Patent Application
20100331081
The exemplary embodiments of this invention relate generally to personal mobility vehicles such as wheelchairs, and more specifically relate to control systems and user interfaces for such vehicles.
Self-powered personal mobility vehicles, such as wheelchairs having a self-contained power source to provide drive power to wheels and steering actuators, may include a data processor subsystem to control the various power and motive subsystems of the vehicle, as well as to implement a user interface function enabling an occupant of the vehicle to control the overall operation of the vehicle, such as to start, stop and steer the vehicle.
A wheelchair user may spend most of the day in the wheelchair, and may wish to occasionally pass the time by playing games. However, at present typically the user is constrained to using a separate portable third party game console, or to using a link, such as a Bluetooth™ link, to game software running on a personal computer (PC). This type of operation may be unsatisfactory for some users, as they cannot use their preferred input wheelchair control mechanism that forms a part of the wheelchair system (e.g., head array or joystick as two non-limiting examples).
Further, in at least the latter case the user cannot always initiate game play as desired. As one example the user may not be able to initiate game play while waiting for a doctor's appointment, where the user's PC is not available to be connected to via a wireless link, such as a Bluetooth™ link.
The exemplary embodiments of this invention are directed to improvements in these and other types of personal mobility vehicles.
The foregoing and other problems are overcome, and other advantages are realized, in accordance with the presently preferred embodiments of this invention.
The exemplary embodiments of this invention provide a personal mobility vehicle, such as a wheelchair system, having a user interface that includes a user input, a display for displaying information to the user, and a control unit that includes a data processor and a memory. The data processor is responsive to the user entering information into the personal mobility vehicle, where the information indicates a user selection of a game function integrated into the personal mobility vehicle, to enable the user to play a game via the user interface. The operation of playing the game includes a preliminary step of switching at least a portion of the user interface from a normal mode of controlling some function, such as mobility, of the personal mobility vehicle to a game playing function.
Also disclosed are methods and computer programs, stored in one or more memories, for implementing the exemplary embodiments of the gaming function that is integrated into the personal mobility vehicle.
For example, a further aspect of the exemplary embodiments of this invention is a method that comprises receiving an input from a user, the input selecting a game function via a user interface of the personal mobility vehicle, the game function being integrated into the personal mobility vehicle; and the user playing a game via the user interface.
Further by example, another non-limiting aspect of the exemplary embodiments of this invention is a memory that tangibly stores a computer program for execution by a data processor to implement a user interface of a wheelchair system by operations that comprise enabling a user to select a game function via a user interface of the wheelchair system, the game function being integrated into the wheelchair system; and enabling the user to play a game via the user interface.
The foregoing and other aspects of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention are made more evident in the following Detailed Description of the invention, when read in conjunction with the attached Drawing Figures, wherein:
Before describing the exemplary embodiments of this invention in detail reference is first made to
The wheelchair system 10 includes a seat portion 12, a power source 14, such as a battery and related power conversion, conditioning and recharging circuitry, and at least two wheels 16 that are driven by the power source 14 via at least one motor 14A. One or more other wheels 18 provide stability and enable steering of the wheelchair system 10. In this regard there is a user interface 20, embodied in this example as a user-actuated hand control system 20 that may include a joystick type controller 20A, a plurality of buttons 20B, and a display 20C, such as an LCD, LED or other suitable type of display system. An attendant control system 22 may also be provided. The user interface 20 operates with a control system of controller 24 to provide functions that include, but need not be limited to, starting and stopping motive power to the drive wheels 16, controlling the direction of rotation and speed of rotation of the drive wheels 16, and controlling a pointing direction of the wheels 18 to provide steering of the wheelchair 10.
The data processor 28A is coupled via general use input/output hardware 26 to various input/outputs, including general input/outputs, such as input/outputs 24A going to and from the user interface 20 and inputs/outputs 24B providing control to the motor(s) 14. The software system 28 may include a clock function or module 28C for maintaining an accurate time of day and calendar function. Of most interest to the description of this invention is the interactivity of the data processor 28A with the user interface 20 to provide an integrated game playing experience for the user of the wheelchair system 10.
A “game” may be any type of software driven event that is used for entertainment and/or educational purposes. Non-limiting examples include card games (e.g., bridge, poker), board games (e.g., chess, checkers), sporting event type of activities (e.g., hockey, football) and action/fantasy type of activities (e.g., warfare simulations, maze tracing simulations).
The exemplary embodiments of this invention provide a game function (shown as a hardware/software/firmware module GF 29C in
Prior to this invention such game playing functionalities were not integrated into the wheelchair system 10.
Also shown in
Note that the game function 29C and/or the wireless interface 30 may actually be embodied within the hand control system 20 shown in
In operation, the user may be presented on the display 20C with a menu of wheelchair functions. Assume that one of the functions is related to game play. By selecting the game play function the user can be presented with a list of games that are included with the game function 29C, and that have related game software stored in the memory 28B. By selecting and initiating the game play function the data processor 28A preferably logically switches at least a part of the normal functionality of the wheelchair input device(s) for use by the game function 29C. For example, if the output of the joystick 20A is normally used for wheelchair mobility functions, then the output of the joystick 20A is switched for use instead by the game function 29C. During game play the user may be presented with suitable graphics and like on the display 20C, and may be presented with suitable sound effects via the acoustic transducer 20D. During game play the game function 29C is used in conjunction with the data processor 28A and game software stored in the memory 28B to provide the user with a desired gaming experience, without requiring the use of game software that is stored in and executed by a hardware/software entity separate from the wheelchair system 10, i.e., without requiring a separate game console or game software stored and executed by a separate PC. As was noted above, at least one other game player may be engaged via the game function 29C and the wireless interface 30.
The game play may result in the user obtaining a score, which may be stored in the memory 28B, such as in the non-volatile memory 29A, or in a non-volatile portion of the RAM 29B. Upon achieving a new highest score the user may be automatically congratulated by the game function 29C. In addition, users may be able to compare scores via the wireless interface 30.
Note that the integrated game function 29C may be used for more than entertainment purposes. For example, a user may interact with a particular game when learning to use a new input device. In this case the new input device may be provided along with game software specifically written to aid in training the user to master the associated input device.
In some embodiments the user may be enabled to download and install new/updated game software, such as via the wireless interface 30. Note that upon a user selecting a certain game to play the game software can be downloaded via the wireless or other type of interface to the memory 28B, if the selected game software is not already resident in the memory 28B.
The game function 29C may include a dedicated processor used for game play, or the game software may be executed by the data processor 28A.
As can be appreciated, an exemplary aspect of the embodiments of this invention is a gaming system that is integrated into a personal mobility vehicle, such as the wheelchair system 10, and that enables the user to interact with the gaming system via at least one user input/output modality that forms a part of the personal mobility vehicle. For example, an input modality that is normally employed by the user to control the motion and direction of motion of the personal mobility vehicle is switched for use as a gaming system input device when game play is active.
It should be noted that as used herein the terms “connected,” “coupled,” or any variant thereof, mean any connection or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more elements, and may encompass the presence of one or more intermediate elements between two elements that are “connected” or “coupled” together. The coupling or connection between the elements can be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. As employed herein two elements may be considered to be “connected” or “coupled” together by the use of one or more wires, cables and/or printed electrical connections, as well as by the use of electromagnetic energy, such as electromagnetic energy having wavelengths in the radio frequency region, the microwave region and the optical (both visible and invisible) region, as several non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples.
Note that various modifications and adaptations of the foregoing exemplary embodiments of this invention may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. As but some examples, the use of the exemplary embodiments of this invention is not limited to wheelchairs, but could encompass other types of mobility systems.
Further, the user interface 20 may be implemented at least in part using voice recognition technology to enter user information, and the acoustic transducer 20D may present synthesized speech to the user, as opposed to the use of a visual display. That is, the technical specifics of the user input/output may vary widely depending on the physical capabilities of the user, and any suitable type of user input/output biometric means may be employed to implement the exemplary embodiments of this invention.
However, all such and similar modifications of the teachings of this invention will still fall within the scope of the embodiments of this invention.
Furthermore, some of the features of the preferred embodiments of this invention may be used to advantage without the corresponding use of other features. As such, the foregoing description should be considered as merely illustrative of the principles, teachings and embodiments of this invention, and not in limitation thereof.
This patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from Provisional Patent Application No. 61/269,620, filed Jun. 26, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61269620 | Jun 2009 | US |
