Sony's latest patent filing, WO2025010132, titled "TIMED INPUT/ACTION RELEASE," aims to revolutionize the gaming experience by reducing latency in future hardware. This innovative approach involves using an AI model combined with additional sensors to predict and streamline user inputs, ensuring a more responsive gameplay experience.
The introduction of PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) with the PlayStation 5 Pro marked Sony's first venture into official upscaling technology, capable of enhancing smaller resolutions to 4K. However, the integration of newer graphics technologies like frame generation can introduce additional latency, potentially making games feel less responsive despite the increased frame rate.
This new Sony patent could be a game-changer for PlayStation. Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment.
As reported by Tech4gamers, Sony's patent seeks to address this issue by predicting the next button press through a machine-learning AI model. The system also incorporates external sensors, such as a camera focused on the controller, to anticipate user commands. Sony's filing explains, "there can be latency between the user's input action and the system's subsequent processing and execution of the command. This in turn results in delayed execution of the command and unintended consequences in the game itself."
The proposed solution involves multiple components working together: an AI model to predict upcoming inputs and a sensor, which could be a camera or even the controller's buttons themselves. Sony's history with analog buttons suggests that this technology might be integrated into next-generation controllers.
While the exact implementation of this technology in the PlayStation 6 remains uncertain, the patent clearly indicates Sony's commitment to reducing latency without compromising the responsiveness of games. This is particularly crucial in genres like twitch shooters, where high framerates and low latency are essential for competitive play.
The adoption of such technologies could position Sony at the forefront of gaming innovation, especially as rendering technologies like FSR 3 and DLSS 3 continue to gain popularity, often adding frame latency to the systems they operate on. Whether this patent will translate into tangible hardware improvements remains to be seen, but it undoubtedly signals Sony's proactive approach to enhancing the gaming experience.
