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Title:
TRACKING THREE-DIMENSIONAL PUZZLE COMPONENTS USING EMBEDDED SIGNATURE AND ROTATION SENSORS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2018/138586
Kind Code:
A4
Abstract:
Embodiments disclosed herein include methods and apparatus for tracking three-dimensional puzzle components using embedded signature and rotation sensors. A system of unique signatures enable the identification of the components by internal sensors and rotation sensors enable tracking the components as the move around on the puzzle surface. The system fosters greater enjoyment of the puzzles by offering interactive feedback and guidance. Competitions are also facilitated.

Inventors:
DOR UDI (IL)
DOR AMIT (IL)
Application Number:
PCT/IB2018/000411
Publication Date:
November 15, 2018
Filing Date:
January 25, 2018
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
PARTICULA LTD (IL)
International Classes:
A63F9/08; A63F13/00
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
FELBER, Joseph, L. (IL)
Download PDF:
Claims:
1

AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 12 September 2018 (12.09.2018)

1. A three-dimensional puzzle comprising: a shell having at least four faces and formed by multiple shell segments, each shell segment being free to move relative to an adjacent shell segment; a core within the shell, the faces being free to rotate relative to the core about axes extending from the core toward the faces; multiple unique signatures located at the shell segments; and at least one signature sensor within the shell to provide data to processing circuitry based on sensed signatures to determine shell segment patterns.

2. The three-dimensional puzzle of claim 1, further comprising: for each face, a rotation sensor operative to sense rotations of the face relative to the core.

3. The three-dimensional puzzle of claim 2, wherein the rotation sensor is a contactless rotation sensor.

4. The three-dimensional puzzle of claim 1 further comprising: the processing circuitry; wherein the processing circuitry is located within the shell. 2

5. The three-dimensional puzzle of claim 1, wherein the signature sensor is an optical sensor .

6. The three-dimensional puzzle of claim 5, wherein the unique signatures are unique color signatures, and the optical sensor is an RGB sensor.

7. The three-dimensional puzzle of claim 1, wherein the unique signatures are RFID or NFC codes, and the signature sensor is an RFID or NFC sensor.

8. The three-dimensional puzzle of claim 1 further comprising:

a rechargeable battery located at the core as part of the processing circuitry;

a charging interface located at one of the shell segments; and

leads electrically connecting the charging interface and the battery, at least a part of the leads located within a hollow post extending from the core along the axis of rotation to the shell segment at which the charging interface is located.

9. The three-dimensional puzzle of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is located at the core and includes sensory indicators for the user.

10. The three-dimensional puzzle of claim 1 further comprising:

an IMU sensor operative to sense the orientation of the shell.

11. The three-dimensional puzzle of claim 1 further comprising: 3 communication circuitry to transmit shell segment pattern data to an external client .

12. The three-dimensional puzzle of claim 11, wherein the shell segment pattern data is transmitted using Wi-Fi technology.

13. The three-dimensional puzzle of claim 11, wherein the shell segment pattern data is transmitted using Bluetooth technology.

14. The three-dimensional puzzle of claim 2, wherein:

the shell has six faces, which form a cube; and

the shell segments are six central cubelets, eight vertex cubelets, and twelve central edge cubelets, the central cubelets each being on a different face of the shell and each being supported by contacting a separate post extending from the core along the axis of rotation of the face.

15. A three-dimensional puzzle system comprising:

the three-dimensional puzzle of claim 11 ; and

the external client.

16. The three-dimensional puzzle system of claim 15, wherein the external client has a display to show the shell segment pattern.

17. The three-dimensional puzzle system of claim 16, wherein the display shows the orientation of the shell based on data from the IMU. 4

18. The three-dimensional puzzle system of claim 15, wherein the external client has the processing circuitry to receive the data from the signature sensor to determine shell segment patterns.

19. The three-dimensional puzzle system of claim 15, wherein the external client has circuitry to transmit shell segment pattern data via the Internet.

20. A method of determining patterns on a three-dimensional puzzle, the puzzle having a shell formed by multiple shell segments, each shell segment being free to move relative to an adjacent shell segment, and multiple unique signatures located at the shell segments, the method comprising:

from within the shell using at least one signature sensor to sense the unique signatures of proximate shell segments and determining their identities based on the sensed unique signatures; rotating a puzzle face to bring other shell segments proximate the at least one signature sensor for sensing other unique signatures and determining the identities of the other proximate shell segments based on the other sensed unique signatures;

using rotation sensors to determine the new location of the earlier identified shell segments after the rotation; and

continuing to rotate puzzle faces to determine identities of other shell segments and continuing to determine new locations of rotated shell segments until all shell segments are identified. 5

21. The method of claim 20, wherein a device external to the three-dimensional puzzle guides a user as to which faces to rotate.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein components within the three-dimensional puzzle guide a user as to which faces to rotate.

23. A method of correcting errors in the determination of patterns on a three- dimensional puzzle, the puzzle having a shell formed by multiple shell segments, each shell segment being free to move relative to an adjacent shell segment, and multiple unique signatures located at the shell segments, the method comprising:

after a perceived rotation of a puzzle face, (1) tracking the rotation of shell segments as if the rotation were completed and (2) tracking the rotation of shell segments as if the rotation were not completed;

from within the shell using at least one signature sensor to sense the unique signatures of proximate shell segments and determining their identities based on the sensed unique signatures; dismissing a tracking controverted by the identification of the proximate shell segments; and

confirming the tracking that is not dismissed.

24. A method of tracking patterns on a three-dimensional puzzle, the puzzle having a shell formed by multiple shell segments, each shell segment being free to move relative to an adjacent shell segment, and multiple unique signatures located at the shell segments, the method comprising: 6 obtaining an initial pattern;

from within the shell using at least two signature sensors to sense the unique signatures of shell segments moving into proximity; and

providing data to processing circuitry based on the sensed signatures;

wherein the processing circuitry determines from the data the identification of the proximate shell segments to determine a new shell segment pattern.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein:

the shell has six faces, which form a cube;

the shell segments are six central cubelets, eight vertex cubelets, and twelve central edge cubelets,

the central cubelets each are on a different face of the shell and each contact a separate post extending from a core along the axis of rotation of the face; and

the unique signatures are located at the vertex and central edge cubelets.

26. A method of tracking patterns on a three-dimensional puzzle, the puzzle having a shell that has at least four faces and is formed by multiple shell segments, each shell segment being free to move relative to an adjacent shell segment, and the faces being free to rotate about axes extending from a core toward the faces, the method comprising:

obtaining an initial pattern;

sensing rotation of the faces; and

providing data to processing circuitry based on the rotation of the faces; 7 wherein the processing circuitry determines from the face rotation data the movement of the shell segments to determine a new shell segment pattern.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein:

the shell has six faces, which form a cube;

the shell segments are six central cubelets, eight vertex cubelets, and twelve central edge cubelets, and

the central cubelets each are on a different face of the shell and each contact a separate post extending from the core along the axis of rotation of the face.

8

28. A method of using a three-dimensional puzzle, the puzzle having: a shell with at least four faces formed by multiple shell segments, each free to move relative to an adjacent shell segment to change segment patterns; and

communication circuitry to transmit shell segment pattern data to an external

client;

the method comprising: wirelessly transmitting the shell segment pattern data to the external client; receiving from the external client instructions as to how to rearrange shell segments into new patterns; and rearranging the shell segments according to the instructions received.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the instructions from the external client are displayed on a smartphone.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the external client interactively follows and guides the player as he makes his moves.

31. A method of providing interactive feedback to a player of a three-dimensional puzzle, the puzzle having: a shell with at least four faces formed by multiple shell segments, each free to move relative to an adjacent shell segment to change segment patterns; and

communication circuitry to transmit shell segment pattern data;

the method comprising: wirelessly receiving from the communication circuitry shell segment pattern data of the three-dimensional puzzle; 9

compiling statistics on the player's patterns; and providing the statistics to the player.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the statistics provided to the player includes bout duration.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the statistics provided to the player includes number of moves.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the statistics provided to the player includes rotation speed.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the statistics provided to the player includes personal records.

36. A method of administering an online interaction of players using three-dimensional puzzles, each puzzle having: a shell with at least four faces formed by multiple shell segments, each shell

segment free to move relative to an adjacent shell segment to change segment patterns; communication circuitry to transmit shell segment pattern data and/or puzzle usage data to a central server;

the method comprising: 10 establishing at a central server of the network communication with the players' three-dimensional puzzles and/or with an external client in communication with the three- dimensional puzzles;

receiving shell segment pattern data and/or puzzle usage data wirelessly from the three-dimensional puzzles;

responding to the shell segment pattern data and/or puzzle usage data received by transmitting wirelessly to the three-dimensional puzzles and/or to the external client in communication with the three-dimensional puzzles data and/or instructions based on the shell segment pattern data and/or puzzle usage data.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the instructions include a unique set of moves for each player.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the unique sets of moves are handicaps in a competition for which all players must reach the same cube pattern.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein at least one three-dimensional puzzle in the competition transmits its shell segment pattern data through an external client to the server, which based thereon responds by sending the unique set of moves for the puzzle.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the central server sends shell segment pattern data through an external client for at least one three-dimensional puzzle in the competition. 11

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the external client determines the face rotations for the three-dimensional puzzle to have the specified pattern.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the three-dimensional puzzle determines the face rotations necessary to have the specified pattern.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein the data include ranking statistics of the players' performances.

44. The method of claim 36, wherein the external client has a camera recording the player's moves in real time.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the server shares a video of the camera's recording on social media.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the video documents the player's moves at specific times.

47. The method of claim 36, wherein the user ranking is based on at least the speed at which the puzzle was solved.




 
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