments, the AVD12can include a position or location receiver such as but not limited to a cellphone receiver, GPS receiver and/or altimeter30that is configured to receive geographic position information from a satellite or cellphone base station and provide the information to the processor24and/or determine an altitude at which the AVD12is disposed in conjunction with the processor24. The component30may also be implemented by an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that typically includes a combination of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers to determine the location and orientation of the AVD12in three dimensions.

Continuing the description of the AVD12, in some embodiments the AVD12may include one or more cameras32that may be a thermal imaging camera, a digital camera such as a webcam, and/or a camera integrated into the AVD12and controllable by the processor24to gather pictures/images and/or video in accordance with present principles. Also included on the AVD12may be a Bluetooth transceiver34and other Near Field Communication (NFC) element36for communication with other devices using Bluetooth and/or NFC technology, respectively. An example NFC element can be a radio frequency identification (RFID) element.

Further still, the AVD12may include one or more auxiliary sensors38(e.g., a motion sensor such as an accelerometer, gyroscope, cyclometer, or a magnetic sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, an optical sensor, a speed and/or cadence sensor, a gesture sensor (e.g., for sensing gesture command), providing input to the processor24. The AVD12may include an over-the-air TV broadcast port40for receiving OTA TV broadcasts providing input to the processor24. In addition to the foregoing, it is noted that the AVD12may also include an infrared (IR) transmitter and/or IR receiver and/or IR transceiver42such as an IR data association (IRDA) device. A battery (not shown) may be provided for powering the AVD12, as may be a kinetic energy harvester that may turn kinetic energy into power to charge the battery and/or power the AVD12. A graphics processing unit (GPU)44and field programmable gated array46also may be included.

Still referring toFIG. 1, in addition to the AVD12, the system10may include one or more other CE device types. In one example, a first CE device48may be a computer game console that can be used to send computer game audio and video to the AVD12via commands sent directly to the AVD12and/or through the below-described server while a second CE device50may include similar components as the first CE device48. In the example shown, the second CE device50may be configured as a computer game controller manipulated by a player or a head-mounted display (HMD) worn by a player. In the example shown, only two CE devices are shown, it being understood that fewer or greater devices may be used. A device herein may implement some or all of the components shown for the AVD12. Any of the components shown in the following figures may incorporate some or all of the components shown in the case of the AVD12.

Now in reference to the afore-mentioned at least one server52, it includes at least one server processor54, at least one tangible computer readable storage medium56such as disk-based or solid-state storage, and at least one network interface58that, under control of the server processor54, allows for communication with the other devices ofFIG. 1over the network22, and indeed may facilitate communication between servers and client devices in accordance with present principles. Note that the network interface58may be, e.g., a wired or wireless modem or router, Wi-Fi transceiver, or other appropriate interface such as, e.g., a wireless telephony transceiver.

Accordingly, in some embodiments the server52may be an Internet server or an entire server “farm” and may include and perform “cloud” functions such that the devices of the system10may access a “cloud” environment via the server52in example embodiments for, e.g., network gaming applications. Or the server52may be implemented by one or more game consoles or other computers in the same room as the other devices shown inFIG. 1or nearby.

The components shown in the following figures may include some or all components shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 2illustrates further. A computer simulation in the form of a computer game200is shown being presented in audio-video format on a display202such as any display herein. The game200typically includes one or more animated characters204that move through a game world206. The game world206is implemented as computer space through which characters and other objects can move under control of computer game signals input by a player using a computer game controller and in accordance with a physics engine that defines how objects fall when dropped, etc.

The game200may include a sky box208that illustrates objects meant to be distant from the arena of the game world206. The sky box208can be a 3D asset that is filled in with background terrain and objects by a generative model such as a generative adversarial network (GAN) according to principles set forth herein.

With more particularity, objects210such as distant planes or birds or mountains may be presented in the sky box208, but the objects in the sky box typically do not respond to control signals from the controller being operated by the player, although they may react to something the player controls a character204to perform. Typically, while the character204in the game world206can move through the game world206, the character204is constrained by the boundary212between the game world206and sky box208, such that the game software allows the character to approach the boundary212as indicated by the arrows214, but not cross over into the sky box208. This limitation may be implemented in the game software and/or enforced by configuring the physics engine to prevent characters from crossing into the sky box.

With this in mind, one aspect considered herein is the reuse and remastering of sky boxes to streamline computer game design. Remastering may be done for existing title to render it more interesting for a newer game console than originally designed for, as well as to provide new feature development using, for instance super-resolution.

FIGS. 3-6illustrate further aspects. Commencing at block300inFIG. 3, art and/or characters (including character “physical” attributes and character activity) in the game world206are identified. This may be done on the fly as the designer is creating the computer game or as an end user player is playing the game. For example, input of a character may trigger a daemon to collect information about the character automatically and provide it to an artificial intelligence (AI) engine such as one or more neural networks at block302.

The AI engine is trained, e.g., using an annotated training set that can include real world video, to generate sky box features such as sky box objects, colors, sky textures, background terrain, etc. based on game world characters and/or game world art. The remastered or augmented sky box is returned at block304along with audio that similarly may be generated using an AI engine based on the characters/art in the game world, for consolidation with the computer game. Thus, the AI engine may be trained to learn correlations between sound and background, such as to associate waterfall sound with a visual depiction of a fall, associate tweet sounds with visual representations of birds, etc. In this way audio can be correlated to the visual sky box augmentations and moreover audio can be used in reverse, as input to generate visual background for the sky box.

The AI engine can be trained to generate sky box features to help understand what is in the main game in the game world. This may include meta-messaging that may be generated on the fly as the game is played and presented in the sky box. For instance, if a friend of the player's character in the computer game dies, the sky box can be changed from a sunny day to a gloomy day. Sky box features thus may be established based on game action as well as static characteristics of game characters and may be tied in theme or tone to the game action and characters.

FIG. 4illustrates that action from another game or another level in the same game world or another part of the same game world than is depicted onscreen currently can be used to establish sky box features. For example, a boss fight in a different part of the currently depicted game world that is being presented on another display under control of a different game engine or the same game engine as controls the sky box under augmentation may precipitate changes in the sky box being augmented, such as, for instance, presentation of a small, distant rendering of the boss fight in the sky box being augmented.

Accordingly, such information from different games or levels or areas of the game world is received at block400and provided to an AI engine at block402.

The AI engine is trained, e.g., using an annotated training set, to generate sky box features such as sky box objects, colors, sky textures, background terrain, etc. based on action from another game or another level in the same game world or another part of the same game world than is depicted onscreen currently. The remastered or augmented sky box is returned at block404along with audio that similarly may be generated using an AI engine based on the same variables for consolidation with the computer game.

FIG. 5illustrates that community activity can be used to establish sky box features. For example, a large number of spectators of a computer game as detected by online presence sensing or other means may result in bright sun shining in the sky box, or crowd noises to be emanate from the sky box.

Accordingly, such community activity information is received at block500and provided to an AI engine at block502.

The AI engine is trained, e.g., using an annotated training set, to generate sky box features such as sky box objects, colors, sky textures, background terrain, etc. based on community activity information. The remastered or augmented sky box is returned at block504along with audio that similarly may be generated using an AI engine based on the same variables for consolidation with the computer game.

Note that activity in the sky box may become more dynamic as the player's character for instance gets closer to the sky box boundary in the game (like approaching mountains) at block600inFIG. 6. For instance, birds or other objects depicted in the sky box can be animated to grow larger and louder at block602responsive to identifying that the character approaches the sky box. Similarly, responsive to the character moving away from the sky box, images in the sky box can be reduced in size and the volume of audio associated with the images can be reduced.

FIGS. 7-12illustrate further principles attendant to the above. InFIG. 7, a sky box700is presented with a game space or world702on, e.g., a computer display. Typically, the view the player of a computer simulation has of the game world is from the perspective of a virtual camera704, which may be the location of the eyes of the player's character in the simulation. As shown inFIG. 7, a second virtual camera706may be positioned at a location intended to be the origin of a view of the sky box. The second camera706is placed in another spot from the game camera704in a level with miniature geometry around it. The second camera706renders to a texture which is displayed as the skybox, and the second camera706moves in synchronization with the player, so the player sees the geometry of the sky box moving around him.

FIG. 8illustrates a technique to merge a computer simulation 2D sky box with a game world. Commencing at block800, a machine learning (ML) model such as a first conditional generative adversarial network (GAN, labeled “GAN A” in the figure) is trained on level geometry and textures to generate comparable assets distributed in a similar manner in 3D space. Similarly, at block802a ML model such as a second conditional GAN (labeled “GAN B” in the figure) is trained to generate a textured 3D terrain (height map) using real world data similar to either the sky box skyline texture, or to a real-world reference. Block804indicates that a ML model such as a third conditional GAN (labeled “GAN C” in the figure) is trained based on level lighting and 2D skybox lighting to apply dynamic lighting to 3D skybox terrain.

The training may be supervised, semi-supervised, or unsupervised, using a training set of terrains, textures, etc. that may be annotated or that may not be annotated.

Referring to block806, after training GAN B is used to generate a smooth textured terrain extending from level edge to sky box. Then, at block808GAN A is used to fill in the generated terrain with textured 3D assets and at block810GAN C is used to apply lighting to assets/characters based on their respective locations in the 3D sky box. Block812indicated that the sky box geometry is resized larger or smaller based on the estimated depth (or configured distance) from the virtual location of the player (such as the location in the game world of the character of the player) for use as a dynamic skybox.

FIGS. 9-12illustrate further details related to animating and remastering computer simulation sky boxes.FIG. 9illustrates an ML model900such as a conditional GAN that may be trained to receive various inputs902and generate an output904that is sky box characters and assets. The ML model900thus may be similar to GAN A inFIG. 8.

The inputs902may include sky box color palette, game world color palette, existing in-game assets, existing in-game characters, in-game events, and in-game audio. Existing game characters/assets optionally may be re-used. The output904includes resized characters/assets based on 3D sky box scale.

FIG. 10illustrates an optional ML engine1000such as a neural network that is trained for dynamic task generation based on input including similar character/asset in-game actions/movements1002and/or real-world example video1004. The output1006includes movements of characters and assets in the sky box.

In implementingFIG. 10, inverse reinforcement learning (RL) may be used to recover a reward function for a task, and then RL can be used to train an agent to perform the task. Imitation learning can be used to train an agent to perform a task by imitating an expert example. Developers may be allowed to specify scripted tasks.

FIG. 11illustrates aspects of dynamic task assignment. At block1100unsupervised learning may be used to categorize in-game assets based on in-game actions (match actions to task). Moving to block1102, game developer specifications are received to specify per character/asset type. Block1104indicate that a task can be assigned based on a movement model (flying, walking, etc.) Example tasks include patrolling an area, mining resources, guarding, entering, and exiting a world while traveling, etc.

Moving to block1106, the generated assets are inserted into the 3D generated sky box. Proceeding to block1108, characters/assets are distributed through the sky box by analyzing a distribution of character/assets in the associated game world. Dynamic path generation is executed at block1110based on the assigned task and 3D geometry of the sky box. Block1102indicates that sky box characters/assets are animated based on the tasks/actions of earlier blocks inFIG. 11.

FIG. 12illustrates principles of dynamic audio generation based on receiving, at block1200, characters/assets inserted into the sky box, tasks of those assets (block1202), and distance from each character/asset in the sky box to the virtual location of the player. Audio for each sky box character/asset is established at block1206(including volume) based on the inputs received at blocks1200-1204.

Assets and characters can be dynamically generated for the sky box and removed from the sky box based on their movement through the 3D sky box, completing their actions or tasks, and player virtual location relative to the sky box.

It will be appreciated that whilst present principals have been described with reference to some example embodiments, these are not intended to be limiting, and that various alternative arrangements may be used to implement the subject matter claimed herein.