EP1926537A2 - Dispositif de presentation d'environnement magnetique - Google Patents

Dispositif de presentation d'environnement magnetique

Info

Publication number
EP1926537A2
EP1926537A2 EP06795724A EP06795724A EP1926537A2 EP 1926537 A2 EP1926537 A2 EP 1926537A2 EP 06795724 A EP06795724 A EP 06795724A EP 06795724 A EP06795724 A EP 06795724A EP 1926537 A2 EP1926537 A2 EP 1926537A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
magnetic field
magnetic
display apparatus
coils
visual
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP06795724A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Wilhelmus F. J. Fontijn
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
SERIOUS TOYS BV
Original Assignee
Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV filed Critical Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV
Priority to EP06795724A priority Critical patent/EP1926537A2/fr
Publication of EP1926537A2 publication Critical patent/EP1926537A2/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
    • A63H18/00—Highways or trackways for toys; Propulsion by special interaction between vehicle and track
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/00643—Electric board games; Electric features of board games
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/00694—Magnetic board games
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/00643—Electric board games; Electric features of board games
    • A63F2003/00662—Electric board games; Electric features of board games with an electric sensor for playing pieces
    • A63F2003/00665—Electric board games; Electric features of board games with an electric sensor for playing pieces using inductance
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
    • A63F3/00643—Electric board games; Electric features of board games
    • A63F2003/00662—Electric board games; Electric features of board games with an electric sensor for playing pieces
    • A63F2003/00668—Electric board games; Electric features of board games with an electric sensor for playing pieces using hall effect

Definitions

  • the invention relates to apparatus in which magnetic fields are generated on a surface, providing a magnetic landscape upon which objects responsive to magnetic fields may be placed.
  • Magnetic sensors based on the Hall effect or a magnetoresistive effect can provide more detailed information on the state of a magnetic field in which such a sensor is placed. Both magnitude and orientation information can be obtained from sensors based on these effects.
  • Coils of electrically conductive material can be used to generate constant or time-varying magnetic fields. These magnetic fields can be coupled with other coils, and this coupling used to provide information about the status or position of the other coils. Effects due to such coupling are utilised in systems such as anti-theft tags, as disclosed for example in US 4,498,076. Systems based on a similar effect are known that allow for the location of an object to be determined in relation to a board in which various coils are embedded. Such a system is disclosed in US 5,188,368, where chess pieces with embedded coils are located on a chess board in which transmit and receive coils are provided.
  • the resonant circuit formed between the coils identifies each piece via its unique resonant frequency characteristic, and the particular position on the board is identified by scanning the relative response from each receive coil.
  • US 5,853,327 discloses a game board with toy figures placed thereon, each figure being identifiable by detecting responses from excitation signals fed to coils positioned in the board, and coupled to coils located in the toy figures. From analysis of the received coil signals, the system can detect where on the board a particular piece is positioned.
  • US application 2005/0075037 A1 discloses a play mat in which magnetic or magnetically attractive material may be disposed such that articles placed on the mat may be retained by magnetic force in selected locations which match with particular portions of a displayed scene.
  • the present invention provides a solution to the problem of providing information regarding the position and/or orientation of objects relative to a magnetic or magnetisable surface.
  • a magnetic "landscape" is provided by means of permanent magnets or electrically conductive coils. Active objects, containing magnetic sensing devices, can respond to their location and/or orientation on the surface by measurements of the magnitude and/or direction of the sensed magnetic field.
  • the present invention provides a magnetic display apparatus, comprising: a surface; a plurality of magnetic field emitting elements adapted to generate a plurality of different magnetic field levels across the surface, each element being positioned in fixed relationship relative to the surface; and one or more moveable objects, each object having a magnetic field sensor therein and being adapted to sense and react to a magnetic field level at one or more positions on the surface.
  • Figure 1 illustrates an magnetic landscape apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention, shown in plan view
  • Figure 2 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view on line A-A of the magnetic landscape apparatus of Figure 1 ;
  • Figure 3 illustrates an example object for use on the magnetic landscape apparatus of Figure 1 ;
  • Figure 4 illustrates an example distribution of magnetic field magnitude along the cross-section of Figure 2
  • Figure 5 illustrates a plan view of a display surface of a magnetic landscape apparatus
  • Figure 6 illustrates an arrangement of coils beneath the surface in the magnetic landscape apparatus of Figure 5;
  • Figure 7 illustrates an alternative arrangement of coils beneath the surface of the magnetic landscape apparatus of Figure 5
  • Figure 8 illustrates a schematic arrangement of a toy traffic light for placement on the magnetic landscape apparatus
  • Figure 9 illustrates an example of a two dimensional array of coils for generating an arbitrary magnetic landscape.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an example embodiment of the invention.
  • a magnetic landscape apparatus in the form of a game apparatus 10 is shown, with a playing surface 19 on which are provided several visible features 11 , 12, 13, 14, 18.
  • the visible features represent different features of a simulated landscape and may be indicated by different visual characteristics, including the colour and indicative markings, of each feature.
  • These features may by example include a meadow feature 11 , a road feature 12, building features 13, a traffic light feature 14, and a river feature 18.
  • Each of these features has uniquely identifiable visual characteristics signifying the type of feature represented.
  • a toy car 15 is indicated in position on the playing surface 19 within a region representing the road feature 12.
  • a toy boat 17 is shown positioned on the river feature 18, and a toy sheep 16 on the meadow feature 11.
  • the playing surface 19 may be planar or non-planar, and may have one or more relief features affixed to the surface.
  • the phrase "magnetic landscape" is intended to encompass a meaning in which the magnitude and/or direction of the magnetic field varies spatially at or proximal to a planar or non-planar surface such as the playing surface 19, and may be envisaged in a similar way to height contours or isobars on a map.
  • the magnitude and/or direction of the spatially varying magnetic field may also vary temporally, at least in part.
  • the magnetic field distribution over the playing surface itself forms the magnetic landscape. This magnetic landscape is not in itself directly visible, but may be represented by visible features on the playing surface 19.
  • Parts of the magnetic landscape may be made visible by the action of an appropriately configured objects placed within the landscape.
  • objects may be "magnetically aware", i.e. they may be configured to be responsive in some way to the magnitude and/or direction of the local magnetic field in which they are placed.
  • magnetic field emitting elements 21 , 22, 23, are provided beneath the playing surface 19 .
  • Some or all of these magnetic field emitting elements 21 , 22, 23 may be permanent magnets, made from for example magnetised ferromagnetic materials or composites.
  • the level of the magnetic field within each region 11 , 12, 13 proximate to the playing surface 19 depends upon the strengths of the magnets 21 , 22, 23, which in turn depends upon their level of magnetisation and the ferromagnetic properties of the materials from which the magnets are made.
  • the direction of the magnetic fields generated by the magnets 21 , 22, 23 depends on the orientation of each magnet.
  • the magnets 21 , 22, 23 may be oriented in any desired direction, but typically may be oriented such that the north-south orientation of each magnet lies either parallel or orthogonal to the plane of the surface 19.
  • Adjacent magnetic field emitting elements 21 may be relatively oriented such that the polarity of each element is aligned in the same direction, thus ensuring that the magnetic field within the region 12 is uniform.
  • the polarity of magnetic field emitting elements 21 , 22 in neighbouring regions 12, 11 may be relatively opposite so that distinct differences in magnetic field can be determined within each region 12, 11.
  • the magnetic field emitting elements 21 , 22, 23 may be formed from electrically conductive coil windings, and the magnetic fields emitted by the coil windings are then dependent upon the number of windings in each coil, the spacing of the windings and the magnitude and direction of the current flowing through each coil.
  • Such coils may be spirally wound or helically wound, and may further include a core of higher magnetic permeability material in order to concentrate the magnetic field.
  • Shown in position on the playing surface 19 of Figure 2 is the toy car 15 of Figure 1.
  • This toy car 15 is positioned within the region defined by the road feature 12.
  • the magnetic field emitting elements 21 beneath the road feature 12 generate the magnetic field associated with the road feature.
  • FIG. 3 Shown in Figure 3 is a cutaway schematic view of the toy car 15 of figures 1 and 2, illustrating various exemplary functional components which may be found therein.
  • a magnetic field sensor 31 is connected to a processor 32, which in turn is connected to a visual output device 33, an audio output device 34 and a wireless transceiver 36.
  • the magnetic field sensor 31 senses the magnitude and/or direction of the magnetic field in the immediate vicinity, which in the case of Figure 2 corresponds to the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field emitting elements 21 beneath the road feature 12.
  • the output from the magnetic field sensor 31 is read by the processor 32.
  • the processor 32 determines what signals, if any, are sent to the visual output device 33, audio output device 34 and wireless transceiver 36. For example, if the magnetic field sensor detects a magnetic flux density between certain predetermined values, the processor may trigger the visual output device 33 to flash and the audio output device 34 to sound a siren. Additionally, or alternatively, a signal may be sent by the processor 32 to the wireless transceiver 36, sending a message wirelessly to a control unit that will as a result perform a predetermined action.
  • the magnetically aware objects such as the toy car 15, toy boat 17 or toy sheep 16 may include one or more of any of the visual output device 33, audio output device 34 and wireless transceiver 36, according to the desired output each object is required to have.
  • Shown in Figure 4 is a graphical representation of the magnetic field level 42 as a function of distance 41 across the playing surface of Figure 1 in the direction of A-A.
  • Three different field levels 43, 44, 45 are indicated, which correspond to the three different visible features of buildings 13, road 12 and meadow 11.
  • the field level 44 of the road feature 12 may be x ⁇ a
  • the field level 45 of the meadow feature 11 may be y ⁇ a
  • the field level 43 of the building features 17 may be z ⁇ a.
  • the processor 32 of the example toy car of Figure 3 may therefore be configured to respond only to a magnetic field level of between x-a and x+a, as detected by the magnetic field sensor 31.
  • magnetic field level is intended to encompass the magnitude and/or direction of the magnetic field at any given point.
  • magnetic field levels referred to are only those which are non-zero, or at least distinguishable from any background field level such as that generated by the Earth's magnetic field.
  • the road feature 12 may, for example, be subdivided into two or more regions with different corresponding magnetic field levels.
  • the toy car may then be configured to respond accordingly when positioned on these different regions. Additionally, the toy car may respond differently when not positioned on the road feature 12. If instead, the toy car is positioned on the meadow feature 11 , an alternate response may be triggered by the magnetic field level 45 corresponding to that region.
  • the toy boat may be configured such that a predetermined response is obtained when in position within the river feature 18, whereas the toy sheep 16 may have a different predetermined response when in position on the meadow feature.
  • each type of feature such as a meadow 11 or road 12
  • different regions of the road 12 may be configured such that the toy car 15 will respond differently according to in which region of the road 12 it is placed.
  • FIGs 5, 6 and 7 illustrate a particular example of a magnetic landscape apparatus according to the invention.
  • a schematic plan view of a game apparatus 50 is shown, on which is provided a playing surface 54.
  • various visual features including noun representations 51a-e and verb representations 52a-e.
  • Each noun representation 51a-e defines a region on the playing surface 54, and each has a corresponding verb representation 52a-e.
  • Magnetic field emitting elements are provided corresponding to each region defined by the noun and verb representations.
  • the magnetic field emitting elements are coils, which are driven by electrical current applied via electrical connections 53.
  • the noun representations 51a-e are animals, and the verb representations 52a-e are the corresponding sounds made by the animals.
  • the noun representation "cow" 51a corresponds to the verb representation "moo” 52a.
  • the assignment of the game is to place objects on the matching noun and verb representation regions 51a, 52a. If two suitably configured magnetically-aware objects are placed on matching regions, a predetermined response is triggered from one or both of the objects. For example, when positioned on the corresponding noun 51a and verb 52a representations, each object may be configured to produce a "moo" sound to indicate that the match is correct.
  • Figures 6 and 7 illustrate example arrangements of magnetic field emitting elements in the form of coils 61a-e, 62a-e, 71a-e and 72a-e.
  • all the coils 61a-e and 62a-e have substantially the same number of turns, and therefore when driven with the same current will emit the same magnetic field magnitude.
  • the magnitudes corresponding to each noun 51a-e or verb 52a-e representation each coil must be driven with a different electrical current. This may be achieved through various conventional means, for example via a resistor or switching network connected to one or more electrical current sources.
  • the coils are driven via separate electrical connections 63a-e, 64a-e.
  • Matching magnetic field magnitudes corresponding to matching noun and verb pairs may be generated by driving corresponding coil pairs 61a, 62a etc. with the same current.
  • Such an arrangement may, however, be complex in terms of components and wiring, although the arrangement permits each coil to be individually driven at the appropriate level.
  • the coils 71a-e, 72a-e are of differing number of windings, although in matching pairs 71a, 72a etc.
  • the coils can be connected to the same power supply via common electrical connections 73.
  • the coils may be electrically connected in series.
  • the coils may be electrically connected in parallel, requiring a lower voltage, higher current, source.
  • a combination of different types of magnetic field emitting devices may also be used.
  • Combining the coil-type devices such as those in Figures 5, 6 and 7 with the permanent magnets of Figure 2 can result in an enhanced degree of interactivity in the magnetic landscape apparatus.
  • Shown in Figure 8 is an example toy traffic light 80 for use on the magnetic landscape apparatus of Figure 1.
  • the traffic light 80 When in position on the playing surface 19 at the appropriate position 14, the traffic light 80 is proximate a coil 81. Current flowing through the coil 81 will generate a magnetic field, the field lines 82 of which are indicated generally in Figure 8.
  • the traffic light 80 contains a magnetic field sensor 83 which senses the level of the magnetic field.
  • a processor 84 is configured to read the output of the magnetic field sensor 83 and determine an output accordingly.
  • the processor may be configured to respond to three different levels of magnetic field, each of which correspond to a light 85a-c.
  • the processor 84 lights the green light 85a.
  • the processor 84 lights the amber light 85b.
  • the processor At a third level of magnetic field r ⁇ a, the processor lights the red light 85c.
  • the electric current carried by the coil 81 may be provided by a current source, being part of or separate from the magnetic landscape apparatus 10.
  • the current source may be programmed to provide regularly changing levels of current corresponding to the levels of magnetic field described above.
  • the current source may be configured to respond to particular actions of the user, for example by input means such as switches or buttons, or in response to the presence of a toy car 15 on a road feature 12, which may signal its presence through the transmission of a signal via the wireless transceiver 36.
  • FIG 9 Illustrated in Figure 9 is an example of an arrangement of coils 91 in a magnetic landscape apparatus 90, in which an arbitrary magnetic landscape may be created. Applying appropriate electric currents to the coils 91 via the external electrical connections 92 causes the coils 91 to generate a corresponding magnetic field which varies across the surface of the magnetic landscape apparatus 90.
  • a particular two dimensional array of coils consisting of a 3 x 3 grid is shown in Figure 9.
  • any suitable pattern or number of coils may be used in order to create a desired magnetic landscape.
  • the landscape thus created may be temporally constant or varying according to use.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Length, Angles, Or The Like Using Electric Or Magnetic Means (AREA)
  • Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif de présentation magnétique comprenant une surface de jeu, une pluralité d'éléments d'émission de champ magnétique conçus pour générer un champ magnétique à variation spatiale sur toute la surface et un ou plusieurs objets mobiles, ce dispositif pouvant détecter des niveaux de champ magnétique sur ladite surface et réagir à ceux-ci.
EP06795724A 2005-08-31 2006-08-22 Dispositif de presentation d'environnement magnetique Withdrawn EP1926537A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP06795724A EP1926537A2 (fr) 2005-08-31 2006-08-22 Dispositif de presentation d'environnement magnetique

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP05107966 2005-08-31
PCT/IB2006/052895 WO2007026277A2 (fr) 2005-08-31 2006-08-22 Dispositif de presentation d'environnement magnetique
EP06795724A EP1926537A2 (fr) 2005-08-31 2006-08-22 Dispositif de presentation d'environnement magnetique

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1926537A2 true EP1926537A2 (fr) 2008-06-04

Family

ID=37686001

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP06795724A Withdrawn EP1926537A2 (fr) 2005-08-31 2006-08-22 Dispositif de presentation d'environnement magnetique

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1926537A2 (fr)
JP (1) JP2009505765A (fr)
CN (1) CN101252976A (fr)
WO (1) WO2007026277A2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP4422746B2 (ja) * 2007-07-25 2010-02-24 株式会社タカラトミー 走路盤
US8282438B2 (en) 2009-04-08 2012-10-09 DiTropolis, Inc. Playset system for toy vehicles
GB2475273B (en) * 2009-11-12 2011-09-28 Liberation Consulting Ltd Toy systems and position systems

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5816886A (en) * 1997-02-06 1998-10-06 Mattel, Inc. Sentence forming toy vehicle track set
WO2001015059A2 (fr) * 1999-08-24 2001-03-01 Gamalong Ltd. Systeme et procede de detection de l'emplacement d'un objet physique place sur un ecran
DE20316846U1 (de) * 2003-11-03 2004-01-08 Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg Gmbh Kraftfahrzeugmodell
DE202004018425U1 (de) * 2004-11-26 2006-04-06 Conrad, Michael Miniaturfahrzeug und Fahrbahn für ein Miniaturfahrzeug

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2007026277A3 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2007026277A2 (fr) 2007-03-08
JP2009505765A (ja) 2009-02-12
CN101252976A (zh) 2008-08-27
WO2007026277A3 (fr) 2007-05-31

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