Interactive apparatus

• US 9,092,021 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2013
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J.T. Labs Limited
• Original Assignee: J.T. Labs Limited
• Inventors: Wong, Tit Shing, Leung, Wai Choi Lewie, Cheung, Kwok Yau
• Primary Examiner(s): Sample, Jonathan L
• Application Number:
  US13/735,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20130178981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/04 Programme control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers G05B19/418 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts

Abstract

A robotic apparatus that interacts with a user and a personal computer (PC) receives inputs from a user and from the PC and reacts and interacts. The interactive apparatus includes a USB interface with the PC to receive power and data such as key strokes, key combinations, email notifications, and web cam events, for example. The interactive apparatus also includes microphones and a phototransistor to detect sounds and movement. The interactive apparatus includes an eye assembly attached to a body and leg, which is responsive to inputs and interactions with the user and PC.

Claims

1. A robotic apparatus comprising:

an interactive figure having a base assembly, a foot assembly coupled to said base assembly, a leg extending upwardly from said base assembly and pivotally coupled to said base assembly, a knee coupled to said leg, a body assembly pivotally coupled to said leg at said knee, and an eye assembly on an upper end of said body assembly rotationally coupled with the body assembly for movement about a laterally-extending rotational axis,

said eye assembly having a movable eyelid and an eyelid drive motor coupled to said eyelid for moving the eyelid to a desired position,

an eye assembly drive motor coupled to said eye assembly to selectively rotate said eye assembly about an axis,

a leg assembly drive motor coupled to said leg to selectively pivot said leg,

a body assembly drive motor coupled to said body assembly to selectively pivot said body about said knee,

a position sensor for measuring the rotational position of said eyelid about said axis in response to sensed conditions,

first and second microphones mounted on opposite sides of said base assembly,

a photo transistor mounted on a front side of said base assembly, and

a microprocessor control unit coupled to a personal computer to receive commands therefrom and coupled to said drive motor to operate said drive motor in response to commands received from said personal computer,

said microprocessor responsive to input from said first and second microphones to determine a direction of a sound received by said first and second microphones to operate said drive motor to turn said eye assembly in said direction of said received sound,

said microprocessor control unit responsive to input from said photo transistor to detect movement in front of said base assembly to operate said leg assembly drive motor and said body assembly drive motor to pivot said leg assembly and body assembly about said knee.

2. The robotic apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an eye assembly drive motor coupled to said eye assembly and responsive to commands received from said microprocessor control unit to pivot said eye assembly back and forth.

3. The robotic apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a body assembly drive motor coupled to said body assembly and said knee and responsive to commands received from said microprocessor control unit to pivot said body assembly about a longitudinal axis running through said knee.

4. The robotic apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a leg assembly drive motor coupled to said leg assembly and said foot assembly and responsive to commands received from said microprocessor control unit to pivot said leg assembly about a longitudinal axis running through said foot assembly.