WO2017006312A1

WO2017006312A1 - Ground disposed interactive system

Info

Publication number: WO2017006312A1
Application number: PCT/IL2016/050712
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dror OZERI
Original assignee: Park Player Ltd
Current assignee: Park Player Ltd
Priority date: 2015-07-09
Filing date: 2016-07-04
Publication date: 2017-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 2018-01-09
Also published as: IL239876B

Abstract

The present invention provides a ground disposed interactive system, comprising an outdoor surface; a plurality of distributed touch sensitive and underground disposed sensors located below said outdoor surface that are responsive to a foot based input, wherein one or more of said sensors are located at different zones of said outdoor surface; a processor for receiving a detection signal from one of said sensors following application of said foot based input; and an emitter for emitting predetermined audible information in response to transmission of said detection signal.

Description

GROUND DISPOSED INTERACTIVE SYSTEM

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of touch-sensitive devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a touch-sensitive interactive system that is ground disposed.

Background of the Invention

Touchscreen panels are well known display devices by which user inputs applied directly and selectively onto the panel cause a desired change in the information that is displayed. Several technologies for sensing a touch input are known, including resistive, capacitive and infrared touchscreens.

A controller generally housed within the monitor suitably transmits the sensed information from the touch responsive sensor to a computer. A driver interfaces with the operating system of the computer, to suitably interpret touch event information.

Educators are continually searching for thought promoting activities, particularly for early childhood education. The use of touchscreen panels is appealing to most children due to sensory interaction made while inputting a touch command, in addition to the feeling of satisfaction after having initiated a change in the output in response to their touch input. It would be desirable to provide a touch sensitive surface for learning purposes, to combine physical activity with educational stimuli. A most appropriate location for a touch sensitive surface would be outdoors, for example in a spacious playground that is conducive to encouraging children to participate in physical activities such as hopping and running constituting the touch input.

However, prior means are unknown to the inventor as to how to make an outdoor touch sensitive surface resistant to the passage thereon of passersby in a playground, including the relatively high impact caused by the passage of bicycles, while also being suitably sensitive to accurately interpret a touch event.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ground disposed touch sensitive surface that is sufficiently sensitive to accurately quantify the magnitude of a foot based input, as well as to characterize the type of the foot based input.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a ground disposed touch sensitive surface that feeds an input signal to a computer that suitably converts the foot based input into a change in the output. It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a ground disposed touch sensitive surface that is resistant to the passage thereon of passersby in a playground.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Summary of the Invention

In one aspect, the detection signal is indicative of an identifier associated with the sensor from which it was generated and of a magnitude of a foot applied force that caused the detection signal to be generated, and also of a duration and direction of the applied force. In one aspect, each of the plurality of sensors is disposed between an upper safety surface and a fall protection layer in contact with a ground substrate.

In one aspect, the processor is operable to extract significant parameters from the received detection signal and to define the foot based input in conjunction with said extracted parameters and a dedicated algorithm. The processor is also operable to retrieve, in response to the defined foot based input, audio generating data corresponding to the emittable audible information from a memory device and to transmit the same to the emitter.

In one aspect, the system further comprises a game selector housed in a stationary and sealed aboveground base unit, wherein said game selector is in data communication with the processor such that the audio generating data to be retrieved is changeable in response to a game selection operation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings:

- Fig. 1 is a plan view of an exemplary outdoor surface that is conducive for interaction with the system of the present invention;

- Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of an interactive system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, shown at a specific zone of the outdoor surface of Fig. 1; - Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the control box usable in conjunction with the system of Fig. 2; and

- Fig. 4 is a perspective exploded view of a sensor module according to another embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

The present invention is an outdoor interactive system for generating an audio output in response to a foot based input. An outdoor surface in which one or more sensors are embedded is segmented into a plurality of zones, allowing the system to be location sensitive.

As an introduction, Fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary outdoor surface 5 that is conducive for interaction with the system of the present invention. Outdoor surface 5, which may be located at a playground, is shown to be visually subdivided into eighteen zones 7, such that each zone is indicated by a different letter. A child user learning to read may jump on top of surface 5 at a desired zone, and the system emits an audio output corresponding to the letter shown at the zone to which the foot based input was provided. The child user thus receives instant feedback as to whether the selected letter on top of which he or she jumped is enunciated as the child user thought. The child user may also hear, prior to approaching surface 5, a request to jump on top of a certain letter. It will be appreciated that the outdoor surface may cooperate with any other suitable interactive game requiring a foot based input and generating an audible output, such as a game that measures and enunciates the distance of a long jump. The interactive game may be selected by a supervisor or by the child user.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a cross sectional view of interactive system 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, shown at a specific zone of the outdoor surface overlying ground substrate 19, for example concrete or earthen material.

Interactive system 10 comprises sensor module 12, which includes one or more sensors retained in a common flexible envelope. The sensors, which may be a step sensor, a proximity sensor, or any other sensor that is responsive to a foot applied force, are distributed, such that one or more sensors are located at each zone of the outdoor surface. Sensor module 12 is disposed between an upper safety surface 13 constituting a cushion layer, such as synthetic grass or EPDM consisting of shredded recycled rubber tires, and fall protection layer 17 for example made of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), or any other suitable material well known to those skilled in the art, in contact with ground substrate 19. Sensor module 12 may be loosely disposed on fall protection layer 17, or alternatively may be secured thereto by securing tape or by any other means well known to those skilled in the art. A control box 20 which is embedded in ground substrate 19 is in electrical communication with sensor module 12, generally by a wired connection. Control box 20 comprises electronic components that are suitable for interpreting the signals received from sensor module 12. Sensor module 12 and control box 20 are sufficiently sealed to ensure continuous and reliable operation during inclement weather when ground substrate 19 is wet. Control box 20, for example, may be sufficiently sealed to protect against ingress of liquids by a rating of greater than IP65.

A block diagram of control box 20 is illustrated in Fig. 3. Control box 20 comprises a processor 28 for receiving a detection signal D from sensor module 12, and an emitter 31 for emitting predetermined audible information (AI) in response to transmission of detection signal D. Detection signal D is indicative from which sensor of sensor module 12 was the signal generated, as well as the magnitude, and preferably the duration and direction, of the applied force. When the child user sequentially applies a force to a plurality of sensors, processor 28 is suitable to combine a plurality of the corresponding detection signals D and derive a foot based input therefrom.

Audio generating data (AGD) 32 corresponding to audible information that generatable by processor 28 after receiving a detection signal associated with predetermined combination of parameters is stored in memory device 37. Processor 28 accordingly retrieves the AGD 31 from memory device 37 after receiving detection signal D, generates the audible information, and transmits the same to emitter 31 by a generating signal G. The child user thus receives feedback in the form of audible information as an indication whether the previously initiated foot based input was correctly positioned or applied in a correct fashion.

Sensor module 12 is preferably calibrated to measure the applied force onto the outdoor surface by taking into account the degree of ground absorption afforded by the safety surface and to accordingly output a corresponding detection signal D. The degree of ground absorption may be found empirically.

An extraction module (EM) 34 extracts significant parameters of the outputted detection signal D and defines thereby a foot based input according to a dedicated algorithm. Typical foot based inputs include hopping, jumping, running in a predetermined direction, and sliding. The algorithm is able to detect whether the child user is performing a complicated foot movement that involves several steps, for example when foot motion continues within a predetermined time after completing a previous step. An exemplary complicated foot movement is a zigzag movement that includes a first straight running movement, a diagonal running movement and a second straight running movement. A matching module (MM) 36 stored in memory device 37 compares each defined foot based input with characteristic foot movement data (FMD) stored in FMD library 39. If a match is found, processor 28 retrieves the relevant AGD 32 associated with the defined foot based input by means of a look-up table (LUT) 41 that provides a predetermined correspondence between FMD and AGD, and then transmits the retrieved AGD to emitter 31.

In another embodiment, processor 28 is in data communication via communication device 44 with a game selector 55, whether wirelessly or by a wired connection. Game selector 55 may be housed in a stationary and sealed aboveground base unit 58. When a different game is selected, the retrievable FMD and AGD are changed accordingly. If so desired, the control box may also be housed in base unit 58. A game may also be selected by means of a remote control unit, such as a smartphone on which is running a dedicated application, after transmitting a wireless signal to game selector 55. Alternatively, base unit 58 may interface with a plurality of online or offline games.

Base unit 58 may be in data communication with a cloud server (not shown) for monitoring and storing data related to the performance of the child user during the course of the selected game. The server is therefore able to analyze the performance of the child user in real time and to subsequently analyze his development skills.

Fig. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the invention wherein the sensor module 62 comprises a step detection switch 61 in the form of a PCB, e.g. circular PCB, sandwiched between two elastomeric or plastic protective layers 66 and 67. Step detection switch 61 is disposed below safety surface 13, which may be formed with an aperture 16 for maintaining engagement with sensor module 62.

A plurality of spaced LEDs 69 may be affixed to switch 61 and become illuminated when a force is applied thereto. Upper protective layer 66 is transparent or translucent so that the light emitted by the LEDs 69 will be visible.

While some embodiments of the invention have been described by way of illustration, it will be apparent that the invention can be carried out with many modifications, variations and adaptations, and with the use of numerous equivalents or alternative solutions that are within the scope of persons skilled in the art, without exceeding the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A ground disposed interactive system, comprising:

a) an outdoor surface;

b) a plurality of distributed touch sensitive and underground disposed sensors located below said outdoor surface that are responsive to a foot based input, wherein one or more of said sensors are located at different zones of said outdoor surface;

c) a processor for receiving a detection signal from one of said sensors following application of said foot based input; and

d) an emitter for emitting predetermined audible information in response to transmission of said detection signal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the detection signal is indicative of an identifier associated with the sensor from which it was generated and of a magnitude of a foot applied force that caused the detection signal to be generated.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the detection signal is also indicative of a duration and direction of the applied force.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is disposed between an upper safety surface and a fall protection layer in contact with a ground substrate.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to extract significant parameters from the received detection signal and to define the foot based input in conjunction with said extracted parameters and a dedicated algorithm.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the processor is operable to retrieve, in response to the defined foot based input, audio generating data corresponding to the emittable audible information from a memory device and to transmit the same to the emitter.

7. The system according to claim 6, further comprising a game selector housed in a stationary and sealed aboveground base unit, wherein said game selector is in data communication with the processor such that the audio generating data to be retrieved is changeable in response to a game selection operation.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising a remote device in data communication with the game selector, by which a game selecting signal is transmittable to the game selector.