Sony patents virtual game buttons that change actions based on game state
Sony has filed a patent for a method to make on-screen game controls behave like physical buttons that change function depending on the current game situation. The system detects when a player taps a virtual button, assigns a specific action to it, and can temporarily alter how other buttons work after the first tap is released.
In the filing’s own words
Described herein are techniques for implementing a virtualized physical controller. The techniques may comprise receiving, from a user via a touchscreen display, a first touch input corresponding to at least one input mechanism of a set of input mechanisms, determining a first state that is currently active, generating, based on the first state, first activation data that includes an indication of a first action. The techniques may further comprise receiving, from the user via the touchscreen display, a second touch input corresponding to the at least one input mechanism, determining a second state that is currently active, and generating, based on the second state, second activation data that includes an indication of a second action different from the first action.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method comprising: detecting a first touch input at a first location on a user interface of a device corresponding to a first input mechanism; assigning a status to an on-screen object in an interactive video game based on the first touch input; initiating a persistence timer upon detecting a release of the first touch input, wherein the status assigned to the on-screen object remains active for a non-zero period of time defined by the persistence timer; while the persistence timer is active, modifying a behavior of a second input mechanism at a second location from a default behavior to a modified behavior; and detecting a second touch input at the second location; and causing the on-screen object to perform a modified action based on the modified behavior in response to the second touch input.
Facts
- Company
- Sony (SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC)
- Official title
- STATE BASED ACTION BUTTONS
- Publication number
- US20260273391A1
- Application number
- 19684791
- Filed
- May 21, 2026
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Inventors
- 1
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
A63F 13/2145 Human necessitiesG06F 3/04886 Physics & computingMore from Sony in Games & media
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.