Self-propelled device for interpreting input from a controller device

• US 9,394,016 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2015
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• 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, Carroll, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, CALVIN K
• Application Number:
  US14/832,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20150362919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 333 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 operates to interpret an input corresponding to a set of actions that are performed on a controller device.

Claims

1. A self-propelled device system comprising:

a self-propelled device;

a controller device dimensioned to be movable in three dimensional space by a user, the controller device including;

at least one component to detect and measure an acceleration of the controller device when the controller device is moved in three-dimensional space in accordance with any one of multiple possible user actions;

a wireless communication interface to transmit movement data to the self-propelled device, the movement data being indicative of a measured characteristic of the acceleration detected by the at least one component when the controller device is moved in accordance with any one or more of the multiple possible user actions;

wherein the self-propelled device includes;

a housing;

a wireless communication interface to receive the movement data from the controller device;

a drive system contained within the housing; and

one or more processors contained within the housing to;

interpret the movement data as a set of commands for maneuvering the self-propelled device, wherein each command in the set of commands corresponds to at least one of the multiple possible user actions; and

implement the set of commands on the drive system to maneuver the self-propelled device based on the set of commands.

2. The self-propelled device system of claim 1,

wherein the at least one component of the controller device includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU);

and

wherein the one or more processors of the self-propelled device;

determine an initial reference frame of the self-propelled device utilizing movement data from the IMU; and

transmit information corresponding to the initial reference frame to the controller device.

3. The self-propelled device system of claim 2,

wherein the controller device includes a touchscreen;

and

wherein the one or more processors of the self-propelled device;

receive control inputs corresponding to the user performing touchscreen inputs on a graphic steering mechanism generated on the touchscreen of the controller device;

interpret the control inputs as a second set of commands to maneuver the self-propelled device; and

implement the second set of commands on the drive system to maneuver the self-propelled device based on the touchscreen inputs on the generated graphic steering mechanism.

4. The self-propelled device system of claim 3, wherein the control inputs are specific to a controller application initiated on the controller device.

5. The self-propelled device system of claim 4, wherein the controller application generates a virtual environment that includes a virtual representation of the self-propelled device.

6. The self-propelled device system of claim 5, wherein movement of the virtual representation of the self-propelled device in the virtual environment corresponds to actual movement of the self-propelled device in a real-world environment.

7. The self-propelled device system of claim 3, wherein the one or more processors transmit, using the wireless communication interface of the self-propelled device, dynamic feedback data comprising position and orientation information of the self-propelled device, as the self-propelled device is maneuvered, to the controller device.

8. The self-propelled device system of claim 1, wherein the at least one component of the controller device includes a three-dimensional accelerometer.

9. The self-propelled device system of claim 1, wherein the at least one component of the controller device includes a gyroscope.

10. The self-propelled device system of claim 1, wherein the at least one component of the controller device includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

11. The self-propelled device system of claim 10, wherein the self-propelled device includes a component corresponding to at least one of a gyroscope, accelerometer or IMU, and wherein the one or more processors of the self-propelled device use the component to determine an orientation of the self-propelled device when the self-propelled device moves.

12. The self-propelled device system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors transmit, using the wireless communication interface of the self-propelled device, orientation information of the self-propelled to the controller device so that the controller device and the self-propelled device have a common frame of reference.

13. The self-propelled device system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors of the self-propelled device receive audio input from the user speaking.

14. The self-propelled device system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the controller device or the one or more processors of the self-propelled device interprets a command from a spoken word of the user.

15. The self-propelled device system of claim 14, wherein the controller device interprets the spoken word of the user into command data, and transmits the command data to the self-propelled device.

16. The self-propelled device system of claim 1, wherein the multiple possible user actions includes gestures in three-dimensional space while the user holds the controller device.