Electronic chessboard

Abstract

An electronic checkerboard is provided, comprising: a checkerboard surface; a bottom control sensing plate; a plurality of chess piece assemblies mounted between the chessboard surface and the bottom control sensing plate, each chess piece assembly comprising: a chess piece having three display surfaces; the micro direct current motor is used for driving the chess pieces to rotate; the chess piece placement recognition device is used for detecting pressing of a user on the chess piece and generating a pressing signal; the chess piece state recognition device comprises three states corresponding to the three display surfaces of the chess pieces and is used for recognizing the display surfaces displayed by the chess pieces; and the controller is used for controlling the micro direct current motor to change the display surface of the chess piece displayed on the surface of the chessboard based on at least one of the pressing signal and the identified display surface of the chess piece.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of electronic circuits, in particular to an electronic chessboard. Background Technique

[0002] The statements in this part are only to provide background information related to the utility model to help understand the utility model, and these background information do not necessarily constitute the prior art.

[0003] In the activity of chess, Go is very popular in East Asian countries, and the number of participants is increasing day by day. Among Go enthusiasts, teenagers, especially students, account for a considerable proportion. In recent years, even children in kindergartens have begun to learn Go. Machine chess is the comprehensive application of theories and technologies such as artificial intelligence and automatic control. Machine chess technology is not limited to recreational chess, but can also be applied to human-machine Go games.

[0004] Actual combat is an effective way to improve the Go level. Currently, the most common human-machine Go game and online Go game platforms are Go game software displayed on the screen. However, playing on the screen is different from playing on a real chessboard, and staring at the display screen for a long time will cause damage to eyesight. Currently, some electronic chessboards have appeared on the market, which can conduct human-machine Go games and online Go games on a real chessboard. Existing electronic chessboard products and patents can be roughly divided into the following three categories:

[0005] The first category is an electronic chessboard equipped with Go game indicating lights, which requires players to play against opponents on the electronic chessboard. However, all chess pieces must be manually picked up and placed by the players. In addition, the indicating lights may be blocked by the chess pieces, so it is difficult to clearly see the function of the Go game indicating lights.

[0006] The second category is a chessboard equipped with a robotic arm to pick up and place chess pieces, which requires a large amount of space and is not convenient to carry. The robotic arm may collide, bringing safety risks to players. This kind of chessboard also relies on a vision system to identify and locate all chess pieces. It is sensitive to ambient light. If the camera is blocked, it cannot work properly.

[0007] In addition, neither of the above two types of electronic chessboards can provide a satisfactory experience when playing back the game or clearing the chess pieces, because they either require manual intervention or use the robotic arm to pick up the chess pieces one by one.

[0008] The third type is an electronic chessboard equipped with 361 chess piece mechanisms, where each chess piece mechanism is equipped with a stepper motor to rotate the chess pieces. The landing position of the chess pieces is detected by the player cutting off the light beam of 19 groups of horizontal and vertical opposed switches above the chessboard with a finger. The use of the light beam generated by the opposed switches has little impact on blind players, but is not very friendly to ordinary players. The stepper motor requires correct pulse input and a three-phase clamping block to ensure the correct display of each side. However, each stepper motor requires a complex drive circuit.

[0009] The above-mentioned electronic chessboard has limitations in terms of operating efficiency, space requirements, cost, and reliability. Summary of the Utility Model

[0010] Based on the above problems of the prior art, the present utility model provides an electronic chessboard, comprising:

[0011] The chessboard surface;

[0012] The bottom control and sensing board;

[0013] A plurality of chess piece assemblies installed between the chessboard surface and the bottom control and sensing board, each chess piece assembly comprising:

[0014] A chess piece having three display faces;

[0015] A micro DC motor for driving the rotation of the chess piece;

[0016] A chess piece placement recognition device for detecting the pressing on the chess piece by the user and generating a pressing signal;

[0017] A chess piece state recognition device, including three states corresponding to the three display faces of the chess piece, for recognizing the display face shown by the chess piece;

[0018] A controller for controlling the micro DC motor to change the display face of the chess piece shown on the chessboard surface based on at least one of the pressing signal and the recognized display face of the chess piece.

[0019] In one embodiment, the chess piece placement recognition device includes a microswitch located below the chess piece and electrically connected to the bottom control and sensing board.

[0020] In one embodiment, the chess piece assembly further includes a first bracket and a second bracket. The main body of the micro DC motor is mounted on the first bracket. The micro DC motor includes a motor shaft, and the motor shaft is mounted in the internal slot of the chess piece; the chess piece includes a chess piece shaft, and the chess piece shaft is mounted to the second bracket.

[0021] In one embodiment, the chess piece assembly further includes a first bracket and a second bracket. The chess piece further includes a chess piece shaft, and two ends of the chess piece shaft are respectively mounted to the first bracket and the second bracket. The micro DC motor is mounted at the bottom of the chess piece. The micro DC motor includes a motor shaft, and the motor shaft is connected to and rotates the chess piece through a transmission device. The transmission device can be a belt drive, a gear drive or other transmission means.

[0022] In one embodiment, the chess piece state recognition device includes a first mechanical switch and a second mechanical switch located on one side of the chess piece shaft, and a plurality of bumps located on the chess piece shaft. The plurality of bumps are configured to change the states of the first mechanical switch and the second mechanical switch to achieve the three states.

[0023] In one embodiment, the plurality of bumps include a first bump, a second bump, a third bump and a fourth bump. When the first display surface among the three display surfaces faces upward, the first bump and the second bump press and turn on the first mechanical switch and the second mechanical switch; when the second display surface among the three display surfaces faces upward, the third bump presses and turns on the first mechanical switch, and the second mechanical switch is turned off; when the third display surface among the three display surfaces faces upward, the fourth bump presses and turns on the second mechanical switch, and the first mechanical switch is turned off.

[0024] In one embodiment, the first mechanical switch and the second mechanical switch are electrically connected to the bottom control sensing board, and the first bracket and the second bracket are mounted to the bottom control sensing board by screws.

[0025] In one embodiment, the chess piece state recognition device includes a rotary switch. The chess piece shaft is directly connected to the rotary switch. The rotary switch is mounted to the second bracket. The rotary switch includes three states corresponding to the three display surfaces of the chess piece.

[0026] In one embodiment, the controller is configured to be able to interact with the opponent's device via a cloud engine. The controller controls the micro DC motor based on an instruction from the cloud engine to change the display surface of the chess piece displayed on the chessboard surface.

[0027] In one embodiment, the controller is configured to control the micro DC motor of the corresponding chess piece based on instructions from an offline intelligent device to change the display surface of the chess piece. The offline intelligent device can be a computer, a Raspberry Pi, a mobile phone, a game console, or other computing devices. The connection between the controller and the offline intelligent device can be an Ethernet interface, a serial interface, a parallel interface, a Bluetooth interface, or other types of interfaces. The offline intelligent device can be fixedly installed inside the chessboard or configured to be separable and only connected to the chessboard when the chessboard needs to be used.

[0028] In one embodiment, the bottom control and sensing board is a PCB board with circuits arranged thereon or a bottom board with circuit connection functions arranged thereon.

[0029] In one embodiment, the electronic chessboard further includes a display screen and buttons. The display screen is used to display the game state, and the display screen and the buttons are used to receive instructions from the player.

[0030] In one embodiment, the electronic chessboard can also receive instructions from the player and display the game state through a mobile phone, a computer, a tablet computer, a game console, or other input devices.

[0031] The electronic chessboard of the present utility model does not use a screen or many LED lights to display the chess pieces, reducing the visual fatigue of the player; uses multiple physical chess pieces that can rotate to display different faces, eliminating the need for a robotic arm to pick up and place the chess pieces and eliminating the risk of the user colliding with any large moving parts; can control and identify dozens of chess pieces simultaneously, greatly reducing the time required for "capturing pieces" and "replaying". BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Figure 1 Shows a schematic diagram of an electronic chessboard according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0033] Figure 2A Shows a schematic diagram of a chess piece assembly according to an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0034] Figure 2B Shows Figure 2A a schematic diagram of a chess piece in the chess piece assembly.

[0035] Figure 2C Shows Figure 2A a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the chess piece assembly.

[0036] Figure 2D Shows Figure 2A a schematic diagram of the chess piece assembly with the empty face facing up.

[0037] Figure 2E Shows Figure 2A a schematic diagram of the chess piece assembly with the white face facing up.

[0038] Figure 2F shows Figure 2A a schematic diagram of the chess piece assembly with the black side facing up.

[0039] Figure 3A shows a schematic diagram of the chess piece assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 3B shows Figure 3A a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the chess piece assembly of

[0041] Figure 4 shows a circuit diagram for controlling a micro DC motor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 5 shows a circuit diagram for identifying the state of a mechanical switch according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of the operation mode of an electronic chessboard according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed implementation manners

[0044] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer and more understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below through specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments given in the present invention are only for illustration and do not limit the protection scope of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of an electronic chessboard according to an embodiment of the present invention. As Figure 1As shown, the electronic chessboard 100 includes a chessboard surface 101, a bottom control and sensing board 103, and a plurality of chess piece components 102 installed between the chessboard surface 101 and the bottom control and sensing board 103. The chess piece components 102 include a plurality of display surfaces, and the chessboard surface 101 includes openings corresponding to the display surfaces of the chess piece components 102 for displaying one of the plurality of display surfaces of the chess piece components 102. The bottom control and sensing board 103 includes a circuit layout for controlling the chess piece components 102. In one embodiment, the bottom control and sensing board 103 is a PCB board. In one embodiment, the bottom control and sensing board 103 is another material board with a circuit arranged thereon. In the embodiment of a Go chessboard, the electronic chessboard 100 generally includes 361 chess piece components 102, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In practical applications, the number of chess piece components required can be designed according to needs. The chessboard surface 101 can also be marked with a 13 by 13 and a 9 by 9 area chessboard by means of permanent marks, detachable marks attached by pasting, or indicator lights, etc., so that the chessboard can be used as a general 13 by 13 and 9 by 9 chessboard. The electronic chessboard 100 further includes a controller (not shown) for controlling the plurality of chess piece components 102.

[0046] Figure 2A FIG. shows a schematic diagram of a chess piece component according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2B As shown Figure 2A of the chess piece in the chess piece component. Figure 2C As shown Figure 2A of the internal structure of the chess piece component. Figure 2D As shown Figure 2A of the chess piece component with the empty side facing up. Figure 2E As shown Figure 2A of the chess piece component with the white side facing up. Figure 2F As shown Figure 2A of the chess piece component with the black side facing up.

[0047] As Figures 1 - 2F shown, each chess piece component includes a chess piece 201 having three display surfaces; a micro DC motor 202 for driving the chess piece 201 to rotate to change the display surface of the chess piece 201 displayed on the chessboard surface 101; a chess piece placement recognition device 204 for detecting the user's pressing on the chess piece and generating a pressing signal; and a chess piece state recognition device 203 including three states corresponding to the three display surfaces for recognizing the display surface of the chess piece. A controller (not shown) is used to control the micro DC motor based on the pressing signal to change the display surface of the chess piece 201 displayed on the chessboard surface 101, and to ensure that the chess piece is displayed correctly based on the recognized display surface.

[0048] In one embodiment, the three display surfaces include an empty surface, a white surface, and a black surface. Those skilled in the art should understand that the colors and patterns of the three display surfaces can be arbitrarily defined according to actual needs. For ease of understanding, the following takes the three display surfaces being an empty surface, a white surface, and a black surface as an example for illustration.

[0049] Reference Figures 2A - 2F , the body of the micro DC motor 202 is mounted on the first bracket 207 so that the micro DC motor 202 can remain stationary. The micro DC motor 202 includes a motor shaft 205 (see Figure 2C ), and the motor shaft 205 is mounted in the internal slot of the chess piece 201 so that the chess piece 201 can rotate as the motor shaft 205 of the micro DC motor 202 rotates. The chess piece 201 includes a chess piece shaft 209, and the chess piece shaft 209 can be inserted into the hole of the second bracket 208. When the motor shaft 205 rotates, the chess piece 201 rotates synchronously. The first bracket 207 and the second bracket 208 are fixedly mounted on the bottom control sensing plate 103. In one embodiment, the first bracket 207 and the second bracket 208 are mounted to the bottom control sensing plate 103 by screws 210 (see Figure 1 and Figure 2A ). In another embodiment, the first bracket 207 and the second bracket 208 are fixed to the bottom control sensing plate 103 by an adhesive

[0050] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 2A - 2F , the chess piece placement recognition device 204 is a microswitch, and the microswitch is located below the chess piece 201 so that when the player presses the chess piece 201, the state of the microswitch changes and a pressing signal indicating the closing or opening of the microswitch is generated. In one embodiment, the pins of the microswitch are welded to the bottom control sensing plate 103, and the pressing signal generated by the microswitch can be transmitted to the controller through the circuit on the bottom control sensing plate 103. In another embodiment, the chess piece placement recognition device 204 can be other detectors, photoelectric switches, magnetic switches or other electronic switches that can detect the pressure of the player pressing the chess piece 201.

[0051] The chess piece state recognition device 203 generally includes three detectable states corresponding to the three display surfaces of the chess piece 201. The three states can be different switch states, different switch positions, configured to have different resistance values, or configured to have different capacitance values. The controller can identify which face of the chess piece is displayed on the chessboard surface and whether the displayed face is correct by detecting the state of the chess piece state recognition device 203. The chess piece state recognition device 203 can provide the position of each chess piece and record it in a non-volatile memory or a cloud engine. Thus, in the case of a sudden power failure and the chessboard state being destroyed, or due to an unexpected manual rotation and not expecting to change the state of the chess piece, the original chessboard state can be restored by the controller. The chess piece state recognition device 203 may include a mechanical switch, which may be, for example, a push switch or a rotary switch, or may be other electronic switches with strong anti-interference, low cost, and high reliability.

[0052] In one embodiment, reference Figures 2A - 2F The chess piece state recognition device 203 includes a first mechanical switch 203a and a second mechanical switch 203b located on one side of the chess piece axis 209, and four protrusions 206 located on the chess piece axis 209. Preferably, the first mechanical switch 203a and the second mechanical switch 203b are located below the chess piece axis 209. The four protrusions 206 include a first protrusion 206a, a second protrusion 206b, a third protrusion 206c and a fourth protrusion 206d. The four protrusions 206 are used to trigger the first mechanical switch 203a and the second mechanical switch 203b to identify the display surface of the chess piece 201. When the empty side is facing up, the first protrusion 206a and the second protrusion 206b press and turn on the first mechanical switch 203a and the second mechanical switch 203b (see Figure 2D ). When the white side faces upward, the third protrusion 206c presses and turns on the first mechanical switch 203a, and the second mechanical switch 203b is turned off (see Figure 2E ). When the black side faces upward, the fourth protrusion 206d presses and turns on the second mechanical switch 203b, and the first mechanical switch 203a is turned off (see Figure 2F ). Therefore, the controller can identify which side of each chess piece is displayed on the chessboard and whether the displayed side is correct by detecting the state of the first mechanical switch 203a and the second mechanical switch 203b. The pins of the first mechanical switch 203a and the second mechanical switch 203b are welded to the bottom control sensing board 103, and the state signals generated by the first mechanical switch 203a and the second mechanical switch 203b can be transmitted to the controller through the circuit on the control sensing board 103. The number, position and configuration of the bumps on the chess piece shaft are not limited to Figure 2B As shown in the configuration, any bump configuration can be used as long as the state displayed by the chess piece can be distinguished by a mechanical switch.

[0053] Figure 3A The schematic diagram of the chess piece component according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3B It shows Figure 3A the schematic diagram of the internal structure of the chess piece component. In this embodiment, the same parts as Figures 2A - 2F will not be described in detail here. The difference is that the chess piece shaft 302 is directly connected to the rotary switch 301, and the rotary switch 301 is installed on the second bracket 303. The chess piece state recognition device includes the rotary switch 301, and the rotary switch 301 includes three states (i.e., three positions) corresponding to the three display surfaces of the chess piece. Therefore, the controller can identify which surface of each chess piece is displayed on the chessboard and whether the displayed surface is correct by detecting the state of the rotary switch 301. Among them, the rotary switch 301 can be connected to the control sensing board 103, and the state signal generated by the rotary switch 301 can be transmitted to the controller through the circuit on the control sensing board 103.

[0054] Although the specific structure of the chess piece component is shown in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the chess piece component includes a first bracket and a second bracket. The chess piece further includes a chess piece shaft, and both ends of the chess piece shaft are respectively installed on the first bracket and the second bracket. A micro DC motor is installed at the bottom of the chess piece. The micro DC motor includes a motor shaft, and the motor shaft is connected and rotates the chess piece through a transmission device. The transmission device can be a belt drive, a gear drive or other drive methods.

[0055] Figure 4 The circuit diagram for controlling the micro DC motor according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, which is similar to the control circuit of the LED matrix. Figure 4 The 3×3 matrix motor control circuit is shown in Figure 4 As shown, each motor M is connected in series with a diode between the voltage V+ and the voltage V-. By controlling the values of the voltage V+ and the voltage V- connected to each motor M by the controller, each motor M can be independently controlled. The matrix motor control circuits of other specifications, such as 19×19 and 13×13, have Figure 4 the same principle, and the direction of the diode is not limited to the direction shown in the figure. The matrix motor control is unitized by rows. A row of motors can be rotated at the same time. Here, the row can be a row or a column in the direction viewed by the player. As Figure 4As shown, when V1- is connected to the negative power supply, and V2- and V3- are not connected to the negative power supply, connecting V1+, V2+, and V3+ to the positive power supply can respectively control the rotation of motors M1, M2, and M3. Similarly, each motor in the row where V2- or V3- is located can be independently controlled to rotate. Also, V1+ can be connected to the positive power supply, and V2+ and V3+ are not connected to the positive power supply. At this time, connecting V1-, V2-, and V3- to the negative power supply can respectively control the rotation of motors M1, M4, and M7. Similarly, each motor in the column where V2+ and V3+ are located can be independently controlled to rotate. The controller can quickly switch the rotation of the motors in each row, visually forming the effect that all the pieces that need to rotate rotate simultaneously and improving the display efficiency of the pieces. All the IO ports required by the controller can be implemented through an IO expansion chip and related circuits.

[0056] Figure 5 A circuit for identifying the states of all mechanical switches in a piece placement recognition device and a piece state recognition device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, which is similar to a keyboard circuit. Figure 5 A 3-by-3 matrix mechanical switch recognition circuit is shown in Figure 5 As shown, each mechanical switch S1 - S9 is connected in series with a diode between two input / output ports (IO). The on or off state of the mechanical switch is judged by detecting whether the two input / output ports are connected. The switch state recognition circuits of other specifications, such as 19-by-19 and 13-by-13, have the same Figure 5 principle, and the direction of the diode is not limited to the direction shown in the figure.

[0057] In Figures 2A through 2F the piece assembly shown in the embodiment, each piece assembly includes 3 switches in total, 2 mechanical switches for piece state recognition and 1 mechanical switch for piece placement recognition. In the 19-by-19 chessboard of this embodiment, there are 57 by 19 matrix mechanical switches. If the piece assembly is as shown in Figure 3A and 3B the embodiment, each piece assembly includes 4 switches in total, 3 mechanical switches for piece state recognition and 1 mechanical switch for piece placement recognition. In the 19-by-19 chessboard of this embodiment, there are 76 by 19 matrix mechanical switches. The recognition of all mechanical switches is achieved through row and column scanning as shown in Figure 5 and all the IO ports required by the controller can be implemented through an IO expansion chip and related circuits.

[0058] In the present invention, all the mechanical switches 203a, 203b, 204, and 301 can be directly connected to the pieces or can be connected to the pieces via a transmission mechanism (such as a gear, belt, or link mechanism).

[0059] In one embodiment, the action of placing a chess piece can be completed by the player pressing on the chess piece, and this pressing action is recognized by the chess piece placement recognition device. When the player presses on any chess piece, the chess piece placement recognition device detects the user's pressing on the chess piece and generates a pressing signal. The controller receives this pressing signal and operates the micro DC motor to rotate the chess piece and display the required face.

[0060] In one embodiment, the controller is configured to detect the states of multiple chess pieces on the chessboard according to a predetermined rule. If one or more chess pieces are captured according to the rule (for example, in Go, a player's chess piece has no "liberty"), the controller can automatically rotate the captured chess piece to display the empty face.

[0061] In one embodiment, it is preset whether the white pieces move first or the black pieces move first. If the white pieces move first, when the player presses the first chess piece, its white face will be displayed, and subsequent black and white faces will alternate, and vice versa.

[0062] In one embodiment, the controller records the desired display face of the chess piece and compares this desired display face with the display face recognized by the chess piece state recognition device. If the recognized display face is different from the desired display face, the controller will control the micro DC motor so that the chess piece displays the desired display face. This avoids incorrect display of the chess piece, such as the incorrect display of the chess piece caused by the player accidentally manually rotating the chess piece.

[0063] In one embodiment, the electronic chessboard may further include a display screen for displaying the game state (such as the time and number of moves of each player) and receiving instructions from the player. In one embodiment, the electronic chessboard further includes a display screen and buttons. The display screen is used to display the game state, and the display screen and the buttons are used to receive instructions from the player. In one embodiment, the electronic chessboard can also receive instructions from the player and display the game state through a mobile phone, computer, tablet, game console or other input devices.

[0064] In one embodiment, since the electronic chessboard can assist intelligent devices in recording chess scores and move times, functions such as playing chess, reviewing games, and teaching can be correspondingly expanded. In the teaching function, the player can return the display state of the chess pieces to any number of moves before. The chessboard can automatically rotate the chess pieces to display the states of all chess pieces according to the instructions, or select to continuously place white chess pieces, black chess pieces, or a state without chess pieces as needed; in the review function, the player can select a recorded game of chess in the past, replay the game of chess, or specify to go to any number of moves and play the game of chess again. All player instructions can interact with the chessboard through a mobile phone, computer, game console, buttons, or display screen.

[0065] In the present utility model, since a micro DC motor is used in the gearbox, each motor in the electronic chessboard requires very low power. Therefore, dozens of chess pieces can be rotated and identified simultaneously, thereby making the working efficiency higher than that of existing artificial intelligence (AI) chessboards, especially when many chess pieces need to be operated. The size of the chessboard of the present utility model is similar to that of a standard chessboard, and there are no moving components on the chessboard, thus ensuring the safety of players. In addition, the mechanical switch is more stable, less susceptible to interference and cheaper than visual systems, magnetic switches, photosensitive elements, radio frequency technologies and resonance circuits.

[0066] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the operation mode of an electronic chessboard according to an embodiment of the present utility model is shown. The electronic chessboard 600 includes a chess piece placement and identification device 602 for detecting a user's press on a chess piece and generating a press signal; a chess piece state identification device 603 including three states corresponding to three display surfaces of the chess piece for identifying the display surface shown by the chess piece; a chess piece rotation system 605 (such as a micro DC motor) for driving the chess piece to rotate; and a central controller 601 for controlling the chess piece rotation system 605 based on the press signal to rotate the chess piece and for identifying the chess piece state based on the three states.

[0067] The electronic chessboard 600 includes an online mode and an offline mode. The multi-functional central controller 601 is used to interface with multiple computing environments, thereby enhancing the gameplay through real-time and asynchronous data processing functions. The central controller 601 can be connected to a cloud engine 606 or operate using an integrated offline intelligent device 608. In the online mode, the central controller 601 is capable of interacting with an opponent's device 607 through the cloud engine 606, and the opponent's device 607 can be another electronic chessboard, a personal computer, a mobile phone, a tablet computer or any other device capable of transmitting chessboard instructions through a network. The opponent's device 607 sends an instruction to rotate a chess piece to the central controller 601 through the cloud engine 606, and the central controller 601 controls the micro DC motor of the corresponding chess piece based on the instruction from the cloud engine 606 to change the display surface of the chess piece. In the offline mode, the central controller 601 is capable of connecting to the offline intelligent device 608. The central controller 601 controls the micro DC motor of the corresponding chess piece based on the instruction from the offline intelligent device 608 to change the display surface of the chess piece.

[0068] The piece placement recognition device 602 and the piece state recognition device 603 ensure that the pieces whose states need to be changed are rotated to the correct positions, the pieces whose states do not need to be changed are not deliberately altered, and the pressing actions of the player's fingers on the pieces are detected. The piece state recognition device 603 can also provide the positions of each piece. The interactive display screen 604 also receives the game state (such as the time and number of steps of each player) from the central controller 601 and receives commands from the players. The adaptive communication framework allows the central controller 601 to adjust the positions of the pieces through the complex piece rotation system 605, effectively processing and responding to the incoming game data, such as the positions of the opponent's pieces, the positions of the captured pieces, the updated game state, and the players' commands. This electronic chessboard system can determine precise moves by the central controller processing a large amount of game data received from a cloud engine or equivalent offline computing resources.

[0069] In a human-computer or network chess game, the display states of the pieces can be transmitted to the cloud engine, and the cloud engine and the local controller complete the manipulation of the pieces. The interactive display screen shows the time and interacts with the players. This electronic chessboard can control a large number of pieces simultaneously.

[0070] In one embodiment, the offline intelligent device can be a computer, a Raspberry Pi, a mobile phone, a game console, or other computing devices. The connection between the controller and the offline intelligent device can be an Ethernet interface, a serial interface, a parallel interface, a Bluetooth interface, or other types of interfaces. The offline intelligent device can be fixedly installed inside the chessboard or configured to be separable and only connected to the chessboard when the chessboard needs to be used.

[0071] The electronic chessboard of the present utility model uses a micro DC motor to operate each piece. The use of the micro DC motor makes the control circuit as cheap and simple as the matrix LED control circuit, improving the display efficiency of the physical pieces. The micro DC motor is installed inside the piece to avoid any large moving parts on the surface of the chessboard and avoid possible collisions between the large moving parts and the players. Using the micro DC motor instead of the stepper motor or the servo motor reduces the production cost of the robotic Go chessboard.

[0072] In one embodiment, a mechanical switch is used to identify the rotation angle of the piece driven by the micro DC motor to ensure the reliability of the piece state display and recognition. The recognition circuit of the matrix switch is as cheap and simple as the keyboard circuit. Using the mechanical switch instead of the vision system, magnetic sensor, photosensitive element, radio frequency technology, or resonant circuit increases the reliability of the circuit.

[0073] In one embodiment, a micro switch is used to detect when a player's finger presses a chess piece, improving the reliability of chess piece position recognition. All micro switches are installed below the chessboard surface, eliminating the need to install any sensing mechanisms on the top of the chessboard or inside each chess piece. The micro switch recognition circuit can be integrated into the recognition circuit of the matrix switch. A rotatable chess piece with three display faces is adopted instead of the traditional independent black and white chess pieces, so that all chess pieces can be integrated into the chessboard, improving portability.

[0074] In one embodiment, both the controller and the recognition device are integrated on a PCB board below the chessboard, making the size of the chessboard similar to that of a standard chessboard and eliminating the need to carry two chess piece boxes.

[0075] The control circuit of the micro DC motor and the recognition circuit of the mechanical switch are simple, reducing production costs and complexity, making it more suitable for a wider audience. This may reduce the retail price and make the product more accessible. Each chess piece has an independent chess piece status recognition device to display the required face, which can prevent intentional disruption of the chessboard.

[0076] In current market products, there is only one solution for the robot chessboard to automatically pick up and place chess pieces: that is, using a robotic arm and an end effector, as shown in SenseRobot Go. The present utility model uses independent micro DC motors to operate each rotatable chess piece, avoiding picking up and placing chess pieces one by one. In patents CN117085309A and CN113797521A, servo motors or stepper motors are used to operate each chess piece, and each servo motor or stepper motor requires a complex drive circuit to generate input pulses or control signals, making the control system very complex and expensive. The present utility model uses micro DC motors to operate the chess pieces, and the control method of the matrix DC motor is similar to that of the matrix LED, with a simple and inexpensive circuit.

[0077] In current products and authorized patents, there are various solutions for identifying the state of chess pieces. For example, using a vision system (SenseRobot Go), a magnetic switch (CN101332357A), radio frequency technology (CN102039045A, TWM358005U), a photosensitive element (CN216877801U), and a resonant circuit (CN108434718B). However, these solutions all have problems such as being vulnerable to external interference or having too high costs. In patents CN117085309A and CN113797521A, although a solution using rotatable chess pieces is proposed, the identification system is not involved. In these patents, the rotation angle is controlled by a servo motor or a stepper motor through a pre-specified input signal or input pulse, which is prone to cumulative errors. In patent CN117085309A, a phase-locked slider is used to eliminate the rotation error. However, in these two patents, if the power suddenly cuts off, due to the lack of an identification system, the chess pieces cannot find their original positions. The present utility model uses a mechanical switch that is not vulnerable to light and magnetic interference to identify the rotation angle of the chess pieces. Using this mechanical identification system can ensure that all chess pieces can return to their original positions after a sudden power cut, and avoid deliberately changing the state of the chess pieces by manual rotation. At the same time, the matrix switch identification circuit is very simple.

[0078] In patents CN117085309A and CN113797521A, an independent motor is used to control the rotatable chess pieces. Patent CN117085309A is designed for the blind and identifies the instruction for the rotation of the chess pieces by cutting off the light beam of 19 groups of horizontal and vertical opposed switches above the chessboard with a finger. However, the opposed light beam above the chessboard is not friendly to ordinary players. Patent CN113797521A identifies the instruction for the rotation of the chess pieces on the chessboard through a sensing component integrated in the chess piece (such as three touch sensors or three light-source type inductors), and this sensing component senses the approach of a finger. This patent claims that both the motor and the sensing component are integrated in the chess piece, but no specific implementation details are provided. Integrating the motor control and the finger sensing system into such a small rotatable chess piece would be very expensive or even impossible. The present utility model uses a microswitch under the surface of the chessboard to sense the action of the player's finger pressing each chess piece as a chess-playing command. In the chess piece state identification device of the present utility model, a mechanical switch can be used to sense the pressing action and rotation angle of each chess piece. Its circuit is similar to a keyboard, reliable and inexpensive.

[0079] Although the present utility model has been described through preferred embodiments, the present utility model is not limited to the embodiments described herein, and various changes and variations made without departing from the scope of the present utility model are also included.

Claims

1. An electronic chessboard, characterized in that: include: chessboard surface; Bottom control sensor board; A plurality of chess piece assemblies mounted between the chessboard surface and the bottom control sensing plate, each chess piece assembly comprising: a chess piece having three display surfaces; A micro DC motor, used to drive the chess piece to rotate; A chess piece placement recognition device, used to detect a user's pressing on a chess piece and generate a pressing signal; A chess piece state recognition device, including three states corresponding to the three display surfaces of the chess piece, for identifying the display surface displayed by the chess piece; A controller is used to control the micro DC motor to change the display surface of the chess piece displayed on the chessboard surface based on at least one of the pressing signal and the identified display surface of the chess piece.

2. The electronic chessboard according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chess piece placement identification device includes a micro switch located below the chess piece and electrically connected to the bottom control sensing board.

3. The electronic chessboard according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chess piece assembly also includes a first bracket and a second bracket, the main body of the micro DC motor is installed on the first bracket, the micro DC motor includes a motor shaft, and the motor shaft is installed in the internal slot of the chess piece; the chess piece includes a chess piece shaft, and the chess piece shaft is installed to the second bracket.

4. The electronic chessboard according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chess piece assembly also includes a first bracket and a second bracket, and the chess piece also includes a chess piece shaft, both ends of which are respectively installed on the first bracket and the second bracket, and the micro DC motor is installed at the bottom of the chess piece, and the micro DC motor includes a motor shaft, and the motor shaft is connected to and rotates the chess piece through a transmission device.

5. The electronic chessboard according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The chess piece state recognition device includes a first mechanical switch located on one side of the chess piece axis, a second mechanical switch and a plurality of protrusions located on the chess piece axis, wherein the plurality of protrusions are configured to change the states of the first mechanical switch and the second mechanical switch to achieve the three states.

6. The electronic chessboard according to claim 5, characterized in that: The multiple bumps include a first bump, a second bump, a third bump, and a fourth bump. When the first display surface among the three display surfaces faces upward, the first bump and the second bump press and connect the first mechanical switch and the second mechanical switch; when the second display surface among the three display surfaces faces upward, the third bump presses and connects the first mechanical switch, and the second mechanical switch is disconnected; when the third display surface among the three display surfaces faces upward, the fourth bump presses and connects the second mechanical switch, and the first mechanical switch is disconnected.

7. The electronic chessboard according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first mechanical switch and the second mechanical switch are electrically connected to the bottom control sensing board, and the first bracket and the second bracket are mounted to the bottom control sensing board by screws.

8. The electronic chessboard according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The chess piece state recognition device includes a rotary switch, the chess piece shaft is directly connected to the rotary switch, the rotary switch is mounted to the second bracket, and the rotary switch includes three states corresponding to the three display surfaces of the chess piece.

9. The electronic chessboard according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller is configured to be able to interact with an opponent's device via a cloud engine, or to interact with an offline smart device. The controller controls the micro DC motor based on instructions from the cloud engine or the offline smart device to change the display surface of the chess piece displayed on the chessboard surface.

10. The electronic chessboard according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom control sensing board is a board of material on which an electrical circuit is arranged.

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