Robotic activity system using color patterns
First Claim
1. A method for driving an autonomous robotic device, comprising:
- generating light sensor data by a set of light sensors integrated within a bottom face of the autonomous robotic device, wherein the light sensor data corresponds to detected light that is emitted upward from or is reflected upward from a board upon which the autonomous robotic device is placed;
following, by the autonomous robotic device, a line shown on the board using the light sensor data and thereby causing a color sensor coupled to the bottom face of the autonomous robotic device to be positioned over the line;
generating color data by the color sensor, wherein the color data corresponds to a color of light that is emitted upward from or is reflected upward from the board upon which the autonomous robotic device is placed; and
using the color data to detect, by the autonomous robotic device, a color pattern included in the line shown on the board;
comparing, by the autonomous robotic device, the color pattern against a set of color pattern definitions;
determining, by the autonomous robotic device, a match between the color pattern and a color pattern definition from the set of color pattern definitions;
determining, by the autonomous robotic device, a function associated with the matched color pattern definition; and
performing, by the autonomous robotic device, the function associated with the matched color pattern definition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A robotic activity system, which includes a board and an autonomous robotic device, is described herein. The board may display a line and one or more color patterns. The robotic device may traverse the line using one or more integrated sensors. For example, sensor data may include light intensity data for visible light reflected or emitted by the board. The sensor data may be analyzed to 1) ensure the robotic device follows the line and/or 2) detect color sequences associated with color patterns shown on the board. Upon detection of a color sequence, the robotic device may attempt to match the color sequence with a known color pattern definition. The color pattern definition may be associated with a function to be performed by the robotic device. Using multiple sets of color patterns and associated functions allows the robotic device to move in a variable and potentially unpredictable fashion.
51 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for driving an autonomous robotic device, comprising:
- generating light sensor data by a set of light sensors integrated within a bottom face of the autonomous robotic device, wherein the light sensor data corresponds to detected light that is emitted upward from or is reflected upward from a board upon which the autonomous robotic device is placed;
following, by the autonomous robotic device, a line shown on the board using the light sensor data and thereby causing a color sensor coupled to the bottom face of the autonomous robotic device to be positioned over the line; generating color data by the color sensor, wherein the color data corresponds to a color of light that is emitted upward from or is reflected upward from the board upon which the autonomous robotic device is placed; and
using the color data to detect, by the autonomous robotic device, a color pattern included in the line shown on the board;comparing, by the autonomous robotic device, the color pattern against a set of color pattern definitions; determining, by the autonomous robotic device, a match between the color pattern and a color pattern definition from the set of color pattern definitions; determining, by the autonomous robotic device, a function associated with the matched color pattern definition; and performing, by the autonomous robotic device, the function associated with the matched color pattern definition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 14)
- generating light sensor data by a set of light sensors integrated within a bottom face of the autonomous robotic device, wherein the light sensor data corresponds to detected light that is emitted upward from or is reflected upward from a board upon which the autonomous robotic device is placed;
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7. An autonomous robotic device, comprising:
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a downward facing color sensor to generate color sensor data corresponding to a sequence of colors in detected light that is emitted upward from or reflected upward from a board upon which the autonomous robotic device is placed; a pattern-function table to store a set of color pattern definitions and functions corresponding to each color pattern definition, wherein each color pattern definition represents a set of color changes and defines a color pattern; a pattern recognition unit to
1) detect the presence of a color pattern on the board based on a detected set of color changes in the color sensor data and
2) determine a function corresponding to the detected color pattern by comparing the detected set of color changes against the set of color pattern definitions in the pattern-function table to determine a matching color pattern definition and the corresponding function; anda function control unit to perform the determined function. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a machine-readable storage medium that stores instructions which, when executed by a processor in a robotic computing device, record light sensor data received from a set of downward facing light sensors integrated within the robotic computing device, wherein the light sensor data corresponds to light emitted upward from or reflected upward by a board on which the robotic computing device is placed; drive motors integrated within the robotic computing device to follow a line shown on the board based on the light sensor data and thereby position a downward facing color sensor, integrated within the robotic computing device, over the line; record color sensor data received from the color sensor, wherein the color sensor data corresponds to a color of light that is emitted upward from or is reflected upward from the board upon which the robotic computing device is placed; detect a color pattern included in the line shown on the board using the color sensor data; determine that the color pattern corresponds to a color pattern definition; and perform a function associated with the color pattern definition. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
Specification