Transport of an Object Across a Surface
Description
The present invention relates to the transport of an object across a surface, like e.g. of a
game piece across a game board.
The "classical" board game consists of a physical game plan (game board) and game
pieces. The game pieces are put on the board and moved by the (human) players according
to the game rules. A conventional computer has no access to such a classical game. It
knows neither the position of the game pieces on the on the plan nor can it move the
pieces.
In the adaption of a classical board game which is common today on a computer, game
board and game pieces are set up "virtually" in the computer and displayed on the display
of the computer. The computer knows the positions of all pieces on the virtual game plan.
Movements of the game pieces only take place on this virtual game plan or program. The
figures may only be moved in the narrow' sense by "the computer". Of course, the
computer may perform the move based on an input by a person. By this it becomes
possible for a computer and person to play "together" on the virtual game plan or program.
This mechanism may also be used in connection with a network to let different people take
part in the same game when they are located in different spatially separated locations.
As humans like to take "real" game pieces into their hands and move the same and often
prefer the representation on a physical game board, it is, for example, also common with
chess game computers that in the computer the game plan and pieces are set up and moved
virtually, but that the person imitates the moves outside the computer on a real game board.
Via a suitable interface man and computer here tell each other the moves which were
taken, the person updates the position of the game pieces on the physical game board.
In particular with chess game computers it is also common to make position changes of the
game pieces directly detectable for the computer via mechanical or magnetic switches.
Here, a switch is positioned below a firmly given game field. If a game piece is moved on
the field, the switching mechanism in the start field of the move and in the destination of
the move is operated. From this information, the chess game computer may electronically
detect and store the move. The information which game piece is concerned in this move, is
not detected in today's systems. This information is generated by the computer itself by
updating all game moves based on a defined position of origin. Game moves of the
computer displayed by the computer generally have to be taken by a human on the physical
board.
There are also solutions in which the computer directly moves the game piece via a robot
grip arm, but this is a very cost and time consuming method and is thus hardly used. Apart
from this, these solutions are typically specialized to a certain game, for example, chess.
Further, these solutions suffer from restrictions. Thus, for example, several game pieces
may not be moved simultaneously.
In DEI02006009451.4 it was proposed for the localization of game pieces on the game
board to use an RFID technology, wherein in this respect below the fields of the game
board an RFID reader or a reader antenna is attached and the game piece is provided with
an RFID transponder. If the game piece is put onto a field, the transponder is read out and
identified by the reader below the game field. The game piece is then associated to the
position of the reader or the reader coil.
According to the still unpublished DE 102008006043.7
the game plan is replaced by a lying computer display, e.g. in the form of an LCD,
which may thus display any game plans.
each game piece is provided with an optical sensor on the bottom side, has an ID
and is connected via a radio connection to the game computer.
In the latter method, the game computer may automatically determine type and position of
the game pieces located on the game board by a suitable combination of the information
displayed on the game plan and remote readout of the sensor in the game piece. As this
may be executed very accurately and fast, the game computer may track the position of the
game pieces on the game board virtually continuously.
According to the above solution it is possible to build a universal computer adaption of a
board game in which the computer represents a variable game plan on a screen acting as a
game board and detects a position of a plurality of physical passive game pieces
automatically. An automatic and efficient movement of these physical figures by the
computer is not possible with little technical effort according to the prior art. Only
technically extensive special solutions with a computer grip arm or active self-moving
game pieces are possible, which have many disadvantages, however.
It would be desirable, however, to make passive game pieces randomly distributed on a
game board efficiently and automatically movable by a computer without having to use a
robot grip arm or without requiring an active drive in the game pieces.
Problems of the above-described type of course also occur elsewhere and are not limited to
game scenes. Apart from that, problems regarding the movement of the game pieces vary
depending on the game. For example, a game with only one game piece presents less
requirements regarding motion generation than a game with several game pieces, where
one or a proper subset of the game pieces have to be moved relative to the other game
pieces across the surface or the game board. Further, some game pieces are set up
rotationally symmetrically, so that their rotational orientation relative to the surface
normally is irrelevant, wherein this may be different with other game pieces and in some
games the orientation of the game piece or its direction of view is important.
It is thus the object of the present invention to provide a concept for the movement of game
pieces across a surface which may be implemented including less effort with respect to
costs and space and/or extends applicability by the fact that the elements necessary for
motion generation are compatible with a higher number of possible detection principles for
detecting movements on the game surface.
This object is achieved by an object according to claim 1, systems according to one of
claims 8, 19, 20 and 24 and a method according to one of claims 30 to 33.
A basic idea on which the present invention is based is that in case of the determination of
a position of the object on the surface it is possible to also use transport mechanisms for
the transport of the object on the surface which leads to less reproducible transport
movements, as the control may be executed directly on the basis of the observed
movement as compared to the desired movement.
According to a first object of the present invention, now this idea is used by causing
transport by an air cushion between object and surface. "Carried" in such a way, the object
may be moved laterally on the basis of very different means operating in a contact-less
way, like e.g. by means of magnetic fields, electrostatically or the like. According to one
embodiment, the generation of the air cushion is executed below the object laterally
selectively at the location of the object as it was obtained by the location determination
means. This way it is possible to reduce the transport friction of one or several selected
objects among a plurality of objects specifically with respect to the other ones so that the
means exerting the lateral force does not have to generate the force specifically only for the
one or the several determined objects but also the generation of one field is possible which
acts onto all objects, but only leads to an actual movement for the objects with the reduced
transport friction. Additionally, the compressed air used for generating the air cushion
which is blown through the surface across which the object is to be transported may not
only be used for reducing the transport friction across the surface, but may also be used for
generating the lateral movement or the generation of the lateral forces for moving the
objects laterally across the surface. According to one embodiment, this is executed in
combination with a special implementation of the bottom of the object in which several air
chambers are formed, which are separated from each other and one or several of which
comprise an opening in the side wall through which the air of the air cushion may escape
laterally, whereby the object is subjected to a lateral force due to the resulting recoil. In
combination with a suitable location determination means which determines the location of
the object on the surface and in combination with a dense distribution of individually
controllable air nozzles for generating the air cushion, in this way air may specifically be
blown into a desired subset of the air chambers of the object, so that the object is moved
into the desired position. Alternatively, of course also the provision of closing and opening
mechanisms for closing and opening the lateral openings of the air chambers of the object
is possible, wherein the need would be eliminated to individually control the air nozzles.
According to a further aspect, the transport movement generation takes place magnetically
across the surface. Distributed along the surface, individually controllable magnetic coils
are arranged, which may be controlled separately from each other to generate magnetic
dipoles with an orientation perpendicular to the surface. When providing the object with an
element which may be magnetically attracted or repelled, or a plurality of such elements, it
is possible to shift the object across the surface, i.e. on the basis of magnetic repulsion, or
to draw the same along, i.e. on the basis of magnetic attraction.
According to a further aspect, the transport movement is caused by bending waves in the
surface. According to one embodiment, in this respect surface waves propagating in the
surface are calculated according to a wave field synthesis such that the resulting movement
component, which is tangential to the surface, of surface points of the surface at the surface
wave peaks on which the object is mainly supported leads to a movement of the object in
the direction of the desired position.
All aspects have in common that no grip arms or other superstructures are necessary above
the surface which might otherwise interfere with aesthetics of the apparatus or the game or
with the application.
It is rather possible to hide the components necessary for movement generation according
to the above aspects below the transport surface. Here, these aspects also enable the
position determination to be executed optically by the transport surface. According to
embodiments of the present invention this is used by combining the individual transport
mechanisms with a location determination means which uses a screen display in
combination with an optical sensor in the object as it is described in more detail in the
following. By this it is possible to integrate the transport surface together with most
components necessary for position determination and transport movement generation in a
member which is further able to display any pattern on the transport surface.
In the following, preferred embodiments of the present invention are explained in more
detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 shows a schematical block diagram of a system for transport or movement
of an object across a surface;
Fig. 2 shows a partial spatial view of a nozzle plate;
Fig. 3 shows a bottom view onto a bottom of an object according to an
embodiment;
Fig. 4a,b show schematical top views onto a nozzle plate having individually
controllable air nozzles and with an object located on the surface with a
bottom according to Fig. 3, wherein Figs. 4a and 4b cause different position
changes by activating different air nozzles;
Fig. 5a,b show top views onto an air nozzle according to an embodiment in a closed
or open state;
Fig. 6a,b show top views as in Figs. 4a and 4b for air nozzles of the type according
to Figs. 5a and 5b;
Fig. 7 shows a schematical view of a part of the system of Fig. -\ for illustrating a
possible means for moving the object across the surface according to one
embodiment;
Fig. 8 shows a bottom view of the bottom of an object according to a further
embodiment;
Fig. 9a shows a partial spatial view of a magnetic coil array according to one
embodiment;
Fig. 9b shows a schematical top view onto the array of Fig. 9a;
Fig. 10a-c show schematical side views of an object located on the transport surface
with different magnetical modes of action between the magnetic array and
the object according to different embodiments;
Fig. 11a,b show schematical plan views of an object having different elements which
may be magnetically attracted or magnetically repelled;
Fig. 12a,b show schematical top views onto a magnetic coil array and an object located
on the same with an illustration of examples of different activation patterns
of magnetic coils in the magnetic array for generating different position
changes of the object on the surface;
Fig. 13a,b show schematical top views as in Figs. 12a and 12b, but using a
magnetically repulsive mode of action;
Fig. 14 shows a schematical illustration for illustrating the movement generation by
means of surface waves;
Fig. 15a,b show a sectional view and a top view of a bending wave generation means
passing along a peripheral edge of a plate forming the transport surface
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 16 shows a schematical sectional side view of a means for determining a
position of an object on a display;
Fig. 17 shows a schematical illustration of a game device having a game piece
position determining functionality according to an embodiment;
Fig. 18 shows a schematical illustration of a setup of a transmission means from
Fig. 17;
Fig. 19 shows a flowchart for illustrating the functioning of the game device of Fig.
17 according to one embodiment;
Fig. 20 shows a schematical illustration of possible patterns for detecting the
position and the orientation of the game pieces in Figs. 17 and 18 on a
display;
Fig. 21 shows a flowchart for illustrating the functioning of the game device of Fig.
17 according to a further embodiment;
Fig. 22 shows a schematical illustration of a sequence of screen displays used stcp-
by-step in the binary search within the method according to Fig. 21;
Fig. 23 shows a sectional view of a bottom part of a game piece arranged on a
display according to an embodiment;
Fig. 24 shows a schematical sectional view of a base with a transmission means for
mounting to a bottom side of a game piece according to one embodiment;
Fig. 25 shows a schematical illustration of a photo cell covered by a mask according
to one embodiment; and
Fig. 26a shows sectional views through a setup of an element forming the transport
surface and including parts of the movement generation means and the
position determination means so that outside the same only controlling and
evaluating units are necessary, like for example a computer;
Fig. 26b shows a sectional side view of a game piece which may be used together
with the component of Fig. 26a; and
Fig. 26c shows a sectional view though a setup of a component forming the transport
surface and including parts of the movement generation means and the
location determination means according to a further embodiment.
In the following, different embodiments of the present invention are explained in more
detail. Here, elements occurring repeatedly in different figures are provided with same or
similar reference numerals and a repeated description of the same or their functioning is
avoided.
In particular, different embodiments for the different aspects mentioned above are
described which may, however, also partially be combined with each other which is noted
in the following in different places.
Although the description frequently refers in particular to game applications, the present
invention may of course also be applied to other fields of application in which objects are
to be moved automatically across a surface, like e.g. in logistics applications or the like.
Fig. 1 generally shows a system for moving an object 10 across a surface 12. It includes a
position determination means 14 which is able to determine the position of the object 10 on
the surface 12, like e.g. the lateral position, e.g. of the center of gravity and/or the lateral
direction of view or the twisting of the object around a surface normal of the surface 12
with respect to a reference direction. For the position determination means 14 in the
following with reference to Figs. 16-25 embodiments are described, according to which the
position determination means 14 comprises an optical sensor in the object 10 and a display
displaying its screen display from the back side of the surface 12 through the surface 12
into the direction of the front side on which the object 12 is positioned. Other position
determination means 14 are also possible, however, and for example include a camera (not
shown) recording the transport surface 12 from the front side, i.e. with respect to Fig. 1
from the top, or other distance sensors for example operating contactlessly, like e.g. two or
more distance sensors which are arranged along an edge of the transport surface 12.
The system of Fig. 1 further includes a means for moving the object across the surface, i.e.
the means 16. The means 16 thus executes the actual movement without user interaction.
For the moving means 16 in the following in particular with reference to Figs. 2-16
different embodiments are described. According to these embodiments, the moving means
16 is implemented such that the forces to change the position 10 of the object on the
surface 12 are exerted to the object 10 contactlessly, like e.g. by means of compressed air.
magnetically or by means of bending waves. Other mechanisms or combinations of the
same are also possible, however, which is referred to in the following.
The position determination means 14 and the moving means 16 are coupled to each other.
In particular, the position determination means 14 and the moving means 16 may, for
example, be coupled to each other via a control means 18. The control means 18 for
example includes a processor executing a suitable program. In particular, the control means
18 is implemented to control the moving means 16 on the basis of the position of the object
10 on the surface 12 determined by the position determination means and a predetermined
reference position or desired position of the object 10 such that the object 10 approaches
the desired position whereby a control loop results which causes the object 10 to reach its
desired position. From where the desired position is provided may be different depending
on the application. The desired position may be provided externally to the control means
18. The control means 18 may, however, apart from its function as a control for the
moving means 16 also execute further functions influencing the desired position of the
object 10. For example, the control means 18 also functions as a game computer which is
either able to receive desired position changes of the object 10 manually from a player via
a certain input device and/or to calculate desired position changes of the object 10
independently. Suitable input means for example provide a keyboard, a mouse, a speech
input, a touch screen capability of the surface 12 or the like. As already mentioned, also
other applications are possible in which the system according to Fig. 1 may be used, like
e.g. logistical applications, wherein in this case the control means 18, for example,
simultaneously takes over logistical tasks to calculate, among others, also the desired
position of the object 10.
Although it will be addressed several times in the following, it is noted that it is possible
that the position determination means 14 and the moving means 16 are implemented so
that they are able to handle several objects 10 and 10' on the surface 12 individually, i.e.
determine their respective position or move the same individually relative to the other
object. Accordingly, the control means 18 may be implemented such that it manages the
desired positions of the several objects 10 and 10' or at least executes the regulation or
control of their desired positions.
With reference to Figs. 2 to 8 in the following embodiments are described according to
which the means 60 for moving the object across the surface generates an air cushion
between an object and a transport surface, so that the conventionally occurring static
friction and dynamic friction of the object between the bottom of the object and the
transport surface are overcome in favor of a substantially lower friction due to the air
cushion.
Fig. 2 exemplarily shows the surface 12, i.e. the transport surface, with an array or with a
lateral distribution of air nozzles 20. In Fig. 2 the lateral distribution is illustrated as a
regular lateral distribution in lines and columns. Other regular arrangements and irregular
lateral distributions of the air nozzles 20 are also possible, however. Additionally, the air
nozzles 20 are illustrated exemplarily in Fig. 2 as being individually controllable or
individually closable/openable, except for one opening 28 all openings being illustrated in
a closed state. As it is described later with reference to Fig. 7, it is also possible, however,
that the moving means 16 uses constantly open air nozzles 20 or such which may only be
controlled together. Apart from this, the air nozzles are illustrated as though they were
closable and openable at the air outlet, i.e. as air valves. However, it is also possible to
make air nozzles individually controllable by valves located in the air channels associated
with the air valve, the channels connecting air nozzles to a pressure source.
In Fig. 2, the transport surface 12 was exemplarily illustrated as a main side of a
parallelepiped-shaped body, like e.g. a nozzle plate 22, whose front side forms the
transport surface 12 and comprises the air nozzles 20. Other forms are also possible,
however.
Although it is not explicitly illustrated in Fig. 2, the air nozzles 20 are of course fluidically
connected to a pressure source, so that in the opened states of the air nozzles, as illustrated
in 20a, pressurized air escapes from the nozzle. The pressurized air leaves the nozzle 20 for
example along a surface normal of the transport surface 12. The nozzles may, however,
also be implemented so that the air escapes the nozzle 20 in a direction which is inclined
with respect to the surface normal. The lateral direction of tilt, i.e. tangential to the surface
12, may here for example be different for the different air nozzles 20, which is referred to
again in the following.
With reference to Fig. 3 to 6b now an embodiment is described in which an array of
individually controllable air nozzles is used in combination with an object whose bottom is
implemented accordingly in order to generate the lateral movement of the object on the
surface. Fig. 3 exemplarily shows a possibility for implementing the bottom of the object
10. In the upper part of Fig. 3, the associated side view of the object 10 is represented for a
better understanding.
As it is illustrated in Fig. 3, in the bottom 30 of the object 10 several recesses 321-329 are
formed. Otherwise, the bottom or floor 320 is level, i.e. it comprises a level supporting
surface 34. As it is exemplarily illustrated in Fig. 3, the depressions or recesses 321-329
may comprise a common depth t up to which they extend from the supporting surface 34
into the interior of the object 10. As it is illustrated in Fig. 3, the recesses 321-329 are
separated by interior walls 36 passing perpendicular to the supporting surface 34. Further,
among the recesses there are ones, i.e. recesses 322-329, which are adjacent to an exterior
side wall 38 of the object 10. In the exemplary case of Fig. 3, in the side wall 38 for each
of the recesses 322-32g an opening 402-409 is provided which enables air forming the air
cushion below the object 10 to laterally escape the corresponding recess 322-329. In a 90°
angle to each other for example openings 402, 404, 406 and 408 are provided which are
provided to let air stream out radially from the object 10 exemplarily formed in Fig. 3,
rotationally symmetrical around a rotation axis 42. Offset by 45° hereto four openings 403,
40s, 407 and 409 are provided in a 90° angle to each other to let air stream out of the
corresponding recesses or chambers 323, 325, 327 and 329 in directions comprising a
tangential component. In particular, these openings are implemented in pairs so that an
opposing pair of openings 403 and 407 or 405 and 409 lets air stream out in the same
direction of rotation, i.e. counter-clockwise regarded from above or in a clockwise
direction regarded from above.
As it will be illustrated exemplarily with reference to Fig. 4a and 4b, it is possible due to
the implementation of the recesses and the chambers formed by the same by a suitable
selection of a subset of those chambers which are to receive compressed air from the air
nozzles, to rotate the object 10 on the surface and/or move the same in a desired direction,
i.e. cause any mix of a translational movement and rotation around the axis 42. Thus, the
compressed air in the chamber 322 causes by the air laterally streaming out through the
opening 402, that the object 42 moves in the direction opposite to the laterally outstreaming
air. This applies to the openings 404, 406 and 408 accordingly. If compressed air
simultaneously streams into chambers 403 and 407, the discharged air in the corresponding
openings causes a rotation of the object in a clockwise direction (considering Fig. 3). A
correspondingly opposed rotation is achieved by guiding compressed air into the chambers
329 and 325. The chamber 321 enclosed at all sides by walls - in Fig. 3 interior walls 36 -
when filled with compressed air causes no lateral forces onto the object 10 and may thus be
filled with compressed air to carry the object 10 by means of the corresponding air cushion
between the object 10 and the surface.
The interaction between the control means 18, the individually controllable air nozzles 20
and the special implementation of the bottom 30 of the object 10 is to be illustrated in the
following again with reference to Figs. 4a and 4b. Fig. 4 shows a section of the transport
surface 12 and the individually controllable air valves 20. The position of the object 10 on
the surface 12 indicated in Fig. 4a is known to the control means 18 via the position
determination means 14. In Fig. 4a it is assumed that the desired position plans the object
10 to be shifted in the southward direction (bottom in Fig. 4a). Accordingly, the control
means 18 next to the air valves 20 located below or laterally aligned with the central air
chamber 321 activates or opens those air openings 20 which are aligned with the air
chamber 322 located in the north, so that the air streaming out laterally through the
corresponding opening of this chamber 322 shifts the object 10 carried by the air cushion
generated by the opened air nozzles 20 in the desired direction, as it is indicated by an
arrow 50. In Fig. 4a the opened air valves are indicated by an oval and the closed air valves
by a line.
Fig. 4b shows the same starting position as Fig. 4a. In this case, it is assumed, however,
that the control means 18 has to rotate the object 10 for approximating the object 10 to the
desired position, that is in a clockwise direction. Accordingly, apart from the air valves 20
blowing their air into the central chamber 321 it opens those air valves 20 opposite to the
opposing air chambers 322 and 327. The air streaming out laterally from the chamber 323
generates a thrust 52 in the tangential direction which is opposite to the direction of the
thrust 54 resulting from the air streaming out laterally from the opposite air chamber 327,
whereby the desired rotational movement of the object 10 in clockwise direction is
achieved.
It is to be noted that the special implementation of the bottom according to Fig. 3 is only an
example. Many modifications are possible. If, for example, rotational movements of the
object 10 are not of importance, the object 10 only comprises three openings which let the
air stream out radially and are, for example, arranged in 120° angles to each other. If the
trajectory of the object 10 is, for example, otherwise determined on the surface 12, like e.g.
by corresponding boards, then possibly only providing a lateral recess with a
corresponding opening in the side wall 38 next to a further recess or chamber is sufficient,
which comprises no lateral opening in the side wall like the chamber 321.
In the above description of Figs. 2-4b, the air nozzles 20 sometimes were also called air
valves. The reason for this is that the individual control of the air nozzles may either take
place directly at the air nozzle, wherein in this case the same acts as an air valve, or to each
air nozzle which is constantly open a valve may be associated via which the respective air
nozzle may be controlled individually. To each pair of such an air nozzle and an associated
valve, a corresponding air channel would be specifically allocated, which requires a lot of
space.
Figs. 5a and 5b show an example of a closed and open state of the air valve 20. According
to Figs. 5a and 5b the air valves are formed of silicon 60. For example, the whole body 22
(Fig. 2) consists of silicon or a main carrier like e.g. a glass plate has a matrix of holes
which were, for example, drilled into the glass plate and into these holes the individual
silicon valves according to Fig. 5a and 5b are fitted. For example, the material 60 of the
valve, like for example silicon, has a refractive index which is equal to the refractive index
of the material of the carrier plate, i.e., for example, glass, wherein in this case, for
example, a completely transparent appearance results through the surface 12. The
refractive index may, for example, be 1.43. In the preferably elastic valve material 60, for
example a slot 62 is provided which passes from the surface 12 through to the opposing
side 64 where, for example, compressed air may be applied. The slot was for example cut
into the elastic material 60.
Laterally along the slot electrodes 60 and 68 are provided to which a different potential
may be applied. An interior coating 70 in the slot 62 guarantees that in the closed state
illustrated in Fig. 5a the electrodes 66 and 68 do not touch. Of course, such an interior
coating 70 may also be missing when the electrodes 66 and 68 are spaced apart from the
slot 62 so that the same do not contact each other even in the closed state.
In the case of Fig. 5a, now the control means 18 causes the air valve of Fig. 5a to be
closed. In this respect, a different electric potential is applied to the electrodes 66 and 68.
In Fig. 5b the case is illustrated that the electrodes 66 and 68 are charged with charge
carriers of the same polarity. According to the embodiment of Figs. 5a and 5b, thus the
electrodes 66 and 68 of an air valve may be coupled to two different voltage sources
wherein the electrodes 66 and 68 are each connected to the same pole. In Fig. 5b this is, for
example, the negative pole. The thus resulting electrostatic repelling force between the
electrodes 66 and 68 causes the slot 62 to open into an oval, as illustrated in Fig. 5b.
The embodiment according to Figs. 5a and 5b is of course only an example and other
implementations are also possible. Additionally, Figs. 5a and 5b were illustrated in a
simplified way insofar as the feed lines to the electrodes 66 and 68 are not illustrated. For
an individual control of the air valves, the same, however, have to be conncctable or
detachable to/from the above-mentioned voltage sources via respective individual lines.
Further, it is also noted that in Figs. 5a and 5b the line 72 is to exemplarily illustrate the
possible interface between the valve material 60 and the above-mentioned carrier plate,
like e.g. the glass plate.
Figs. 6a and 6b show, applied to the embodiment of the air valve according to Fig. 5a and
5b, the control of a matrix of corresponding air valves for generating movements as they
are illustrated in Fig. 4a and 4b. Briefly, Fig. 6a and 6b show a section of the transport
surface 12 exemplarily provided with an array of valves 20 according to Fig. 5a and 5b,
wherein an object 10 is located on the surface 12, comprising a floor design according to
Fig. 3. As illustrated in Fig. 6a, the air valve 20 arranged below the chamber 321 and 322
are located in the open state according to Fig. 5b in order to achieve the movement into the
southward direction as it was the case in Fig. 4a, and in Fig. 6b only those air valves are in
the state according to Fig. 5b which are arranged below the chambers 321,323 and 327.
while the respective other air valves are in the closed state according to Fig. 5a.
As it will be described later with reference to Figs. 26a and 26b, the implementation of the
air valves carried by a glass plate having the same refractive index as it was described with
reference to Figs. 5a - 6b has the advantage that with closed air valves the appearance of
the glass plate is not interfered with by the air valves. In other words, with closed air
valves no "points of discontinuity" result, which affect the transparency of the plate, which
is in particular advantageous according to the embodiments of Figs. 16-25, according to
which the position determination means 14 uses a display located below the transport
surface to execute position determination.
An average smallest distance between the air nozzles 20 is for example smaller than a
lateral extension of the recesses 322-9. Preferably, an average smallest distance between the
air nozzles 20 is smaller than or equal to a smallest lateral dimension of the recesses 322-9.
Depending on the movement which the object is to execute due to its offset from the
desired position, the control means 18 then selects those nozzles for blowing which lie
below the suitable recesses 322-9.
In Figs. 2-6b the lateral forces for changing the position of the object carried by the air
cushion were generated by the compressed air for generating the air cushion itself by
ventilating corresponding air chambers or blowing air into corresponding air chambers.
Figs. 7 shows a possibility for implementing the means 16 for moving the object across the
surface, according to which the same comprises an array of individually controllable air
nozzles in the surface 12 for generating an air cushion 80 between the object 10 and the
surface 12, i.e. specifically at the location of the object 10, and a further means 82 for a
contactless lateral shifting and/or rotating of the object 10 on the air cushion 80. The means
for a contactless lateral shifting 82 may, for example, use electrostatic forces, magnetic
forces or a tilting of the surface 12 relative to the gravitation field in order to cause the
desired change of position of the object 10 on the surface 12.
In case that only one object 10 among several objects on the surface 12 specifically was
changed regarding its position, the means 82 is not restricted to such implementations
which are able to specifically influence the desired object 10. Rather, the specific
generation of the air cushion 80 below the desired object 10 enables that only for this
object 10 the static and dynamic friction otherwise acting between the surface 12 and the
object 10 is removed so that the lateral forces by means 82 lead to a lateral movement only
for the desired object 10.
One possibility for implementing the means 82 here for example provides that the object
10 is not moved by generating corresponding fields but that the lateral openings in the
floor chambers are selectively opened and closed in case of Fig. 3. In addition to the
implementation of Fig. 3, in case of Fig. 8, means 842-9 are provided for a selective
opening and closing of the openings 402-409, which may, for example, be controlled via a
wireless interface by the control means 18. According to the above description, the control
means 18 controls the means 84 so that air may only escape laterally through the desired
openings 402-409, wherein the air otherwise forms the air cushion 80.
In the alternative according to Fig. 8, it is noted that in the case of using means for
selectively closing and opening the openings each associated with the openings, also the
use of air nozzles would be possible, which may only be controlled together or may not be
controlled, but be constantly opened. If in this case several objects 10 were located on the
surface 12, then with objects which should not change their position the set of means 842-
849 could be controlled so that all corresponding openings close, so that the corresponding
air cushion only acts in a carrying way below the same. Only with the object or those
objects which are to be moved, one or more of the openings are opened by the means 842-
849.
While the above-described embodiments described with reference to Figs. 2-8 had in
common that an air cushion is generated between object and transport surface, this only
presents an optional measure for the embodiments described in the following with
reference to Figs. 9a-13b. According to the embodiments described in the following, the
position change of the object on the surface is generated by a suitable control of a lateral
distribution of individually controllable magnetic coils arranged distributed along the
transport surface.
Fig. 9a and 9b exemplarily show the transport surface 12 along which an array of magnetic
coils 90 is arranged so that the magnetic flow generated by a current flow through this
magnetic coil 90 basically runs symmetrically to an axis which is perpendicular to the
surface 12. In other words, a longitudinal axis of the magnetic coils 90 is perpendicular to
the surface 12. As indicated in Fig. 9a, the magnetic coils 90 are, for example, embedded
in a carrier material 92 for example consisting of magnetically permeable material. The
individual controllability of the magnetic coils 90 is caused by corresponding lines and
switches which are not illustrated in Fig. 9a and 9b for simplifying the illustration, and
which enable that for the individual magnetic coils 90 a current flow may be generated
individually through the same.
Depending on the embodiment it may be the case that the magnetic coils 90 may either
only be set into two states like, e.g., a current-carrying and a non-current-carrying state or a
state subjected to alternating current and a current-less state, or into three states, i.e. a
current-less state and two further states different regarding the direction of current flow.
Combinations of these controllabilities may also be possible, like e.g. by providing an
individual or selective connectability of the magnetic coils 90 to a voltage source which
again provides, for all magnetic coils 90 equally, depending on the setting by the control
means 18, alternating current, direct voltage into one or direct voltage into the other
direction.
When the means 16 for moving the object across the surface (Fig. 1) comprises a
distribution of individually controllable magnetic coils 90, the control means 18 is able to
offset the object 10 from the current position received from the position determination
means 14 into a desired position. In this respect, the object 10 itself may either consist of
magnetically attracting and/or repelling material, like e.g. iron, or the object is locally
provided with one or several such magnetically attracting and/or magnetically repelling
elements in an otherwise magnetically permeable material.
Figs. 10a-10c show embodiments in which the object 10 is made of an otherwise
magnetically permeable material, wherein, however, in the region of the bottom of the
object 10 a magnetically attracting and/or magnetically repelling element is arranged like,
e.g., cast into a magnetically permeable material. The magnetically permeable material
may, for example, be plastics. According to Fig. 10a and 10b the element 100 is, for
example, a permanent magnet. According to the embodiment of Fig. 10c, the element is.
for example, a coil 110. As it will be described in the following, in one object of course
several elements 100 or 110 may be arranged in laterally different positions along the
supporting surface of the object 10. In case of Fig. 10a and 10b the magnetic poles of the
permanent magnet 10 are exemplarily arranged along a surface normal of the transport
surface 12, in case of Fig. 10c, the coil axis along the surface normal.
Fig. 10a exemplarily shows how the control means 18 may use a magnetic repelling force
to move the object 10 along the surface 12. In this respect, the control means 18, for
example, activates one of the coils 90 along the surface 12 so that its magnetic north pole is
facing the north pole of the permanent magnet 100 across the surface 12, that is the
magnetic coil 90 of the plurality of magnetic coils arranged offset relative to the location of
the permanent magnet 100 in one direction which is opposite to the direction 112 into
which the object 10 is to be moved. The magnetic repulsion between the permanent
magnets 100 and the excited coil 90 causes a force into the desired direction 112.
On the other hand, the control means 18 is able to control a magnetic coil 90 arranged in
the desired shifting direction 112 offset to the permanent magnet 100 so that its magnetic
north/south alignment corresponds to that of the permanent magnet, so that opposing poles
of the coil 90 and the permanent magnet 100 are opposite to each other across the surface
12 and the resulting magnetic attracting force causes a lateral shifting of the object 10 in
the desired direction 112. In case of Fig. 10b, the control means 19 excites the one
magnetic coil 90 among the plurality of magnetic coils which is arranged offset relative to
the location of the permanent magnet 100 in one direction which is rectified or equal to the
direction 112 into which the object 10 is to be moved.
In case of Fig. 10c, different control possibilities exist. If applicable, in the object 10 a
current generation means which is not illustrated in Fig. 10c like, e.g., a battery or an
accumulator is arranged, which generates a current flow in the magnetic coil 110 of the
object 10 so that the latter again acts in this state like one of the permanent magnets 100. In
this case, the control means 18 may execute the control as is described in Fig. 10a and 10b.
The magnetic coil 110 does not have to be controlled externally for example by an object
internal battery or the like to be current carrying and thus to behave like a permanent
magnet. The magnetic coil 110 may also be short-circuited at its ends via a branch parallel
to the coil 110 or they may be electrically connected to each other via an impedance. In
this case, a magnetic field being built up or down by the excitation coil 90 induces a
current through the magnetic coil 110 of the object 10 which in turn generates a magnetic
field opposite to the magnetic field change, i.e. an opposing magnetic field in case of an
increasing magnetic field generated by the excitation coils 90 and a rectified magnetic field
in case of a decreasing magnetic field generated by the excitation coil 90. The control
means 18 may use this effect by controlling those magnetic coils 90' which are arranged in
the direction opposite to the desired direction 112 offset to the coil 110 so that they
generate a magnetic field getting stronger at the coil 110 which shifts the objects 10 in the
desired direction 112 due to the induced current in the magnetic coil 110 and controls those
magnetic coils 90 arranged in the desired direction 112 offset from the coil 110 so that they
generate a magnetic field getting weaker which causes an attraction of the magnetic coil
110 and thus of the object 10 in the direction 112. The control means may execute this, for
example such that for example the excitation coil 90 or 90' are sequentially controlled so
that below or in the area of the magnetic coil 110 of the object 10 in the direction 112, the
excitation coils in the direction 112 in front of the magnetic coil 110 first of all lead to an
increase of the magnetic field at the location of the magnetic coil 110, whereupon the
magnetic coils in the direction 112 behind the magnetic coil 110 lead to a decrease of the
magnetic field at the location of the magnetic coil 110. In contrast to the embodiments of
Fig. 10a and 10b, thus, the excitation location where the excitation coils 90 are activated by
the control means 18 does not push the object in front of the same or pull it along, but the
excitation location cyclically passes the floor space in which the object 10 is currently
located in the desired direction 112.
Shifting across longer distances, i.e. more that an inter-coil distance, is caused by the
control means by selectively activating the coils so that a location in which the activated
coils 90 are located hurries ahead or behind the current location of the object 10 or that
determined by the means 14 in order to - as described above - "draw along" or "push
ahead" the object.
Figs. 11a and 11b again show the possibility to provide the object 10 with magnetically
attracting and/or magnetically repelling elements arranged offset to each other in an
otherwise magnetically permeable material of the object 10. In particular in the case of Fig.
11a two coil windings 110a and 110b are arranged laterally offset to each other, while in
the case of Fig. 1 lb in the base of the object 10 two permanent magnets 100a and 100b are
provided and arranged offset to each other whose magnetic north and south pole are
arranged exemplarily equally and along a surface normal of a supporting surface of the
object 10. The longitudinal axes of the coils 110a and 110b also pass perpendicular to a
supporting surface of the object 10.
Figs. 12a and 12b are to illustrate how the control means 18 may generate a translational
movement and a rotational movement of the object 10 when the object 10 according to Fig.
11a and Fig. 10c comprises a passive magnetic coil or according to Fig. 11b a magnet,
wherein a magnetic attracting force between this magnet and the magnetic coils of the
array along the surface 12 is used.
Fig. 12a shows the object 10 in a certain starting position, wherein the control means 18
wants to move the object 10 translationally into the direction of the arrows. Fig. 12a
assumes that the object 10 either comprises four permanent magnets 100a-100d or two
magnetic coils 110a and 110b. The distance between the magnetic coils 110a and 110b or
between the four permanent magnets 100a-100d is selected so that it corresponds to the
distances of the regularly arranged magnetic coils 90. For example, the four permanent
magnets 100a-100d are excmplarily arranged so that they are exactly opposite to
corresponding four magnetic coils 90 in the position indicated in Fig. 12a. By a 90°
rotation of the object 10 again such a situation results with other magnetic coils 90. In
order to now generate the movement into the desired direction, the control means 18 as
indicated by the arrows and their numbering, passes the activation of the magnetic coils 90
from those arranged below the permanent magnets 100a-100d or the coils 110a and 110b
to those arranged offset to this in the desired direction, i.e. first of all those magnetic coils
are excited to which the arrows with the number 1 are directed, then those to which the
arrows with the number 2 are directed, etc. The excitation of the corresponding magnetic
coils 90 of course depends on whether it is an object 10 with coils 110a and 110b or
permanent magnets 100a-100b, wherein depending on the case, the excitation includes
applying a voltage change to the corresponding magnetic coils 90 or applying a direct
voltage as it was described with reference to Fig. 10a-10c, i.e. in the case of permanent
magnets in the object 10 the excitation locations simply draw the object 10 behind the
same, while in the case of magnetic coils in the object 10 the excitation coils are controlled
temporally, so that the magnetic field decreases at the location of the magnetic coils of the
object 10 leads to an attracting force in the desired direction (top right, Fig. 12a). Here, in
the latter case already at a previous time the excitation coils 90 further at the front in the
desired direction of movement were already, for example, controlled so that at the location
of the magnetic coils of the object 10 a magnetic field increase resulted, which led to a
repelling force in the desired direction (top right, Fig. 12a).
In Fig. 12b the same starting position is illustrated as in Fig. 12a, wherein, however, the
control means 18 for leaving this starting position and for achieving a rotational movement
of the object 10 excites other magnetic coils 90. How the excitation of the currently excited
magnetic coils is changed to the next time is indicated in Fig. 12b again by the arrows with
a number 1. As it is indicated, a counterclockwise rotational movement results.
Figs. 13a and 13b again refer to the case that was indicated in Fig. 10a, that is the
movement of an object by using magnetic repulsion. In the case of Figs. 13a and 13b the
object only comprises two permanent magnets 100a and 100b as it was also the case in Fig.
1 lb. The magnetic polarity corresponds to that of Fig. 10a, i.e. excited magnetic coils 90
are poled in an opposite direction to the permanent magnets 100a and 100b. It is again
indicated in Figs. 13a and 13b in which direction the location of the excited magnetic coils
90 moves in order to "shift ahead of itself" the permanent magnets 100a and 100b.
With reference to Figs. 14 - 15b, in the following an embodiment for the means 16 for
moving the object across the surface (Fig. 1) is described, according to which the means
for motion generation generates bending waves or surface waves in the surface 12. The
following disclosure thus represents an alternative for the magnetic lateral movement
generation according to Figs. 9a-13b and may only optionally be combined with a measure
according to which an air cushion is used to reduce the weight of the object.
The principle on which this embodiment is based is illustrated in Fig. 14. A surface or
bending wave propagating along the transport surface 12 which is generated by a bending
wave generation means 141 causes an elliptical movement 114 of the surface points of the
surface 12 when regarding their position over time. It is thus again noted that in Fig. 14 the
state of the surface 12 at a fixed time is illustrated regarding its lateral extension, and for a
special surface point 140 the course of its position is illustrated over time, i.e. by the ellipse
and the arrows at 140. In case of Fig. 14, the direction of movement of the bending wave is
along the arrow 142. As it may be seen, the surface points of the surface 12 move at the
respective wave peaks 144 on which the object 10 is seated, i.e. the direction of line 140 at
its topmost point, in a direction 146 which is opposite to the bending wave propagation
direction 142. The object 10 which is at least mainly supported by the wave peaks 144 thus
moves in the same direction 148 as the surface points at the wave peaks due to the bending
waves, i.e. the direction 146.
According to the embodiment of Fig. 14, thus the means 16 for moving the object across
the surface (Fig. 1) includes a means for generating bending waves in the surface 12. The
control means 18 generates the bending waves so that as described in Fig. 14, the object 10
is moved into the desired direction. The control means 18 may in this respect use the
known calculating methods from wave field synthesis in order to accordingly calculate the
bending wave generation.
Figs. 15a and 15b represent a possibility how bending waves may be generated in the
transport surface 12. The transport surface 12 is formed by a plate 150 which is, for
example, stiff and may be transparent which enables a combination with the following
embodiments for a position determination means 14, according to which for position
determination a screen 152 is used, which is already indicated in Fig. 15a. The plate 12 is
held along its edge 154 by a carrier 156 which is u-shaped in cross-section, by a material
which may serve as an adhesive and/or as a means for attenuating bending waves in the
plate 50 occupying a spacing or gap between the carrier 156 serving as a retaining clip and
the plate 150 and thus, for example, connecting the same mechanically and/or coupling or
decoupling the same acoustically. Piezoelements 160 are applied to opposite sides of the
plate 150 and extend to opposite interior sides 162a and 162b of the carrier 156 to be also
applied there so that mechanical vibrations may be transferred to the plate 150 as
undamped as possible in the surface normal direction to the plate 150 as it is indicated by
the double arrows in Fig. 15a. The piezoelements 160 are, for example, arranged along the
edge 154 of the plate 150 in a suitable exemplary equidistant distance to each other.
In the carrier 156, as illustrated in Figs. 15a and 15b, a groove 164 may be provided along
the direction of extension of the plate edge into which the plate 150 held by the attenuating
material 158 projects, so that when exerting a force which is too high onto the plate 150
into the direction of the surface normal the piezoelements 160 or the attenuating material
158 are not damaged. In other words, the groove restricts the translational movements of
the plates 150 in the direction of the surface normal around a resting position defined by
the attenuating material 158 so that the piezoelements may not be damaged.
Of course, the groove 164 which is arranged further outside relative to the piezoelements
160 may be implemented so that it leaves no room between the plate 150 and its interior
side, so that the groove 164 holds the plate 150. Depending on the circumstances, like e.g.
the stiffness and the thickness of the plate, the latter solution may facilitate bending wave
generation with a suitable frequency and amplitude.
It is, however, also noted that for the solution illustrated in Figs. 15a and 15b, a plurality of
alternatives exist, which relate both to the type of excitation, i.e. other drive mechanisms
than piezodrives, like e.g. by electromotive drives, and also to fixing or non-fixing at the
edge, bending wave attenuation at the edge for example by attenuating material or suitable
shaping of the cross-section of the edge, the support of the plate, like e.g. by a bead instead
of a groove and/or foam material, and the arrangement of the excitation means 160.
Although it is indicated in Fig. 15a that the piezoelements 160 are arranged on both sides
of the plate 150, it is further possible that the piezoelements 160 are only arranged on one
side like e.g. the side forming the transport surface 12.
By suitable precautions, reflections of bending waves in the plate 150 at the edge 154 may
be prevented. For this, the plate 150 along its edge 154 is, for example, coated or the
attenuating material 158 is suitably selected or the shape of the plate 150 comprises at its
edge a tapering cross-section or the like to provide an anti-reflective edge termination in
one or a combination of these ways.
Although it is not illustrated in Figs. 15a and 15b, the plate 150 may, for example,
comprise a rectangular or a square shape. Other shapes are also possible, like for example a
round one or the like.
Finally, it is noted that the bending waves do not necessarily have to be formed in a plate.
Possibly, surface waves may also be generated in a voluminous body whose one side
serves as the transport plane.
After embodiments of the present invention were described for the means 16 for moving
the object across the surface (Fig. 1), in the following, first of all with reference to Figs.
16-25, a plurality of embodiments for the position determination means 14 (Fig. 1) are
described, according to which the position determination means 14 comprises a display
and an optical sensor in the object.
Fig. 16 shows a device for determining a position or location of an object 601 on a display
602. The device includes a control means 603a for controlling the display 602 such that the
same displays laterally varying information at a front side 602a, and an optical sensor 603b
for being accommodated in or at the object 601 for optically scanning a supporting surface
602a' of the front side 602a on which the object 601 rests or stands in order to obtain a
sampling result with respect to the laterally varying information. Apart from that, the
device includes a determination means 604, 604' for determining the position of the object
601 on the display 602 depending on the sampling result, as indicated in Fig. 16 by dashed
lines,
arranged in or at the object and/or outside the same and separated from the same.
As it will be explained in more detail in the following embodiments, there are different
possibilities for the laterally varying information which the display 602 displays upon a
control by the control means 603a. For example, the display means 603a may control the
display 602 to sequentially request potential locations or positions of the object 601 on the
display 602 by controlling the display 602 such that the same displays an optical spatially
limited characteristic differentiable from a current screen background of the display 602,
like, for example, a fully illuminated pixel, a switched-off pixel or a flickering pixel which
displays the laterally varying information sequentially at the different positions at the front
side 602a. In this respect, the characteristic, for example, scans the complete screen 602 in
a zigzag way like for example line after line. On the basis of a synchronization between the
sequential display of the characteristic at the potential locations on the one hand and the
determination means 604 or 604' on the other hand, the determination means 604 or 604'
may conclude the position of the object 601 on the display 602 from a temporal
relationship or ratio between the sequential display of the characteristic on the display 602
on the one hand and the time when the optical sensor 603b detects the characteristic, i.e. at
the time when the characteristic is located within the supporting surface 602a'. If the
determination means 604 or 604' is arranged externally to the object 601, as it is indicated
at 604', then the common time base or the synchronization between determination means
604' and control means 603 a may be executed in a simple way, for example, by a common
timing. This case is explained in more detail in the following with reference to the
following figures. It would, however, also be possible that the determination means in the
object 601 is only informed by the control means 603a with respect to the beginning of the
sequential display of the characteristic which then passes through the possible locations or
positions in a predetermined speed, for example, cyclically. For maintaining the
synchronization, a further comparison may be provided. It is further possible that the
determination means 604 or 604' and the control means 603a cooperate so that the
brightness value detected by the optical sensor 603b after each shifting of the charactenstic
to the next potential location is actively queried, whereupon first the characteristic is
further shifted and the next brightness value is queried, etc.
Apart from the above-mentioned possibility to sequentially or even cyclically query the
possible locations of the object 601 by sequentially passing these locations and
sequentially indicating a characteristic at these locations, there is a further possibility for
determining the location by the display means 603a controlling the display 602 such that
the same displays a binary subdivision refining step by step which enables to localize the
object 601 in n steps with an accuracy which corresponds to a 2-n -th of the extension of
the display 602. For example, the display means 603a halves the extension of the display
602 first into two halves by displaying something different in one half than in the other half
or by overlaying in one half the screen background with something different than in the
other. Based on the sampling results by the optical sensor 603b the determination means
604 may determine in which half the object 601 is located, whereupon it again halves this
half in the next step in a corresponding way and determines based on the new sampling
result in which screen quarter of the screen 602 the object 601 is located, etc. In case of
several objects on the display 602 it is also possible that the control means 603a again
halves all current areas in which an object is located in a certain step, which is why a
localization of several objects in the same resolution is possible simultaneously by the
above-described stepwise refining binary subdivision. Also this type of localization is
explained in more detail in the following embodiments. A common time base between the
determination means 604 or 604' and the control means 603a so that the determination
means may allocate the sampling result of the optical sensor 603b to the right step in the
stepwise refining binary subdivision, may be executed like in the previous scanning query
of the display screen, like, e.g. by querying the one or several brightness values per step.
Finally, it will be possible for the control means 603a to control the display 602 such that
the same displays laterally varying information which varies laterally such that using a
section of this information with an extension corresponding to that which is scanned by the
optical center 603b, the place within the display 602 may be uniquely concluded. An
example for this would be a checkered pattern on the display 602 whose interval width
changes strictly monotonously, from one corner up to an opposing corner of the display
602. In this case no synchronization or no common time base is required between the
determination means 604 and the control means 603 a.
One advantage of accommodating the determination means 604' outside the object 601 is
that the requirements regarding the performance to be provided for each object 601 to be
localized is lower. In case of a wireless transmission from the optical sensor 603b to the
determination means 604' it may, for example, be the case that the brightness information
detected by the optical sensor 603b are directly transferred to the determination means
604' which thereupon examines the same regarding the laterally varying information
displayed on the display 602. It is further possible, however, that a part 604 of the
determination means located in the object 601 already executes a preprocessing of the pure
brightness information of the optical sensor 603b to transmit information extracted from
the brightness information to the other part 604', like, for example, a time of occurrence of
a characteristic sequentially passing the display 602 in the area of a supporting surface
602a. Different further possibilities are explained in the following.
After now above a device for determining an object on a display was coarsely explained, in
the following with reference to Figs. 17-20 a game device is described like, e.g., for chess
or the like, where a game piece or several game pieces are localized on a display of the
game device so that the following disclosures, so to speak, also represent a possible
application for the device described in Fig. 16.
Although in the following such a game device is described, the position determination as it
is used here for the game piece may also be applied in other applications for corresponding
objects, as it will be explained after the description of the figures of Figs. 16-20.
The game device of Fig. 17, generally designated by 605, includes a display 610, a
computer 612, a receiver 614 and a game piece 616. The computer 612 is connected to the
display 610 and includes a control means 618 for controlling the display 610, like e.g. a
graphics card of the computer 612, and a processing means 620, like e.g. a CPU of the
computer 612 in connection with a program executed on the same which is responsible for
the game functions of the game device 605, as it is explained in detail in the following. The
computer 612 or the processing means 620 is further connected to the receiver 614.
The game piece 616 comprises a floor space 622 which is provided to be supported on the
display 610 during the game and thus cover a part of the screen content of the display 610,
i.e. the supporting surface.
In the interior of the game piece 616 a transmission means 624 is located which
communicates with the receiver 614 and is further able at a time at which the game piece
616 is placed on the display 610 to detect a part of the screen content located below the
floor space 622.
The game device further has the capability to move the game piece without user
interaction, wherein in this respect the computer 612 or the processing means 620 for
example also takes over the function of the control 18 and has a moving means 16 coupled
via the control 18 to the position determination means wherein the latter is formed by the
display 610, the processing means 620, the control means 618 and the optical sensor in the
object 616.
As it is illustrated in Fig. 18, the transmission means 624 in particular includes a
transmitter 626 which is able to transmit a response signal to the receiver 614, which is
explained in more detail in the following, and an optical sensor 628, like e.g. a photo cell
or a photo array which is aligned so that it detects radiation or light impinging upon the
floor space 622. Apart from this, the transmission means 624 may further comprise a
processing means 630 via which the transmitter 626 is coupled to the optical sensor 628,
wherein, however, alternatively also a direct coupling between the transmitter 626 and the
optical sensor 628 would be possible.
After the individual components of the game device 605 were described above, in the
following, with reference to Fig. 19, the functioning of the game device during a game is
described. The game may, for example, be chess or the like, wherein, however, the
following disclosure with reference to Fig. 19 is limited to describing the functionality of
the processing means 620 in connection with the determination of the position of the game
piece 616 on the display 610 which the processing means 620 then, for example, uses to
plot game moves, determine game moves of a computer opponent or the like.
In its basic state, i.e., in an initial state of the method according to Fig. 19, the processing
means 620 causes the control means 618 to control the display 610 so that the display 610
displays a game field. The processing means 620, thus, is knowledgeable about a game
field represented on the display 610. In Fig. 17, as an example, a game field is illustrated
comprising three game field 632 upon which the game piece 616 may be placed according
to game rules. Displaying the background image is executed in step 634. Thereupon, the
control means 618 controls the display 610 so that the background image or the game
board is overlaid by a special pattern at the possible game fields 632, wherein the pattern
clearly stands out from the background image. In particular, the control means 618 controls
the display 610 in step 636 such that the game field 632 are passed one after the other and,
for example, cyclically, to each display sequentially, one after the other, the special pattern.
The display of the pattern in the respective game fields 632 may, for example, be limited to
a partial area 638 in the interior of the game fields 632, such as, e.g., to a pixel of the
display 610. The special pattern may be different from the remaining background
representing the game board in terms of a special color or a temporal variation regarding
brightness or color, wherein in the following different embodiments are provided in this
respect.
During step 636, the optical sensor 628 of the transmission means 624 continuously scans
the portion of the screen content of the display 610 which is located below the floor space
622 of the game piece 616. As soon as the special pattern is displayed in step 636, in the
game field 632 on which the game piece 616 is placed, then at the output signal of the
optical sensor 628, the special pattern for the processing means 630 may be detected. After
detecting the optical pattern by the processing means 630 in step 640, the processing
means 630 causes the transmitter 626 to send out a response signal to the receiver 614 via
the contactless interface 642 (step 644). The receiver 614 passes the response signal on to
the processing means 620. At the time of receiving the response signal, the processing
means 620 is further informed about the game field 632 in which in step 636 the special
pattern is displayed. Considering a possible temporal offset between the display of the
special pattern in the respective game field 632 and the receipt of the information of
sending out the response signal by the transmitter 626, the processing means 620 then
determines the position of the game piece 616 on the display 610 in step 646.
Transmitting the response signal via the contaetless interface 642 is, for example, possible
by means of using the RFID technology (radio frequency identification). Further, however,
a (not indicated in Fig. 17) wire bonded transmission by the transmission means 624 to the
processing means 18 is possible.
If the signal transmitted in step 644 by the transmitter 626 is designed such that it contains
a unique identification number, then in step 646, apart from position determination of a
piece, a unique identification of the piece among a plurality of game pieces may also be
executed. This enables games, such as, for example, chess in which game pieces have a
different meaning and, thus, the processing means 620 should be able to differentiate the
same.
In case of a chess game, a unique identification number may, for example, be an
identification number between 1 and 32 in order to differentiate between the 32 chess
pieces.
As at any time of the game the processing means 618 knows the position and type of the
game pieces 616 located on the display 610, a fast "copying" of a special game situation is
possible without first having to "play up to" this situation from the chess starting position.
If the computer 612 or the processing means 620 is further connected to a data interface
648 (such as, e.g., a modem or a network connection), then the processing means 620 may
transmit the position and the identity of all game pieces and, if applicable, the background
represented on the display 610 to an external device. Further, if the processing means 620
is designed such that it may also receive data from the data interface 648, in this way a
team player mode may be reached. For example, in a chess game two players may play
against each other wherein their processing means 620 are networked by means of the data
interface 648 via the internet. Each player would only move his own pieces. The pieces of
the player connected via the network would be moved by the local computer by means of
means 14, 16 and 18. For example, with a move of the first player, the new position of a
currently moved game piece 616 under game board represented by the display 610, as
described in Fig. 19, would be detected locally. The processing means 62,0 would then
report the new position of this piece to the corresponding processing means 620 of the
second player by means of a data interface 648 via the internet, which, in turn, would cause
the control means 618 to control the moving means so that on the display 610 of the
second player the moved game piece 616 (for example, bishop, pawn, etc.) takes on the
new position. Thereupon, the second player may register the new game situation and plan
his next move which, after it is performed, would again be reported to the first player
according to the above method. The game 605 may, thus, be used as a chess game in which
you can play against the computer but also against another spatially separated player and
wherein the enemy pieces automatically move. The processing means 620 may also check
compliance with game rules and inform the player (in case of a game against a computer
opponent) or the players (in case of a game in a team player mode) when an action is
performed which does not comply with game rules.
Although in the above example of the chess game, the team player mode naturally includes
only two players, it is also possible to play games with the game device 605 in which
several players compete with each other, such as, for example, the game "Mensch-Arger-
Dich-Nicht" (comparable to the Ludo board game).
A further embodiment is to illustrate the implementation of games, such as, for example,
strategy games in which not only the determination of the position and the identification of
the individual game pieces is of decisive importance but also the orientation of the figures
on the game board. The information of the orientation of the pieces which is of strategic
importance for some games, such as, for example, the advance, retreat or pincer movement
of military troops, may be detected using the device and the method as, for example,
described in Fig. 5. The pattern 38 sequentially illustrated in every field of the display 10
would, for example, include 3x3 pixels. The determination of the position of a game piece
16 and the identification of this game piece 16 may be executed like in the above
embodiment of the chess game. The orientation determination of the game piece 16 may
now, for example, be executed so that in four temporal steps each one corner pixel of the
pattern 38 would be switched off (the corner pixel would not be illuminated) and, thus, not
be detectable by the optical sensor 28 of the transmission means 24.
The corresponding optical sensor 628 at the transmission means 624 would then be set up
such that a corner pixel of the field which also 3x3 pixels large would be an empty or
"blind" panel (i.e., not capable of being scanned). In each of the four temporal steps, the
processing means 630 accommodated in the transmission means 624 checks the number of
dark (i.e., not illuminated) corner pixels detected by the optical sensor 628. In one of the
four temporal steps, the switched off corner pixel of the pattern 628 coincides with the
"blind" corner pixel of the optical sensor 628, i.e., only one corner pixel is detected as
being dark. At the end of the four temporal steps, the processing means 630 causes the
transmitter 626 to transmit a response signal to the processing means 620 which contains
information in which of the four temporal steps only one dark corner pixel was registered.
If the processing means 620 knows the position of the blind pixel at the optical sensor 626
with reference to the Fig. (e.g., "left rear"), from this response signal an orientation
determination of the game piece 616 would be possible, as the processing means 620
obtains unique orientation information of the game piece 616 from knowing the four
temporal steps when displaying the pattern 628 and the information in which of the four
temporal steps only one dark corner pixel was registered. This type of detection would
enable four orientation directions of the game piece 616, i.e., "directed forward", "turned
to the right", "turned to the left" and "directed backwards". A possible finer "pixelization
or blurring" of the pattern 638 and the optical sensor 628 would, for example, enable an
even more accurate determination of the orientation of the game piece 616.
Alternatively, it would also be possible to determine the orientation of the game piece 616
by the transmission means 624 reporting the pattern 638 detected by the optical sensor 628
to the processing means 620 as a response signal. The processing means 620 might then
determine the orientation of the game piece 616 from this response signal and using its
knowledge regarding the orientation of the pattern 638 on the display 610 by detecting that
the image of the pattern 638 contained in the response signal is "upside down", for
example.
Although the transmission of the response signal in step 644 was always triggered by
detecting the pattern 628 by the optical sensor 628, it is also possible that the transmission
means 624 permanently transmits the image detected by the optical sensor 628 and a
unique identification number to the processing means 620. The processing means 620 then,
for example, causes the control means 618 to cyclically represent the pattern 626 in one of
the fields 632 each. In this case, the position determination of the object 616 is executed by
the processing means 620 registering when the image transmitted by the transmission
means 624 contains the pattern 626 and, thus, a unique position determination of the object
626 in the field 632 is possible in which the pattern 626 is generated.
As already mentioned above, the processing means 630 may be missing in case the
measured value of the sensor 628 is sent out, wherein the measured value may be a number
which depends on the light incidence onto the sensor 628. Of course, the processing means
may determine another value from this number before sending out by quantization or
threshold value comparison, wherein this value is then sent out to the determination means.
In case of a sensor having several pixels, for example the measured values of all pixels are
transmitted to the determination means at one point in time. The processing means 630
may also determine, for example, a scalar value from the several measured values of the
pixels by preprocessing, which is then transmitted to the determination means as a
response signal.
Although only devices and methods are described above, in which the processing means
620 causes the control means 618 to sequentially display a pattern 638 in one of the fields
632 each, it is also possible that different uniquely differentiable patterns 638 are displayed
simultaneously in each of the fields 632 on the display 610. A position determination of the
object 616 is then possible by the transmitter 626 continuously transmitting the image
detected by the optical sensor 628 to the processing means 620, which then determines
from a comparison of the received image and all patterns represented in the fields 636 the
position of the object 616 in the field 632 in which the displayed pattern 638 corresponds
to the image contained in the response signal. Here, alternatively, also rotations of the
transmitted image may be considered by the processing means 620 to obtain a match of the
image with a pattern represented on the display 610.
In the above discussion of Figs. 16 to 20, the processing means 620 served as the
determination means 604' of Fig. 16 and the processing means 630 took over tasks of the
determination means 604 of Fig. 16.
It is again explicitly noted, that it is not necessary for the optical sensor 603b or 628 to
comprise a lateral resolution. The optical sensor may comprise only one pixel and, thus,
determine for each point in time only one brightness value including and excluding color
information. In particular, the optical sensor may be implemented as one single
photodiode. An array of photodiodes is not necessary. This will be explained again in the
following embodiment which refers to a game with several game pieces and is explained
with reference to Fig. 17. For example, in this embodiment, all game pieces 616 comprise
a passive or a semi-passive RFID sensor including means 626 and, if applicable 630, and
to which one single photo sensor is connected, such as a photodiode 628 which, for
example, comprises a light sensitive area which is larger than a pixel of the display 610
regarding its dimensions. As the game pieces in this exemplary case are only provided with
photo diodes which may be of a relatively large size, the costs for the game are less than in
case of an array of photo diodes in the respective game pieces 616.
In this game scenario, the device of Fig. 17 executes the method according to Fig. 21, for
example, in order to localize the game pieces on the display 610 and, if applicable,
determine their orientation. As illustrated in Fig. 21, the method starts by the processing
means 620 instructing the display 610 in the computer 612 via the control means 618 to
switch the screen off so that it becomes dark (step 660). Thereupon, the processing means
620 searches for all reachable RFIDs 624 or all reachable game pieces 616 via the
transmitter/receiver 614 and notes or stores the status or the brightness value of the
respective photo sensors 628, i.e., whether the photo sensor of a respective reachable game
piece, e.g., sees dark or light at the time of query (step 662). Depending on the RFID
technology which is, of course, only an example for a wireless communication 642, for
example 100 to 1000 RFIDs and thus, 100 to 1000 game pieces per second may be
findable for the processing means 620. The result of step 662 is a list of all game pieces
located in the proximity of the receiver 614 independent of whether they are positioned on
the game board or the display 610 or not.
Thereupon, the processing means 620 of the computer 612 switches on (bright) the display
610 (step 664) via the control means 618 and searches again all reachable RFIDs 624 in a
subsequent step 666 or at least notes the status of the photo sensors 628 of the reachable
RFIDs 624 in step 666. From the two brightness values for each reachable RFID 624, the
processing means 620 is able to detect those gain pieces 616 where the status or the
detected brightness value of the respective optical sensor 628 changed by more than a
predetermined measure. This comparison of brightness values before and after switching
on or bright in step 664 is executed by the processing means 620 in step 668. The result of
the step 68 is the game pieces positioned on the game board or the display 610, as it is to
be assumed that the game pieces whose sensor status changed are placed on the display
610 while the other game pieces are not placed on the display 610 or the game board.
Possibly, steps 660 to 668 may be repeated one or several times in order to increase the
security of detection in step 668, wherein searching or noting in steps 662 and 666 may, for
example, be restricted to the already known RFIDs. All in all, i.e., with or without
repetition, steps 660 to 668 are, for example, executed within a maximum of two seconds.
Thereupon, the processing means 620 in the computer 612 causes the display 610 to be
halved step by step via the control means 618 by the same, for example, first of all
switching one half 610j to be dark and the other half 6102 of the display to be bright, in a
next step, again, switching one half 6103 to be dark and the other half 6104 to be bright
within the two halves and in a subsequent step, again, dividing the defined quarters 6103,
again, in a dark and a bright half, etc. One possible sequence of screen displays which are
displayed one after the other in the individual steps on the display 610 is indicated in Fig.
22, in the order from left to right with the only four represented exemplary individual
partial steps 670a, 670b, 670c, 670d. While the processing means 620 executes this binary
division in step 670, it records for each partial step of step 670 whether the respective
optical sensor 628 indicates that the game piece is positioned on the bright half or on the
dark half of the screen. This way, the processing means 620 executes a "binary search" of
the locations of the game pieces 616 in step 670. On the basis of the recorded or logged
response or feedback of the game pieces 616 or the logged brightness values for the
individual partial steps 670a, 670b, 670c, 670d, etc., of the binary search 670, the
processing means 620 then concludes the positions of the individual game pieces.
Alternatively, it is possible for the processing means 620 in step 670 to execute the binary
search for determining what game piece is located where with ever smaller light areas, i.e.,
by first switching one half, then one quarter, then one eighth etc. of the screen bright or
dark and then checking what game pieces then report bright or dark. As for each field, ever
less and known figures have to be searched and, thus, only areas have to be processed more
accurately on which pieces are located, the binary search in step 670 is not very time
consuming.
As it may be seen from Fig. 22, the area division into bright and dark areas in each partial
step in the binary search 670 becomes ever smaller. In particular, it is possible that this
division becomes as small as the pixel resolution itself. In particular, the division may
become so fine that the individual light areas in one partial step are smaller than the optical
sensors 628 of the game pieces 616, i.e., smaller than the floor space or footprint of the
pieces 616, so that the processing means 620 may determine also the edges'of the pieces
616 and, in particular, the edges of the light sensitive areas of the corresponding optical
sensors 628 from the logged responses or brightness values for the individual partial steps
670a to 670d.
The result of step 670 is, thus, the locations of the game pieces 616 which are located on
the screen 610.
In a subsequent step 672 it may now be the case that the processing means 620 at each
location of a game piece of step 670 executes an exact scanning of photo sensor extent of
the optical photo sensors 628 of the game pieces 616 located on the screen 610. Scanning,
for example, provides scanning by only one pixel or one light point. For example, a mask
with a suitable geometrical pattern is placed in front of the photo sensor 628 of each game
piece 616, wherein the pattern may only be transferred into its original form by a rotation
in the screen plane by more than 90° or, for example, only by a rotation of 360°, for
example. In this case, by scanning in step 672 possibly not only the position but also the
direction of the piece 616 may be determined into which the respective piece is aligned or
directed. For example, the RFIDs 626 of the game pieces 616 may be addressed or queried
separately and with a high frequency via the transmit/receive means 614. For example,
more than 100 read operations per second are possible, so that the exact scanning in step
672 may take place fast and imperceptible for the user. In particular, the exact scanning in
step 672 is, for example, limited to the game piece locations. The effort of the
corresponding pattern recognition for a lateral resolution of the mask may, as described
above, be shifted to the computer 612 or the processing means 620 by the sensors only
transmitting the brightness values. The game pieces 616 only require the mask or
correspondingly shaped photo sensors 628. Round photo sensors or round masks are
possible if no orientation of the game pieces has to be detected in the respective game.
It is illustrated in Fig. 23, that the game piece 616 possibly may also comprise a lens 690 at
its floor space 622, e.g. a plastic lens, which maps the pixels 692 of the display 610 onto
the optical sensor 628 or the mask (not illustrated) of the same for improving the optical
characteristics. For example, the lens 690 bridges a distance between the floor space 622
and the pixels 692 of the display 610 which is defined by a protective screen 694 which is
located between the screen or the display 610 and the game piece 616 for protecting the
screen 610 from mechanical damages or the like and is otherwise transparent. By using the
lens 690 in this way also a negative effect of dirt on the floor space 622 of the game figure
616 may be reduced as then the dirt would not be located in the object plane but close to
the lens plane.
Of course it is noted that the embodiment described with reference to Figs. 21 to 23 may
also be executed so that the above-described pattern recognition is executed within the
game pieces, i.e., within the processing means 630.
It is finally noted that it is possible to track game pieces or one game piece on the display
610 during a movement of the same across the display 610. For this purpose, the game
pieces or the object is, for example, scanned with a sufficiently high frequency. In this
way, both shifts from the central position and also twists maybe detected. In this way, the
game pieces may be tracked while they are moved across the game field or the display 610
by the user.
Further, finally Fig. 24 should explicitly show that it is possible that the transmission
means 624 may be provided not to be connected firmly to the actual game piece 616 but
still to be attached to the same. According to Fig. 24, the transmission means 624 is, for
example, arranged in a base 600 into which a game piece 616 may be inserted, screwed or
be mounted in another way. Fig. 25 finally shows a top view of one possible arrangement
of a panel 710 which covers a light sensitive area of the optical sensor, e.g., a photo cell
628, and comprises an opening 712 which determines the effective light sensitive area of

the optical sensor 628, as only through the same light from the display may impinge on the
sensor 628. Apart from this, it is shown as an example that the extent of the latter area 712
may be larger than the pixels which are illustrated at 714 representing all pixels. Of course
it would also be possible that the sensor itself is implemented in the shape 712, wherein in
this case a panel maybe omitted. The panel illustrated in Fig. 25 enables the above
described exact position and orientation determination, for example by scanning the region
around the opening 712 with a characteristic which is only one pixel 714 large, such as a
pixel alternating between bright and dark. In this way, the determination means may
determine all those pixels 714 which overlap the field 712 by more than a predetermined
extent. The response signal transmitted by the sensor 628 via the transmitter to the
determination means is, for example, binary and indicates whether the detected brightness
value exceeds a predetermined measure corresponding to the predetermined extent of
overlap at a time, like e.g. the current time of querying. Of course, the response signal may
also indicate the brightness value in more exact stages.
In the previous description of Figs. 16 to 25, the existence of the moving means 16 and the
control means 18 was indicated only schematically. That the embodiments described above
with reference to Figs. 2 to 16 are very suitable for being combined with the embodiments
according to Figs. 16 to 25 is illustrated in the following again with reference to Figs. 26a
to 26b which illustrate embodiments regarding how the display of the position
determination means according to the embodiments of Figs. 16 to 25 may be combined
with or arranged relative to the previous embodiments for the moving means 16.
As already described above, it is possible to manufacture a plate having individually
controllable nozzle valves according to the embodiments of Figs. 2 to 8 in a transparent or
translucent way. These embodiments may, thus, according to Fig. 26a, be combined with
those of Figs. 16 to 25 by such an air valve plate 800 being arranged on top of a display
802 which may, in turn, include a cover plate 804 and corresponds to the display of the
embodiments of Figs. 16 to 25. Between the air valve plate 800 and the display 802 a gap
806 is provided which serves as a pressure chamber in which the compressed air is
discharged through the activated air valves in the plate 800 at the transport surface 12. The
transparency of the plate 800 guarantees that the image generated by the pixels 808 of the
display 802 is visible for a viewer through the cover plate 804 which is, of course, also
transparent, and through the pressure chamber 806 and though the air valve plate 800
whose side facing away from the display 802 forms the transport surface 12. The above
mentioned optical sensor in the object may, in the exemplary case of the implementation of
the floor of the object according to Figs. 3 or 8, detect in one of the recesses, e.g., in the
central recess, the laterally varying information which is indicated by the display 802 and,
if applicable, pass on the scan results via the transmitter.
A corresponding cross section of a possible object or a possible game piece is illustrated in
Fig. 26, wherein the arrangement of the optical sensor according to Fig. 23 is only an
example.
Fig. 26 shows that a combination of the embodiments 2 to 8, 9 to 13b and 16 to 25 is also
possible. The display 802 is again separated by a pressure chamber or a pressure gap 806
from the air valve plate 800 whose front side forms the transport surface 12. On the side of
the display 802 facing away from the air valve plate 800, a magnetic coil plate is located
which may be implemented according to Fig. 9a. Objects hovering on air cushions may,
thus, be handled by means of the magnetic drive as it is generated by the magnetic coil
plate 810, wherein the position is determined via the position determination means using
the display 802.
As already indicated in Fig. 15a, it is possible to combine the embodiments of Figs. 16 to
25 with the embodiment of Figs. 14 to 15b by arranging the display simply below the
bending wave plate. However, it is noted here that it should be possible to also generate
bending waves in a glass plate which, according to the embodiment of Figs. 6a and 6b,
comprises holes for the air valves, wherein in this case and in this way the embodiments of
Figs. 2 to 8 might also be combined with those of Figs. 14 to 15b, i.e. possibly with a
simultaneous combination of the embodiments of Figs. 16 to 20.
In other words, the above mentioned embodiments enable a game computer to move a
passive game piece on a game board in a controlled and "free" way with reference to the
position and orientation of the game piece. It is further possible to specifically exert a force
on this figure wherein position, direction and strength of this moving force are controllable
within certain limits within the game plan plane. Even rotating the game pieces on the spot
is possible. For this purpose, two force vectors are applied to the piece which contain
opposing components within the game plan plane and affect different points of the figure,
as it was the case in Figs. 4b and 6b and 12b and 13b. If n pieces are to be moved
simultaneously, accordingly n times as many force vectors have to be controlled, which is
basically no problem, however.
Possibly, the game pieces have slightly deviating characteristics, e.g., their friction on the
game board, their weight etc. This is not problem, however, as the control means realizes a
feedback mechanism which respectively considers the current position and orientation of
the game pieces and if necessary feeds this back to the game computer.
The above embodiments, thus, fulfill the requirements of game devices for which
frequently a large amount of force vectors is required which have to be freely controllable
regarding their position, direction and strength. The above embodiments use the fact that
the control of these variables does not have to be of a randomly fine resolution. Rather,
quantization stages are possible which depend on the characteristics of the used game
pieces, e.g., on their size. For example, if the diameter of the smallest piece used is 10 mm,
it will be sufficient to be able to control the position of the force vector for example with a
resolution of one/four of this diameter, i.e., for example 2.5, mm. The exact values depend
on the respective implementation.
Also the strength of the force vector acting on the pieces may be determined by the control
means. From the position determination means a closed loop results with the controlled
variable position or speed of the object or the game piece and the regulating variables
direction and strength of the "force vector". The control means may realize a PID regulator
so that strength of the force vector may be adapted so that a movement as stable as possible
is achieved and simultaneously side effects to other game pieces are prevented or
minimized. For example, the control means may increase the force vector from a minimum
value until a movement of the desired game piece occurs and may then maintain this force
vector or even reduce the same due to the cancelled static friction. The quantization of the
force is, for example, executed by connecting further air valves in the embodiments of
Figs. 2 to 8 or even via setting the air pressure applied to the air values. The bending waves
may also be controlled with respect to their strengths. Finally, also the current through the
magnetic coils in the embodiments of Figs. 9a to 15b may be controlled.
The position determination means may be used to further check the positions of all figures
which arc not to be moved and if necessary the control means may use suitable additional
force vectors to keep those figures, which are not to be moved, stable.
In particular, the above embodiments show three different physical possibilities to generate
the just-mentioned force vectors, i.e., on the one hand by bending waves in a transparent, if
applicable thin plate, e.g., a perspex plate which may be lying across the game plan, such
as a screen in case of the embodiments of Figs. 16 to 25. One further possibility was the
use of magnetic fields which are generated by a controllable matrix of electromagnets
below the screen serving as the game plan. Finally, compressed air was also used which
escapes via controllable valves, for example, in a transparent thin plate above the game
plan specifically at the positions where the game piece is positioned. Apart from this,
further embodiments were described which more or less used the above-described physical
possibilities.
Depending on the given side conditions, e.g., the type, shape and the size of the game
pieces to be moved, it may be advantageous to use one or also several of the above
mentioned force or power sources, i.e., bending waves, magnetic fields or compressed air
for implementation, as it was indicated above. Thus, for example, by compressed air,
friction below a piece or a partial area of the game plan may be specifically reduced, i.e.,
by the resulting air cushion effect, to then move the same through a magnetic field,
wherein also Fig. 26c is directed to this combination.
The above embodiments may, thus, be used without further arguments in the field of
games, in particular the field of board games. In particular, they may be used in computer
games which enable a game computer to efficiently and automatically move physical game
pieces on a game board, i.e., without the interaction of a person.
As illustrated, the above embodiments are able to be combined with a screen as a game
board, wherein the computer may automatically detect the position of the game pieces even
using the screen, as was described above.
The above embodiments also solve the problem frequently connected with games, i.e., that
several game pieces have to be moved simultaneously. Here, the above mentioned
embodiments require hardly any or no moveable parts.
With respect to the embodiments of Figs. 14 to 15b, it is again noted that for the plate a
thin plate may preferably be used. As the surface points of the plate move in an elliptical
curve, wherein the movement goes in one direction at the wave peak and in the other
direction in the wave trough, it is possible through the surface wave points on the wave
peak on which the object is located which is to be transported, i.e., by the fact that the
bbject, e.g., a game piece, which is mainly in contact with points of the wave peak
experiencing a frictional force into the direction in which the surface points of the wave
peak move.
The control means may now control the wave forms in the plate with a sufficient accuracy
so that below each game piece to be moved, wave peaks with a sufficient amplitude and
suitable direction "pass", or below the pieces not to be moved, possible wave peaks remain
sufficiently small. By this, the control means may specifically move desired objects or put
the same into a desired desired position. For a rotation of an object or a game piece, the
control means may, for example, generate opposed wave trains at opposing edges of the
supporting surface of the object which generate forces at these opposing edges into
opposing directions or engage thereto. The control means may in this respect use the wave
field synthesis to generate an almost random wave field. Such a wave field synthesis is
sufficiently known from the field of acoustics. Accordingly, as already described above
with reference to Fig. 18a and 18b, the transport surface may be surrounded by a large
number of bending wave generation means, such as piezo elements, wherein each of the
same provide a head wave or elementary wave which overlay the desired wave field
according to the Huygens principle.
It may be advantageous when the bending wave generation means do not exceed a certain
minimum distance to each other. This minimum distance may depend on the frequency
with which the bending wave generation means generate the bending waves. The control
means 18 may, thus, use the fact that the wave field synthesis principle also works in solid
bodies and the ultrasonic range. The bending waves may, for example, comprise wave
lengths smaller than the dimensions of the game pieces or the object to be transported. For
example, sound sources like the above mentioned piezo elements generate a suitable wave
field with wave trains of a sufficiently high frequency in the thin plate, wherein the sound
sources are arranged, for example, along the edge of the plate in a suitably small distance
to each other. As explained above, here the plate may preferably be terminated with an
acoustic characteristic impedance to limit undesired reflections at the edge. Depending on
the application, also less bending wave generation means with a larger distance to each
other may be sufficient. In other words, depending on the application, a wave field may
also be sufficient which was generated with a reduced number of elementary waves or less
bending wave generation means.
Fig. 26c also showed that it is possible, below a display or a thin flat panel display as a
game plan, to provide a matrix of individually controllable small coils whose alignment is
vertical to the game plan. In this way, by a suitable control of these magnetic coils, a
controllable magnetic field may be generated in the plane of the game plan. The latter may
be used "quasi-statically" or, according to the principles of the linear motor, also for
moving the game pieces, wherein the latter was an embodiment for this in Fig. 1 Oc. The
game piece of Fig. 26b may, for example, be used in this respect if it comprises a
magnetically attracting or repelling element according to one of Figs. 10a to 10c.
With the quasi-statical solution in the game pieces, for example, small permanent magnets
are located and the magnetic coils below the game board are simply used to exert tensile or
shear forces onto these permanent magnets. By this, the desired force vectors result and
with a sufficiently fine raster of the magnetic coils and a suitable control of the coils, in
connection with the above-described feedback by the position detennination means, the
desired movement of the pieces may be achieved. If even two or more permanent magnets
are accommodated in the game piece, then as was illustrated above with reference to Fig.
12a to 13b, one may be provided in one side and one in the opposing side of the game floor
whereby the piece may easily be rotated or turned when on both sides magnetic fields pull
or push in the corresponding direction. With a suitable setup of the game piece, the shear
effects may also be used, for example to reduce the weight of the piece weighing on the
support or base and to, thus facilitate shifting or pulling the piece by a magnet attached
below the center of gravity of the piece.
With the linear motor solution according to Fig. 10c, small magnetic coils are located in
the game pieces which serve as "rotor coils", wherein current may be induced by magnetic
field changes. The magnetic coils below the game board are the field coils or excitation
coils which generate the moved magnetic field exerting the forces on the rotor coils. With a
suitable implementation of the excitation coils, e.g., a suitable distance to the rotor
windings and "resolution" of the excitation coil matrix, the forces on the individual rotor
coils may be directly decoupled from each other sufficiently to execute the desired
individual movements of the game pieces. Another implementation possibility is to make
the rotor coils 110 in the game pieces "switchable" and, thus, make the rotor coils
individually activable, by, for example, a switch or a controllable resistance being
connected into the branch in parallel to the actual coil 110. The moving magnetic field may
then be more spacious which possibly facilitates the setup of the excitation matrix or the
magnetic field coil matrix. By the selection of the desired rotor coils, desired pieces may
be moved and rotated.
The game pieces or the object to be moved may possibly be instructed individually from
the outside, e.g., by the control means, to open or close the corresponding switching
elements or rotor coils.
The above embodiments of Figs. 2 to 8 were directed to a principle according to which an
object "hovers" on an air cushion. The air for the air cushion comes from many fine holes
or air nozzles of a base plate, for example. As described above, it may be implemented as a
transparent plate which is arranged above a game board, e.g., a display. On the plate, thus,
the desired object, e.g., a game piece may hover. The air cushion below the game piece
cancels the friction between the piece and the ground or floor plate, so that it may easily be
moved in one direction.
As described above, it is possible to combine the air cushion effect for friction reduction in
connection with the other physical possibilities of movement or described forces for
movement. However, it is also possible to generate the forces of movement with the help
of air nozzles in the ground plate if the same may be individually opened and closed and
the bottom sides of the game pieces are suitably shaped as described above with reference
to Figs. 2 to 8.
It is to be noted with respect to the transparent plate which was mentioned several times
above, having individually controllable air valves, that the same may be a thin electrically
non-conducting plastics plate. For manufacturing the individually controllable air valves,
for example with a laser, very fine short slots are cut into the non-conducting plastics plate
which may serve as valves. Via electrostatic forces, these slots may be held open or pulled
closed. In this respect the slots as described above may be coated with a transparent
conductive material and at a later time may be provided with a non-conductive transparent
cover layer. The sides of the slots, thus, virtually form a "plate capacitor". In further steps.
on the top and bottom side of the ground plate of a suitable transparent material, a matrix
of conductive traces and transistors may be applied so that each of the sides of the slots
may be individually addressed and charged.
If the sides of the slots are now provided with charge of the same polarity, they repel and
keep the air valve open, whereas when they are provided with charge of a different
polarity, they attract and keep the valve closed, as it was described above. If applicable, it
is advantageous when the plate in this respect comprises a sufficient flexibility.
According to an alternative embodiment, two foils lying above each other are used to form
electrostatic valves.
The ground plate of the game pieces may be implemented so that by means of the
controllable air valves suitable forces of movement may be exerted on the figures which
shift the same laterally. One possible design is, as described above, that the ground plate of
the piece is divided into separate areas which are separated from each other by small edges:
Via the air valves, the elements may be provided with air separately. In the center of the
figure, an element may be attached whose the border is closed and which forms a carrying
air cushion. Around those elements, further elements may be arranged whose the border is
not completely closed. At the opening of the border, a "thrust nozzle" results which,
depending on the shape, may generate a thrust along or transverse to the piece if the
element is provided with air. In this respect, reference is again made to the description of
Figs. 3, 4a and 4b. For moving the piece, the central element may be provided with air to
activate the carrying air cushion and, thus, achieve a reduction of friction and one or
several further elements may be provided with air, whereby a desired force of movement in
a certain direction or a certain rotational movement is generated.
Due to the above embodiments, it is, thus, not necessary to use a robot grip arm to move
objects on a surface. Active movement elements at the game pieces are not necessary. The
force vectors are rather generated without moving parts, except in the above embodiments
for electrostatic air valves or piezo elements for the bending wave generation. Several
pieces may be simultaneously rotated or moved by the above embodiments. The force
vector generation may exclusively take place "from the bottom". The space above the
game plan or above the transport surface may, thus, be kept clear. In particular, the above
embodiments enable a "touchable" game board interface for a game computer. The
computer may detect the moves of a person and it may execute its moves or moves of
persons in other places directly with the physical game pieces. A game arrangement is
suitable for "any" games using a game plan and game pieces.
It is to be noted with respect to the above-mentioned individually controllable air valves,
that the used material, e.g., silicon, advantageously should have a sufficient flexibility to
efficiently open and close the air gap. As mentioned above, as an exerting force an
electrostatic force may be used due to electric fields. Thus, the resulting capacitor plates
may be formed transparently. Depending on the application, it may be sufficient to make
only one electrode or one plate of the capacitor plates of each individually controllable
valve controllable if, for example, as another plate of the capacitor plates or as another
electrode a zone with a permanent charge in the area or on the one side of the slot of the
individually controllable air valve is introduced. As already mentioned above, the silicon
air valves may be seated in a stable carrier plate, for example made of glass, which has
holes of the size of the valves. The refractive index of the silicon valves and the glass may
be selected so that it is identical, e.g., 1.43. It may, thus, be guaranteed that there are no
points of discontinuity at the transitions of the glass plate to the silicon valves so that
transparency is not interfered with.
With respect to the embodiment according to Figs. 14 to 15b, it is noted that for a
movement effect, the generation of a standing wave may also be used. The control means
may control the moving means 16 so that with a suitable shape of the bottom side of the
object or the game piece to be moved, the object or the game piece is positioned in the
"troughs" of the standing wave. If the standing wave is then slowly moved, e.g., by a slow
adjustment of the phase of one of the generating wave trains, the game piece would be
drawn along by the wave peaks. If at the game piece separate zones with corresponding
shapes are located, the piece may also be rotated by two different standing waves.
Depending on the circumstances, the above-described methods may be implemented in
hardware or in software, e.g. methods for the localization and identification of objects on a
display or methods for moving objects on a surface. The implementation may be on a
digital storage medium, in particular a floppy disc, a CD or DVD having electronically
readable control signals which may cooperate with a programmable computer system so
that the respective method is executed. In general, the invention thus also consists in a
software program product or a computer product or a program product having a program
code stored on a machine readable carrier for executing the inventive method when the
software program product is executed on a computer or on a processor. In other words, the
invention may thus be realized as a computer program or software program or program
having a program code for executing the method when the program is executed on a
processor. The processor may here be formed by a computer, a chip card, a game computer
or another integrated circuitry.
We claim:
1. An object for a controllable transport on an air cushion, comprising:
a level bottom (30); and
a plurality of recesses (321-9) in the level bottom, wherein at least a predetermined
one (322-9) of the recesses is adjacent to a side wall of the object and in the side wall
(38) an opening (402-9) is formed through which air of the air cushion may escape
laterally from the at least one predetermined recess.
2. The object according to claim 1, having a controllable means (842-9) for a selective
closing and opening of the opening (402-9).
3. The object according to claim 2, wherein the controllable means (842-9) for a
selective closing and opening is externally wirelessly controllable.
4. The object according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality (322-9) of
predetermined recesses is adjacent to the side wall (38) of the object and in the side
wall a plurality of openings (402-9) are formed through which air of the air cushion
may escape laterally from the plurality of predetermined recesses, i.e. in different
directions, so that the object is rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the level
bottom and/or translationally movable laterally by means of air escaping through one
or several of the plurality of openings (402-9).
5. The object according to one of the preceding claims, implemented as a game piece
for a board game.
6. The object according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising an optical
sensor (628) accommodated in or at the object for optically scanning a supporting
surface on which the level bottom of the object is supported, and wirelessly
transmitting a resulting scan result to the outside.
7. The object according to claim 6 which is further implemented to wirelessly identify
towards the outside.
8. A system for transporting an object (10) on an air cushion, comprising:
a plurality of nozzles (20) in a level surface (12) which are controllable separately
from each other in order to let compressed air stream out which forms an air cushion
(80) between the object and the level surface;
a means (14) for determining a position of the object on the level surface; and
a means (18) for controlling the nozzles depending on the determined position.
9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the object (10) comprises a level bottom
(30) and a plurality of recesses (321-9) in the level bottom (30), wherein at least a
predetermined one (322-9) of the recesses is adjacent to a side wall (38) of the object
(10) and an opening (402-9) is formed in the side wall through which air of the air
cushion may escape laterally from the at least one predetermined recess (322-9) and
wherein the means (18) for controlling the nozzles is implemented to control the
nozzles (20) also depending on a deviation between the determined position of the
object to a desired position of the object so that the object approaches a desired
position on the level surface.
10. The system according to claim 9, wherein an average smallest distance between the
plurality of nozzles (20) is smaller than a lateral extension of the at least one recess
(322-9).
11. The system according to claim 8, further comprising a controllable means (82; 810)
for exerting a laterally directed force onto the object (10) to approximate the object
(10) to its desired position.
12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the controllable means (810) is
implemented so that the laterally directed force is a magnetically attracting or
repelling force.
13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the controllable means (810) comprises a
member with a lateral distribution of magnetic coils and the means (14) for
determining a position of the object on the level surface comprises a flat screen (802)
which is arranged between the member and the level surface (12), wherein the
magnetic coils are controllable separately from each other in order to generate
magnetic dipoles with an alignment perpendicular to the surface.
14. A system according to one of claims 8 to 13, wherein each nozzle (20) comprises a
slot (62) formed in a deformable material (60), wherein on both sides of the slot
electrodes are arranged which may be set into a different polarity in order to open the
slot.
15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the electrodes are electrically insulated
from each other with a closed slot and also an open slot.
16. The system according to claims 14 or 15, wherein the deformable material of the
nozzles (20) is arranged in holes (72) of a carrier plate.
17. The system according to claim 16, wherein both the carrier plate and also the
deformable material are transparent for light and a refractive index ratio of the same
is between 0.8 and 1.25.
18. The system according to one of claims 8 to 17, wherein the plurality of nozzles (20)
is formed in the level surface of a nozzle plate and the means (14) for determining a
position of the object on the level surface further comprises:
a display (802), wherein the nozzle plate (800) is transparent and arranged in the
direction of view in front of the display (802), wherein the display (802) is visible for
a viewer through the nozzle plate (800);
a control means (618) for controlling the display (802) such that the same indicates
laterally varying information;
an optical sensor (628) accommodated in or at the object for optically scanning a
supporting surface on which the level bottom of the object is supported in order to
obtain a scan result with respect to the laterally varying information; and
a determination means for determining the position of the object depending on the
scan result.
19. A system, comprising:
a plurality of nozzles in a level surface through which compressed air may be guided;
an object for a controllable transport on an air cushion generated by the compressed
air, comprising
a level bottom;
a plurality of recesses in the level bottom, wherein at least one
predetermined one of the recesses is adjacent to a side wall of the object and
in the side wall an opening is formed through which air of the air cushion
may escape laterally from the at least one predetermined recess; and
a controllable means for selectively closing and opening the opening; and
a means for determining a position of the object on the level surface; and
a means for controlling the controllable means for selectively closing and opening
the opening in order to approximate the object to a desired position on the level
surface.
20. A system for moving an object (10) which may be magnetically attracted or repelled
across a surface (12), comprising
a plurality of magnetic coils (90) distributed along the surface (12) controllable
separately from each other in order to generate magnetic dipoles with an alignment
perpendicular to the surface;
a means (14) for determining a position of the object on the surface;
a means (18) for controlling the plurality of magnetic coils distributed along the
surface in order to approximate the object to a desired position on the surface.
21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the object (10) is formed from a
magnetically permeable material and the object (10) comprises two elements (100)
which may be magnetically attracted or repelled offset laterally to a supporting
surface of the object.
22. The system according to claims 20 or 21, further comprising a nozzle plate (800)
forming the surface (12) and comprising a plurality of nozzles in the surface through
which compressed air may be guided to form an air cushion between the object and
the surface (12).
23. The device according to one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the means (14) for
determining a position of the object on the surface further comprises:
a display (802), wherein in the direction of view the surface (12) is arranged in front
of the display (802) and the display (802) is arranged between the surface (12) and
the plurality of magnetic coils (90) distributed along the surface (12), wherein the
display is visible for a viewer through the surface.
a control means (618) for controlling the display (802) such that the same indicates
laterally varying information;
an optical sensor (628) accommodated in or at the object (10) for optically scanning a
supporting surface on which the level bottom of the object is supported in order to
obtain a scan result with respect to the laterally varying information; and
a determination means for determining the position of the object depending on the
scan result.
24. A device for moving an object (10) across a surface (12), comprising:
a bending wave generation means (141) for generating bending waves in the surface
(12);
a means (14) for determining a position of the object (10) on the surface; and
a means (18) for controlling the bending wave generation means (141), so that the
object (10) approaches its desired position on the surface (12) based on the bending
waves.
25. The device according to claim 24, wherein the bending wave generation means (141)
comprises a plurality of structure borne sound generation means (160) arranged along
an edge of the surface.
26. The device according to claims 24 or 25, wherein the means (18) for controlling is
implemented to control the bending wave generation means (141) according to a
wave field synthesis and using a resulting component of movement, passing
tangentially to the surface, of surface points of the surface at the surface wave peaks
(144) generated by the bending wave generation means so that the object (10)
approaches the desired position.
27. The device according to one of claims 24 to 26, wherein the surface (12) is formed by
a plate (150) which comprises a bending wave reflection attenuation termination at
its edge.
28. The device according to one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the means (14) for
determining a position of the object on the surface further comprises:
a display (610), wherein the surface is arranged in the direction of the viewer in front
of the display, wherein the display is visible for a viewer through the surface;
a control means (618) for controlling the display such that the same displays laterally
varying information;
an optical sensor (628) accommodated in or at the object (10) for optically scanning a
supporting surface on which the level bottom of the object is supported in order to
obtain a scan result with reference to the laterally varying information; and
a determination means for determining the position of the object depending on the
scan result.
29. The device according to one of claims 24 to 28, further comprising a nozzle plate
forming the surface and comprising a plurality of nozzles in the surface through
which the compressed air may be guided in order to form an air cushion between the
object and the surface.
30. A method for transporting an object (10) on an air cushion by means of a plurality of
nozzles (20) in a level surface (12) which may be controlled separately from each
other in order to let compressed air stream out forming an air cushion (80) between
the object and the level surface, the method comprising:
determining a position of the object on the level surface; and
controlling the nozzles depending on the determined position.
31. A method for transporting an object (10) by means of an air cushion generated by the
compressed air and a plurality of nozzles in a level surface through which
compressed air may be guided, wherein the object comprises a level bottom and a
plurality of recesses in the level bottom, wherein at least a predetermined one of the
recesses is adjacent to a side wall of the object and an opening is formed in the side
wall through which the air of the air cushion may escape laterally from the at least
one predetermined recess, the method comprising:
determining a position of the object on the level surface; and
selectively closing and opening the opening depending on the determined position in
order to approximate the object to a desired position on the level surface.
32. A method for moving an object (10) which may be magnetically attracted or repelled
across a surface (12) by means of a plurality of magnetic coils (90) distributed along
the surface (12) which may be controlled separately from each other in order to
generate magnetic dipoles with an alignment perpendicular to the surface, the method
comprising:
determining a position of the object on the surface; and
controlling the plurality of magnetic coils distributed along the surface in order to
approximate the object to a desired position on the surface.
33. A method for moving an object (10) across a surface (12) by means of bending
waves, the method comprising:
determining a position of the object (10) on the surface; and
generating bending waves in the surface (12) so that the object (10) approximates its
desired position on the surface (12) based on the bending waves.
34. A computer program having a program code for executing the method according to
one of claims 30 to 33 when the computer program is executed on a computer.

A basic idea of the present application is that in case of determining a position of the object
(10) on the surface, it is possible to also use transport mechanisms for the transport of the
object on the surface which leads to less reproducible transport movements as the
regulation may be executed directly on the basis of the observed movement as compared to
the desired movement. Embodiments using compressed air, magnetism and/or bending
waves are described.