Self-propelled device implementing three-dimensional control

• US 9,389,612 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2015
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sphero Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sphero Inc.
• Inventors: Bernstein, Ian H., Wilson, Adam, Hygh, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Application Number:
  US14/850,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20160004253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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-controlled device maintains a frame of reference about an x-, y- and z-axis. The self-controlled device processes an input to control the self-propelled device, the input being based on the x- and y-axis. The self-propelled device is controlled in its movement, including about each of the x-, y- and z-axis, based on the input.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a controller device;

a self-propelled device including a spherical housing and an internal drive system, the internal drive system being provided within the spherical housing to maneuver the spherical housing under control of the controller device by;

maintaining, on the spherical housing, a frame of reference about each of an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis as the spherical housing is maneuvered;

receiving, from a two-dimensional steering mechanism of the controller device, two-dimensional control inputs of a user operating the controller device, the controller device being external to the spherical housing;

implementing the two-dimensional control inputs as three-dimensional, rotational motion about each of the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis, so that the spherical housing is maneuvered about the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis in response to the two-dimensional control inputs being received; and

indicating the frame of reference by an outwardly visible feature while the spherical housing is maneuvered about the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the self-propelled device includes

an internal controller that wirelessly receives the two-dimensional control inputs.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the internal controller includes a processor.

4. A system comprising:

a controller device;

a self-propelled device including a spherical housing and an internal drive system, the internal drive system being provided within the spherical housing to maneuver the spherical housing under control of the controller device by;

maintaining, on the spherical housing, an initial frame of reference that rotates about each of an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis as the spherical housing is maneuvered;

receiving, from a two-dimensional steering mechanism of the controller device, two-dimensional control inputs of a user operating the controller device, the controller device being external to the spherical housing;

implementing the two-dimensional control inputs as three-dimensional, rotational motion about each of the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis, so that the spherical housing is maneuvered about the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis in response to the two-dimensional control inputs being received; and

maintaining the initial frame of reference while the spherical housing is maneuvered about the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis;

wherein the controller device is calibrated based on the initial frame of reference.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the self-propelled device includes

an internal controller that wirelessly receives the two-dimensional control inputs.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the internal controller includes a processor.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the initial frame of reference is identifiable by an outwardly visible feature.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller device executes programmatic instructions to calibrate.

9. A method for operating a self-propelled device, the method comprising:

maintaining, for the self-propelled device, an initial frame of reference that rotates about each of an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis as the self-propelled device moves;

receiving, from a two-dimensional steering mechanism of a controller device, a two-dimensional input to control the self-propelled device;

translating the two-dimensional input into a three-dimensional rotational motion of a spherical housing for the self-propelled device, the three-dimensional rotational motion being about each of the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis; and

based on translating the two-dimensional input, maneuvering the spherical housing about each of the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis while maintaining the initial frame of reference.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising maneuvering about one or more of the x-axis, the y-axis, or the z-axis, using an internal drive system that is dynamically unstable.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising processing feedback during movement, from one or more sensors of the self-propelled device, to compensate for the internal drive system being dynamically unstable.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein processing the feedback includes processing a first input from a three-axis gyroscope sensor of the self-propelled device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein processing the feedback further includes processing a second input from a three-axis accelerometer of the self-propelled device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second input is processed by an inertial measurement unit of the self-propelled device to determine the initial frame of reference about each of the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis when the spherical housing is being maneuvered.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the spherical housing provides a marker to identify the initial frame of reference while the self-propelled device is being maneuvered.