Robot computer chess game

• US 4,398,720 A
• Filed: 01/05/1981
• Issued: 08/16/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: California R & D Center
• Original Assignee: California R & D Center
• Inventors: Knighton, Mark S., Sims, Anson, Jones, Lawrence T., Howden, Ashley, Kittinger, David L., Hollander, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hum, Vance Y.
• Application Number:
  US06/222,436
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 273/237, 273/238, 200/61.1, 200/61.11, 200/83 L, 335/205, 335/206, 335/207, 340/323 R, 340/365 L, 364/410, 364/513, 318/280, 318/290, 318/747, 414/1, 414/2, 414/4, 3/1.1, 434/128
• US Class Current: 463/14
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00908 with clamping means
• 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 3/00895 Accessories for board games A63F3/00697 takes precedence; game accessories of general use A63F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 700/90 Special robot structural element

Abstract

The computer robot arm chess game assembly is provided with a chess board, magnetized chess pieces, auxiliary parking locations for the chess pieces, and an articulated radially moving robot arm. The robot arm can perform all the functions of an opponent including setting up the chess board, captures, promotions, castling, etc. The chess board and parking locations include magnetic members to not only activate resilient switches but further to spatially position the chess pieces for accurate location to assist the robot arm. Among the other interesting features, the robot arm can show emotional characteristics which can be accompanied by appropriate sounds and lights contemporaneous with a significant occurrence during the progress of the chess game.

Claims

1. In a computer controlled chess game having a housing member, a chess board, chess pieces, a computer processing circuit, a memory unit, a robot arm movably mounted adjacent the chess board, and means on the robot arm for grasping and releasing a chess piece, the improvement comprising:

a multiple layer switch member positioned beneath each chess square to indicate the presence or absence of a chess piece;

a magnetic member for each chess piece;

a plurality of cavities beneath said multiple layer switch member and the chess board corresponding to each chess square and having a magnetic member movably contained therein, the cross-sectional area of said cavity configured to at least conform to the cross-sectional area of said magnetic member of the chess piece wherein placement of said chess piece actuates said switch member and spatially positions said chess piece at a predetermined location on each chess square to ensure alignment for coaction with the grasping and releasing means.

2. The invention of claim 1 further including a chess piece storage member having a designed storage position for each type of chess piece, positioned adjacent the chess board and within the operative movement of the robot arm and additional storage switch members positioned beneath each storage position to indicate the presence of a chess piece, the magnetic means further capable of actuating the storage switch members and spatially positioning the stored pieces at predetermined locations.

3. The invention of claim 1 further including means for producing intelligent audible sounds.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the switch member is a resilient flat assembly of at least two layers of flexible conductive sheets spaced from each other by insulating spacer members.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein the robot arm is articulated into at least two portions and further including means for coordinating the relative movement of each articulated portion of the robot arm to ensure that the relative movement starts and stops at approximately the same time.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein the means on the robot arm for grasping and releasing includes a plurality of spring biased arms and a cam means for opening the arms against the spring pressure.

7. In a computer controlled chess game having a housing member, a chess board, chess pieces, a computer processing circuit, a memory unit, a robot arm movably mounted adjacent the chess board, means on the robot arm for grasping and releasing a chess piece, driving means for operatively moving the robot arm across the chess board, means for determining the current position of the robot arm, means for determining the desired final position of the robot arm in accordance with the desired implementation of the chess game, means for plotting the shortest path of movement of the robot arm from its current position to the desired final position for execution by the driving means, the improvement comprising:

means for determining the existence of a predetermined event of particular significance in the playing of a chess game and producing a corresponding event signal, and

means for altering the execution by the driving means of the plotted shortest path of movement between the current robot arm position and final position, in response to the event signal, to impose a relatively deviant movement to indicate a manifestation of physical movement by the robot arm corresponding to an emotional response to the predetermined event.

8. The invention of claim 7 further including a sound generator for producing predetermined sounds and light means for producing predetermined displays of light wherein the means for altering that responds to the event signal further activates sounds and lights complementary to the emotional response.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein the deviant movement includes repetitive opening and closing of the grasping and releasing means.

10. The invention of claim 7 wherein the deviant movement is curvilinear.

18. The invention of claim 7 further including a position switch on the articulated portions to provide a position signal to the control means.

11. In a computer controlled chess game having a housing member, a chess board, chess pieces, a computer processing circuit, a memory unit, a robot arm movably mounted adjacent the chess board, means for grasping and releasing a chess piece, and means for determining the current position of the robot arm, the improvement comprising:

means for providing an indication of a suggested move from the computer processing circuit as a response for a human player;

means for driving the robot arm from its current position to a start position over the chess piece that is suggested to be moved;

means for lowering and raising the robot arm towards and from the designated chess piece without moving the same;

means to subsequently drive the robot arm to the designated end suggested rest position of the designated chess piece, and

means for lowering and raising the robot arm towards and from the designated rest position without disturbing the current chess piece, if any, occupying the designated end rest position.

12. The invention of claim 11 further including means for determining the desired final position of the robot arm in accordance with the desired implementation of the chess game;

means for plotting the shortest path of movement of the robot arm from its current position to the desired final position for execution by the driving means;

means for determining the existence of a predetermined event of particular significance in the playing of a chess game and producing a corresponding event signal, and means for altering the execution by the driving means of the plotted shortest path of movement between the current position and final position to impose a relatively deviant movement to indicate a manifestation of physical movement by the robot arm corresponding to an emotional response to the predetermined event in response to the event signal.

13. In a computer controlled chess game having a housing member, a chess board, chess pieces, a computer processing circuit, a memory unit, a robot arm movably mounted adjacent the chess board, means for grasping and releasing a chess piece, and means for determining the current position of the robot arm, a keyboard for inputing signals to the computer processing circuit including the desired level of skill to be implemented in searching the memory unit during a chess game, the improvement comprising:

an indexed portion of the housing member surface divided into discrete segments representative of incremental skill levels;

means for driving the robot arm from its current position to a start position above the indexed discrete segments;

means for driving the robot arm to scan sequentially each discrete segment;

means for lowering and raising the robot arm towards and from a discrete segment; and

means for activating the desired skill level indicated by the robot arm.

14. In a computer controlled game having a housing member, an indexed game board, game pieces, a computer processing circuit, a memory unit, a robot arm movably mounted adjacent the game board, means for grasping and releasing a game piece, the improvement comprising:

a multiple layer switch member positioned beneath each indexed position to indicate the presence or absence of a game piece;

a magnetic member for each game piece;

a plurality of cavities beneath said multiple layer switch member and the game board corresponding to each indexed position and having a magnetic member movably contained therein, the cross-sectional area of said cavity configured to at least conform to the cross-sectioned area of said magnetic member of the game piece wherein placement of said game piece actuates said switch member and spatially positions said game piece at a predetermined location on each indexed position to ensure alignment for coaction with the grasping and releasing means.

15. In a computer controlled chess game having a housing member, a chess board, chess pieces, a computer processing circuit, a memory unit, a robot arm movably mounted adjacent the chess board, and means on the robot arm for grasping and releasing a chess piece, the improvement comprising:

a switch member positioned beneath each chess square to indicate the presence of a chess piece;

magnetic means for actuating the switch member and for further spatially positioning a chess piece at a predetermined location on each chess square to ensure alignment for coaction with the grasping and releasing means, the robot arm being articulated into at least two portions;

means for coordinating the relative movement of each articulated portion of the robot arm to ensure that the relative movement starts and stops at approximately the same time;

a first motor to rotate the entire articulated robot arm;

first monitor means to determine the amount of movement of the entire robot arm;

a second motor to rotate the articulated portion attached to the means for grasping and releasing;

second monitor means to determine the amount of movement of the articulated portion, and

control means connected to the first and second motor and the first and second monitor means for driving the entire robot arm and the relatively movable articulated portion at respective rates of velocity to ensure both movements are halted at the same time above predetermined chess piece locations.

16. The invention of claim 15 wherein the articulated portion comprises a parallelepiped configuration and a third motor connected to the articulated portion to drive it in a downward direction.

17. The invention of claim 16 wherein the articulated portion is spring biased to a closed position of the articulated portions positioned against each other.

19. In a computer controlled chess game having a housing member, a chess board, chess pieces, a computer processing circuit, a memory unit, a robot arm movably mounted adjacent the chess board, and means on the robot arm for grasping and releasing a chess piece, the improvement comprising:

a switch member positioned beneath each chess square to indicate the presence of a chess piece;

magnetic means for actuating the switch member and for further spatially positioning a chess piece at a predetermined location on each chess square to ensure alignment for coaction with the grasping and releasing means;

driving means for operatively moving the robot arm across the chess board;

means for determining the current position of the robot arm;

means for determining the desired final position of the robot arm in accordance with the desired implementation of the chess game;

means for plotting the shortest path of movement of the robot arm from its current position to the desired final position for execution by the driving means;

means for determining the existence of a predetermined event of particular significance in the playing of a chess game and producing a corresponding event signal, and

means for altering the execution by the driving means of the plotted shortest path of movement between the current position and final position to impose a relatively deviant movement to indicate a manifestation of physical movement by the robot arm corresponding to an emotional response to the predetermined event in response to the event signal.

20. In a computer controlled chess game having a housing member, a chess board, chess pieces, a computer processing circuit, a memory unit, a robot arm movably mounted adjacent the chess board, and means on the robot arm for grasping and releasing a chess piece, the improvement comprising:

a switch member positioned beneath each chess square to indicate the presence of a chess piece;

magnetic means for actuating the switch member and for further spatially positioning a chess piece at a predetermined location on each chess square to ensure alignment for coaction with the grasping and releasing means;

means for providing an indication of a suggested move from the computer processing circuit as a response for a human player;

means for driving the robot arm from its current position to a start position over the chess piece that is suggested to be moved;

means for lowering and raising the robot arm towards and from the designated chess piece without moving the same;

means to subsequently drive the robot arm to the designated end suggested rest position of the designated chess piece, and

means for lowering and raising the robot arm towards and from the designated rest position without disturbing the current chess piece, if any, occupying the designated end rest position.

21. In a computer controlled chess game having a housing member, a chess board, chess pieces, a computer processing circuit, a memory unit, a robot arm movably mounted adjacent the chess board, and means on the robot arm for grasping and releasing a chess piece, the improvement comprising:

a switch member positioned beneath each chess square to indicate the presence of a chess piece;

magnetic means for actuating the switch member and for further spatially positioning a chess piece at a predetermined location on each chess square to ensure alignment for coaction with the grasping and releasing means;

means for determining the current position of the robot arm;

a keyboard for inputting signals to the computer processing circuit including the desired level of skill to be implemented in searching the memory unit during a chess game;

an indexed portion of the housing member surface divided into discrete segments representative of incremental skill levels;

means for driving the robot arm from its current position to a start position above the indexed discrete segments;

means for driving the robot arm to scan sequentially each discrete segment;

means for lowering and raising the robot arm towards and from a discrete segment, and

means for activating the desired skill level indicated by the robot arm.