Proximity Sensor Apparatus For A Game Device

• US 20120158353A1
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Sosnovskiy, Vladimir
• Granted Patent: US 9,746,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves

Abstract

A proximity sensing apparatus includes a device housing, a plurality of energy emitters, an energy detector, a reflective member, and a controller system. The proximity sensing apparatus channels reflected energy to the energy detector and determines the location of the source of reflection. The channeling of energy to the energy detector may reduce manufacturing costs by utilizing less hardware while maintaining a high level of reliability.

Claims

1. A proximity sensing apparatus comprising:

a device housing;

a plurality of energy emitters attached to the device housing such that each energy emitter emits energy to a different area outside the device housing than any other of the energy emitters;

an energy detector attached to the device housing;

a reflector positioned with respect to the device housing such that reflections of the emitted energy from one or more objects reflect off the reflector and are directed to the energy detector; and

a controller system operably coupled to the energy emitters and the energy detector, the controller system configured to selectively activate the energy emitters, receive data from the energy detector, and process the received data to determine a position of the one or more objects.

2. The proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1, where the energy detector is centrally located on the device body with respect to the plurality of energy emitters.

3. The proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1, where the reflector is centrally located on the device body with respect to the plurality of energy emitters.

4. The proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1, where the controller system determines a distance of the one or more objects from the device housing.

5. The proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1, where each of the energy emitters emit energy to a different sector of space from the device housing, the emitted energy extending in a radially symmetrical pattern around the device housing.

6. The proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1, where the energy is infrared light.

7. The proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1, where the controller system selectively activates the energy emitters by sending signals to the energy emitters to modulate the emitted energy.

8. The proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1, where each energy emitter activates at a different time than the other energy emitters.

9. The proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1, where energy from each energy emitter includes a unique frequency pattern with respect to energy from the other energy emitters.

10. The proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a feedback system operatively coupled to the controller system that provides feedback about the determined position of the one or more objects.

11. The proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1, where the reflector includes a reflective cone.

12. The proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1, where the reflector includes an air cavity.

13. The proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising one or more lenses.

14. A game kit including the proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1.

15. An autonomous robot including the proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1.

16. A vehicle including the proximity sensing apparatus of claim 1.

17. A method of sensing proximity using a proximity sensing apparatus, the method comprising:

sending an energy signal from an energy emitter;

deflecting a reflected energy signal with a reflective member;

receiving the deflected energy signal with an energy detector;

processing the reflected energy signal by a controller system; and

producing feedback based on the processed reflected energy signal from the controller system.

18. The method of claim 17 where sending an energy signal includes sequentially directing energy into sectors of space surrounding the proximity sensor apparatus.

19. The method of claim 17 where receiving the deflected energy signal includes channeling the reflected energy signal from multiple sectors of space surrounding the proximity sensor apparatus to the energy detector.

20. The method of claim 17 where processing the reflected energy signal includes identifying a time-division pattern for the reflected energy signal.