The Xbox maker describes extending graphics beyond the edges of a TV to "make the experience more realistic". A spokesman said he could not comment about when a product might be released.
Sony appears to be pursuing a different strategy. A video from the firm hints at a new augmented-reality headset. Both firms are expected to announce details of their next-generation consoles in 2013. Their rival, Nintendo, will provide more detail about the release of its Wii U games machine at a New York event on Thursday.
Microsoft's patent suggests that current games console systems are constrained by their reliance on a single screen. "Such displays are typically the only source of visual content, so that the media experience is bounded by the bezel of the display," it said. "Even when focused on the display, the user may perceive architectural and decorative feature of the room the display is in... such features are typically out of context with respect to the displayed image, muting the entertainment potential."
The firm says the solution is to beam images all over the room so that the gamer's peripheral vision does not conflict with what they seen on the main screen.
Source: BBC News
