US20130109272A1

Movatterモバイル変換

Info

Publication number: US20130109272A1
Application number: US13/285,848
Authority: US
Inventors: Stephen M. RINDLISBACHER
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-10-31
Filing date: 2011-10-31
Publication date: 2013-05-02

Abstract

A method for controlling a remote toy by means of a motion sensing device and/or a touch screen on a mobile device. The mobile device can be a standard mobile phone, tablet, or any other device equipped with either a motion sensing device, touch screen, or both for controlling specific movements on a remote toy.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a method for controlling a vehicle or toy by means of a motion-sensing device and/or a touch screen on a user's portable handheld mobile device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Traditionally, remote controlled toys are controlled by means of a specialized and paired remote control with specific sets of controls. However, the remote control and the toy being separate objects can often be separated and misplaced. As a result, the original functionality of the remote control toy is lost leaving only the toy. Additionally, the remote controlled toys and vehicles are conventionally linked and communicate by means of radio frequency signals. The present invention transcends the traditional remote controlled toys and vehicles by providing a communication link between the toy and the remote control using other types of wireless technologies such as Bluetooth and wireless networking Instead of a dedicated remote control, the present invention provides a method for controlling a toy or a vehicle by means of a mobile device such as a touch screen smart phone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is view of a mobile device displaying the virtual navigator controlling the movement of a remote toy by means of the touch screen.

FIG. 2 is a view of the mobile device controlling the movements of a remote toy by means of the orientation of the motion sensing device.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

The present invention is a method for controlling a toy or a toy vehicle by means of a mobile communication device such as a smart phone or tablet . The toy or the toy vehicle is controlled and directed by means of thetouch screen20 input or motion sensing device30 of the smart phone. In some cases, thetouch screen20 input and the motion sensing device30 can be used together to control toys with different moving parts. The toys of the present invention comprises of wireless receivers that are able to receive signals from the smart phone to perform certain actions. The wireless receivers can receive signals selected from the group consisting Bluetooth, wireless network, infrared, radio signals, or any other suitable forms of wireless communication that is able to relay instructions or data.

To control a toy or a toy vehicle (herein after referred to as a remote toy2), a user is able scan thevicinity11 for aremote toy2 that is compatible for communication. The user is able to scan thevicinity11 utilizing their portablemobile device1. Thevicinity11 is defined by a radial area in which thecommunication link12 is able to reach. When the present invention is applied using a Bluetoothcommunication link12, thevicinity11 is defined by the radial area about the user'smobile device1. When the present invention is applied using a wireless network, thevicinity11 is defined by the radial area about the wireless network router. Any of the devices within the radial area of the wireless network is able to communicate with each other. When the user's portablemobile device1 detects all of theremote toys2 or devices within thevicinity11, a device menu is displayed for the user. The user is then prompted to select a device from the device menu. Once the user selects a device (remote toy2) themobile device1 will prompt the user to confirm a connection with theremote toy2. When a confirmation is given, acommunication link12 will be initiated and synchronized with theremote toy2. The connection processes can be manually initiated or it may be learned and be automatic as well.

As acommunication link12 is established between the user'smobile device1 and theremote toy2, the user is able to provide themobile device1 with instructions to be relayed to theremote toy2. The user's portablemobile device1 is able to receive input instructions by means of atouch screen20 input and/or a motion sensing device30.

In reference toFIG. 1, in a first embodiment of the present invention, the user can provide input instructions to theremote toy2 by only thetouch screen20 of the user's portablemobile device1. In this embodiment, themobile device1 displays avirtual navigator21 on thetouch screen20. Thevirtual navigator21 can vary based on the different types of toys. For example, given a toy car, thevirtual navigator21 can display a steering wheel, a throttle pedal, and a brake pedal. If the toy car does not possess variable speeds, thevirtual navigator21 can be a simple blank screen in which the user can draw paths in which the toy car will immediately follow. Given a shooting toy or an action figure, such as a foam dart turret or a walking robot, thevirtual navigator21 can display a joy stick and a series of buttons that correspond to the other different functionalities of the toy. Thetouch screen20 on themobile device1 is acapacitive touch screen20 that is capable of sensing the user's fingers, hands, and correspondingtranslational gestures22 to be translated into input instruction codes. However, in other applications of the present invention, thetouch screen20 of themobile device1 can be aresistive touch screen20 or any othersuitable touch screen20 technologies that is capable of detectingtranslational gestures22 of the user's fingers. Thetouch screen20 senses thetranslational gestures22 on thetouch screen20 and the corresponding directions of thetranslational gestures22 to be translated into input instructions. The input instructions are then transmitted by means of the wireless communication directly to theremote toy2 to be implemented.

In reference toFIG. 2, in a second embodiment of the present invention, the user can provide the input instructions to theremote toy2 by means of only the motion sensing device30 in the user's portablemobile device1. In this embodiment, the user utilizes the orientation of the motion sensing device30 within themobile device1. The motion sensing device30 can be any device selected from the group consisting of gyroscopes, accelerometers, or any other device capable of measuring the orientation and motion. The user will be able to control the remote toy's2 movements by means of tilting themobile device1. For example, in remote controlled cars, the user is able tilt themobile device1 forward to move the remote car forward. The user is able to tilt themobile device1 left and right to move has the remote controlled car toward s the left of the right. The motion sensing device30 of themobile device1 is able to detect the orientation and the motion to be translated into input instructions. The user can even diagonally tilt the motions sensing device to have the remote controlled car for wider turns. For themobile device1 to provide the input instructions to theremote toy2, the motion sensor first provides the processing unit of themobile device1 feedback data. The feedback data provides the processing unit with the specific direction and orientation of themobile device1 that is then translated into the input instructions. For example, given the direction directly in front of the user is 0 degrees and the user tilts themobile device1 downwards at an angle of 25 degrees to the right, the remote controlled vehicle will move forward while maintain a front wheel turn of 25 degrees. Additionally, with a variable speed remote controlled vehicle, the user can vary the amount of forward or backwards tilt to vary the speed of the vehicle. In such cases, the software of the present invention can set different segments of angles to determine the power output of the remote controlled vehicle. The input instructions are transmitted by means of the wireless communication directly to theremote toy2 to activate certain components to control the specific movements of the vehicles.

Many accelerometers and gyroscope chips are commonly built in current mobile devices such as cell phones and mobile computing devices. The associated user movements from these motion-sensing devices are translated and sent wirelessly to a physical toy or vehicle which moves or functions based on the users' movements. This can be used as the stand-alone control input or in conjunction with other user inputs such as manual controls, touch controls,

In another embodiment of the present invention, the user can use a combination of thetouch screen20 and the motion sensing device30sto control a more complex remote toy2 (for example, a walking action figures with a foam dart launching device). In the application of the present invention where theremote toy2 is a movable action figure with a foam dart launching device, the user can use the motion sensing device30 of themobile device1 to control the movement of theremote toy2 while thetouch screen20 is utilized for aiming and launching foam darts. In this example, the tilting of the motion sensing device30 translates to input instructions that actuate the motion actuators within theremote toy2 and thetranslational gestures22 made onto thetouch screen20 translate into input instructions that actuate the aiming and launching devices on theremote toy2.

In another application of the present invention, the combination of the motion sensing device30 with thetouch screen20 interface allows the user to control a remote controlled vehicle with a mounted camera. The motion sensing device30 can be used by the user to control the movements of the remote controlled vehicle while thetouch screen apparatus20 can be used to control the viewing direction of the camera mounted onto the remote controlled vehicle. In this application, themobile device1 is able to receive and display a video feed from the camera from theremote toy2. This application allows the user to control theremote toy2 without the need for being in direct view of theremote toy2 itself.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of utilizing a portable mobile device to wirelessly control a vehicle or toy comprises,

scanning vicinity for a remote toy;

detecting of the remote toy;

prompting the user for a connection to the remote toy;

initiating a communication link with the remote toy, wherein the communication link can be automatically paired or manually paired;

detecting input instructions; and

transmitting the input instructions to the remote toy.

2. The method of utilizing a portable mobile device to wirelessly control a vehicle or toy as claimed inclaim 1 comprises,

receiving of the input instructions by means of a touch screen input and a motion sensing device.

3. The method of utilizing a portable mobile device to wirelessly control a vehicle or toy as claimed inclaim 2 comprises,

displaying of a control dials on the touch screen; and

sensing the translation gestures on the touch screen, wherein the direction of the translation gestures is translated into the input instructions.

4. The method of utilizing a portable mobile device to wirelessly control a vehicle or toy as claimed inclaim 2 comprises,

sensing of motion and orientation by the motion sensing device, wherein the motion and the orientation of the motion sensing device is translated into the input instructions; and

wherein the motion sensing device can by a sensor selected from the group consisting of gyroscopes or accelerometers.

5. The method of utilizing a portable mobile device to wirelessly control a vehicle or toy as claimed inclaim 1 comprises,

wherein the vicinity is a radial area in which the communication link is able to reach.

6. A method of utilizing a portable mobile device to wirelessly control a vehicle or toy comprises,

scanning vicinity for a remote toy;

detecting of the remote toy;

prompting the user for a connection to the remote toy;

initiating a communication link with the remote toy, wherein the vicinity is a radial area in which the communication link is able to reach;

detecting input instructions;

receiving of the input instructions by means of a touch screen input and a motion sensing device; and

transmitting the input instructions to the remote toy, wherein the input instructions are translation gestures that instruct the remote toy to perform actions.

7. The method of utilizing a portable mobile device to wirelessly control a vehicle or toy as claimed inclaim 6 comprises,

displaying of a control dials on the touch screen; and

8. The method of utilizing a portable mobile device to wirelessly control a vehicle or toy as claimed inclaim 6 comprises,

9. A method of controlling a vehicle or toy wirelessly by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the method comprises the steps of:

displaying a device menu;

synchronizing a communication link with a selected device from the device menu;

prompting for input instructions;

receiving the input instructions; and

sending the input instructions to the selected device.

10. The method of controlling a vehicle or toy wirelessly by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, as claimed inclaim 9 comprises,

wherein the input instructions by means of a touch screen input and a motion sensing device.

11. The method of controlling a vehicle or toy wirelessly by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, as claimed inclaim 10 comprise,

displaying of virtual joystick to receive input instructions by means of the touch screen; and

detecting translation gestures on the touch screen.

12. The method of controlling a vehicle or toy wirelessly by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, as claimed inclaim 10 comprise,

detecting orientation of the motion sensing device; and

translating feedback data from the motion sensing device into the input instruction.

13. The method of controlling a vehicle or toy wirelessly by executing computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, as claimed inclaim 10 comprises,

receiving and displaying of video feed data from the selected device.