- Number
- 10441877
- Published
- 2019-10-15
- Filed
- 2018-01-10
- Assignee
- Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors
- Heatherly; Christopher W., Mkrtchyan; Armen, Backer; Jonathan, White; Brian
- CPC
- A63F13/2145; A63F13/235; A63F13/92; A63F13/218; A63F13/245; G06F3/016; A63F13/211; A63F13/21; G06F3/0393; A63F13/217; G06F3/04162; A63F13/73; G06F3/0488
- Verdict
- Medium Hardware
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
Physical game pieces for touch screen devices.
Abstract
There is provided a system and method for communicating with a first peripheral device, of a plurality of peripheral devices, using a touch-sensitive system that has a processor and a touch surface. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method includes detecting, using the processor, a plurality of touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system that are made by the first peripheral device. The method further includes identifying, using the processor, the first peripheral device based on the plurality of touches on the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system that are made by the first peripheral device. The method additionally includes communicating data, using the processor, to a receptive circuit of the first peripheral device in response to the identifying of the first peripheral device.
Background
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention(1) The present invention relates generally to the field of electronic devices, and more particularly, to electronic devices using touch-sensitive surfaces.2. Background Art(2) Touch-sensitive devices, such as touch screen devices, are becoming increasingly prevalent in the marketplace. These touch-sensitive devices offer a touch-sensitive surface that can detect the presence and position of touch-based input opening up the possibility of new ways to interact with electronic devices. The popularity of recent touch screen devices, including tablet computers such as iPad from Apple®, means that touch screen devices can be found among many family households. At the same time, physical game pieces and/or toys remain a staple of kids, with collectible figures and objects serving as a bedrock for imaginative toy play in the form of interaction between the figures and objects as well as the larger environment.(3) In this context, kids are having increased exposure to touch screen devices making it desirable to provide new technologies, which can enhance the interactive experience with touch screen devices and their existing toys.(4) In a conventional approach, a toy may be integrated with a video game or other software running on a computer through establishing wired or wireless communication between the toy and the computer. For example, the video game or other software could run on a touch screen device and communicate with the t
Claims
1. A touch-sensitive system for use by a user, the touch-sensitive system comprising: a touch surface; a peripheral device including: a receptive circuit configured to receive data while the peripheral device is touching the touch surface; and a haptic element; a processor configured to: display a path on the touch surface for travelling by the peripheral device; and detect the peripheral device touching the touch surface at a first portion of the path; and communicate the data to the receptive circuit of the peripheral device, in response to detecting the peripheral device touching the touch surface at the first portion of the path; wherein, in response to receiving the data by the receptive circuit of the peripheral device from the processor, the peripheral device causes the haptic element to provide a haptic feedback to the user by making the peripheral device move faster or slower based upon the detected first portion of the path while the peripheral device is moving over the detected first portion of the path.
2. The touch-sensitive system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device further includes a plurality of touch points configured to contact the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system, wherein the plurality of touch points are configured to identify the peripheral device to the touch-sensitive system.
3. The touch-sensitive system of claim 1, wherein based upon the first portion of the path being snow, the peripheral device moves faster in response to receiving the data from the processor to indicate that the peripheral device is travelling over the snow.
4. The touch-sensitive system of claim 1, wherein based upon the first portion of the path being mud, the peripheral device moves slower in response to receiving the data from the processor to indicate that the peripheral device is travelling over the mud.
5. The touch-sensitive system of claim 1, wherein the haptic element includes one or more actuators.
6. The touch-sensitive system of claim 5, wherein the one or more actuators include a switch.
7. The touch-sensitive system of claim 5, wherein the one or more actuators include an electrical motor.
8. The touch-sensitive system of claim 5, wherein the one or more actuators include a wheel.
9. The touch-sensitive system of claim 5, wherein the one or more actuators include a speaker.
10. The touch-sensitive system of claim 5, wherein the one or more actuators include a light emitter.
11. A touch-sensitive system for use by a user, the touch-sensitive system comprising: a touch surface; a peripheral device including: a receptive circuit configured to receive data while the peripheral device is touching the touch surface; and one or more actuators; a processor configured to: display a path on the touch surface for travelling by the peripheral device; and detect the peripheral device touching the touch surface at a first portion of the path; and communicate the data to the receptive circuit of the peripheral device, in response to detecting the peripheral device touching the touch surface at the first portion of the path; wherein, in response to receiving the data by the receptive circuit of the peripheral device from the processor, the peripheral device uses the one or more actuators to interact with the user by making the peripheral device move faster or slower based upon the detected first portion of the path while the peripheral device is moving over the detected first portion of the path.
12. The touch-sensitive system of claim 11, wherein the peripheral device further includes a plurality of touch points configured to contact the touch surface of the touch-sensitive system, wherein the plurality of touch points are configured to identify the peripheral device to the touch-sensitive system.
13. The touch-sensitive system of claim 11, wherein based upon the first portion of the path being snow, the peripheral device moves faster in response to receiving the data from the processor to indicate that the peripheral device is travelling over the snow.
14. The touch-sensitive system of claim 11, wherein based upon the first portion of the path being mud, the peripheral device moves slower in response to receiving the data from the processor to indicate that the peripheral device is travelling over the mud.
15. The touch-sensitive system of claim 11, wherein the one or more actuators include a motor.
16. The touch-sensitive system of claim 11, wherein the one or more actuators include a switch.
17. The touch-sensitive system of claim 11, wherein the one or more actuators include an axle.
18. The touch-sensitive system of claim 11, wherein the one or more actuators include a wheel.
19. The touch-sensitive system of claim 11, wherein the one or more actuators include a speaker.
20. The touch-sensitive system of claim 11, wherein the one or more actuators include a light emitter.