Self-propelled device implementing three-dimensional control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016004253-A1
Application number	US-201514850910-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 10, 2015
Priority date	Jan 5, 2011
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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, 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 a controller device that is 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.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an internal controller that wirelessly receives the two-dimensional inputs.

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

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the initial frame of reference is identifiable by an outwardly visible feature.

5 . 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 a controller device that is 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.

6 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising:
an internal controller that wirelessly receives the two-dimensional inputs.

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

8 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the initial frame of reference is identifiable by an outwardly visible feature.

9 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller device executes programmatic instructions to calibrate.

10 . 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.

11 . The method of claim 10 , 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.

12 . The method of claim 11 , 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.

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

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein processing the feedback further includes processing a second input from a three-axis accelerometer of the self-propelled device.

15 . The method of claim 14 , 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 during when the spherical housing is being maneuvered.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the spherical housing provides a marker to identify the initial frame of reference while the self-propelled device is maneuvered.

Assignees

• Sphero Inc

Inventors

• Bernstein Ian H
• Wilson Adam
• Hygh David E

Classifications

• A63H33/005

  Motorised rolling toys · CPC title

• B62D61/00

  Motor vehicles or trailers, characterised by the arrangement or number of wheels, not otherwise provided for, e.g. four wheels in diamond pattern · CPC title

• Y10S901/01

  Mobile robot · CPC title

• A63H30/04 Primary

  using wireless transmission · CPC title

• G05D1/0088 Primary

  characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00) · CPC title