Robotic toy with posable joints
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsDavid G. Duff, Mark H. Yim, Samuel B. Homans, Kimon D. Roufas, John W. Suh
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Abstract
An assemblage of robotic modules includes a plurality of robotic modules, with each robotic module having memory capability, an actuator, a joint position sensor, and communication means. The assemblage of robotic modules also includes a distributed control unit, which is defined at least in part by a plurality of individual central processing units, with each robotic joint module having at least one central processing unit.
Claims18
An assemblage of robotic joint modules for a robotic toy construction system, the assemblage comprising:
- a plurality of robotic joint modules, each said robotic joint module having memory capability, an actuator, a joint sensor, communications means, and a central processing unit;
- and
- a distributed control unit defined at least in part by a plurality of individual central processing units, wherein each one of said robotic joint modules includes at least one said central processing unit.
A method for programming an assemblage of robotic joint modules for a toy construction system, wherein each said robotic joint module includes a central processing unit, memory capability, an actuator, a joint position sensor, and communication means, the method comprising:
- providing an initiating signal to the assemblage of robotic joint modules;
- moving at least one robotic joint module to a first desired position;
- storing each said first position within each corresponding said central processing unit of each said robotic joint modules;
- moving at least one robotic joint module to a second desired position;
- storing each said second position within each corresponding said central processing unit of each said robotic joint module;
- and
- repeating the sequence of moving selected robotic joint modules to selected desired positions and storing each said desired position within each corresponding said central processing unit of each said robotic joint module until a full sequence of desired positions is obtained.
A method for coordinating motions of an assemblage of robotic joint modules for a toy construction system, wherein each said robotic joint module includes a central processing unit, memory capability, an actuator, a joint position sensor, and communication means, the method comprising:
- programming each robotic joint module with its own sequence of positions;
- providing a signal to all robotic joint modules in the assemblage simultaneously;
- interpreting said signal by each of the central processing units included within each of the robotic joint modules;
- and
- directing each robotic joint module to execute its own said sequence of positions simultaneously with the other robotic joint modules in the assemblage of robotic joint modules.
A method for coordinating motions of multiple assemblages of robotic joint modules for a toy construction system wherein each said robotic joint module includes a central processing unit, memory capability, an actuator, a joint position sensor, and communication means, the method comprising:
- programming a first assemblage of robotic joint modules with a sequence of positions;
- providing a signal from the first assemblage of robotic joint modules to other assemblages of robotic joint modules;
- interpreting said signal by each of the central processing units included within each of the robotic joint modules within each said other assemblages of robotic joint modules;
- and
- directing each said other assemblages of robotic joint module to execute said sequence of positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.