Orienting a user interface of a controller for operating a self-propelled device

• US 9,290,220 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2014
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sphero Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sphero Inc.
• Inventors: Bernstein, Ian H., Wilson, Adam, Smith, Brian Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, CALVIN K
• Application Number:
  US14/261,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20140236393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/005 Motorised rolling toys
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/00 Motor vehicles or trailers, characterised by the arrangement or number of wheels, not otherwise provided for, e.g. four wheels in diamond pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0259 using magnetic or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0891 specially adapted for land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A self-propelled device determines an orientation for its movement based on a pre-determined reference frame. A controller device is operable by a user to control the self-propelled device. The controller device includes a user interface for controlling at least a direction of movement of the self-propelled device. The self-propelled device is configured to signal the controller device information that indicates the orientation of the self-propelled device. The controller device is configured to orient the user interface, based on the information signaled from the self-propelled device, to reflect the orientation of the self-propelled device.

Claims

1. A controller device for operating a self-propelled device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

one or more processors; and

one or more memory resources storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

generate a graphic user interface on the touch-sensitive display, the graphic user interface comprising a virtual steering mechanism to maneuver the self-propelled device, the virtual steering mechanism including a marker to align with a corresponding marker on the self-propelled device;

receive orientation information from the self-propelled device, the orientation information indicating an orientation of the self-propelled device in relation to a predetermined frame of reference, wherein the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device indicates the predetermined frame of reference; and

align the marker on the virtual steering mechanism with the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device according to the orientation information from the self-propelled device.

2. The controller device of claim 1, wherein the orientation information originates from an inertial measurement unit included within the self-propelled device.

3. The controller device of claim 1, wherein

the marker on the virtual steering mechanism indicates a forward operating direction of the self-propelled device.

4. The controller device of claim 3, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

receive one or more user interactions with the marker on the virtual steering mechanism, the one or more user interactions to maneuver the self-propelled device; and

transmit one or more commands to the self-propelled device, the one or more commands to maneuver the self-propelled device in accordance with the one or more user interactions.

5. The controller device of claim 4, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

in response to transmitting the one or more commands, generating an animation on the graphic user interface reflecting the self-propelled device maneuvering based on the one or more commands.

6. The controller device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are to receive the orientation information from the self-propelled device in response to establishing a wireless connection with the self-propelled device.

7. The controller device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are to periodically receive the orientation information to realign the marker on the virtual steering mechanism with the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are to receive the orientation information from the self-propelled device in response to establishing a wireless connection with the self-propelled device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are to periodically receive the orientation information to realign the marker on the virtual steering mechanism with the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device.

10. A computer-implemented method for operating a self-propelled device, the method performed by one or more processors of a controller device and comprising:

generating a graphic user interface on a touch-sensitive display of the controller device, the graphic user interface comprising a virtual steering mechanism to maneuver the self-propelled device, the virtual steering mechanism including a marker to align with a corresponding marker on the self-propelled device;

receiving orientation information from the self-propelled device, the orientation information indicating an orientation of the self-propelled device in relation to a predetermined frame of reference, wherein the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device indicates the predetermined frame of reference; and

aligning the marker on the virtual steering mechanism with the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device according to the orientation information from the self-propelled device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the orientation information originates from an inertial measurement unit included within the self-propelled device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the marker on the virtual steering mechanism indicates a forward operating direction of the self-propelled device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving one or more user interactions with the marker on the virtual steering mechanism, the one or more user interactions to maneuver the self-propelled device; and

transmitting one or more commands to the self-propelled device, the one or more commands to maneuver the self-propelled device in accordance with the one or more user interactions.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

in response to transmitting the one or more commands, generating an animation on the graphic user interface reflecting the self-propelled device maneuvering based on the one or more commands.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for maneuvering a self-propelled device, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors of a controller device, cause the controller device to:

generate a graphic user interface on a touch-sensitive display of the controller device, the graphic user interface comprising a virtual steering mechanism to maneuver the self-propelled device, the virtual steering mechanism including a marker to align with a corresponding marker on the self-propelled device;

receive orientation information from the self-propelled device, the orientation information indicating an orientation of the self-propelled device in relation to a predetermined frame of reference, wherein the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device indicates the predetermined frame of reference; and

align the marker on the virtual steering mechanism with the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device according to the orientation information from the self-propelled device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the orientation information originates from an inertial measurement unit included within the self-propelled device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the marker on the virtual steering mechanism indicates a forward operating direction of the self-propelled device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the controller device to:

receive one or more user interactions with the marker on the virtual steering mechanism, the one or more user interactions to maneuver the self-propelled device; and

transmit one or more commands to the self-propelled device, the one or more commands to maneuver the self-propelled device in accordance with the one or more user interactions.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the controller device to:

in response to transmitting the one or more commands, generating an animation on the graphic user interface reflecting the self-propelled device maneuvering based on the one or more commands.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the controller device is to receive the orientation information from the self-propelled device in response to establishing a wireless connection with the self-propelled device.