Puzzles of various types for people of all ages are embodied having a wide selection of shapes, sizes, and complexity. One popular non-limiting example of a three-dimensional puzzle is known as the Rubik's Cube (originally called the “Magic Cube”), referenced hereinbelow as simply “cube” and illustrated in
The outer surface of the cube 30 is formed by an aggregation of what appears to be twenty-six (26) smaller component cubes, hereinafter referred to as “cubelets,” 36, 38, 40. The cubelets 36, 38, 40 are not truly cubes but appear so from outside the cube 30 because their face segments 34 on the outer surface of the cube 30 resemble the faces that true cubes would have on the outer surface of the cube 30, if they were the components from which cube 30 were made. That is, the six central cubelets 36 at the center positions of faces 32 each have one face segment 34, the twelve central edge cubelets 38 at the edges of the faces 32 but not at the vertices (corners) of faces 32 each have two face segments 34, and the eight vertex cubelets 40 at the vertices of the cube 30 each have three face segments 34. Each cubelet 36, 38, 40 is free to rotate relative to an adjacent cubelet 36, 38, 40.
Within the cube 30 is an inner core, which may be embodied, as non-limiting examples, as the core 42 of cube 44 in
The central edge cubelets and the vertex cubelets (not shown in
Within a single face 32, each face segment 34 is free to move relative to the others. As illustrated in
With reference to the cube 62 in
Cubes 30 and 62 of
With respect to cubes such as those of
For beginners, arranging all face segments accordingly is both complicated and challenging, and many players seek assistance through a variety of text and/or video guides. These guides present solution algorithms that many players can find difficult to understand. The present inventor knows of no prior-developed system of interactive feedback to guide a new user more easily to a solution.
More advanced players can regard quickly solving these puzzles as a type of competition, sometimes referred to as “speedcubing” and “speedsolving,” Leagues and tournaments are available in which the players strive to solve the puzzles as fast as possible. Participants constantly strive to improve their performance, and such training needs some type of measurement of time and some type of monitoring of face segments relative to each other. Accordingly, there is an unmet need for interactive feedback and guidance to both new and advanced players based on the relative positions of the face segments of a cube.
Embodiments of the present invention three-dimensional puzzle, a method of determining patterns on a three-dimensional puzzle, a method of correcting errors in the determination of patterns on a three-dimensional puzzle, and methods of tracking patterns on a three-dimensional puzzle.
More specifically, the invention may be embodied as a three-dimensional puzzle having a shell, a core, multiple unique signatures, and at least one signature sensor. The shell has at least four faces and is formed by multiple shell segments, each shell segment being free to move relative to an adjacent shell segment. The core within the shell, the faces being free to rotate relative to the core about axes extending from the core toward the faces. The multiple unique signatures are located at the shell segments. At least one signature sensor within the shell provides data to processing circuitry based on sensed signatures to determine shell segment patterns.
The invention may also be embodied as a method of determining patterns on a three-dimensional puzzle, the puzzle having a shell formed by multiple shell segments, each shell segment being free to move relative to an adjacent shell segment, and multiple unique signatures located at the shell segments. The method including: from within the shell using at least one signature sensor to sense the unique signatures of proximate shell segments and determining their identities based on the sensed unique signatures; rotating a puzzle face to bring other shell segments proximate the at least one signature sensor for sensing other unique signatures and determining the identities of the other proximate shell segments based on the other sensed unique signatures; using rotation sensors to determine the new location of the earlier identified shell segments after the rotation; and continuing to rotate puzzle faces to determine identities of other shell segments and continuing to determine new locations of rotated shell segments until all shell segments are identified.
The invention may further be embodied as a method of correcting errors in the determination of patterns on a three-dimensional puzzle, the puzzle having a shell formed by multiple shell segments, each shell segment being free to move relative to an adjacent shell segment, and multiple unique signatures located at the shell segments. The method includes: after a perceived rotation of a puzzle face, (1) tracking the rotation of shell segments as if the rotation were completed and (2) tracking the rotation of shell segments as if the rotation were not completed; from within the shell using at least one signature sensor to sense the unique signatures of proximate shell segments and determining their identities based on the sensed unique signatures; dismissing a tracking controverted by the identification of the proximate shell segments; and confirming the tracking that is not dismissed.
The invention may additionally be embodied as a method of tracking patterns on a three-dimensional puzzle, the puzzle having a shell formed by multiple shell segments, each shell segment being free to move relative to an adjacent shell segment, and multiple unique signatures located at the shell segments. The method includes: obtaining an initial pattern; from within the shell using at least two signature sensors to sense the unique signatures of shell segments moving into proximity; and providing data to processing circuitry based on the sensed signatures; wherein the processing circuitry determines from the data the identification of the proximate shell segments to determine a new shell segment pattern.
The invention may also be embodied as a method of tracking patterns on a three-dimensional puzzle, the puzzle having a shell that has at least four faces and is formed by multiple shell segments, each shell segment being free to move relative to an adjacent shell segment, and the faces being free to rotate about axes extending from a core toward the faces. The method includes: obtaining an initial pattern; sensing rotation of the faces; and providing data to processing circuitry based on the rotation of the faces; wherein the processing circuitry determines from the face rotation data the movement of the shell segments to determine a new shell segment pattern.
Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described as follows:
The invention is described below in the appended claims, which are read in view of the accompanying description including the following drawings, wherein:
The invention summarized above and defined by the claims below will be better understood by referring to the present detailed description of embodiments of the invention. This description is not intended to limit the scope of claims but instead to provide examples of the invention.
In a first exemplary embodiment of the invention, the shell of the three-dimensional puzzle has six faces, which form a cube resembling the 3×3 type illustrated in
As illustrated in
The posts 82u, 82r, 82d, 821 are hollow, and leads 86 extend within the posts 82u, 82r, 82d, 821 to connect rotation sensors (discussed next) to processing circuitry 88 located within the core 84. In alternate implementations, the processing circuitry may be located in the space bounded the surface of the core 84 and the faces 76u, 76r, 76d, 761 the cube 75, for example, on the outer surface of the core 84. The processing circuitry 88 includes a rechargeable battery (not shown for clarity) as its power source. A charging interface 90 located in central cubelet 78u and accessed by opening central cubelet 78u (details of access hatch not shown for clarity) is electrically connected to the battery by leads (not shown for clarity), which extend through hollow post 82u. The charging interface 90 may be a commercial off the shelf standard socket or a custom made socket as decided by one skilled in the art.
This embodiment has for each face 76u, 76r, 76d, 76l a rotation sensor, respectively, that senses the rotations of the face 76u, 76r, 76d, 761 relative to the core 84. The rotation sensors typically comprise sensing circuitry 92 mounted at the ends of the posts 82u, 82r, 82d, 821 and rotation indicating discs 94 mounted in the interior of the central cubelets 78u, 78r, 78d, 781 adjacent the face segments.
Rotations sensors may be implemented in a variety of ways. The rotation sensors used in this embodiment measure the rotation amplitude as well as the direction. Examples of such rotation sensors include quadrature sensors (quadrature encoders) and absolute sensors (absolute rotation angle provided relative to a known initial state).
For example, rotation sensor 96 in
As another example, a rotation sensor may be implemented as rotation sensor 104 in
As another example, a rotation sensor may be implemented with the sensing circuitry being a magnetic sensor, and the rotation indicating disc being a multi-pole disc magnet. The multi-pole disc magnet rotates with the cubelet and the magnetic sensor sends signals indicative of the rotation to the processing circuitry. Other contactless sensor examples include capacitive and inductive sensors with the rotation indicating disc being the corresponding technology for the specific sensor, as non-limiting examples. Contacting (mechanical) rotation sensors may be used instead.
Although not present in some embodiments of the invention, the cube of the embodiment of
An example of a signature sensor is an optical sensor, and a corresponding example of a unique sensor is a specific shade of color, as represented in
The colors on the spherical segment matching the colors of the face segments is a natural result, if the vertex cubelets and the central edge cubelets are manufactured using three and two, respectively, separate solid-colored pieces. For example, such configuration is common when manufacturing the Dayan Cube, which competes with the Rubik's Cube.
Some cubes, though, such as the Rubik's Cube, are manufactured using plastic of a single color, and the face segments are later colored, for example, by placing stickers thereon. Note the cubelet 182 in
In some embodiments, the unique signatures are unique color signatures, and the optical sensor is an RGB sensor. The ability to distinguish between multiple colors may be used to uniquely code any piece of the puzzle in a way that the sensor can identify the colors of that piece and its absolute orientation. For example, consider the sample vertex element that is coded by three unique colors as in
In yet other embodiments, three-dimensional puzzles can be constructed such that the unique signatures are RFID or NFC codes, and the signature sensor is an RFID or NFC sensor.
In some embodiments, the processing circuitry is located at the core and includes sensory indicators for the user. Examples of indicators are LEDs, lights, speakers, and/or vibration mechanism, as non-limiting examples, to provide the user a variety of messages, such as a low battery and time to “start playing.” The processing circuitry may also have an IMU sensor operative to sense the orientation of the shell.
The three-dimensional puzzle may include communication circuitry to transmit shell segment pattern data to an external client, such as a smartphone or tablet. The shell segment pattern data may be transmitted using Wi-Fi technology or Bluetooth technology.
The invention may be embodied as any of the three-dimensional puzzles disclosed herein plus the external client. The external client may have a display to show the shell segment pattern and/or the orientation of the shell based on data from the IMU. The external client may have the processing circuitry to receive the data from the signature sensor to determine shell segment patterns. The external client may have circuitry to transmit shell segment pattern data via the Internet.
Some embodiments of the invention may include a reset and error correction mechanism, to respond to a situation in which a rotation was not properly sensed. For example, if the left face were rotated but not sensed, the determination of the resulting face segment pattern would be incorrect, and so would any subsequent rotation if the unsensed rotation remained unnoticed. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention include dedicated absolute sensors, which detect unique pieces in pre-defined locations. A single sensor is sufficient, but additional similar sensors may be employed for faster error correction.
Some embodiments of reset and error correction of a 3×3 cube position a single face segment determination sensor in a position, such as in or on the core, where it may monitor a corner location. Each face segment has on or near its base an element to be sensed (such as a unique color to be sensed by an RGB sensor) to provide to the face segment determination sensor the unique identification of the face segment. Upon execution of a short sequence of movements, the system may determine the entire face segment pattern of the cube using data from the face segment determination sensor and the face rotation sensors discussed above.
One method of determining patterns, which is useful for reset/initializations, is discussed with reference to
During a single clockwise rotation of the “Up” face, the sensor detects the identities of the three face segments that pass by it, while in parallel the system calculates the new location of the face segment that was detected before the rotation. Accordingly, the top-right face segment mapping in
Next, with reference to
To identify additional face segments, the user simply needs to continue playing the cube to eventually cause the remaining unidentified face segment to pass by the sensor. For example, if the user makes two “U” rotations, a subsequent clockwise “R” rotation enables the sensor to identify three additional face segments. After enough rotations, all face segments are identified.
The system may be embodied so that the sensor identifies a face passing near it and also faces sharing the same supporting base. Such system provides information regarding the one or two adjacent faces constrained in a fixed position relative to the one face. (All faces to be sensed are permanently adjacent a face sharing a common edge, and a face located at a vertex is permanently adjacent two faces.)
As in the preceding embodiment, the process begins with no face segments identified beyond the fixed central face segments.
With reference to
In this example, the next move is an “Up” rotation, and the two right side drawings show that a different trio of face segments passes to the sensor. Accordingly, the face segments are identified and the system knows which of the two possibilities (the left face rotated, or it did not) is the correct one.
It is understood that, while in the simplified example above two alternative pattern possibilities were considered, the system can be implement to consider many more alternative simultaneously.
In alternate embodiments, additional sensors may be employed. Accordingly, error correction requires fewer tracked rotations.
In a 3×3 cubic puzzle of
The first exemplary embodiment of pattern tracking is described with reference to the flow chart of
The first step is to obtain the initial pattern of the shell segments on the faces. (Step S1.) Non-limiting examples of obtaining the initial pattern include: retrieving the pattern from the puzzle's memory, such as when the puzzle was used last; using a given value that results from a factory reset; manual data entry from a peripheral device, such as a smartphone; determined data produce by photographing the puzzle; and using the initialization of the present invention.
The next step is to use at least two signature sensors within the shell to sense the unique signatures of the shell segments moving into the proximity of the sensors. (Step S2.)
The following step is to provide data to processing circuitry based on the sensed signatures. (Step S3.) The processing circuitry determines from the data the identification of the proximate shell segments to determine a new shell segment pattern.
One exemplary use of the method is on three-dimensional puzzles in which the shell has six faces, which collectively form a cube. In this particular case, the shell segments comprise six central cubelets, eight vertex cubelets, and twelve central edge cubelets. The central cubelets each are on a different face of the shell and each contact a separate post extending from a core along the axis of rotation of the face. The unique signatures are located at the vertex and central edge cubelets.
The second exemplary embodiment of pattern tracking briefly mentions above is described with reference to the flow chart of
The first step is to obtain an initial pattern of the shell segments on the faces. (Step S1.) Non-limiting examples of obtaining the initial pattern are provided above in the discussion of the last embodiment.
The next step is to sense the rotation of the faces. (Step S2.) Rotation sensors of the types discussed above may be used for this sensing.
The following step is to provide data to processing circuitry based on the rotation of the faces. (Step S3.) The processing circuitry determines from the face rotation data the movement of the shell segments to determine a new shell segment pattern.
An exemplary use of this method is on a three-dimensional puzzle in which the shell has six faces, which collectively form a cube. The shell segments are six central cubelets, eight vertex cubelets, and twelve central edge cubelets. The central cubelets each are on a different face of the shell and each contact a separate post extending from the core along the axis of rotation of the face.
Another aspect of the invention is engaging the multiple player's use of the puzzle for online competitions worldwide. A central server may send unique sets of moves for the players, such as a different sequence of rotations for each user, as handicaps to make them all reach the same cube pattern as a “fair match” with similar initial conditions. The information from the users may be collected and ranking statistics provided. The statistics may include bout duration, number of moves, rotation speed, and personal records.
Having thus described exemplary embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent that various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Alternations, modifications, and improvements of the disclosed invention, though not expressly described above, are nonetheless intended and implied to be within spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing discussion is intended to be illustrative only; the invention is limited and defined only by the following claims and equivalents thereto.
This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of the Jan. 25, 2017 filing of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/450,087, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/IB2018/000411 | 1/25/2018 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62450087 | Jan 2017 | US |