Sony's latest patent hints at a groundbreaking approach to reducing input latency in future gaming hardware. The patent, WO2025010132, focuses on predicting user inputs using AI and supplementary sensors to minimize the delay between command and execution. This is particularly relevant given the latency introduced by advanced graphics technologies like frame generation, which, while boosting frame rates, can negatively impact responsiveness.
Sony's current PlayStation 5 Pro features PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), an upscaler capable of 4K output. However, the patent addresses the inherent latency issues that can arise with such technologies. Competitors AMD and Nvidia have already tackled this with Radeon Anti-Lag and Nvidia Reflex, respectively. Sony's proposed solution, however, takes a different route.
The patent details a system incorporating a machine-learning AI model to anticipate user inputs. This model would be informed by data from an external sensor, potentially a camera monitoring controller button presses, anticipating the player's next action. The patent even suggests the sensor could be integrated directly into a next-generation controller's analog buttons.
While the exact implementation in a future PlayStation console (potentially the PlayStation 6) remains uncertain, the patent indicates Sony's commitment to mitigating latency without compromising responsiveness. This is especially crucial given the increasing popularity of technologies like FSR 3 and DLSS 3, which, while enhancing visuals, introduce additional latency.
The benefits of this technology would be most noticeable in fast-paced games requiring both high frame rates and low latency, such as first-person shooters. Whether this innovative approach will find its way into future hardware remains to be seen, but the patent clearly demonstrates Sony's proactive efforts in this area.
