Rolling toy with motion recording and playback capability

• US 6,354,842 B1
• Filed: 03/09/2000
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Frei, Philipp A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOSSER, KATHLEEN MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US09/522,163
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 446/175, 446/409, 446/436, 446/456, 119/702, 119/707, 434/365.1, 434/239, 434/300, 434/302, 434/305, 434/258
• US Class Current: 434/365
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/25 Other wheeled vehicles with moving figures toy figures moving together with toy vehicles, led or propelled by the user, A63H7/04; self-movable toy figures driven by wheeled undercarriages A63H11/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/395 steered by program
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles

Abstract

A rolling device in the form of a two-wheeled toy can record and play back physical motion. In a “training mode,” the user grasps the device and draws it along a surface on a desired path. The motion is sensed and recorded in an internal memory. In a “playback mode,” the previously imparted motion is repeated—i.e., executed by internal circuitry based on the recorded motion, preferably over and over.

Claims

1. A rolling device comprising:

a. a housing comprising first and second wheels projecting therefrom and being adapted for rolling on a surface;

b. first and second motors for driving the first and second wheels, respectively;

c. first and second sensors for monitoring rotation of the first and second wheels, respectively, in a training mode with the motors inactive;

d. a memory, responsive to the sensors, for recording the monitored wheel rotations; and

e. a controller, operatively coupled to the memory and to the motors, for operating the motors in a playback mode so as to replicate the recorded rotations.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the controller is also operatively coupled to the sensors, the controller capturing, in the training mode, a series of instantaneous angular wheel positions and a time associated with each position, the controller thereby computing and storing in the memory and subsequently replicating, in the playback mode, a trajectory, velocity, and acceleration for each wheel.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the motors are bidirectional and rotation is monitored in forward and reverse rotational directions.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the controller is further configured to replicate the recorded rotations in forward and reverse rotational directions.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising an environmental sensor operative during the playback mode, the controller being responsive to the environmental sensor and interrupting playback of the recorded rotations upon occurrence of a predetermined environmental condition.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the environmental sensor comprises at least one bump sensor.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein the memory stores a reactive rotational sequence, the controller operating the motors to execute the reactive rotational sequence upon occurrence of the environmental condition and, following playback of the reactive rotational sequence, causing resumed playback of the recorded rotations.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a pen, attached to the housing, for writing on the surface.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the pen is attached to the housing by means of a bearing member, the bearing member permitting the pen to be moved along an axis and comprising:

a. a sensor for sensing a pen position along the axis; and

b. an actuator, responsive to the controller, for moving the pen along the axis, the memory recording changes in the pen position in the training mode, and the controller operating the actuator to replicate the recorded changes in the pen position during the playback mode.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising a microphone, a speaker, and an audio circuit, the memory recording signals from the microphone in the training mode and the audio circuit causing the signals to be played through the speaker during the playback mode.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the memory is physically removable from the housing.

12. The device of claim 1 further comprising a communication circuit for (i) transmitting to an external receiver the recorded monitored wheel rotations stored in the memory and (ii) receiving from an external source a sequence of wheel rotations for storage in the memory and subsequent playback by the controller.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein transmission and reception are wireless.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the communication circuit comprises an infrared transceiver.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein the communication circuit comprises a radio-frequency transceiver.

16. The device of claim 12 wherein the communication circuit comprises a computer interface and a connector facilitating data exchange with a computer.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the housing is smooth and graspable.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to replicate the recorded rotations in a speeded-up or slowed-down fashion upon command.

19. The device of claim 2 wherein the controller is configured to replicate the recorded rotations so as to expand or reduce the trajectory upon command.

20. The device of claim 2 wherein the controller implements a damping factor and is configured to increase or decrease the damping factor upon command.

21. The device of claim 1 further comprising a speaker and an audio circuit, the memory comprising prerecorded audio information, the audio circuit causing the information to be played through the speaker during the playback mode.