Sony's latest patent hints at a revolutionary approach to reducing input lag in future gaming hardware. The patent, WO2025010132, intriguingly titled "Timed Input/Action Release," leverages AI and sensor technology to predict player inputs, thereby minimizing the delay between action and on-screen response.
Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro already boasts the PSSR upscaler, but advancements like frame generation introduce latency. Competitors AMD and Nvidia have addressed this with Radeon Anti-Lag and Nvidia Reflex, respectively, and now Sony appears poised to enter the fray with its own innovative solution.
As highlighted by Tech4gamers, the core of Sony's patent lies in a machine learning AI model that anticipates player inputs. This predictive capability is enhanced by external sensors, potentially a camera monitoring controller movements to preemptively register button presses. The patent explicitly mentions using "camera input as an input to a machine learning (ML) model."
Another intriguing possibility involves integrating the sensor directly into controller buttons, perhaps utilizing analog inputs – a feature Sony has championed in the past. This could lead to a next-generation controller with significantly improved responsiveness.
While the patent's specifics may not translate directly into PlayStation 6 hardware, it underscores Sony's commitment to mitigating latency without sacrificing the feel of responsive gameplay. This is particularly crucial given the rising popularity of frame generation technologies like FSR 3 and DLSS 3, which inherently increase latency.
The benefits of this technology would be most apparent in fast-paced genres like competitive shooters, where both high frame rates and minimal latency are paramount. However, the ultimate implementation of this patent in future consoles remains to be seen.
