# US 2025/0375700 A1 · Apparatus and method of application control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0375700 A1 - Document ID: US20250375700A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/228,428 - Filed: 2025-06-04 - Published: 2025-12-11 - Earliest claimed: 2024-06-11 - Applicants: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. - Inventors: Paul Terence Mulligan; Matthew Corrall - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250375700A1 ## CPC - A63F 13/22: Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment - A63F 13/327: using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet - A63F 13/355: Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client - A63F 13/44: involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot - A63F 13/843: involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A method of interactive control comprises the steps of establishing connection with two or more controllers, comprising at least a first controller and a second controller, receiving inputs from the first controller to interact with a single-user application, initializing a control swap scheme, the scheme comprising selecting inputs from the first controller to provide to the single-user application as inputs from the first controller, and in response to a predetermined criterion, selecting inputs from the second controller to provide to the single-user application as inputs from the first controller. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of interactive control, comprising: establishing connection with two or more controllers comprising at least a first controller and a second controller; receiving inputs from the first controller to interact with a single-user application; initializing a control swap scheme, the scheme comprising: selecting inputs from the first controller to provide to the single-user application as inputs from the first controller; and in response to determining that a predetermined criterion is met, selecting inputs from the second controller to provide to the single-user application as inputs from the first controller. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined criterion is an elapse of a period of time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising indicating a countdown to the elapse of the period of time to users of the controllers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein during a predetermined period preceding the elapse of the period of time, the control swap scheme comprises: selecting at least a subset of inputs from the first controller and the second controller to both provide to the single-user application as inputs from the first controller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein during a predetermined period following the elapse of the period of time, the control swap scheme comprises: selecting at least a subset of inputs from the first controller and the second controller to both provide to the single-user application as inputs from the first controller. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined criterion relates to an operation of the single-user application. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the control swap scheme comprises: selecting only a subset of inputs from the second controller to provide to the single-user application as inputs from the first controller. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the control swap scheme further comprises: in response to determining that the predetermined criterion is met, selecting inputs from the first controller to provide to the single-user application as inputs from the first controller. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined criterion is receipt of an override input from the first controller. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the input from the first controller is selected in response to determining that an input focus is not directed at the single-user application. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein establishing connection with the second controller comprises establishing a remote connection with the second controller over a network; and the method comprises: streaming an output of the single-user application over the network to a remote device associated with the second controller; and receiving inputs from the second controller over the network. ### Claim 12 A non-transitory, computer readable storage medium containing a computer program comprising computer executable instructions that when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising: establishing connection with two or more controllers, comprising at least a first controller and a second controller; receiving inputs from the first controller to interact with a single-user application; initializing a control swap scheme, the scheme comprising: selecting inputs from the first controller to provide to the single-user application as inputs from the first controller; and in response to determining that a predetermined criterion is met, selecting inputs from the second controller to provide to the single-user application as inputs from the first controller. ### Claim 13 A processing device for interactive control of an application, the processing device comprising: a data port configured to establish connection with two or more controllers, comprising at least a first controller and a second controller; the data port being configured to receive inputs from the first controller to interact with a single-user application; a swap processor, configured to initialize a control swap scheme; the swap processor being configured to select inputs from the first controller to provide to the single-user application as inputs from the first controller; and the swap processor being configured to, in response to determining that a predetermined criterion is met, select inputs from the second controller to provide to the single-user application as inputs from the first controller. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The processing device of claim 13, wherein the predetermined criterion relates to one or more of: i. an elapse of a period of time; ii. an operation of the single-user application; or iii. receipt of an override input from the first controller. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The processing device of claim 13, wherein the input from the first controller is selected in response to determining that an input focus is not directed at the single-user application.