Mobile device automation robot

• US 10,836,043 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2020
• Issued: 11/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2020
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FMR LLC
• Original Assignee: FMR LLC
• Inventors: Lobaton, Edgar, Mohammadzadeh, Farrokh, Tran, Michael, Cole, Jeremy Alexander, Inman, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunlap, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US16/779,054
• Time in Patent Office: 291 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/00 Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/081 Touching devices, e.g. pressure-sensitive
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0019 End effectors other than grippers
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/026 Gantry-type
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/104 with cables, chains or ribbons
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/12 electric
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1679 characterised by the tasks executed
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 99/005 Testing of complete machines, e.g. washing-machines or mobile phones testing of machine parts G01M13/00; testing of electric apparatus or components G01R31/50
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39535 Measuring, test unit build into hand, end effector
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2221 to test input/output devices or peripheral units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display

Abstract

The invention includes a method of testing a mobile device with a robotic testing device having a holder, a first motor operatively connected to a first robotic implement, and a second motor operatively connected to a second robotic implement. The method includes securing, via the holder, the mobile device to the robotic testing device; actuating, via the first motor, the first robotic implement to contact the mobile device at a first location at a first time; actuating, via the second motor, the second robotic implement to contact the mobile device at a second location at a second time; and recording, via a data processor of the robotic testing device, a response of the mobile device in memory of the robotic testing device. The robotic testing device includes a pressure feedback sensor configured to sense a pressure of one or more of the robotic implements while interacting with the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of testing a mobile device with a robotic testing device having a holder, a first motor operatively connected to a first robotic implement, and a second motor operatively connected to a second robotic implement, the method comprising:

securing, via the holder, the mobile device to the robotic testing device;

actuating, via the first motor, the first robotic implement to contact the mobile device at a first location at a first time;

actuating, via the second motor, the second robotic implement to contact the mobile device at a second location at a second time;

recording, via a data processor of the robotic testing device, a response of the mobile device in memory of the robotic testing device; and

engaging, by a third robotic implement of the robotic testing device, a rocker button of the mobile device, the third robotic implement having a cross-member structure,

wherein the robotic testing device includes a pressure feedback sensor configured to sense a pressure of one or more of the robotic implements while interacting with the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first motor is operatively connected to a first belt-driven system and the second motor is operatively connected to a second belt-driven system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second motors are servo motors that are in electronic communication with first and second servo controllers, respectively, and the first and second servo controllers are in electronic communication with a host controller.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second motors are stepper motors that are in electronic communication with first and second stepper controllers, respectively.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first and second stepper controllers are in electronic communication with a host controller.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second robotic implements are each one of a stylus, a pointer, or a finger-type implement.

7. The method of claim 1 further including moving, by a third motor operatively coupled to the holder, the holder to emulate a human movement.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second robotic implements are configured to emulate one or more of the following human movements on the mobile device:

a light touch click;

a hard touch click;

a hard touch click-and-hold;

a rotation;

a shaking motion;

a pinch-open motion to zoom in on the mobile device;

a pinch-close motion to zoom out on the mobile device;

a force touch;

an acceleration of the mobile device;

a dual touch;

a long press;

an object drag on a screen of the mobile device;

a swipe motion.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is positioned vertically or near vertically with respect to a ground plane.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the robotic testing device is configured such that a distance between a center of the first robotic implement and a center of the second robotic implements is as low as three millimeters.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the robotic testing device is installed with software configured to determine whether an error has occurred on the mobile device and to log any errors detected.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the robotic testing device further includes a video camera, the video camera for either recording interactions of the robotic testing device with the mobile device or facilitating interactions of the robotic testing device with the mobile device.

13. A system for robotic testing of a mobile device with a robotic testing device, the system comprising:

a holder configured to secure the mobile device to the robotic testing device;

a first robotic implement configured to move along a first axis to interact with the mobile device;

a first motor operatively coupled to the first robotic implement and configured to actuate the first robotic implement;

a second robotic implement configured to move along a second axis to interact with the mobile device;

a second motor operatively coupled to the second robotic implement and configured to actuate the second robotic implement;

a third robotic implement having a cross-member structure configured to engage a rocker button of the mobile device; and

a processor programmed with computer readable instructions to execute computer program instructions configured to cause the processor to;

actuate, via the first motor, the first robotic implement to contact the mobile device at a first location at a first time;

actuate, via the second motor, the second robotic implement to contact the mobile device at a second location at a second time; and

record, by the robotic testing device, a response of the mobile device in memory of the robotic testing device,

wherein the robotic testing device includes a pressure feedback sensor configured to sense a pressure of one or more of the robotic implements while interacting with the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the first motor is operatively connected to a first belt-driven system and the second motor is operatively connected to a second belt-driven system.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the first and second motors are servo motors that are in electronic communication with first and second servo controllers, respectively, and the first and second servo controllers are in electronic communication with a host controller.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the first and second motors are stepper motors that are in electronic communication with first and second stepper controllers, respectively.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the first and second stepper controllers are in electronic communication with a host controller.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the first and second robotic implements are each one of a stylus, a pointer, or a finger-type implement.

19. The system of claim 13 further including a third motor coupled to the holder and configured to move the holder to emulate human movement.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein at least one of the first and second robotic implements are configured to emulate one or more of the following human movements on the mobile device:

a light touch click;

a hard touch click;

a hard touch click-and-hold;

a rotation;

a shaking motion;

a pinch-open motion to zoom in on the mobile device;

a pinch-close motion to zoom out on the mobile device;

a force touch;

an acceleration of the mobile device;

a dual touch;

a long press;

an object drag on a screen of the mobile device;

a swipe motion.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein the mobile device is positioned vertically or near vertically with respect to a ground plane.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein the robotic testing device is configured such that distance between a center of the first robotic implement and a center of the second robotic implements is as low as three millimeters.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein the robotic testing device is installed with software configured to determine whether an error has occurred on the mobile device and to log any errors.

24. The system of claim 13 wherein the robotic testing device further includes a camera for recording interactions of the robotic testing device with the mobile device on video.

25. A method of testing a mobile device with a robotic testing device having a holder, a first motor operatively connected to a first robotic implement, and a second motor operatively connected to a second robotic implement, the method comprising:

securing, via the holder, the mobile device to the robotic testing device;

actuating, via the first motor, the first robotic implement to contact the mobile device at a first location at a first time;

actuating, via the second motor, the second robotic implement to contact the mobile device at a second location at a second time;

recording, via a data processor of the robotic testing device, a response of the mobile device in memory of the robotic testing device; and

engaging, by a third robotic implement of the robotic testing device, a rocker button of the mobile device, the third robotic implement having a cross-member structure;

wherein the first and second robotic implements are each one of a stylus, a pointer, or a finger-type implement capable of controllably contacting the mobile device with multiple distinct levels of force, and

wherein the robotic testing device includes a pressure feedback sensor configured to sense a pressure of one or more of the robotic implements while interacting with the mobile device.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the first and second robotic implements each further include one or more haptic feedback sensors in electronic communication with the processor.

27. A system for robotic testing of a mobile device with a robotic testing device, the system comprising:

a holder configured to secure the mobile device to the robotic testing device;

a first robotic implement configured to move along a first axis to interact with the mobile device;

a first motor operatively coupled to the first robotic implement and configured to actuate the first robotic implement;

a second robotic implement configured to move along a second axis to interact with the mobile device;

a second motor operatively coupled to the second robotic implement and configured to actuate the second robotic implement;

a third robotic implement having a cross-member structure configured to engage a rocker button of the mobile device; and

a processor programmed with computer readable instructions to execute computer program instructions configured to cause the processor to;

actuate, via the first motor, the first robotic implement to contact the mobile device at a first location and a first time;

actuate, via the second motor, the second robotic implement to contact the mobile device at a second location and a second time; and

record, by the robotic testing device, a response of the mobile device in memory of the robotic testing device;

wherein the first and second robotic implements are each one of a stylus, a pointer, or a finger-type implement capable of controllably contacting the mobile device with multiple distinct levels of force, and

wherein the robotic testing device includes a pressure feedback sensor configured to sense a pressure of one or more of the robotic implements while interacting with the mobile device.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the first and second robotic implements each further include one or more haptic feedback sensors in electronic communication with the processor.