WO2016076810A1

WO2016076810A1 - A smart toy platform

Info

Publication number: WO2016076810A1
Application number: PCT/TR2015/050162
Authority: WO
Inventors: Murvet KIRCI; Rahim ONER; Onur YILDIRIM
Original assignee: Istanbul Teknik Universitesi
Priority date: 2014-11-11
Filing date: 2015-11-09
Publication date: 2016-05-19
Also published as: US20180280790A1; EP3218075A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a smart toy platform (1) of the present invention, which provides various interactive games via an application installed in a smart device (A) such as a phone, tablet computer, etc. by detecting position, type and angle of one or more toys simultaneously, and basically comprises at least one object (2), at least one light source (2.1) which is provided in each object (2) and which emits infrared radiation, at least one electronic circuit (2.2), which is provided on each object (2) and comprises a processor adapted for performing digital coding specific for light sources (2.1), at least one board (3) on which objects (2) are placed, a plurality of sensors (3.1) which are located on the board (3) and which enable detection of the infrared radiations emitted from each light source (2.1), at least one analog-digital converter (3.2) which enables to convert the analog data coming from the sensor (3.1) into digital data, at least one controller (3.3) which is adapted to control the digital data coming from the analog-digital converter (3.2) and to generate the position data of each object (2) on the board (3), at least one data communication unit (3.4) which is located on the board (3) and which enables the data generated by the controller (3.3) to be transmitted to a smart device (A).

Description

A SMART TOY PLATFORM

DESCRIPTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a smart toy platform, which enables to provide an interactive game on a smart device by using the light emission feature of a LED, which is integrated to a toy, at a certain wavelength and detecting position, type and angle of a plurality of objects simultaneously on a certain area by the help of the said LED and phototransistor/photodiode sensor pair.

Background of the Invention

There are several applications for children to play with real objects and at the same time make use of the advantages brought by technology. In majority of these applications, the objects with which the children play are detected by image processing method. For example, by means of a camera placed on a tablet computer, the objects the children play with are transferred to an application in the computer and various games can be played by these applications. In other known applications, for example a bestseller toy character in the toy industry such as Furby is virtualized or one or more characters are enabled to be identified on a certain area via RFID method.

In these applications in the state of the art, in image processing method, the camera is required to see the object clearly and the objects cannot be easily detected at variable light conditions and complex environments. Height creates another problem for the objects used in image processing method and there is a possibility that an object blocks another object that is located behind it. Additionally the game area should also be within the angle of the camera and since the device camera is used in this product, the game cannot be played away from the smart device. In detection performed via RFID method, the method only detects the type of the objects thereon; there is no method for detecting their positions.

Problems Solved by the Invention

The objective of the present invention is to provide a smart toy platform which enables to play a game via a single screen and multiple boards at the same time (for example in classroom applications) by transmitting information to a smart device by wired or wireless means. In the smart toy platform of the present invention, the communication between the board and the toy is provided by means of an infrared LED-phototransistor pair; and in addition to this, position and angle of the toy can also be found by means of a plurality of phototransistor/photodiode sensors provided on the board and an associated software algorithm. The platform of the present invention provides more flexibility in comparison to the image processing method. As described above, there is no requirement for a camera to see the objects. Thus at the moment when the object is placed on the board it is detected and data are transferred to the application (smart device) instantaneously. Again, thanks to the fact that there is no dependency on a camera, the game can be played at any desired distance to the device.

Another advantage of the invention is that variable light conditions do not create any problems in detection of visual complexity of the environment where the game is played. In other words, since detection is not performed via image processing method in the present invention, the objects can easily be detected in a variable light condition and complex environment.

Multiple smart toy platforms can be connected to a single smart device by means of the designed wireless network structure; thus there is no requirement for having a separate smart device for each user. Additionally, by means of the present invention, in addition to the information of type of the object used in RFID method, both position and angle information are also sent. Furthermore, since it can be inventive conceptually, the system allows the child to design her/his product and add her/his drawings and the Legos s/he builds to the kits (the toys thereon). Also by means of the platform of the invention, objects of desired sizes can be defined. Board games and FRP (Fantasy Role Play) games can be played on the system. The platform of the invention also includes these applications.

Detailed Description of the Invention A smart toy platform developed to fulfill the objectives of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying figures, in which:

Figure 1. is the perspective views of the open state of the smart toy platform of the present invention.

Figure 2. is the perspective views of the closed state of the smart toy platform of the present invention.

Figure 3. is the schematic view of the smart toy platform of the present invention. The components in the figures are given reference numbers as follows:

1. Smart toy platform

2. Object

2.1. Light source

2.2. Electronic circuit

3. Board 3.1. Sensor

3.2. Analog-digital converter

3.3. Controller

3.4. Data communication unit

A. Smart device

The smart toy platform (1) of the present invention, which provides various interactive games via an application installed in a smart device (A) such as a phone, tablet computer, etc. by detecting position, type and angle of one or more toys simultaneously, basically comprises

at least one object (2),

at least one light source (2.1) which is provided in each object (2) and which emits infrared radiation,

at least one electronic circuit (2.2), which is provided on each object (2) and comprises a processor adapted for performing digital coding specific for light sources (2.1),

at least one board (3) on which objects (2) are placed,

a plurality of sensors (3.1) which are located on the board (3) and which enable detection of the infrared radiations emitted from each light source (2.1),

at least one analog-digital converter (3.2) which enables to convert the analog data coming from the sensor (3.1) into digital data,

at least one controller (3.3) which is adapted to control the digital data coming from the analog-digital converter (3.2) and to generate the position data of each object (2) on the board (3),

at least one data communication unit (3.4) which is located on the board (3) and which enables the data generated by the controller (3.3) to be transmitted to a smart device (A).

The smart toy platform (1) of the present invention is operated by infrared technology; and is basically comprised of a board (3), which is connected to a smart device (A) via a wired or wireless data communication unit (3.4) and which detects the objects (2) placed thereon; and by using the feature of a light source

(2.1) integrated to the objects (2) for emitting infrared radiation at a specific wavelength, detects position, type and angle of a plurality of objects (2) on a board (3) at the same time by the help of a light source (2.1) and sensor (3.1) pair, and thereby provides various interactive games via an application installed on a smart device (A) such as a phone, desktop computer, tablet computer, smart TV, smart board, etc. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, there are provided an infrared light source (2.1) and an electronic circuit (2.2) which are integrated to the toys, i.e. objects (2), with which children are to play. In one embodiment of the invention, the said light source (2.1) is a LED (light emitting diode) and emits radiation at a wavelength in the range of 10 nm (nanometer) to 1000 μιη (micrometer). There is preferably a processor in the said electronic circuit (2.2). Alternatively, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP) or any analog electronic circuit which can perform digital coding can be provided in the said electronic circuit

(2.2) in place of the processor. By the help of the said processor, the light source (2.1) continuously emits light signal with digital coding logic. This digital coding process which is applied in order to distinguish each light source (2.1) and thus object (2) from each other is described in detail hereunder.

The communication between the object (2) and the board (3) is enabled by the light source (2.1), which is integrated to the object (2) and emits radiation at infrared wavelength, and the sensor (3.1), which is located on the board (3) and is activated (passes to conducting state) at infrared wavelength. These sensors (3.1) are lined up in two dimensional matrix form under the entire detection area in the board (3) and the number thereof can be increased or decreased according to the size of the board (3). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sensor (3.1) is a phototransistor or a photodiode.

If an object (2) on which there is an infrared light source (2.1) is placed on the board (3), the phototransistor sensor (3.1) that is closest to the said light source (2.1) gives a feedback close to zero volt reference voltage. At the same time, the other phototransistor sensors (3.1) around the said light source (2.1) are also affected by the light emission. Each phototransistor sensor (3.1), which is subjected to a different light intensity according to its distance to the light source (2.1) on the object (2), react in different ways, that is to say, their output voltages vary in proportion to this distance. Since this way a phototransistor sensor (3.1) closest to the light source (2.1) is subjected to a greater light intensity, more variation is observed in its output voltage; while less variation is observed in the output voltage of the phototransistor sensor (3.1) farthest away from the light source (2.1).

Output voltage level of these phototransistor sensors (3.1) is first converted to digital data by means of the analog-digital converters (3.2) provided in the board (3). For this process, in one embodiment of the invention, a processor, in which an analog-digital converter (3.2) is integrated, is placed at each block containing 16 phototransistor sensors (3.1), and the data are processed in these inexpensive processors and the result data are sent to the controller (3.3). In another embodiment of the invention, output voltage level of the phototransistor sensors (3.1) can be sent to an analog-digital converter (3.2) by the help of an analog Mux/demux.

After the process of conversion to digital data, these voltage levels converted to digital data are continuously controlled by a controller (3.3) located preferably in the board (3). Thus, digitalized output data of the phototransistor sensors (3.1) coming from the analog-digital converters (3.2) are processed in the controller (3.3), and it can be determined in between which phototransistor sensors (3.1) each light source (2.1) is located.

Determining in between which phototransistor sensors (3.1) each light source (2.1) is located is realized as follows: for example in a system with 160 phototransistor sensors (3.1), 10 mux/processors are used. Each output pin of these processor-controlled muxes is connected to a different ADC (analog-digital converter (3.2)) channel of the processor and the said processor preferably switches all 16 channels, which are connected to these muxes, in order from 1 to 16. When the first channels of the said muxes are switched, the first channel of each mux is read by different ADC channels. Then, all of the second channels are read by the same ADC channels of the processor. This way switching continues for all of the channels. Since the points of the board (3) in x-y plane, to which the muxes and the channels connected thereto correspond, are predefined in the controller (3.3); positions of the phototransistor sensors (3.1), which react to the light source (2.1), and thus the object (2), to which the light source (2.1) is integrated, on the board (3) can be determined by the controller (3.3).

In one embodiment of the invention, the said controller (3.3) is a processor.

In order to distinguish the LEDs used as light sources (2.1) and thus the objects (2), to which the light sources (2.1) are attached, from each other, digital coding method is used as briefly described above. For this, there is provided one processor in electronic circuit (2.2) in each object, and this processor, for example in a period of 0.16 ms, performs coding for each light source (2.1) via special digital coding logic. For example, assuming that 256 different light sources (2.1), i.e. LEDs, will meet our requirement, 8 bit coding is performed. Thus, by means of the processor in the electronic circuit (2.2), each light source (2.1) that is digitally coded sends its own ID number to the phototransistor sensors (3.1) on the board (3). ID numbers coded for the said light sources (2.1) are predefined in an application installed in the smart device (A). The image of the light source (2.1), whose ID number is determined, and the object (2) is matched at the stage of designing the application loaded to the smart device (A), and thus each light source (2.1) and thus the objects (2) including these light sources (2.1) thereon can be distinguished from each other during a game played via the application installed in the smart device (A).

In one embodiment of the invention, there is a second light source (2.1) on each object (2) and this way angles of the objects (2) on the board (3) can also be detected. When two different infrared LEDs having different IDs are connected onto each object (2), the controller (3.3) sends the position of the two different IDs to the smart device (A) via the data communication unit (3.4). In the application installed in the smart device (A), two IDs are matched with the same object (2) and thus by means of the positions of the two IDs relative to each other on x-y plane, the angle at which the object (2) is located on the board (3) can be determined.

In another embodiment of the invention, the angle of the object (2) is calculated by the controller (3.3) and only the ID, position and angle information of the object (2) are transferred to the smart device (A) by means of the data communication unit (3.4).

The data transferred from the light sources (2.1) to the phototransistor sensors (3.1) and the output voltage levels of the phototransistor sensors (3.1) which are digitalized by the analog-digital converter (3.2) are sent by wired or wireless means to the smart device (A) by the help of the data communication unit (3.4) (e.g. a Bluetooth module) via the controller (3.3) provided in the board (3), and the said objects (2) are displayed on the screen of the smart device (A) together with their positions and angles. In accordance with the said data that are transmitted, different games can be played interactively by means of the applications installed on the smart device (A).

In the present invention; multiple smart toy platforms (1) can be connected to a single smart device (A) by means of the wireless network structure of the data communication unit (3.4) and thus there is no requirement for having a separate smart device (A) for each user.

Claims

A smart toy platform (1), which provides various interactive games via an application installed in a smart device (A) such as a phone, tablet computer, etc. by detecting position, type and angle of one or more toys simultaneously, basically comprising

at least one object (2) and

at least one board (3) on which objects (2) are placed,

and characterized by

at least one controller (3.3) which is adapted to control the digital data coming from the analog-digital converter (3.

2) and to generate the position data of each object (2) on the board (3),

at least one data communication unit (3.4) which is located on the board (3) and which enables the data generated by the controller (3.

3) to be transmitted to a smart device (A).

A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 1, characterized by the data communication unit (3.4) which provides wireless data communication.

A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 1, characterized by the data communication unit (3.4) which provides wired data communication.

4. A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 1, characterized by the light source (2.1) which is a light emitting diode.

5. A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 5, characterized by the sensors (3.1) which are lined up in two dimensional matrix form under the entire detection area in the board (3).

6. A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 1, characterized by the sensor (3.1) which is activated (passes to conducting state) at infrared wavelength.

7. A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 6, characterized by the sensors (3.1), which are subjected to a different light intensity according to their distance to the light source (2.1) on the object (2), and whose output voltages vary in proportion to this distance.

8. A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 1, characterized by the sensor (3.1), which is a phototransistor.

9. A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 1, characterized by the sensor (3.1), which is a photodiode.

10. A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 1, characterized by the analog- digital converter (3.2) which enables to convert the output voltage level of the sensors (3.1) into digital data.

11. A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 1, characterized by the light source (2.1), which is digitally coded by means of the processor in the electronic circuit (2.2) and which sends its own ID number to the phototransistor sensors (3.1) on the board (3).

12. A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 1, characterized by the object (2) which comprises a second light source (2.1) to enable detection of also its angle on the board (3).

13. A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 12, characterized by the controller (3.3), which, when two different infrared LEDs having different IDs are connected onto each object (2), is adapted to send the position of the two different IDs to the smart device (A) via the data communication unit (3.4).

14. A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 13, characterized in that in the application installed in the smart device (A), two IDs are matched with the same object (2), and thus by means of the positions of the two IDs relative to each other on x-y plane, the angle at which the object (2) is located on the board (3) is determined.

15. A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 13, characterized by the controller (3.3), which is adapted to calculate the angle of the object (2) and transfer the ID, position and angle information of the object (2) to the smart device (A) by means of the data communication unit (3.4).

16. A smart toy platform (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that one or more smart toy platforms (1) can be connected to a single smart device (A) by means of the data communication units (3.4).