Interactive Application Platform For A Motorized Toy Entity And Display

• US 20130310956A1
• Filed: 10/24/2012
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rehco LLC
• Original Assignee: Rehco LLC
• Inventors: Rehkemper, Jeffrey, Rehkemper, Steven, Kadile, Michael, Peach, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,766,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00659 LCD's
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2444 Light detector
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2457 Display screens, e.g. monitors, video displays
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2458 LCD's
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/246 Computer generated or synthesized image
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2486 the computer being an accessory to a board game
• 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: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/395 steered by program
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36168 Touchscreen
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70

Abstract

An illustrative application control system is provided having an entity and an electronic device with a display. The control system includes software operating instructions to direct movement of the entity and to direct display operation to interact with the entity. The entity may have the capability to move when positioned on the display and to detect pixels and pixel arrangements on the display. The electronic device may include the capability to generate and display the pixels and pixel arrangements in subsequent locations on the display to trigger entity responses. The software operating instructions may include content such as audio output and/or performance instructions to facilitate interaction between the entity and electronic device.

Claims

16. A control system for a motorized entity:

an electronic device with a display having a display area, and an electronic device integrated circuit with a set of marker control software instructions with a capability to display a plurality of position markers, each position marker including a marker area within a pixel arrangement;

the plurality of position markers including a location marker and an initial marker, the initial marker having an initial marker area;

an entity with one or more sensors in communication with an entity integrated circuit, the entity integrated circuit in communication with a motorized capability to move the entity and including a set of entity control software instructions, the one or more sensors capable of detecting pixels and pixel arrangements and configured to send a detection signal to the entity integrated circuit upon detection thereof;

a capability to direct entity movements including;

the set of marker control software instructions configured to;

(i) generate and display the position marker as the initial marker;

(ii) generate and display subsequent position markers, each subsequent position marker having an area smaller than the previous position marker area, the last of the subsequent position markers displayed being the location marker at a location;

the set of entity control software instructions configured to;

(i) receive one or more detection signals from the one or more sensors indicating detection of a pixel arrangement;

(ii) send control signals to the motorized capability to move the entity to maintain entity positioning in relation to the detected pixel arrangement;

wherein the entity moves to the location as the one or more sensors send detection signals to the entity integrated circuit to activate the motorized capability to move the entity in accordance with detected pixel arrangements.

17. The control system of claim 16, wherein the initial marker area is greater than the display area.

18. The control system of claim 16, wherein the initial marker area is equal to the display area.

19. The control system of claim 16, wherein the initial marker area is less than the display area.

20. The control system of claim 16 further comprising:

the pixel arrangement surrounding the position marker forming a border;

a ready state alignment defined as an alignment where the one or more sensors are positioned within the position marker area;

wherein the set of entity control software instructions are further configured to activate the motorized capability to move the entity to return to the ready state alignment as the plurality of position markers are displayed at subsequent locations.

21. The control system of claim 20, wherein, the set of marker control software instructions further configured to display the plurality of position markers in subsequent locations at incremental distances equal to a sensor detection distance defined as a distance less than or equal to the distance between the sensors.

22. The control system of claim 16, the motorized capability to move the entity comprising:

two motors in communication with the entity integrated circuit and a power source, each motor further in communication with a respective wheel;

wherein the entity integrated circuit is configured to send control signals to activate the two motors to rotate each wheel to move the entity in accordance with the set of entity control software instructions.

27. The control system of claim 21, the motorized capability to move the entity comprising:

two motors in communication with the entity integrated circuit and a power source, each motor further in communication with a respective wheel; and

wherein the entity integrated circuit is configured to send control signals to activate the two motors to rotate each wheel in accordance with the set of entity control software instructions to move the entity.

28. The control system of claim 21, the motorized capability to move the entity comprising:

two motors in communication with the entity integrated circuit and power source, each motor in communication with a respective wheel;

a receiver in communication with the integrated circuit; and

a remote control unit with a transmitter;

wherein a user initiates entity movements by sending commands to the receiver to activate the two motors to rotate each wheel in accordance to the commands.

23. A control system for a motorized entity comprising:

an electronic device with a display and an electronic device integrated circuit, the device integrated circuit including a set of marker control software instructions with a capability to generate and display a position marker having an area within a pixel arrangement;

an entity with one or more sensors in communication with an entity integrated circuit, the entity integrated circuit further in communication with a motorized capability to move the entity and including a set of entity control software instructions, the one or more sensors capable of detecting pixel arrangements and configured to send a detection signal to the entity integrated circuit upon detection thereof;

the entity including a capability to locate the position marker wherein the set of entity control software instructions are configured to activate the motorized capability to move the entity to execute a location movement, the location movement further defined as a series of entity movements in a preprogrammed pattern on the display where the entity executes the movements until the sensors detect the pixel arrangement of the position marker;

wherein the device generates and displays the position marker, the entity is placed on the display and the set of entity control programmed software instructions activates the location movement such that the entity moves in the programmed pattern until the entity locates the position marker.

24. The control system of claim 23 further comprising:

the entity further including a speaker in communication with the entity integrated circuit;

the set of entity control software instructions further configured to send a control signal to the speaker to emit an audio location output when the sensors detect the position marker;

the electronic device further including a microphone capable of detecting the audio location output and sending an audio output detection signal to the device integrated circuit;

wherein the set of marker control software instructions are further configured to identify the location of the pixel illuminated at the time of the sensor detection to determine the location of the entity.

25. The preprogrammed pattern of entity movements of claim 24 further defined as a zigzag pattern of entity movements.

26. The preprogrammed pattern of entity movements of claim 24 further defined as a spiral pattern of entity movements.

29. A control system to locate a motorized entity on a display comprising:

an electronic device with a display, a microphone, and an electronic device integrated circuit with a set of entity locating software instructions with a capability to generate and display a sequence of pixels in a location pattern, and to further receive an audio output detection signal from the microphone;

an entity with a speaker and one or more sensors in communication with an entity integrated circuit, the entity integrated circuit including a set of entity control software instructions, the one or more sensors capable of detecting pixels and configured to send a pixel detection signal to the entity integrated circuit upon detection thereof;

a capability to locate the entity when positioned on the display including;

the set of entity locating software instructions configured to;

(i) generate and display the sequence of pixels in the location pattern;

(ii) receive an audio output detection signal from the microphone and identify the pixel displayed at the time the audio output detection signal is sent;

the set of entity control programmed software instructions configured to;

(i) receive a pixel detection signal from the one or more sensors indicating detection of a pixel(s);

(ii) send a control signal to the speaker to emit an audio location output signal when a pixel detection signal is received;

wherein the device integrated circuit locates the entity by identifying the pixel generated at the time the audio output detection signal is sent.

30. The control system of claim 29 further comprising:

the electronic device including a set of marker control software instructions with a capability to generate and display a position marker having an area with a pixel arrangement at the entity'"'"'s location as determined by the capability to locate the entity;

the entity integrated circuit further in communication with a motorized capability to move the entity and including a set of entity control software instructions, the one or more sensors capable of detecting a pixel arrangement and configured to send a detection signal to the entity integrated circuit upon detection thereof;

a capability to direct entity movements including;

the set of marker control software instructions configured to;

(i) generate and display the position marker on the display;

(ii) generate and display the position marker in subsequent locations on the display in a programmed pattern;

the set of entity control software instructions configured to;

(i) receive one or more detection signals from the one or more sensors indicating detection of a pixel arrangement;

(ii) send control signals to the motorized capability to move the entity to adjust and maintain entity positioning in relation to the detected pixel arrangement such that the entity moves in accordance to subsequent locations of the position marker.

31. The control system of claim 30, further comprising:

the pixel arrangement surrounding the position marker area to form a border; and

a ready state alignment between the one or more sensors and the border defined as an alignment such that the one or more sensors are positioned within the border;

wherein the set of entity control software instructions are further configured to activate the motorized capability to move the entity to return to the ready state alignment as the position marker is displayed at subsequent locations.

32. The control system of claim 30, further comprising:

the pixel arrangement surrounding the position marker area to form a border;

wherein the set of entity control software instructions are further configured to activate the motorized capability to move the entity to maintain entity positioning outside the border in accordance to the displayed subsequent locations of the position marker.

33. The control system of claim 30, the motorized capability to move the entity comprising:

two motors in communication with the entity integrated circuit and power source, each motor further in communication with a respective wheel;

wherein the entity integrated circuit is configured to send control signals to activate the two motors to rotate each wheel in accordance with the set of entity control software instructions to move the entity.

34-1. The control system of claim 36, wherein the response element is further defined as a light included on the entity and in communication with the integrated circuit, wherein the integrated circuit directs the light to illuminate when a control signal is received.

35-2. The control system of claim 36, wherein the response element further defined as a speaker included on the entity and in communication with the integrated circuit, wherein the integrated circuit directs the speaker to output audio content when a control signal is received.

36-3. The control system of claim 36, wherein the response element further defined as a motor included on the entity and in communication with the integrated circuit, wherein the integrated circuit directs the motor to activate when a control signal is received.