Pocket robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9501059-B2
Application number	US-201414485603-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2014
Priority date	Sep 12, 2014
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

A method for controlling a mobile device includes extending a retractable mechanical actuator from a mobile device case and/or the mobile device. The method also includes manipulating an object with the retractable mechanical actuator when the retractable mechanical actuator is retracted. The retractable mechanical actuator is controlled via the mobile device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile device case, the mobile device case comprising:
a housing arranged to retain a hand-held mobile device configured for wireless communication;
an articulating image director, aligned with a field of view of a camera of the hand-held mobile device, to provide a view of a forward direction or a rear direction of the mobile device case to the camera, the housing having an opening to allow the articulating image director to align with the field of view of the camera; and
a plurality of retractable mechanical actuators configured:
to retract to a first position that is substantially flush with the mobile device case,
to extend to a second position that is different from the first position, and
to manipulate a first object, while in the second position, based on at least one of: a second object viewed by the camera, a movement viewed by the camera, or a combination thereof.

2. The mobile device case of claim 1 , in which the plurality of retractable mechanical actuators are locomotive devices or articulating devices.

3. The mobile device case of claim 1 , in which the plurality of retractable mechanical actuators are at least one of manually retractable, electronically retractable, or a combination thereof.

4. A hand-held mobile device configured for wireless communication, the hand-held mobile device comprising:
an articulating image director, aligned with a field of view of a camera of the hand-held mobile device, to provide a view of a forward direction or a rear direction of the hand-held mobile device to the camera; and
a plurality of retractable mechanical actuators configured:
to retract to a first position that is substantially flush with the hand-held mobile device,
to extend to a second position that is different from the first position, and
to manipulate a first object, while in the second position, based on at least one of: a second object viewed by the camera, a movement viewed by the camera, or a combination thereof.

5. The mobile device of claim 4 , in which the plurality of retractable mechanical actuators are locomotive devices or articulating devices.

6. The mobile device of claim 4 , in which the plurality of retractable mechanical actuators are at least one of manually retractable, electronically retractable, or a combination thereof.

7. A method for controlling a hand-held mobile device, the method comprising:
viewing a forward direction or a rear direction of the hand-held mobile device via a camera of the hand-held mobile device aligned with an articulating image director;
extending a plurality of retractable mechanical actuators from a first position that is substantially flush with a mobile device case configured to house the hand-held mobile device or the hand-held mobile device to a second position that is different from the first position; and
manipulating a first object with the plurality of retractable mechanical actuators, when the plurality of retractable mechanical actuators are in the second position, based on at least one of: a second object viewed by the camera, a movement viewed by the camera, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 7 , in which the camera is used for facial recognition.

9. The method of claim 7 , in which the plurality of retractable mechanical actuators are at least one of manually retractable, electronically retractable, or a combination thereof.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon for controlling a hand-held mobile device, the program code comprising:
program code to view a forward direction or a rear direction of the hand-held mobile device via a camera of the hand-held mobile device aligned with an articulating image director;
program code to extend a plurality of retractable mechanical actuators from a first position that is substantially flush with a mobile device case configured to house the hand-held mobile device or the hand-held mobile device to a second position that is different from the first position; and
program code to manipulate a first object with the plurality of retractable mechanical actuators, when the plurality of retractable mechanical actuators are in the second position, based on at least one of: a second object viewed by the camera, a movement viewed by the camera, or a combination thereof.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , in which the camera is used for facial recognition.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , in which the plurality of retractable mechanical actuators are at least one of manually retractable, electronically retractable, or a combination thereof.

13. An apparatus comprising:
means for housing a hand-held mobile device configured for wireless communication;
means for image directing, aligned with a field of view of a camera of the hand-held mobile device, to provide a view of a forward direction or a rear direction of the apparatus to the camera, the housing means having an opening so that the camera is aligned with the image directing means; and
a plurality of retractable mechanical actuators configured:
to retract to a first position that is substantially flush with the apparatus;
to extend to a second position that is different from the first position; and
to manipulate a first object, while in the second position, based on at least one of: a second object viewed by the camera, a movement viewed by the camera, or a combination thereof.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , in which the plurality of retractable mechanical actuators provide locomotion to the apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , in which the plurality of retractable mechanical actuators are further configured to articulate.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , in which the plurality of retractable mechanical actuators are at least one of manually retractable, electronically retractable, or a combination thereof.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Hutson Donald Bolden

Classifications

• H04M1/724092

  Interfacing with an external cover providing additional functionalities · CPC title

• H04M1/72412

  using two-way short-range wireless interfaces · CPC title

• B25J5/00 Primary

  Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages (B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 {; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00}) · CPC title

• G05D1/0225

  involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay (parking aids B62D15/027) · CPC title

• B25J11/0005

  Manipulators having means for high-level communication with users, e.g. speech generator, face recognition means · CPC title