Toy construction system for augmented reality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10549209-B2
Application number	US-201715793417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2017
Priority date	May 23, 2011
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

A toy construction system comprising a plurality of toy construction elements each comprising coupling means for releasably interconnecting the toy construction elements, one or more marker construction elements comprising such coupling means, configured to interconnect with the toy construction elements, and each having a visual appearance recognizable by an image processing system representing a distinct toy object, and a data processing system comprising a digital processor configured to process a captured image of a toy construction model to detect a position of the composite marker construction element within the captured image, and responsive to the detected position of the composite marker construction element, generate a computer-generated image. Direct or indirect interconnection of two or more of marker construction elements with each other or toy construction elements creates a composite marker construction element representing a combination of said distinct toy objects.

First claim

The invention claimd is:

1. A toy construction system, comprising:
a plurality of toy construction elements, each comprising coupling means for releasably interconnecting the toy construction elements;
one or more marker construction elements comprising such coupling means, configured to interconnect with said plurality of toy construction elements, and each having a visual appearance recognizable by an image processing system representing a distinct toy object, wherein direct or indirect interconnection of two or more of said marker construction elements with each other or said toy construction elements creates a composite marker construction element representing a combination of said distinct toy objects; and
a data processing system, comprising a digital processor, configured to:
process a captured image of a toy construction model to detect a position of the composite marker construction element within the captured image; and
responsive to the detected position of the composite marker construction element, generate a computer-generated image.

2. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 1 , wherein interconnection of two or more of said marker construction elements in different combinations or configurations creates different composite marker construction elements for identification of different of said distinct toy objects.

3. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 2 , wherein the data processing system is further configured to augment or replace the captured image with the generated computer-generated image for display by a display device.

4. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 3 , wherein said different composite marker construction elements are configured to generate different computer-generated images.

5. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 4 , wherein said different composite marker construction elements are configured to generate different augmented or replaced computer-generated images.

6. The toy construction system according to claim 5 , wherein said different composite marker construction elements are configured to activate different functional elements related to said augmented or replaced computer-generated images.

7. The toy construction system according to claim 1 , wherein each marker construction element comprises an insignia indicative of a code symbol of a code for encoding information.

8. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 7 , wherein each said composite marker construction element is connected to one or more functional elements such that, when positioned in a first position causing the insignia of a first marker construction element of said composite marker construction element to be visible, said data processing system is configured to generate a computer-generated image representing a first state of said functional element, and, when positioned in a second position causing the insignia of a second marker construction element of said composite marker construction element to be visible, said data processing system is configured to generate a computer-generated image representing a second state of said functional element.

9. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 1 , further comprising gaming dice comprising a body part comprising at least six sides on which the gaming dice may sit steadily when on a plane support, wherein at least one or more of such sides is/are provided with coupling means for mounting said at least one marker construction element.

10. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 1 , wherein said coupling means define a regular grid restricting a position and/or orientation of the toy constructing elements in a toy construction model to discrete positions and/or discrete orientations relative to said regular grid.

11. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 10 , wherein the digital processor is further configured to detect respective positions and/or orientations of the said composite marker construction elements relative to said regular grid and to generate said computer-generated image responsive to said detected respective positions and/or orientations.

12. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 11 , wherein the digital processor is further configured to determine grid locations of a regular image grid from said detected locations of said composite marker construction elements, and to generate an image feature of said computer-generated image at a location relative to said detected image grid.

13. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 1 , wherein said toy construction elements have at least one property, wherein each marker construction element of the toy construction system has a value of said property, said value being chosen from a predetermined set of discrete values of said property.

14. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 1 , wherein said marker construction elements each comprises an insignia and a movable element movable between a first and a second position, wherein the movable element, when positioned in the first position, causes the insignia to be visible for generation of said computer-generated image, and, when positioned in the second position, obstructs the insignia from view.

15. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 1 , wherein the coupling means are arranged in one or more regular planar grids defining the direction of connection; and wherein each marker construction element comprises an insignia visible, when the marker construction element is connected to at least one other toy construction element of the toy construction system, from a direction parallel to at least one of the planar grids or from a direction normal to at least one of the planar grids.

16. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 1 , wherein:
each of the marker construction elements has a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least one side surface;
said coupling means are placed on at least one of the top and the bottom surface; and
the marker construction element comprises at least a first surface without coupling means, where the first surface comprises an insignia.

17. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 1 , wherein the coupling means comprises one or more protrusions and one or more cavities, each one said cavities adapted to receive at least one of the protrusions in a frictional engagement.

18. The toy construction system according to claim 1 , wherein a first marker construction element represents at least a first component of a figure and a second market construction element represents at least a second component of a figure, wherein said first and said marker construction elements together create a composite marker construction element representing said figure.

19. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 18 , wherein the data processing system is further configured to detect the position of said composite marker construction element representing said figure and, responsive to the detected position, generate a computer-generated image of said figure to be augmented or replaced.

20. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 18 , wherein said first component of said figure is a head, and wherein said second component of said figure is a torso.

21. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 1 , wherein said computer-generated image is generated within a virtual play experience.

22. The toy construction system accordingly to claim 21 , wherein an outcome of the virtual play exper

Assignees

• Muthyala Siddharth
• Van Beek Harm Jan
• Guyon Nicolas David Alain
• Lasorne Frantz
• Jensen Mikkel Holm
• Lego As

Inventors

• Muthyala Siddharth
• Van Beek Harm Jan
• Guyon Nicolas David Alain
• Lasorne Frantz
• Jensen Mikkel Holm

Classifications

• G06T19/00 Primary

  Manipulating three-dimensional [3D] models or images for computer graphics · CPC title

• A63H33/042 Primary

  Mechanical, electrical, optical, pneumatic or hydraulic arrangements; Motors · CPC title

• A63F2009/246

  Computer generated or synthesized image · CPC title

• A63F2250/287

  Cameras therefor · CPC title

• A63F13/65

  automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition · CPC title