Rotatable electronic device comprising sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12090654-B2
Application number	US-202017431029-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2020
Priority date	Feb 19, 2019
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a first device comprising a spherical housing which rotates and in which a spherical inner space is formed, and a second device which is disposed on the outer surface of the spherical housing and has a ring shape, wherein the first device comprises a first driving device which is disposed within the spherical housing and is capable of transmitting driving force to the spherical housing, a structure disposed within the spherical housing and formed such that the second device is disposed on the surface of the spherical housing, a second driving device which is disposed within the spherical housing and drives the structure, and at least one first sensor which is disposed in the structure and faces the inner surface of the spherical housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a first device comprising
a spherical housing including an inner spherical surface and an outer spherical surface;
a first driving device disposed inside the spherical housing and configured to provide power to the spherical housing such that the spherical housing is rotated with respect to the first driving device,
a second driving device connected to the first driving device, and including a structure disposed inside the spherical housing and at least one motor configured to rotate or tilt the structure with respect to the first driving device,
at least one first magnet disposed on the structure, and
at least one first sensor disposed on the structure and facing the inner spherical surface of the spherical housing; and

a second device having a ring shape and surrounding the spherical housing to move around the outer spherical surface of the spherical housing,
when the second device comprises at least one second magnet disposed at positions to cause an attractive or repulsive force with respect to the at least one first magnet such that the second device rotates with respect to the first device, and
wherein when the second device rotates with respect to the first device, the structure of the first device moves together with the second device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first sensor comprises a touch sensor.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein one surface of the structure on which the at least one first sensor is disposed is directed toward a direction designated based on the second driving device.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the designated direction is a direction opposite to a direction of gravity.

5. The electronic device of claim 3 , further comprising:
at least one second sensor disposed in the structure; and
a processor electrically connected to the first driving device, the second driving device, the at least one first sensor, and the least one second sensor,
wherein the processor is configured to:
obtain a value related to at least one of acceleration, gyro, or geomagnetism from the at least one second sensor, and
control the second driving device, based on the obtained value.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the value obtained from the at least one second sensor comprises a value related to at least one of roll, pitch, or yaw.

7. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the second driving device, based on a difference between a reference value and the obtained value.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises:
a ring plate, wherein the at least one first magnet is disposed on a surface of the ring plate facing the inner spherical surface of the spherical housing; and
a bracket extending from the ring plate and connected to the at least one motor, wherein the at least one first sensor is disposed on a surface of the bracket facing the inner spherical surface of the spherical housing.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 ,
wherein the first device further comprises a plurality of ball casters disposed on the surface of the ring plate facing the inner spherical surface of the spherical housing, and being in contact with the inner spherical surface of the spherical housing.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the first driving device further comprises:
at least one wheel in contact with the inner spherical surface of the spherical housing, and
a motor connected to the at least one wheel, and

wherein a power from the motor is transmitted to the spherical housing via the at least one wheel.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first sensor comprises a microphone.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first driving device further comprises a balance weight.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a processor electrically connected to the first driving device, the second driving device, and the at least one first sensor,
wherein the processor is configured to control at least one of the first driving device or the second driving device, based on a user input detected via the at least one first sensor.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Byunghun
• Lee Woochul
• Jeong Eunsu
• Choi Jaewoong
• Yoon Byounguk
• Lee Kihuk

Classifications

• B25J13/089 Primary

  Determining the position of the robot with reference to its environment · CPC title

• B25J9/126

  Rotary actuators · CPC title

• B25J5/007

  mounted on wheels · CPC title

• B25J19/02

  Sensing devices · CPC title

• B25J9/161

  Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor · CPC title