A new patent suggests Sony is considering -- or considered at one time -- its own take on a 3D depth-sensing camera. The patent in question was filed by Dr. Richard Marks, the inventor of the PS Eye and PlayStation Move, back in October.

The filing calls for "a real-time three-dimensional interactive environment using a depth sensing device" that players would move in front of and interact with. "Embodiments of the present invention provide real-time interactive gaming experiences for users. For example, users can interact with various computer-generated objects in real-time." That sounds awfully close to Kinect, doesn't it?

Another patent suggests Sony is also considering a separate set of hardware that would allow for better backwards compatibility. Rather than provide an on-board solution, this would plug into your game console and provide the hardware needed to properly run an older game. (Sound familiar?) Patents are quite a few steps removed from reality, but they might just give us a glimpse at how we might play our games in the future, whether they're new or old.