http://www.skoar.com/news/admin/-microsoft-studios-patents-a-camera-control-for-3rd-person-game.html?Itemid=46
This is what we managed to rummage through the mind boggling number of patents floating across the world wide web. Microsoft it seems has patented a new method of camera control which will be utilized to offer a smoother degree of control and aiming for a third person/first person action game. The patent also cites references of the much hyped and mediocre “Brute Force' as a description of how this system is supposed to work for squad based shooters.
“In a third-person shooter video game, the viewing perspective is smoothly transitioned between an "explorer" viewpoint and a "ready" viewpoint as game conditions change. In the "explorer" viewpoint, scenes are depicted from a camera positioned behind and removed from a character. The explorer viewpoint offers a wide angle of view of the surrounding combat area, enabling the game player to scout the terrain. In the "ready" viewpoint, scenes are depicted from the camera as it is repositioned close to the character. The ready viewpoint provides a narrower angle of view to facilitate better aiming when the character is engaged in armed combat. The transition between the explorer and ready viewpoints tracks a non-linear path. “
“A technique for controlling camera viewpoints in a third-person shooter video game is described. Scenes are depicted from a camera positioned behind and removed from a character that is being controlled by a player. As conditions change during the game, the camera is moved smoothly along a non-linear path between an "explorer" viewpoint and a "ready" viewpoint. In the "explorer" viewpoint, the camera is farther removed from the character to provide a wider angle of view of the battle terrain as the character moves about. In the "ready" viewpoint, the camera resides just behind the character to facilitate better aiming when the character is engaged in combat. Selection of a camera viewpoint and timely movement between the two viewpoints are controlled to facilitate a more intimate feel with the character and to avoid having obstacles obscure vision of the character and/or reticle used to sight targets.”
This somehow has a stench of "Reach" written all over it, since there has been heavy speculation that the game shall indeed incorporate a format of squad based team mechanics with multiple Spartans being displayed in the picture.
I remember Brute Force, It had a good concept, but was too easy, short, and not that good.
It's going to have to come down to patent violation sooner or later and a major attack on the patent system, hoping for an overhaul. That or an alcohol-fueled genocide. 
