ROBOTIC BALL DEVICE WITH IMPROVED ROBUSTNESS AND A MULTITUDE OF INTERACTIVE AND SENSING CAPABILITIES
First Claim
1. A robotic ball device having a center point and a first axis of rotation passing through the center point around which the robotic ball device rotates during motion in a forward linear direction, the robotic ball device comprising:
- a housing;
a defined pathway located on an inner face of the housing that forms a closed loop around the first axis of rotation;
a rolling member contained in the housing and movably disposed on the defined pathway;
an actuator coupled to the rolling member for actuating rotation of the rolling member; and
a weighted component operationally coupled to the rolling member, the weighted component being sufficiently heavy to maintain the rolling member, during a motion in the forward linear direction, at a substantially constant angular position in a forward vertical plane dissecting the rolling member, relative to an origin in a moving frame of reference that moves with the robotic ball device;
wherein the rolling member is vertically unaligned with the first axis of rotation.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A robotic ball device having a center point and an axis of rotation passing through the center point around which the robotic ball device rotates during motion in a forward linear direction includes a housing and a defined pathway located on an inner face of the housing that forms a closed loop around the axis of rotation. A rolling member is contained in the housing and movably disposed on the defined pathway. An actuator is coupled to the rolling member for actuating rotation of the rolling member. A weighted component is operationally coupled to the rolling member, and the weighted component is sufficiently heavy to maintain the rolling member, during a motion in the forward linear direction, at a substantially constant angular position in a forward vertical plane, which dissects the rolling member, relative to an origin in a moving frame of reference that moves with the robotic ball device.
11 Citations
48 Claims
-
1. A robotic ball device having a center point and a first axis of rotation passing through the center point around which the robotic ball device rotates during motion in a forward linear direction, the robotic ball device comprising:
-
a housing; a defined pathway located on an inner face of the housing that forms a closed loop around the first axis of rotation; a rolling member contained in the housing and movably disposed on the defined pathway; an actuator coupled to the rolling member for actuating rotation of the rolling member; and a weighted component operationally coupled to the rolling member, the weighted component being sufficiently heavy to maintain the rolling member, during a motion in the forward linear direction, at a substantially constant angular position in a forward vertical plane dissecting the rolling member, relative to an origin in a moving frame of reference that moves with the robotic ball device; wherein the rolling member is vertically unaligned with the first axis of rotation. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 47, 48)
-
-
2-9. -9. (canceled)
-
12. (canceled)
-
15-16. -16. (canceled)
-
18-21. -21. (canceled)
-
27-36. -36. (canceled)
-
37. A robotic ball device, comprising:
-
a housing; a car movably disposed on an inner face of the housing, the car comprising a body and one or more rolling members; and one or more capacitive sensors coupled to the car. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
-
44. A robotic ball device, comprising:
-
a housing; one or more capacitive sensors; and a voltage source coupled to the one or more capacitive sensors; wherein the voltage source is configured to supply a voltage level sufficient to cause the one or more capacitive sensors to detect human contact with the housing. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
-
Specification