Orienting a user interface of a controller for operating a self-propelled device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9290220-B2
Application number	US-201414261288-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2014
Priority date	Jan 5, 2011
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A self-propelled device determines an orientation for its movement based on a pre-determined reference frame. A controller device is operable by a user to control the self-propelled device. The controller device includes a user interface for controlling at least a direction of movement of the self-propelled device. The self-propelled device is configured to signal the controller device information that indicates the orientation of the self-propelled device. The controller device is configured to orient the user interface, based on the information signaled from the self-propelled device, to reflect the orientation of the self-propelled device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controller device for operating a self-propelled device comprising:
a touch-sensitive display;
one or more processors; and
one or more memory resources storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
generate a graphic user interface on the touch-sensitive display, the graphic user interface comprising a virtual steering mechanism to maneuver the self-propelled device, the virtual steering mechanism including a marker to align with a corresponding marker on the self-propelled device;
receive orientation information from the self-propelled device, the orientation information indicating an orientation of the self-propelled device in relation to a predetermined frame of reference, wherein the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device indicates the predetermined frame of reference; and
align the marker on the virtual steering mechanism with the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device according to the orientation information from the self-propelled device.

2. The controller device of claim 1 , wherein the orientation information originates from an inertial measurement unit included within the self-propelled device.

3. The controller device of claim 1 , wherein
the marker on the virtual steering mechanism indicates a forward operating direction of the self-propelled device.

4. The controller device of claim 3 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
receive one or more user interactions with the marker on the virtual steering mechanism, the one or more user interactions to maneuver the self-propelled device; and
transmit one or more commands to the self-propelled device, the one or more commands to maneuver the self-propelled device in accordance with the one or more user interactions.

5. The controller device of claim 4 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
in response to transmitting the one or more commands, generating an animation on the graphic user interface reflecting the self-propelled device maneuvering based on the one or more commands.

6. The controller device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are to receive the orientation information from the self-propelled device in response to establishing a wireless connection with the self-propelled device.

7. The controller device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are to periodically receive the orientation information to realign the marker on the virtual steering mechanism with the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are to receive the orientation information from the self-propelled device in response to establishing a wireless connection with the self-propelled device.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are to periodically receive the orientation information to realign the marker on the virtual steering mechanism with the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device.

10. A computer-implemented method for operating a self-propelled device, the method performed by one or more processors of a controller device and comprising:
generating a graphic user interface on a touch-sensitive display of the controller device, the graphic user interface comprising a virtual steering mechanism to maneuver the self-propelled device, the virtual steering mechanism including a marker to align with a corresponding marker on the self-propelled device;
receiving orientation information from the self-propelled device, the orientation information indicating an orientation of the self-propelled device in relation to a predetermined frame of reference, wherein the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device indicates the predetermined frame of reference; and
aligning the marker on the virtual steering mechanism with the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device according to the orientation information from the self-propelled device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the orientation information originates from an inertial measurement unit included within the self-propelled device.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the marker on the virtual steering mechanism indicates a forward operating direction of the self-propelled device.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
receiving one or more user interactions with the marker on the virtual steering mechanism, the one or more user interactions to maneuver the self-propelled device; and
transmitting one or more commands to the self-propelled device, the one or more commands to maneuver the self-propelled device in accordance with the one or more user interactions.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
in response to transmitting the one or more commands, generating an animation on the graphic user interface reflecting the self-propelled device maneuvering based on the one or more commands.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for maneuvering a self-propelled device, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors of a controller device, cause the controller device to:
generate a graphic user interface on a touch-sensitive display of the controller device, the graphic user interface comprising a virtual steering mechanism to maneuver the self-propelled device, the virtual steering mechanism including a marker to align with a corresponding marker on the self-propelled device;
receive orientation information from the self-propelled device, the orientation information indicating an orientation of the self-propelled device in relation to a predetermined frame of reference, wherein the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device indicates the predetermined frame of reference; and
align the marker on the virtual steering mechanism with the corresponding marker on the self-propelled device according to the orientation information from the self-propelled device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the orientation information originates from an inertial measurement unit included within the self-propelled device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the marker on the virtual steering mechanism indicates a forward operating direction of the self-propelled device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the controller device to:
receive one or more user interactions with the marker on the virtual steering mechanism, the one or more user interactions to maneuver the self-propelled device; and
transmit one or more commands to the self-propelled device, the one or more commands to maneuver the self-propelled device in accordance with the one or more user interactions.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the controller device to:
in response to transmitting the one or more commands, generating an animation on the graphic user interface reflecting the self-propelled device maneuvering based on the one or more commands.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the controller device is to receive the orientation information from the self-propelled device i

Assignees

• Orbotix Inc
• Sphero Inc

Inventors

• Bernstein Ian H
• Wilson Adam
• Smith Brian Keith

Classifications

• A63H30/04 Primary

  using wireless transmission · CPC title

• Y10S901/01

  Mobile robot · CPC title

• B62D61/00 Primary

  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

• A63H33/005

  Motorised rolling toys · CPC title

• G05D2201/0214

  Physics · mapped topic