Methods and systems for providing programmable computerized interactors
US6356255B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 7, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 12, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 7, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG10H2230/055
- WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A computerized interactor system uses physical, three-dimensional objects as metaphors for input of user intent to a computer system. When one or more interactors are engaged with a detection field, the detection field reads an identifier associated with the object and communicates the identifier to a computer system. The computer system determines the meaning of the interactor based upon its identifier and upon a semantic context in which the computer system is operating. One specific embodiment of the present invention is a bead interactor system that is a user playable sound and light show system. When an interactor bead is positioned within the detection space of the bead interactor system, a sound sequence begins and continues to play unaltered until the bead interactor is removed or other bead interactors are positioned within or removed from the detection space. Each bead represents a different sound and the row and column location of the bead within the detection space controls how the sound is modified, e.g., louder or softer, higher pitched or lower pitched, the period of play, etc. In some embodiments, the beads are translucent in order to conduct light from light source…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.