Pattern recognition with a non-detectable stencil on the touch-sensitive surface

• US 10,649,603 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2019
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lego A/S (Kirkbi A/S)
• Original Assignee: Lego A/S (Kirkbi A/S)
• Inventors: Fogtmann, Maiken Hillerup, Laulund, Jens Valentin, Mathiasen, Daniel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghebretinsae, Temesghen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Quiles, Ivelisse Martinez
• Application Number:
  US16/291,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20190196625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/042 Mechanical, electrical, optical, pneumatic or hydraulic arrangements; Motors
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/086 with primary projections fitting by friction in complementary spaces between secondary projections, e.g. sidewalls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of providing input to an electronic unit comprising a touch-sensitive surface that is configured for registering application of touch by a flexible unit and a toy comprising an electronic unit comprising a touch-sensitive surface and a structure; the structure configured from a material that cannot be registered by the touch-sensitive surface, and it comprises, either at the periphery or within the periphery, at least one marked position. One or more flexible units that comprise(s) material that can be registered by the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the one or more flexible units extend(s) past the top side of the structure and to the bottom side of the structure, to the effect that the registration of a flexible unit is conditioned by the configuration of the at least one marked position.

Claims

1. A method of providing input to an electronic unit comprising a touch-sensitive surface that is configured for registering application of touch by a flexible unit, the method comprising:

providing a structure configured from a material that cannot be registered by the touch-sensitive surface having an area, the structure having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side having an area that is smaller than the area of the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the area of the bottom side is delimited by an outer periphery on the structure, and wherein the structure comprises, either at the periphery or within the periphery, two or more marked positions, each of the two or more marked positions configured for receiving and positioning the flexible unit;

deploying the structure at any position on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the structure is configured to be slideable relative to said touch-sensitive surface;

registering, by the electronic unit, positions of two or more of flexible units received and positioned by the structure on the touch-sensitive surface and deployed in the two or more marked positions of the structure;

registering, by the electronic unit, movement of a specific pattern that is formed by the two or more flexible units that are kept in a fixed interrelationship;

recognizing, by the electronic unit, the specific pattern; and

converting, by the electronic unit, the specific pattern to an image on the touch-sensitive surface, the touch-sensitive surface comprising a screen.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing at least two structures for deployment on the touch-sensitive surface.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the two or more flexible units is a fingertip.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the structure consists of a toy building set comprising at least two toy building blocks, wherein each toy building block of the at least two toy building blocks is provided with one or more complementarily configured coupling means to an effect that the at least two toy building blocks can be interconnected to form said structure, and wherein at least one of the at least two toy building blocks comprises the two or more marked positions for positioning of the two or more flexible units.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising interconnecting the at least two building blocks prior to deploying the structure on the touch-sensitive surface.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein each toy building block of the at least two toy building blocks comprises at least two different types of coupling means, wherein the at least two different types of coupling means comprises couplings studs and complementary couplings.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least two toy building blocks are toy building plates.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein each toy building block of the at least two toy building blocks comprises a flange comprising coupling means, wherein the flange is configured for coupling with a toy building plate whereby a bottom side of at least one toy building element is in plane with a bottom side of the toy building plate whereby they combine to form the bottom side of the structure.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least two toy building blocks are hinged.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the two or more marked positions are constituted by one or more C- or U-shaped cut-outs and/or one or more through-going holes.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein each marked position of the two or more marked positions for positioning of the two or more flexible units comprises one or more edges, whereby the two or more flexible units, when positioned in the two or more marked positions, are prevented from moving relative to the structure in a plane in parallel with the touch-sensitive surface to an effect that the structure will follow the movement of the specific pattern that is formed by the two or more flexible units.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the one or more edges are arranged as an inner delimitation, thereby restricting movement of the two or more flexible units in direction between the two or more marked positions, whereby the structure follows the movement of the specific pattern that is formed by the two or more flexible units relative to the touch-sensitive surface.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the one or more edges are located as an outer delimitation, thereby restricting movement of the two or more flexible units in direction away from remaining positions, whereby the structure follows the movement of the specific pattern that is formed by the two or more flexible units relative to the touch-sensitive surface.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein each marked position of the two or more marked positions for positioning of the two or more flexible units comprises a surface, wherein the surface of each marked position is slanting to an effect that the two or more marked positions are frusto-conically oriented with smallest radius facing downwards, whereby the slanting surfaces can abut the two or more flexible units.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the two or more flexible units are kept in a fixed relationship relative to the touch-sensitive surface.

16. A method of providing input to an electronic unit comprising a touch-sensitive surface that is configured for registering application of touch by a flexible unit, the method comprising:

providing a structure configured from a material that cannot be registered by the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the structure comprises two or more marked positions, each of the two or more marked positions configured for receiving and positioning the flexible unit;

deploying the structure at any position on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the structure is configured to be slideable relative to said touch-sensitive surface;

registering, by the electronic unit, movement of a specific pattern that is formed by two or more of the flexible units that are kept in a fixed interrelationship by being deployed in the two or more marked positions of the structure;

recognizing, by the electronic unit, the specific pattern; and

converting, by the electronic unit, the specific pattern to an image on the touch-sensitive surface, the touch-sensitive surface comprising a screen.