COMMUNICATION BLOCKS HAVING MULTIPLE-PLANES OF DETECTION COMPONENTS AND ASSOCIATED METHOD OF CONVEYING INFORMATION BASED ON THEIR ARRANGEMENT
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a plurality of apparatuses, each of which comprises;
a housing including a plurality of faces;
a display configured to present information to a user;
a communication interface configured to exchange data with a plurality of other apparatuses;
a plurality of detection components each of which is located proximate a respective face of the housing, each of the detection components being configured to detect proximity of a respective face of the housing of the apparatus with respect to the housing of one or more of the other apparatuses, wherein at least two of the faces of the housing proximate to which two of the respective detection components are located comprise adjoining faces lying in planes that cut one another, the apparatus thereby supporting a two-dimensional arrangement of apparatuses; and
a processor configured to communicate with the display, communication interface and detection components,wherein when the apparatuses are grouped and arranged in proximity with one another to form an arranged group of apparatuses, the processor of each apparatus is configured to receive corresponding indications from a respective detection components, and receive data from the other apparatuses in the group via a respective communication interface, andwherein the processor of each apparatus is configured to calculate an output as a function of the number of apparatuses in the group and arrangement of one or more apparatuses in the group, the number and arrangement being determinable based upon the indications and received data, and wherein the processor of each apparatus is configured to communicate the calculated output via a respective display.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is provided that includes a housing, a display, a communication interface, a processor, and a plurality of detection components each of which is located proximate a respective face of the housing. At least two of the faces of the housing proximate to which two of the respective detection components are located are adjoining faces lying in planes that cut one another, the apparatus thereby supporting a two-dimensional arrangement of apparatuses. The apparatus and other apparatuses may be formed into an arranged group of apparatuses, and in such instances, the processor is configured to receive corresponding indications from the detection components, and data from the other apparatuses in the group via the communication interface. The processor is configured to calculate an output as a function of the number of apparatuses and their arrangement, and configured to communicate the calculated output via the display.
82 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a plurality of apparatuses, each of which comprises; a housing including a plurality of faces; a display configured to present information to a user; a communication interface configured to exchange data with a plurality of other apparatuses; a plurality of detection components each of which is located proximate a respective face of the housing, each of the detection components being configured to detect proximity of a respective face of the housing of the apparatus with respect to the housing of one or more of the other apparatuses, wherein at least two of the faces of the housing proximate to which two of the respective detection components are located comprise adjoining faces lying in planes that cut one another, the apparatus thereby supporting a two-dimensional arrangement of apparatuses; and a processor configured to communicate with the display, communication interface and detection components, wherein when the apparatuses are grouped and arranged in proximity with one another to form an arranged group of apparatuses, the processor of each apparatus is configured to receive corresponding indications from a respective detection components, and receive data from the other apparatuses in the group via a respective communication interface, and wherein the processor of each apparatus is configured to calculate an output as a function of the number of apparatuses in the group and arrangement of one or more apparatuses in the group, the number and arrangement being determinable based upon the indications and received data, and wherein the processor of each apparatus is configured to communicate the calculated output via a respective display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus comprising:
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a housing including a plurality of faces; a display configured to present information to a user; a communication interface configured to exchange data with a plurality of other apparatuses; a plurality of detection components each of which is located proximate a respective face of the housing, each of the detection components being configured to detect proximity of a respective face of the housing of the apparatus with respect to a housing of one or more of the other apparatuses, wherein at least two of the faces of the housing proximate to which two of the respective detection components are located comprise adjoining faces lying in planes that cut one another, the apparatus thereby supporting a two-dimensional arrangement of apparatuses; and a processor configured to communicate with the display, communication interface and detection components, wherein when the apparatus and other apparatuses are grouped and arranged in proximity with one another to form an arranged group of apparatuses, the processor is configured to receive corresponding indications from the detection components, and receive data from the other apparatuses in the group via the communication interface, and wherein the processor is configured to calculate an output as a function of the number of apparatuses in the group and arrangement of one or more apparatuses in the group, the number and arrangement being determinable based upon the indications and received data, and wherein the processor is configured to communicate the calculated output via the display. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
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providing an apparatus comprising; a housing including a plurality of faces; a display configured to present information to a user, a communication interface configured to exchange data with a plurality of other apparatuses, a plurality of detection components each of which is located proximate a respective face of the housing, each of the detection components being configured to detect proximity of a respective face of the housing of the apparatus with respect to a housing of one or more of the other apparatuses, wherein at least two of the faces of the housing proximate to which two of the respective detection components are located comprise adjoining faces lying in planes that cut one another, the apparatus thereby supporting a two-dimensional arrangement of apparatuses, and a processor configured to communicate with the display, communication interface and detection components, wherein when the apparatus and other apparatuses are grouped and arranged in proximity with one another to form an arranged group of apparatuses, the method further comprises at the processor, receiving corresponding indications from the detection components, and receiving data from the other apparatuses in the group via the communication interface; calculating an output as a function of the number of apparatuses in the group and arrangement of one or more apparatuses in the group, the number and arrangement being determinable based upon the indications and received data; and communicating the calculated output via the display. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification