Touchable user interface using self movable robotic modules

• US 6,243,622 B1
• Filed: 10/16/1998
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Yim, Mark H., Lamping, John O., Mao, Eric W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US09/174,069
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 345/352, 345/145, 345/133, 345/12, 345/427, 700/245, 700/86, 700/189, 200/248, 200/249, 200/262
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A touchable user interface including multiple robotic modules that can “walk” over each other to allow reconfiguration of the interface. Each module preferably includes motive devices as well as connective devices communication between the modules and a control unit that send commands to the interface, thereby enabling its reconfiguration. Depending on the needs of the user/builder, the interface can be an input interface, or both. The interface can also act as robotic appendage/manipulator capable of engaging and manipulating a wide variety of objects and/or substances by engulfing such objects and/or substances in “pseudopods” and structural voids which the modules are moved by instructions from the control unit.

Claims

1. A touchable user output interface to a computer system comprising:

a plurality of robotic modules, each robotic module substantially shaped to at least in part define a polyhedra, and each robotic module being self movable by pivoting movement with respect to adjacent robotic modules; and

a control unit for directing assembly of a predetermined structure from the plurality of robotic modules to provide a visible and tactile output from the computer system.

2. The touchable user interface to a computer system of claim 1, wherein the polyhedra is a rhombic dodecahedron.

3. The touchable user interface to a computer system of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises an external computer, and position of each of the plurality of robotic modules is directly determined by the external computer.

4. The touchable user interface to a computer system of claim 1, wherein the control unit collectively comprises a plurality of control modules distributed in each of the plurality of robotic modules, and position of each of the plurality of robotic modules is at least in part locally determined by each of the plurality of control modules.

5. The touchable user interface to a computer system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined structure can be user defined to include structural voids.

6. The touchable user input interface to a computer system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of robotic modules is substantially shaped as a polyhedron.

7. The touchable user input interface to a computer system of claim 6, wherein the polyhedra is a rhombic dodecahedron.

8. The touchable user input interface to a computer system of claim 6, wherein the predetermined structure can be user defined to include structural voids.

9. A touchable user input interface to a computer system comprising:

a plurality of robotic modules, each robotic module substantially shaped to at least in part define a polyhedra, and each robotic module being self movable by pivoting movement with respect to adjacent robotic modules, with each robotic module further comprising a sensor for detecting user input; and

a detection unit for monitoring changes to the plurality of robotic modules to provide input to the computer system.

10. A touchable user output interface to a computer system comprising:

a plurality of robotic modules, each robotic module substantially shaped to at least in part define a polyhedra, and each robotic module being self movable by pivoting movement with respect to adjacent robotic modules, and

a control unit for directing assembly of a predetermined structure from the plurality of robotic modules to provide a visible and tactile output from the computer system, the control unit including a plurality of control modules distributed in each of the plurality of robotic modules, each of the plurality of control modules at least in part locally determining a position of each of the plurality of robotic modules.

11. A touchable user input interface to a computer system comprising:

a plurality of robotic modules, each robotic module substantially shaped as a polyhedron, and each robotic module being self movable by pivoting movement with respect to adjacent robotic modules, with each robotic module further comprising a sensor for detecting user input;

a detection unit for monitoring changes to the plurality of robotic modules to provide input to the computer system; and

a structure formed by the plurality of robotic modules can be user defined to include structural voids.