Apparatus and method generating interactive signal for a moving article

• US 8,493,324 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symyx Technologies Incorporated (Dassault Systemes SA), Shih-Ti Kuo
• Original Assignee: Symyx Technologies Incorporated (Dassault Systemes SA), Shih-Ti Kuo
• Inventors: Kuo, Shih-Ti
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Redmann, Gregory J
• Application Number:
  US11/972,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20090179858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,021 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 345/158
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

An airplane model is provided with a human-sensible interactive signal source; and the moving status of the air plane model such velocity is detected to generate a movement parameter. The movement parameter is operated with a frequency-dependent conversion function to obtain a first interactive data. A second interactive data is generated when a trace of the moving article is matched with a default pattern. A third interactive data is generated when the velocity along at least one dimension exceeds a threshold value. The interactive signal source, such as loudspeaker or lamps, is selectively driven by one of the interactive data to generate a movement-dependent audiovisual effect. Therefore, the airplane model can provide enhanced amusement effect for a user.

Claims

1. A toy model capable of generating interactive signal, comprising:

a body;

a velocity sensor fixed to the body;

a micro controller unit (MCU) arranged in the body and electrically connected to the velocity sensor;

a database arranged in the body, electrically connected to the MCU and storing a plurality of interactive data selected from a group of transfer function and weight parameter data, velocity threshold data, acceleration threshold data, default sound effect data, special sound effect data, flashing light mode data and default trace pattern data;

an interactive-signal output driver arranged in the body and electrically connected to the MCU; and

an interactive signal source provided at a predetermined position of the body and electrically connected to the interactive-signal output driver,

wherein the velocity sensor senses a movement parameter of the toy model, the velocity sensor sends the movement parameter to the MCU for processing, and the MCU determines an interactive effect, which includes a sound effect for flying simulation, a sound effect for matching flying trace and a lighting effect for flying simulation of the toy model, with reference to the database and then selects at least one interactive data and reads audio-visual data therein for driving the interactive signal source through the interactive-signal output driver, and

wherein the interactive-signal output driver adjusts level or power of audio signals and visual signals generated by the MCU according to the audio-visual data so that the audio signals and the visual signals are adaptively generated for the interactive signal source to perform the interactive effect.

2. The toy model capable of generating interactive signal as in claim 1, wherein the movement parameter includes velocities along three dimensional directions, and the MCU determines the largest one among flying direction velocity, turning velocity, and upward/downward velocity to perform the sound effect for flying simulation of the toy model.

3. The toy model capable of generating interactive signal as in claim 2, wherein the interactive signal source is a loudspeaker and the interactive data is the default sound effect data.

4. The toy model capable of generating interactive signal as in claim 1, wherein the sound effect for flying simulation of the toy model is performed by operating the velocity along three dimensional directions with at least one conversion function.

5. The toy model capable of generating interactive signal as in claim 1, wherein the MCU is configured to compare a trace deduced from the velocity along three dimensional directions and a default trace in the database, and the MCU is configured to sends a special sound effect in the database when the trace is matched with the default trace in the database.

6. The toy model capable of generating interactive signal as in claim 5, wherein the default trace is one of circle shape, triangular shape, number-8 shape or square shape.

7. The toy model capable of generating interactive signal as in claim 1, wherein the velocity sensor comprises an accelerator sensor and the movement parameter is acceleration along three dimensions.

8. The toy model capable of generating interactive signal as in claim 7, further comprising

an integrator to perform integration on output of the accelerator sensor.

9. The toy model capable of generating interactive signal as in claim 1, wherein the interactive source is a lamp and the interactive data is signal to drive the lamp.

10. The toy model capable of generating interactive signal as in claim 9, wherein the toy model is an airplane model and the lamp comprises light emitting diode (LED) lamps on wings of the airplane model.

11. The toy model capable of generating interactive signal as in claim 9, wherein the toy model is an airplane model and the lamp comprises a light emitting diode (LED) lamp on tail of the airplane model.

12. The toy model capable of generating interactive signal as in claim 10, wherein the movement parameter is velocity of three dimensions and the MCU is configured to drive one of lamps on wings of the airplane model to flash when a left direction velocity or a right direction velocity exceeds a threshold in the velocity threshold database.

13. The toy model capable of generating interactive signal as in claim 11, wherein the movement parameter is velocity of three dimensions and the MCU is configured to drive the lamp on tail of the airplane model to flash when a forward velocity exceeds a threshold in the velocity threshold database.

14. A method for generating interactive signal, comprising:

providing a toy airplane model, a velocity sensor fixed to the toy airplane model, a micro controller unit (MCU) arranged in the toy airplane model and electrically connected to the velocity sensor, a database arranged in the toy airplane model, electrically connected to the MCU and storing a plurality of interactive data choosing from transfer function and weight parameter data, velocity threshold data, acceleration threshold data, default sound effect data, special sound effect data, flashing light mode data and default trace pattern data, an interactive-signal output driver arranged in the toy airplane model and electrically connected to the MCU, and an interactive signal source provided at a predetermined position of the toy airplane model and electrically connected to the interactive-signal output driver;

detecting a movement status of the toy airplane model to generate a movement parameter by the velocity sensor;

performing an operation based on the movement parameter with a frequency-dependent conversion function to determine an interactive effect, which includes a sound effect for flying simulation, a sound effect for matching flying trace and a lighting effect for flying simulation of the toy model, with reference to the database and then select the interactive data and read audio-visual data therein by the MCU;

providing the interactive data to the interactive-signal output driver for adjusting level or power of audio signals and visual signals generated by the MCU according to the audio-visual data; and

supplying the audio signals and the visual signals for driving the interactive signal source through the interactive-signal output driver to perform the interactive effect.

15. The method in claim 14, wherein the interactive signal source is a loudspeaker and the movement parameter is one of velocity in three dimensions and acceleration in three dimensions.

16. The method in claim 15, wherein an audio frequency of the loudspeaker is varied with the velocity in three dimensions or acceleration in three dimensions.

17. The method in claim 14, wherein the interactive signal source is at least one lamp and the movement parameter is one of velocity in three dimensions and acceleration in three dimensions.

18. The method in claim 15, wherein a flashing frequency of the lamp is varied with the velocity in three dimensions or acceleration in three dimensions.

19. A method for generating interactive signal, comprising:

providing a toy airplane model, a velocity sensor fixed to the toy airplane model, a micro controller unit (MCU) arranged in the toy airplane model and electrically connected to the velocity sensor, a database arranged in the toy airplane model, electrically connected to the MCU and storing a default trace pattern data, and an interactive signal source provided at a predetermined position of the toy airplane model and electrically connected to the MCU;

detecting a movement status of the toy airplane model to generate a movement trace by the velocity sensor;

comparing the movement trace with the default trace pattern by the MCU;

driving the interactive signal source to generate an interactive signal by the MCU when the comparison is matched.

20. The method in claim 19 wherein the interactive signal source is a loudspeaker and the default pattern is one of circle shape, triangular shape, number-8 shape or square shape.