Self propelled device with magnetic coupling

• US 9,886,032 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2016
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sphero Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sphero Inc.
• Inventors: Bernstein, Ian H., Wilson, Adam, Kong, Chun, MacGregor, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNS, HILARY LYNN
• Application Number:
  US15/232,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20160349748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/005 Motorised rolling toys
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/007 using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 39/00 Vehicle bodies not otherwise provided for , e.g. safety vehicles safety equipment B60R21/00
• 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 1/0016 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: 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: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A self-propelled device includes a spherical housing and an internal drive system. The self-propelled device can further include an internal structure having a magnet holder that holds a first set of magnets and an external accessory comprising a second set of magnets to magnetically interact, through the spherical housing, with the first set magnets.

Claims

1. A self-propelled device comprising:

a spherical housing;

an internal drive system enclosed within the spherical housing and operable to accelerate and maneuver the self-propelled device;

an internal structure coupled to the internal drive system and comprising a magnet holder, the magnet holder including a first set of magnetically interactive elements;

an external accessory comprising a second set of magnetically interactive elements to magnetically interact, through the spherical housing, with the first set of magnetically interactive elements as the self-propelled device accelerates and maneuvers;

a wireless communication interface to receive control inputs; and

one or more processors to process the control inputs and implement commands on the internal drive system, based on the control inputs, to accelerate and maneuver the self-propelled device.

2. The self-propelled device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication interface receives the control inputs via a wireless link with a controller device.

3. The self-propelled device of claim 2, wherein the control inputs correspond to voice commands from a user, the voice commands being received by the controller.

4. The self-propelled device of claim 2, wherein the controller device comprises one of a smartphone or a tablet computer that executes a control application specific to operating the self-propelled device.

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

one or more memory resources storing a set of control instructions;

wherein the one or more processors process the control inputs by executing the set of control instructions, and translating the control inputs into the commands in accordance with the control instructions.

6. The self-propelled device of claim 1, wherein the control inputs comprise voice commands received from a user.

7. The self-propelled device of claim 1, wherein processing the control inputs causes the one or more processors to implement a partial or full autonomous mode.

8. The self-propelled device of claim 1, wherein the first set of magnetically interactive elements comprises a first pair of magnets, and wherein the second set of magnetically interactive elements comprises a second pair of magnets.

9. The self-propelled device of claim 1, wherein the internal structure include a biasing mechanism to actively force a pair of wheel of the internal drive system to continuously engage an inner surface of the spherical housing as the self-propelled device accelerates and maneuvers.

10. The self-propelled device of claim 9, wherein the internal drive system include a pair of independent motors each powering a corresponding one of the pair of wheels.

11. The self-propelled device of claim 1, wherein the external accessory is dome-shaped or hemispherical and includes an underlying surface that corresponds to a curvature of the spherical housing.

12. A system comprising:

a controller device; and

a self-propelled device comprising;

a spherical housing;

an internal drive system enclosed within the spherical housing and operable to accelerate and maneuver the self-propelled device;

an internal structure coupled to the internal drive system and comprising a magnet holder, the magnet holder including a first set of magnetically interactive elements;

an external accessory comprising a second set of magnetically interactive elements to magnetically interact, through the spherical housing, with the first set of magnetically interactive elements as the self-propelled device accelerates and maneuvers;

a wireless communication interface to communicate with the controller device; and

one or more processors to process control inputs and implement commands on the internal drive system, based on the control inputs, to accelerate and maneuver the self-propelled device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the wireless communication interface establishes a wireless link with the controller device to receive the control inputs from the controller device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the control inputs correspond to voice commands from a user, the voice commands being received by the controller device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller device comprises one of a smartphone or a tablet computer that executes a control application specific to operating the self-propelled device.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the self-propelled device further comprises:

one or more memory resources storing a set of control instructions;

wherein the one or more processors process the control inputs by executing the set of control instructions, and translating the control inputs into the commands in accordance with the control instructions.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the control inputs comprise voice commands received from a user.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein processing the control inputs causes the one or more processors to implement a partial or full autonomous mode.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the first set of magnetically interactive elements comprises a first pair of magnets, and wherein the second set of magnetically interactive elements comprises a second pair of magnets.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the external accessory is dome-shaped or hemispherical and includes an underlying surface that corresponds to a curvature of the spherical housing.