Abstract:
A personal mobility vehicle, such as a wheelchair system, includes a user interface that includes a user input and 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 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.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY FROM COPENDING PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION 
       [0001]    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. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    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. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    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. 
         [0004]    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). 
         [0005]    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&#39;s appointment, where the user&#39;s PC is not available to be connected to via a wireless link, such as a Bluetooth™ link. 
         [0006]    The exemplary embodiments of this invention are directed to improvements in these and other types of personal mobility vehicles. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The foregoing and other problems are overcome, and other advantages are realized, in accordance with the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. 
         [0008]    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. 
         [0009]    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. 
         [0010]    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. 
         [0011]    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. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    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: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1A  is an elevational view of an embodiment of a personal mobility vehicle that is suitable for implementing the exemplary embodiments of this invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 1B  shows in greater detail a user interface portion of the vehicle of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a simplified block diagram of a wheelchair system controller in accordance with the exemplary embodiments of this invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a simplified block diagram of the user interface portion shown in  FIG. 1B . 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is an elevational view of one exemplary embodiment of at least a portion of the user interface. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Before describing the exemplary embodiments of this invention in detail reference is first made to  FIG. 1A  for showing a rear elevational view of an embodiment of a personal mobility vehicle that is suitable for implementing the exemplary embodiments of this invention, as well as to  FIG. 1B  that shows in greater detail a user interface portion of the vehicle of  FIG. 1A . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  the personal mobility vehicle is embodied as a wheelchair system  10 , although this is not a limitation upon the use and practice of the exemplary embodiments of this invention. As employed herein a wheelchair system is considered as a vehicle that may be capable of controlled, self-powered (e.g., battery powered) movement for a sitting person. 
         [0019]    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  14 A. 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  20 A, a plurality of buttons  20 B, and a display  20 C, 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 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  shows a simplified block diagram of a portion of the controller  24 . The controller  24  can be assumed to include a software system  28  that includes at least one data processor  28 A, such as a microprocessor or microcontroller, and a memory  28 B that stores programs to control operation of the data processor  28 A and, thereby, to control the overall operation of the wheelchair  10 . The operating programs may be considered to be firmware, such as computer programs that are permanently stored in, by example, non-volatile read only memory (NV-ROM)  29 A, as opposed to possibly volatile random access memory (RAM)  29 B that is loaded from a disk or some other type of memory storage medium. However, the exemplary embodiments of this invention are also usable with a system where an operating control program is stored in a mass memory device, such as a disk, and loaded into RAM as needed. 
         [0021]    The data processor  28 A is coupled via general use input/output hardware  26  to various input/outputs, including general input/outputs, such as input/outputs  24 A going to and from the user interface  20  and inputs/outputs  24 B providing control to the motor(s)  14 . The software system  28  may include a clock function or module  28 C 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  28 A with the user interface  20  to provide an integrated game playing experience for the user of the wheelchair system  10 . 
         [0022]    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). 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  shows a portion of the user interface  20  in greater detail. The user interface  20  includes the keypad/keyboard  20 B, the display  20 C and possibly an acoustic transducer  20 D to provide auditory sounds to the user. In one exemplary embodiment the display  20 C may be a touch sensitive display, and in this case the keypad/keyboard  20 B may not be needed. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  shows one exemplary embodiment of the display  20 C configured as an enhanced display that may have a touch sensitive surface. 
         [0025]    The exemplary embodiments of this invention provide a game function (shown as a hardware/software/firmware module GF  29 C in  FIG. 2 ) that is integrated into the electrical wheelchair system  10  or some other type of personal mobility vehicle. The GF  29 C system is enabled to show information to the user using the display  20 C, or by using some other suitable means, and to receive control inputs from the user via any suitable user input modality included in the wheelchair system  10 . The user input modality may include one or more of the joystick  20 A, buttons  20 B, a head array, a voice recognition system, a system that responds to a user&#39;s breathe (sip and puff technology) or to a user&#39;s eye/eye lid motions, as several non-limiting examples. In general any biometric system, in addition to those already described, that is capable of generating a game input from the user may be used, including skin-mounted or implanted electrodes and related hardware capable of detecting and conditioning neurological signals generated by the user. 
         [0026]    Prior to this invention such game playing functionalities were not integrated into the wheelchair system  10 . 
         [0027]    Also shown in  FIG. 2  is an optional wireless interface (WI)  30 , such as a Bluetooth™ interface, whereby the user may engage another user in a similarly constructed wheelchair system in game play. Alternatively, the other user may have a conventional portable (non-integrated) game console that includes a compatible wireless interface. 
         [0028]    Note that the game function  29 C and/or the wireless interface  30  may actually be embodied within the hand control system  20  shown in  FIG. 1B , or in the enhanced display  20 C shown in the elevational view of  FIG. 4 . In either case the game function  29 C is still considered for the purposes of this invention as being integrated with or in the wheelchair system  10 . 
         [0029]    In operation, the user may be presented on the display  20 C 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  29 C, and that have related game software stored in the memory  28 B. By selecting and initiating the game play function the data processor  28 A preferably logically switches at least a part of the normal functionality of the wheelchair input device(s) for use by the game function  29 C. For example, if the output of the joystick  20 A is normally used for wheelchair mobility functions, then the output of the joystick  20 A is switched for use instead by the game function  29 C. During game play the user may be presented with suitable graphics and like on the display  20 C, and may be presented with suitable sound effects via the acoustic transducer  20 D. During game play the game function  29 C is used in conjunction with the data processor  28 A and game software stored in the memory  28 B 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  29 C and the wireless interface  30 . 
         [0030]    The game play may result in the user obtaining a score, which may be stored in the memory  28 B, such as in the non-volatile memory  29 A, or in a non-volatile portion of the RAM  29 B. Upon achieving a new highest score the user may be automatically congratulated by the game function  29 C. In addition, users may be able to compare scores via the wireless interface  30 . 
         [0031]    Note that the integrated game function  29 C 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. 
         [0032]    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  28 B, if the selected game software is not already resident in the memory  28 B. 
         [0033]    The game function  29 C may include a dedicated processor used for game play, or the game software may be executed by the data processor  28 A. 
         [0034]    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. 
         [0035]    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. 
         [0036]    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. 
         [0037]    Further, the user interface  20  may be implemented at least in part using voice recognition technology to enter user information, and the acoustic transducer  20 D 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. 
         [0038]    However, all such and similar modifications of the teachings of this invention will still fall within the scope of the embodiments of this invention. 
         [0039]    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.