According to Sony's latest patent, PlayStation consoles will soon be able to pause your game when you pause. According to the description, a microphone and camera will be used to determine the player's position and read their movements.
Sony recently filed a new patent for cutting-edge technology that detects when you turn off your console and pause, allowing your PlayStation to automatically pause a game. The patent was discovered by a ResetEra user and appears to be a methodology rather than a new device, so don't worry, you won't have to shell out extra money for another device.
The patent states that "when the user places the controller in the game, the game doesn't know if the user is absent or simply unresponsive." This new methodology aims to fix this by using the controller's sensors to see what's happening, and adds:
The current game system principles allow it to determine whether the user has quit the game or is simply taking a short break. This allows the simulation system to act immediately without waiting for more time to pass.
There is a multi-step process to obtain such an application in order to be properly applied and is stated in the patent as follows:
- Determine the movement of the console.
- Determine the strength of the wireless signal.
- Determine the power of the console.
- Determine the range of the microphone.
- Define terms in the microphone signal.
- Select photos from camera.
- Set the downtime.
- Then finally, pause the game.
The idea of PlayStation listening to you, working for you, and using connected cameras to track you is innovative and potentially a threat to player privacy. But as long as this data isn't stored or sent anywhere and you have the option to disable this feature, sharing sensitive information isn't a risky idea.
This will also help reduce the amount of power your hardware uses, as it will reduce its computing power when the game slows down or pauses. You'd love to see it in reality!
