Board game system utilizing a robot arm

• US 20080214260A1
• Filed: 05/18/2007
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Lin, Chyi-Yeu
• Granted Patent: US 7,780,513 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/14
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/241 Touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 700/90 Special robot structural element

Abstract

A board game system comprises a touch screen, a computing device and a robot arm. The computing device comprises a processor and a memory. At least one type of board game program is stored in the memory so that the processor can execute the board game program present a corresponding board game interface on the touch screen. The robot arm controlled by the computing device can touch the touch screen and play the board game with a user.

Claims

1. A board game system comprising:

a computing device comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores at least one type of board game program so that the processor can execute the board game program;

a touch screen electrically connected to the computing device and used for displaying a corresponding board game interface of the board game program when the board game program is executed; and

a robot arm electrically connected to the computing device and comprising a contact end;

wherein when the board game program is executed, the computing device controls the robot arm to touch the touch screen with the contact end to interactively play the board game with a user.

2. The board game system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact end comprises a cushioning mechanism for reducing the probability of damaging the touch screen.

3. The board game system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the contact end comprises a safety sensor for reducing the probability of damaging the touch screen.

4. The board game system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the robot arm and the touch screen are fixed together.

5. The board game system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the robot arm and the touch screen are fixed together.

6. The board game system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a robot apparatus, wherein the robot arm is connected to the robot apparatus.

7. The board game system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the computing device is external to the robot apparatus, and the computing device and the robot apparatus are electrically connected to each other.

8. The board game system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the contact end comprises a cushioning mechanism for reducing the probability of damaging the touch screen.

9. The board game system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the contact end comprises a safety sensor for reducing the probability of damaging the touch screen.

10. The board game system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the computing device is disposed inside the robot apparatus.

11. The board game system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the contact end comprises a cushioning mechanism for reducing the probability of damaging the touch screen.

12. The board game system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the contact end comprises a safety sensor for reducing the probability of damaging the touch screen.

13. The board game system as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the touch screen senses the contact end of the robot arm, the computing device controls the robot arm to move away from the touch screen to reduce the probability of damaging the touch screen.

14. The board game system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact end comprises a safety sensor, and when the safety sensor is trigged, the computing device controls the robot arm to move away from the touch screen to reduce the probability of damaging the touch screen.

15. A robot apparatus electrically connected to a touch screen for interactively playing a board game with a user, the robot apparatus comprising:

a computing device comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores at least one type of board game program so that the processor can execute the board game program, and the touch screen displays a corresponding board game interface of the board game program when the board game program is executed; and

a robot arm electrically connected to the computing device and comprising a contact end;

wherein when the board game program is executed, the computing device controls the robot arm to touch the touch screen with the contact end to interactively play the board game with a user.

16. The robot apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the contact end comprises a cushioning mechanism for reducing the probability of damaging the touch screen.

17. The robot apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the contact end comprises a safety sensor for reducing the probability of damaging the touch screen.

18. The robot apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein when the touch screen senses the contact end of the robot arm, the computing device controls the robot arm to move away from the touch screen to reduce the probability of damaging the touch screen.

19. The robot apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the contact end comprises a safety sensor, and when the safety sensor is trigged the computing device controls the robot arm to move away from the touch screen to reduce the probability of damaging the touch screen.