Controlling the position of an object in three dimensions

• US 20030027483A1
• Filed: 04/18/2001
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Joel M.
• Application Number:
  US09/836,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20030027483A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/129
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 23/10 Other water toys, floating toys, or like buoyant toys
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068

Abstract

A play piece may be positioned in three dimensions without actually contacting a play piece. A three dimensional structure may be include with a grid of electromagnetic actuators. By selectively controlling the current through such actuators, the position of the play piece, having a permanent magnet, may be adjusted. In addition, the current induced by the play piece may be utilized to determine the location of the play piece.

Claims

1. A toy comprising:

a plurality of electrically controllable elements; and

a controller to selectively actuate said elements to position a play piece in three dimensions without physically contacting said play piece.

2. The toy of claim 1 wherein said elements are electromagnets.

3. The toy of claim 2 including a three dimensional structure having at least one surface.

4. The toy of claim 3 wherein said surface includes a matrix of elements.

5. The toy of claim 4 wherein structure is in the form of a rectangular box having at least four walls, each of said walls including an array of electrically controllable elements.

6. The toy of claim 5 wherein said box is fluid tight.

7. The toy of claim 5 wherein said box contains a liquid.

8. The toy of claim 1 including a play piece having a permanent magnet.

9. The toy of claim 8 wherein said play piece is neutrally buoyant.

10. The toy of claim 1 including a controller to determine the location of said play piece in three dimensions.

11. The toy of claim 1 including an input device that enables a user to specify a position of the play piece in three dimensions, said controller adapted to position said play piece in response to a user input command.

12. A method comprising:

receiving a play piece position command; and

in response to receipt of said command, developing a plurality of signals to control electrically controllable elements to position a play piece in three dimensions without physically contacting said play piece.

13. The method of claim 12 including applying current to selected electromagnets in a matrix of electromagnets.

14. The method of claim 13 including applying current to electromagnets oriented in a three dimensional structure.

15. The method of claim 14 including causing said play piece to move in a liquid environment.

16. The method of claim 12 including detecting induced currents in said elements in order to locate the position of said play piece.

17. The method of claim 16 including converting said induced currents into position signals and displaying the position of said play piece.

18. An article comprising a medium storing instructions that enable a processor-based system to:

receive a play piece position command; and

in response to receipt of said command, develop a plurality of signals to control electrically controllable elements to position a play piece in three dimensions without physically contacting said play piece.

19. The article of claim 18 further storing instructions that enable the processor-based system to develop signals to control the current applied to selected electromagnets in a matrix of electromagnets to control the position of the play piece in three dimensions.

20. The article of claim 18 further storing instructions that enable the processor-based system to use induced currents in said elements in order to locate the position of said play piece.

21. The article of claim 20 further storing instructions that enable the processor-based system to receive information about said induced current, convert said information into position signals, and display the position of a play piece.