OUTSOURCING PROCESSING TO A SELF-PROPELLED DEVICE

• US 20160357184A1
• Filed: 08/19/2016
• Published: 12/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sphero Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sphero Inc.
• Inventors: Polo, Fabrizio, Lang, Hunter James
• Granted Patent: US 9,946,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 63/02 Motor vehicles
• 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 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A self-propelled device can establish a communication link with a controller device that is operable by a user to remotely control the self-propelled device. The self-propelled device can further receive, over the communication link, a computer code package from the controller device, and execute the computer code package to perform one or more processing operations performed by the controller device.

Claims

1. A self-propelled device comprising:

a drive system operable to accelerate and maneuver the self-propelled device;

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

establish a communication link with a controller device, the controller device being operable by a user to remotely control the self-propelled device;

receive, over the communication link, a computer code package from the controller device; and

execute the computer code package to perform one or more processing operations performed by the controller device.

2. The self-propelled device of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions cause the processor to receive the computer code package based on detected signal latency in the communication link between the mobile computing device and the self-propelled device.

3. The self-propelled device of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions cause the processor to receive the computer code package based on anticipated signal latency in the communication link between the controller device and the self-propelled device.

4. The self-propelled device of claim 1, wherein the controller device comprises a mobile computing device executing a control application specific to remotely controlling the self-propelled device, and wherein the executed instructions cause the processor to establish the communication link based on the control application being initiated on the mobile computing device.

5. The self-propelled device of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further cause the processor to:

receive, over the communication link, control commands from the controller device, the control commands being based on user inputs with the controller device; and

implement the control commands on the drive system to accelerate and maneuver the self-propelled device.

6. The self-propelled device of claim 1, further comprising:

an inertial measurement unit;

wherein prior to execution of the computer code package, the executed instructions cause the processor to transmit sensor data from the inertial measurement to the controller device over the communication link.

7. The self-propelled device of claim 6, wherein execution of the computer code package causes the processor to:

cease transmission of the sensor data over the communication link; and

determine, based on the sensor data from the inertial measurement unit, one or more maneuvers performed by the self-propelled device.

8. The self-propelled device of claim 7, wherein execution of the computer code package further causes the processor to:

periodically transmit a message to the controller device over the communication link, the periodic message identifying the one or more maneuvers performed by the self-propelled device.

9. The self-propelled device of claim 7, wherein the communication link comprises a BLUETOOTH low energy link, wherein transmission of the sensor data over the BLUETOOTH low energy link causes signal latency above a latency threshold, and wherein the computer code package is received from the controller device based on the signal latency crossing the latency threshold.

10. The self-propelled device of claim 7, wherein the signal latency causes a delay in control commands being transmitted from the controller device to the self-propelled device, the control commands being implemented by the processor on the drive system to accelerate and maneuver the self-propelled device.

11. A computer implemented method of outsourcing processing, the method being performed by one or more processors of a self-propelled device and comprising:

establishing a communication link with a controller device, the controller device being operable by a user to remotely control the self-propelled device;

receiving, over the communication link, a computer code package from the controller device; and

executing the computer code package to perform one or more processing operations performed by the controller device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the computer code package is based on detected signal latency in the communication link between the mobile computing device and the self-propelled device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving the computer code package based on anticipated signal latency in the communication link between the controller device and the self-propelled device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller device comprises a mobile computing device executing a control application specific to remotely controlling the self-propelled device, and wherein establishing the communication link is based on the control application being initiated on the mobile computing device.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, over the communication link, control commands from the controller device, the control commands being based on user inputs with the controller device; and

implementing the control commands on a drive system of the self-propelled device to accelerate and maneuver the self-propelled device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the self-propelled device includes an inertial measurement unit, and wherein prior to execution of the computer code package, the one or more processors transmit sensor data from the inertial measurement to the controller device over the communication link.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

based on executing the computer code package, (i) ceasing transmission of the sensor data over the communication link, and (ii) determining, based on the sensor data from the inertial measurement unit, one or more maneuvers performed by the self-propelled device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

based on executing the computer code package, (iii) periodically transmitting a message to the controller device over the communication link, the periodic message identifying the one or more maneuvers performed by the self-propelled device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the communication link comprises a BLUETOOTH low energy link, wherein transmission of the sensor data over the BLUETOOTH low energy link causes signal latency above a latency threshold, and wherein the computer code package is received from the controller device based on the signal latency crossing the latency threshold.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a self-propelled device, cause the self-propelled device to:

establish a communication link with a controller device, the controller device being operable by a user to remotely control the self-propelled device;

receive, over the communication link, a computer code package from the controller device; and

execute the computer code package to perform one or more processing operations performed by the controller device.