Data store for a modular assembly system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10089253-B2
Application number	US-201715453375-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2017
Priority date	Mar 11, 2014
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

A data store for a modular assembly system is described. The data store comprises a number of records, each record relating to a physical module in the modular assembly system and comprising a module ID, an owner ID for the module and one or more properties fields. The properties field(s) define any property of the module and different records may define different properties. At least one of the fields in each data record (e.g. the module ID or owner ID) is verified by an authentication service. A user assembles two or more modules into a coherent physical whole object to act as a user input device to an interactive software experience. The data store communicates with the interactive software experience and causes a change in behavior of the interactive software experience in response to a check of the data records for each of the modules in the object.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A modular system for use with an interactive software experience, the system comprising a plurality of physical hardware modules and each module comprising:
a storage element arranged to store an identifier of the module and module data for the module, wherein at least a portion of the module data is updated in use by the interactive software experience;
one or more magnetic attachment points for attaching other modules to the module; and
wherein one or more modules of the plurality includes a processor configured to collect data from other modules of the plurality, the data including identifiers of each of the other modules.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic attachment points include one or more connectors for attaching other modules to the module, each connector being arranged to pass data and power between modules.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to wirelessly collect the data from the other modules.

4. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a communications module arranged to transmit the identifier and some or all of the module data to a computing-based device running the interactive software experience and to receive updated module data from the interactive software experience.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein an operation of the interactive software experience is changed based on one or both of the transmitted identifier and module data.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein one or both of the transmitted identifier and module data enable a previously inaccessible functionality of the interactive software experience.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the module data comprises state data associated with the interactive software experience.

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the state data associated with the interactive software experience is updated in use by the interactive software experience.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the module data comprises state data which is independent of the interactive software experience.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the data collected by the processor from the other modules of the plurality comprises at least one of the identifier and the module data of each of the other modules.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the module data comprises executable files comprising at least a part of the interactive software experience.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the module data comprises a model of the module for use in the interactive software experience.

13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of modules are configured to be assembled together into a coherent physical whole object.

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the system is configured such that the interactive software experience is changed based on a unique combination of modules forming the coherent physical whole object.

15. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the module data comprises a mini-game enabled within the interactive software experience as a result of using the module with the interactive software experience.

16. A method of operation of a modular system, the method comprising:
transmitting an identifier and module data from a module to a computing-based device running an interactive software experience, wherein the module includes a processor configured to collect data from other modules of the modular system, the data including identifiers of each of the other modules, and executable files comprising at least a part of the interactive software experience; and a storage element arranged to store the identifier of the module and the module data;
receiving updated module data from the computing-based device, the updated module data having been generated based on use of the module with the interactive software experience; and
storing the updated module data in the storage element in the module.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein operation of the interactive software experience is changed in response to module data received from one or more modules of the modular assembly system.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the module data received from the one or more modules enables a previously inaccessible functionality of the interactive software experience.

19. A modular assembly system comprising a module and the module comprising:
a processor configured to collect data from other modules of the modular assembly system, the data including identifiers and module data of each of the other modules;
a storage element arranged to store an identifier of the module and module data for the module;
one or more magnetic attachment points for attaching other modules to the module; and
a communications module arranged to transmit the identifier and module data of the module and the other modules to a computing-based device running an interactive software experience and to receive updated module data from the interactive software experience, the updated module data being generated in response to use of the module with the interactive software experience.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Villar Nicolas
• Zhang Haiyan
• Scott James William
• Saul Greg
• Bunting Alexandra Keeley
• Schuneman Lee Jason
• Harrison Philip Robert

Classifications

• G06F13/102 Primary

  where the program performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver (G06F13/105 takes precedence; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52) · CPC title

• A63F13/245

  specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels · CPC title

• H04L67/1097 Primary

  for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS] · CPC title

• H04L67/125

  involving control of end-device applications over a network · CPC title

• H04L63/08

  for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32) · CPC title