PatentMonkey: Sony Motion-Sensitive Display Viewing

SonyMotionPatent

Sony has so many creative options. Case in point, while working on motion sensing camera image stabilization, Sony discovered a way to use the camera’s sensors to scroll the camera’s display around a stored image. This concept is kind of like the recently covered motion sensing tablet.

This technology sparks some promising [suggestive] thoughts of applications for the other platforms, like the PSP which also appears to be under development.

Sony’s technology primarily targets removing the arc of motion caused by people as they swing a device from side to side to assure a measured motion is held constant from left to right.

In the description of the invention’s use case, an intriguing set of applications come to light. Sony’s inventors discuss uploading an image to the device, e.g. a map, and then using the camera’s sensors, with drift control, to scroll around in the image. In effect, the motion of the camera would simulate motion within an image. While use of this technology in a camera is likely tertiary at best, the application in gaming is far more compelling.

The battle for the path to the living room is underway, and the line up of great platforms is happening now:

Platforms

Sony’s PSP and PS3 could use a boost taking a lesson from the popularity of the building home entertainment platforms being assembled by furthering its hand held position. Sony could turn motion sensitive image scrolling into a whole new hand held gaming experience that could combine the excitement of the WiiMote with MMOG allowing users to literally move around 360 degrees with the viewer in hand while playing (clearly more interesting for first-person style games).

A lot to be gained in speeding up development along the entertainment pipeline and a bit to be said for the tighter line up that other players are pushing.