Disney Patent Applications

System and method for managing data transfer

Granted: September 9, 2010
Application Number: 20100228811
There is provided a media playback device for accessing first and second server-side applications via a communications network and managing data transfer via client-side applications. The media playback device includes a memory configured to store first and second client-side applications corresponding to the first and second server-side applications. The media playback device includes a processor configured to launch the first client-side application, request first data for use by the…

FABRICATING MULTI-COMPONENT SKIN SYSTEMS FOR ROBOTICS AND OTHER APPLICATIONS

Granted: September 2, 2010
Application Number: 20100222914
A method for fabricating a product, such as an amimatronic character, with artificial skin. The method includes providing data defining an exterior surface geometry of the product. A base geometry model of the product is generated based on the exterior surface geometry data, which in turn is used to fabricate a prototype of the product. Then, an exterior skin mold is formed using the product prototype mounted on an alignment block. The method includes fabricating an inner support…

System and method for providing games based on locations on an identified commuting route

Granted: August 26, 2010
Application Number: 20100214133
There is disclosed a system and method for providing location-based entertainment. In one embodiment, a device capable of providing location-based entertainment comprises a navigational interface module configured to receive navigational data, an entertainment selection module configured to utilize the navigational data to generate location-based entertainment content for a user, and a presentation module configured to present the location-based content to the user. The system may also…

Method and apparatus for redirection of server external hyper-link references

Granted: August 26, 2010
Application Number: 20100217797
A message is provided to a tracking server system in response to a client system referencing a predetermined resource locator that corresponds to a resource external to the tracking server system. The tracking server system indirectly provides for the client system to have an informational element selectable by the client system, where the informational element is graphically identified on the client system with informational content obtainable from a content server system through use of…

System and method for differentiating subjects using a virtual green screen

Granted: August 19, 2010
Application Number: 20100208129
There is provided a method for capturing images of subjects having a first subject placed a distance in front of a second subject, comprising shining a first light on the subjects during a first period of time, wherein the first light is shone with more intensity on the first subject than the second subject; capturing a first image of the subjects during the first period of time; terminating the shining of the first light on the subjects after the capturing of the first image; shining a…

System and method for providing user interaction with projected three-dimensional environments

Granted: August 19, 2010
Application Number: 20100210361
There is provided an interactive device capable of providing input data to a computer program in response to user interactions, the interface device comprising a first position sensor reading a sensed location of the interface device having a free roaming movement in a three-dimensional space, a direction vector determination device determining a direction vector indicating an aiming direction, and a transmission system communicating aim information to an external device implementing the…

METHODS, SYSTEMS AND MEDIA FOR SIMULATING CONTACT SCENARIOS

Granted: August 19, 2010
Application Number: 20100211368
Embodiments of the invention provide methods enabling reliable simulation of objects in contact scenarios. Embodiments of the invention utilize methods providing three parameter-independent guarantees. According to embodiments of the invention, simulations of well-posed problems: have no interpenetrations; obey causality, momentum and energy conservation laws; and complete in finite time.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION EVENT WITH DIGITAL AVATARS

Granted: August 12, 2010
Application Number: 20100201693
A system and method for capturing the voice and motion of a user and mapping the captured voice and motion to an avatar is disclosed. Other aspects include displaying the avatar in the virtual world of a movie or animation chosen by the user.

INTERACTIVE ZOETROPE FOR ANIMATION OF SOLID FIGURINES AND HOLOGRAPHIC PROJECTIONS

Granted: August 12, 2010
Application Number: 20100201949
A zoetrope configured for user interaction. The zoetrope includes an object support that pivotally supports a holographic disc or other projection element containing a plurality of images. A positioning mechanism rotates the holographic disc at a predetermined speed or positions the projection element in numerous positions. The disc or projection element is illuminated by an illumination source in such a manner as to selectively make the images contained therein be projected in a…

System and method for quality assured media file storage

Granted: August 12, 2010
Application Number: 20100205162
There is provided a system and method for quality assured media file storage. There is provided a method for use by a processor to verify quality of a new media file by transcoding a master media file into a first media file, determining a quality of the first media file, applying a first quality assurance scheme to the first media file for an assured quality, calculating a first hash value using a hash function for the first media file, storing the first hash value in a memory,…

PERSONAL TEMPERATURE REGULATOR

Granted: August 5, 2010
Application Number: 20100198322
An apparatus for regulating a user's core body temperature. The apparatus includes a thermoelectric module with a Peltier unit with a heat transfer surface at a temperature differing from ambient. The apparatus includes a thermally conductive member with a first side abutting the surface of the Peltier unit and with a second side for contacting the user's skin when the apparatus is worm. The thermally conductive member is formed of a flexible and conformable material such that the second…

Touch detection system and method for use by a display panel

Granted: July 29, 2010
Application Number: 20100188340
Disclosed are touch detection systems and methods. In one embodiment, a display panel enabling touch detection comprises a touch pane configured to allow a light including a detection light, a back inner surface, and a display generation module located between the touch pane and the back inner surface. The display generation module is configured to produce a visual display at the touch pane. The display generation module is further configured to pass the detection light received from the…

System and method for dynamic video game recap

Granted: July 29, 2010
Application Number: 20100190555
There is provided a system and method for providing dynamic recap sequences to a player of a video game. There is provided a method for use by a processor to present a recap sequence to a player of a video game, the method comprising storing, in a memory, identification data identifying the player and associated event data relating to the video game played by the player after a first game play, receiving the identification data to identify the player for a second game play, retrieving…

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTERCONNECTING MEDIA SERVICES TO AN INTERFACE FOR TRANSPORT OF MEDIA ASSETS

Granted: July 29, 2010
Application Number: 20100191656
Systems and methods are provided to integrate disparate media services and applications across an organization. The media services are connected to an interoperable media services bus by creating a connector API for each service, thereby enabling the media services to exchange messages in a standardized format related to transactions to be performed involving media assets and/or metadata associated with media assets. Media assets are advantageously transported between different media…

DETERMINING DEMAND ASSOCIATED WITH ORIGIN-DESTINATION PAIRS FOR BUS RIDERSHIP FORECASTING

Granted: July 22, 2010
Application Number: 20100185486
A method for forecasting demand for transportation services. The method includes running a count-to-demand translation module with a processor on a computer system and, with the computer system, receiving a count data for passengers getting on and off a vehicle at each stop along a route. The method includes operating the translation module to determine a demand for pairs of the stops such as origin-destination pairs on the route based on the counts at each stop. The set of count data…

System and Method for Customized Experiences in a Shared Online Environment

Granted: July 22, 2010
Application Number: 20100185721
There is provided a system and method for providing customized experiences to a plurality of client stations in a shared environment. There is provided an accounts database having data relating to a plurality of clients, an online server having a server processor and hosting the shared environment for access by the plurality of client stations, and an online client application for execution by a client processor of a client station. The server processor is configured to retrieve client…

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSFERING DATA TO AND FROM A STANDALONE VIDEO PLAYBACK DEVICE

Granted: July 15, 2010
Application Number: 20100180010
A server system transfers data via a network to and from one or more “smart” media players. The server system can be used, for example, to facilitate saving and retrieving media player settings, such as user preferences. The server system can also be used, for example, to facilitate a user sharing his or her favorite scene from a movie with other users.

System and method for integrated hardware platform for flash applications with distributed objects

Granted: July 15, 2010
Application Number: 20100180284
There are provided systems and methods for providing an integrated hardware platform to allow hardware control via an Application Program Interface (API) used by a Flash application executing in a Flash runtime environment on a host system. There is a provided a computer platform comprising a processor, a peripheral hardware, a connector device, and a memory. The memory contains an API implementation for remote methods provided by the API for the Flash application, a proxy server for…

System And Method For Refreshing Cached Data Based On Content Update Frequency

Granted: July 8, 2010
Application Number: 20100174861
A system for refreshing cached data based on content update frequency includes an application/presentation layer coupled to a caching layer, the caching layer including cached content, and a content management system coupled to the application/presentation layer, the content management system configured to provide a content invalidation message to the caching layer informing the caching layer when the cached content is updated.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROL OF A FLEXIBLE MATERIAL USING MAGNETISM

Granted: July 1, 2010
Application Number: 20100167620
One particular implementation of the present invention may involve a flexible material infused with fine iron particles to form at least a portion of a flexible character or object. The flexible creation may be animated by one or more magnets or electromagnets brought near the flexible creation such that the iron particles blended with the flexible material may interact with the magnetic fields generated by the magnets. The infused iron particles may be attracted to the magnets, causing…