Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
ELECTRONIC, INTERACTIVE SPACE-BASED TOY SYSTEM
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
APPLICATION
[0001] The contents of Provisional Application U.S. Ser. No. 62/022,802 filed
July 10,
2014, on which the present application is based and benefits claimed under 35
U.S.C. 119(e),
is herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an electronic, interactive toy system
spanning the
solar system for elementary and secondary school age children. More
particularly, the present
invention is for an interactive earth-based toy that communicates with other
toys in space,
communicates with other space-based payloads, and communicates with toys or
equipment on
or near earth's surface. Additionally the earth- or space-based toys can
respond to physical
stimuli to influence virtual environments based on the physical stimuli.
2. The Prior Art
[0003] Toys resembling space objects such as a satellite, launch vehicle, or
even a spaceship
have long been part of a child's play experience as they pretend to be on a
journey to the
moon or maybe even Mars. Some of these space toys even include radios to allow
children to
remotely control them. Others create simulated space experiences by
representing the
consoles an astronaut may have in a spaceship and allowing kids to flip
switches and press
buttons during imaginative play.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] It is an object of the present invention to expand a child's play
beyond just looks-like
space toys and simulated galactic experiences by networking a child's toy with
real space
objects and allowing for the monitoring and control of those objects.
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[0005] It is the general object of the present invention to create an easy to
use toy system
spanning the solar system by incorporating connections between earth-based
toys and space-
based toys and systems for the education or even just the fun and delight of
children.
[0006] Space-based toys include actual toys present on space vehicles like the
International
Space Station, equipment on the launch pad awaiting launch to space, toys in
transit from
earth to space, toys in space where they may be in orbit around planets or
other bodies or even
traveling through space. The space-based toy may be a payload installed on a
space object,
may be a complete and self-sustaining space vehicle, or may integrate into a
payload or space
vehicle with the ability to gather additional input or to influence or control
the equipment or
space vehicle. The space-based toy is constructed to withstand the environment
of earth,
space, and heavenly bodies, as required. The space-based toy has its own set
of sensors
and/or actuators. The space-based toy is able to communicate wirelessly with
other space-
based toys and earth-based toys using a traditional ground system, or a novel
distributed
ground system around the earth, where it routes its command and telemetry into
the cloud.
[0007] School age children will be able to share the sensor readings,
pictures, or effects of
the sensor readings from the space-based toy on a smart device or directly on
an earth-based
toy. For example, when the space-based toy is in orbit around the earth, as
the space-based
toy nears the physical location of the earth-based toys under them, the earth-
based toys will
indicate the space-based toy is passing overhead. The alert may prompt
additional content,
games, or adventures that are now accessible to the users. The users will
follow the space-
based toy's journey from launch to on orbit operations to end of life with one
or two way
communication. For example, the space-based toy's gravity sensor will detect
the gravity on
earth during pre-launch. The users will play a game with normal earth gravity.
As the gravity
of the space-based toy fluctuates during launch and entry into space, the
gravity in the game
will fluctuate altering the game play and possibly lead to the unlocking of
bonuses or
achievements that are only available during those periods. Users singularly or
jointly may be
granted the ability to control the space-based toy using their earth-based toy
or smart device.
Control may include, as an example, commanding the space-based toy actuators
to move,
reprogramming the space-based toy to complete a new function, or controlling
the attached
equipment or space vehicle. This could be driving a lunar rover on the moon
with a smart
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device or a cloud connected, earth-based toy.
[0008] The cloud connects the space-based toys to each other, as well as, to
the earth-based
toys. Note the space-based toys could be connected in space to each other and
then only one
space-based toy would require downlink to the cloud. Besides acting as a
communication
medium, the cloud records portions of the data for later use. The cloud when
paired with
suitable antenna systems may become a low cost, distributed ground system for
satellite
communications. Typically a ground system for satellite communications is
fixed at a known
location with communication to and from the satellite only available when the
ground system
is in range of the satellite. Unlike the typical ground system, a distributed
ground system will
be in near constant communication of the space-based toy and will transfer a
few bits at a time
over many nodes on the earth. The cloud will coordinate the downloading and
uploading of
data as well as the aggregation of data on either end to ensure the data is
correct.
[0009] Other objects features and advantages of the invention will be apparent
to those
skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in
conjunction with the
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Having described the invention in general terms, reference will now be
made to the
accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, wherein:
[0011] FIG. lA is a diagram illustrating an example of the space-based toy of
the present
invention stowed for launch;
[0012] FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating an example of the space-based toy of
the present
invention deployed in low earth orbit;
[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates an overview of the communication architecture and
some functions
for the earth-based to space-based toys;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a diagram shows an example of earth-based toys control and
monitoring
space-based toys which are full space objects or which are hosted payloads on
space objects;
and
[0015] FIG. 4 is a graphic depicting how the space-based toy's sensing of the
physical
environment can be used to control the digital environment on a smart device.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0016] The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with
reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are
shown.
This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should
not be
construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather these
embodiments are
provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully
convey the scope
of the invention to those skilled in the art.
[0017] As shown in Figure IA the space-based toy 500 may take the form of a
satellite.
The space-based toy 500 shown is a CubeSat that has two states: stowed for
launch (Figure
1A) and deployed on orbit (Figure 1B). The space-based toy 500 is designed to
survive
launch loads and operate in the environments present in low earth orbit (LEO)
for many years.
The space-based toy 500 can be designed for other orbital altitudes and even
interplanetary
travel. While many satellites are designed for a specific space mission, this
space-based toy
500 is designed for the enjoyment and learning of elementary and secondary
aged children. It
should be understood that the term "space-based toy" includes devices that one
might not
consider to be a "toy" but that functions the same. The systems on board the
space-based toy
500 are unique in that they are designed so the children can link with them to
play games,
control them and learn about the space environment to name a few.
[0018] In this embodiment, the space-based toy 500 includes a character 510 in
the form
pleasing to kids. The character 510 includes an imaging camera that can send
images back to
earth 10 for viewing by the child. The space-based toy 500 includes a
transceiver or radio
522 on board that can transmit data such as satellite telemetry, sensor data,
images, or other
payload infoiniation via the spacecraft 503 antenna 521. The space-based toy
shown in this
embodiment is powered by solar panels 520. The radio may be UHF, S-Band, X-
Band or any
other communication band that can be transmitted to earth. The space-based
toy's transceiver
522 can also receive commands from earth 10 to perform various actions, such
as take a
picture, perform standard on-orbit maintenance operations, articulate its
solar array, move a
camera in the character 510, and the like. The space-based toy 500 shown in
Figure 1A when
stowed for launch has a standard 3U CubeSat form factor and then once deployed
on orbit, it
expands into a gravity gradient stabilized spacecraft 503 that exposes a
character 510 that is
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shaped in a manner appealing to children. In this embodiment, the character
510 is just one
element of the space-based toy 500 of the satellite 503 that allows kids to
monitor space from
the view of the character 510. The character 510 can be controlled by earth-
based toys 100
and smart device 200 having applications 201, as shown in Figure 2. The
transceiver 522 on
the space-based Toy 500 cans transmit telemetry from the space-based toy 500
systems,
actuators, and sensors to the ground for monitoring by children.
[0019] Children have long enjoyed toys that were shaped in the form factor of
space objects
as they pretended to be communicating with space. With the present invention,
the user can
do much more than just play on the earth with these toys; they can now monitor
and if
allowed, control the real space objects. Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the
communication
architecture for the present invention. The earth-based toys 100 in this
embodiment are a
wireless, electronic based system that communicates via Bluetooth or similar
device to an
application 201 hosted on a smart device 200, such as a smart phone, tablet,
laptop or the like.
The earth-based toys 100 may also relay data in a toy-to-toy network using
Bluetooth or
similar device. The smart device 200 then uses its wireless connection via
cellular, WiFi, or
similar radio and communication method to receive data from the cloud 300 on
the connected
and configured space-based toys 500. Additionally, the cloud can route command
data from
the earth-based toy 100 or smart device application 201 to the cloud 300. The
cloud 300 then
aggregates all the data and based on permissions tables, user authentication,
and settings,
routes the commands out to the ground station 400 or distributed ground
stations with line of
sight at that time to the space-based toy 500 for uplink. Telemetry, pictures,
sensor data, and
other payload and spacecraft system information is also transmitted from the
space-based toys
500 to the earth where it is received by a ground station 400 with antenna
401. Traditional
large dish antennas 401 may be used but even smaller more densely populated
antennas 401
around the earth's surface may also be used for communication between the
cloud 300 and the
space-based toy 500. Having multiple small antennas 401 gives the satellite
more opportunity
to downlink data. While the amount of data transferred per ground antenna 401
is likely
smaller during each pass of the space-based toy for a distributed ground
network given the
power levels of small antennas, the exponentially greater number of ground
station 400 nodes
and the ability to aggregate data in the cloud 300 allows for possibly more
data to be
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offloaded per pass over the earth and more seemingly real-time communication
with the
space-based toys 500.
[00209] There are many different fowls for the earth-based toy 100. The forms
may be in
the shape of a space vehicle, a plush doll, or as depicted in Figure 2,
different galactic looking
characters 101, 102, and 103. The earth-based toys 101, 102, and 103 in this
embodiment are
configured to light up and beep when the space-based toy 500 is overhead of
the child's
location. Children can monitor the space-based toy's 500 ground tracks,
telemetry, and
payload data via the smart device application 201 and some of that data could
be relayed in
fun and engaging manners for the children. Additionally, the sensors on the
earth-based toys
100 can be used for control of the space-based toy 500 via pre-programmed
commands, real-
time commands, or other commanding protocols. An example would be gesture
sensors on
earth-based toy 101 that can be used to turn the character 510 and capture
different images
with its internal camera. Those images can then be transmitted back down to
earth from space
for viewing by the child on their smart device 200. Since not everyone can
control a space-
based toy 500 at once, the cloud 300 manages who had control and what level of
commanding
control is allowed. This would be displayed or configured for the child on the
smart device
application 201 or the earth-based toy 100 itself. Routine maintenance
commands for the
space-based toy 500 are performed by trained personnel, not by children with
toys.
[0021] One embodiment of the space-based toy 500 is depicted in Figure 3 as
the entire
space object including objects such as a satellite 503, space vehicle 502, and
launch vehicle
501. In this embodiment, the space-based toy is designed to transmit data to
the cloud for the
sole purpose of engaging and educating children about the object. The space-
based toy 500
may be in space, or they may be awaiting launch to space and sitting on earth
10. Additionally,
the toy may be a launch vehicle 501 on the launch pad on earth or making its
way to orbit, or
even equipment stationed on the moon or in space. These examples of space-
based toys are
monitored from the earth and optionally controlled using smart device 200 or
the earth-based
toys 100. The earth-based toys 100 may be designed to talk directly to the
cloud 300 to
receive space-based toy 500 data and send commands or to communicate through
the smart
device 200 to the cloud 300. Also, the earth-based toy 100 can be designed
just be the smart
device 200.
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[0022] Another embodiment of the space-based toys 500 is also illustrated in
Figure 3
wherein the toy is a hosted payload on board various types of space objects,
such as satellites
503, space vehicles 506 and launch vehicles 501. The space-based toy 500 in
one
embodiment may be a satellite 503 payload like character 510 with systems fun
for kids.
While it may have a form pleasing to a child such as character 510, this is
not necessarily
required of the present embodiment. The space-based toys 500 may look like
typical payload
electronic boxes. It is conceived that existing sensor data can be considered
the payload 502
on the space vehicle 512 where the space vehicle 512 is the International
Space Station (ISS).
The sensor data from payload 502 is formatted in such a way that is fun for
kids and that
would be one embodiment of the space-based toy 500. In this embodiment,
perhaps the speed
and orbital altitude of the ISS are displayed on a smart device 200 having
application 201 so a
child can find the ISS when it orbits overhead the earth. Another embodiment
of the space-
based toy 500 may be a toy in a friendly form factor for kids operatively
connected to the data
network on a space object, such as those shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4, such
as space
vehicle 512 like the International Space Station where the toy is living with
the astronauts on
the ISS. Other embodiments include payloads 500, which may include a toy on
launch
vehicle 501, or even systems located on other planets or planetary rovers, to
name a few.
There must only exist a network, communication path, or link on the space-
based toy 500
itself, through a connection with the space object it is hosted on, or even
through a crosslink
communication with another space object that can transmit the space data back
down to earth
where it can be received by the ground station 400 and relayed to the cloud
300 where the
data is aggregated and displayed in a child friendly and fun way kids on their
earth-based toy
100 and smart device 200 having application 201.
[0023] In another embodiment, the space-based toy 500 may be a lunar rover on
the moon's
surface that can be driven via the child's earth-based toy 100. Or in another
embodiment, a
child may have an earth-based toy 100 in the shape of a lunar rock. The lunar
rock may open
every time the associated space-based toy is overhead the lunar rock's
location. The lunar
rock then relays a special message from space and by collecting the space
messages a child
can unlock new digital content on the smart device 200 or even add new
features to the earth-
based toy 100. The location of the earth-based toy 100 would be pulled from
the location
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sensor on the device itself, from the location information on the paired smart
device 200, or
from another linked earth-based toy 100.
[0024] The space-based toy 500 may have systems that can sense the physical
environment
on the earth 10, during transit to space and while in space. Such system
sensors may include,
but are not limited to: temperature, gravity, space weather, and location. In
one embodiment,
the space-based toy 500 is a toy 511 hosted on a space object in the form of a
launch vehicle
501 and where the hosted toy 511 environmental readings can change, control,
or influence
the digital world linked to and presented on the smart device 200 having
application 201.
Using the environmental data gathered from the space-based toys 500, fun,
digital game
environments can be formed. For example, the space-based toy 500 is sensing
extreme cold
temperatures while shielded in space from the warmth of the sun, the digital
world video
game on the smart device would represent that same environment by possibly
changing the
game play to an artic landscape. When the space-based toy is in view of the
sun during its
orbit, the smart device 200 game or application 201 may be played in a
tropical environment.
Figure 4 shows an embodiment of this environment where the hosted space-based
toy 500 on
a launch vehicle 501 measures the acceleration during launch, for example at 4
g's. In the
digital world game on the smart device 200 game application 201 a "super G"
mode may be
entered where the physics of that world change to 4 g's versus the typical lg
and when the
space-based toy 500 is on orbit floating with minimal acceleration at 0 g's
that the objects in
the game all float like there is no gravity present. It is conceived that
these modes once
achieved, could be entered into at any time and not just when the space-based
toy 500 reads
that environment.
[0025] The earth-based toys 100 may take many child friendly forms. They may
be toy
vehicles, plush toys, electronic toys, to name a few. Also, the earth-based
toys 100 may have
only the ability to monitor space-based toys 500 or they may have the ability
to monitor and
command and control them, as well. The earth-based toys 100 may talk directly
to the cloud
300, or they may have a radio that allows them to talk direct to the space-
based toy 500
bypassing the smart device 200 and cloud 300 altogether much like the GPS chip
talks
directly to the GPS satellites to receive location data. The earth-based toys
may also have
systems that allow them to form a network of toys so only one earth-based toy
has to
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operatively connect to the space-based toy 500 for communication and
monitoring of the data
from space.
[0026] A key element of the present invention is the use of data from space-
based toys 500
for the fun and delight of children, as well as displaying the data for better
understanding on
the space environment and how object behave in the space environment.
Telemetry screens
on the smart device applications 201, much like those used by space operators
today, can
display the status of the space-based toy 500 systems. Additionally, games
application 201
will be hosted on the smart device 200. Without the smart device 200 present
or a link to the
cloud 300, the earth-based toys 100 can still alert when the space-based toys
500 are overhead.
This is done through the use of space-based toys 500 ephemeris data and the
time of day. The
earth-based toys 100 will be able to predict and alert even if out of range of
a wireless signal
to the space-based toy 500 since the ephemeris data was synched the last time
the earth-based
toy 100 was connected to the cloud 300 or through the smart device 200. Other
games and
fun interactions could be conceived for connected and unconnected play
patterns that provide
enjoyment and education to children. With this invention, real space data can
be used to
educate and excite kids about the space environment.
[0027] Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth
herein will
come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain
having the benefit of
the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions. Therefore, it is to be
understood that
the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and
that
modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the
scope of the
appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in
a generic
and descriptive senses only and not for the purposes of limitation.
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