Modular construction for interacting with software
First Claim
1. A modular assembly system comprising a core module, the core module comprising:
- a battery;
a wireless communications module arranged to communicate with a computing-based device running an interactive software experience;
one or more connectors for attaching one or more peripheral modules to the core module, the one or more connectors relying at least partially on magnetic attraction to attach the one or more peripheral modules to the core module via at least one core magnet of the core module, each connector being arranged to pass data and power between the core module and at least one module of the one or more peripheral modules; and
a processor arranged to;
collect, directly from the one or more peripheral modules, one or more respective identifiers of the one or more peripheral modules, the core module and the one or more peripheral modules collectively comprising a module set;
determine module data based at least in part on at least some of the identifiers;
communicate the module data to the interactive software experience; and
control a polarity of the core magnet to elect a peripheral module from the core module.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A modular assembly system is described which enables interaction with an interactive software experience such as a game. The system enables a coherent physical whole object to be assembled from a core module and one or more peripheral modules. The core module includes a battery, processor and a wireless module which is able to communicate with the interactive software experience which runs on a separate computing device such as a smartphone, tablet or games console. Each of the peripheral modules stores a module ID and these IDs are collected by the core module and communicated to the interactive software experience. The user experience within the interactive software experience changes dependent upon the set of modules which are connected to form the coherent physical whole object and may also be altered as a result of manipulation of the coherent physical whole object or individual modules.
76 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A modular assembly system comprising a core module, the core module comprising:
-
a battery; a wireless communications module arranged to communicate with a computing-based device running an interactive software experience; one or more connectors for attaching one or more peripheral modules to the core module, the one or more connectors relying at least partially on magnetic attraction to attach the one or more peripheral modules to the core module via at least one core magnet of the core module, each connector being arranged to pass data and power between the core module and at least one module of the one or more peripheral modules; and a processor arranged to; collect, directly from the one or more peripheral modules, one or more respective identifiers of the one or more peripheral modules, the core module and the one or more peripheral modules collectively comprising a module set; determine module data based at least in part on at least some of the identifiers; communicate the module data to the interactive software experience; and control a polarity of the core magnet to elect a peripheral module from the core module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A system for use with an interactive software experience, the system comprising a peripheral module, the peripheral module comprising:
-
one or more connectors for attaching the peripheral module to a core module to form part of an assembly, the assembly comprising one or more modules held together at least partially through magnetic attraction via a core magnet of the core module, a polarity of the core magnet being controllable to elect the peripheral module from the core module, each connector being arranged to pass data and power between modules and the assembly acting as a user input device for the interactive software experience; and a storage element arranged to store an identifier for the module and to provide the identifier via at least one of the one or more connectors to the core module; wherein the storage element is configured to not collect an identifier from a neighboring peripheral module of the modular assembly system. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A device comprising:
-
a battery; a wireless communications module arranged to communicate with a computing-based device running an interactive software experience; one or more connectors for attaching peripheral modules to the device, the one or more connectors relying at least partially on magnetic attraction to attach the peripheral modules to the device via at least one programmable electromagnetic actuator of the device, each connector being arranged to pass data and power between modules; and a processor arranged to; collect, directly from the peripheral modules physically connected to the device via the one or more connectors, one or more respective identifiers of the peripheral modules; detect a topology of the peripheral modules; communicate module and topology data to the interactive software experience; and in response to a command from the interactive software experience, reverse a polarity of the programmable electromagnetic actuator to elect an attached peripheral module from the device.
-
Specification