Self-propelled device with actively engaged drive system

• US 9,766,620 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sphero Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sphero Inc.
• Inventors: Bernstein, Ian H., Wilson, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Application Number:
  US14/884,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20160033967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• 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 is provided including a drive system, a spherical housing, and a biasing mechanism. The drive system includes one or more motors that are contained within the spherical housing. The biasing mechanism actively forces the drive system to continuously engage an interior of the spherical housing in order to cause the spherical housing to move.

Claims

1. A self-propelled device comprising:

a drive system comprising one or more motors and one or more wheels;

a spherical housing that contains the drive system;

a support structure coupled to bias the drive system to cause the one or more wheels to continuously engage an inner surface of the spherical housing and cause the spherical housing to be driven by the drive system;

a wireless communication port that receives control inputs from a controller device; and

an internal controller to implement control commands corresponding to the control inputs on the drive system to maneuver the self-propelled device.

2. The self-propelled device of claim 1, wherein the control inputs correspond to voice inputs from a user of the controller device.

3. The self-propelled device of claim 2, wherein the voice inputs from the user are received by a microphone of the controller device, and wherein the control inputs received via the wireless communication port comprise control commands interpreted from the voice inputs by the controller device.

4. The self-propelled device of claim 2, wherein the control inputs further correspond to motion inputs associated with the user physically moving the controller device.

5. The self-propelled device of claim 4, wherein the internal controller interprets the control inputs corresponding to the motion inputs as a multiple-component user action in maneuvering the self-propelled device.

6. The self-propelled device of claim 2, wherein the voice inputs trigger the internal controller to operate the drive system in an autonomous mode.

7. The self-propelled device of claim 6, further comprising:

a set of sensors;

wherein the internal controller utilizes the set of sensors to operate the drive system in the autonomous mode.

8. The self-propelled device of claim 7, wherein the set of sensors comprise an inertial measurement unit.

9. The self-propelled device of claim 7, wherein the internal controller executes sensor control logic to interpret sensor data from the set of sensors to control at least one of a speed or a direction of travel.

10. The self-propelled device of claim 9, wherein the executed sensor control logic causes the internal controller to generate a state output in response to a condition of the self-propelled device.

11. The self-propelled device of claim 10, wherein the condition comprises at least one of a user input received from the user or an operational condition of the self-propelled device.

12. The self-propelled device of claim 11, wherein the user input comprises a voice command.

13. The self-propelled device of claim 10, wherein the generated state output comprises at least one of an illumination output, an audio output, or an operational status output.

14. The self-propelled device of claim 2, wherein the internal controller operates the drive system based on executing a shared program with the controller device, the shared program causing the internal controller to provide feedback to the controller device, the feedback causing an output response on the controller device.

15. A system comprising:

a controller device; and

a self-propelled device in communication with the controller device, the self-propelled device comprising;

a drive system comprising one or more motors and one or more wheels;

a spherical housing that contains the drive system;

a support structure coupled to bias the drive system to cause the one or more wheels to continuously engage an inner surface of the spherical housing and cause the spherical housing to be driven by the drive system;

a wireless communication port that receives control inputs from the controller device; and

an internal controller to implement control commands corresponding to the control inputs on the drive system to maneuver the self-propelled device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the control inputs correspond to voice inputs from a user of the controller device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the voice inputs from the user are received by a microphone of the controller device, and wherein the control inputs received via the wireless communication port comprise control commands interpreted from the voice inputs by the controller device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the control inputs further correspond to motion inputs associated with the user physically moving the controller device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the internal controller of the self-propelled device interprets the control inputs corresponding to the motion inputs as a multiple-component user action in maneuvering the self-propelled device.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the voice inputs trigger the internal controller to operate the drive system in an autonomous mode.