Robotic user interface puck support apparatus and method of use

{
  "publication_number": "US10611029B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Robotic user interface puck support apparatus and method of use",
  "abstract": "In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to test user interfaces of systems. Some embodiments provide a puck support apparatus comprising: a base; a first support and a second support both supported by the base and extending away from the base in generally a first direction; wherein the first support comprises a first channel formed at an angle relative to the first direction; and wherein the second support comprises a second channel formed at the angle relative to the first direction and mirroring the first channel; and wherein the first support at the first channel is separated from the second support by at least a robotic effector threshold distance.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A robotic user interface puck support apparatus, comprising: a base; a first support and a second support both supported by the base and extending away from the base in generally a first direction; wherein the first support comprises a first channel formed at an angle relative to the first direction; and wherein the second support comprises a second channel formed at the angle relative to the first direction and mirroring the first channel; wherein the first support at the first channel is separated from the second support by at least a robotic effector threshold distance; wherein the first support further comprises a first funnel opening cooperated with and extending from the first channel wherein a width of the first funnel opening generally increases further from the first channel; and wherein the second support further comprises a second funnel opening mirroring the first funnel opening and cooperated with and extending from the second channel wherein a width of the second funnel opening generally increases further from the second channel.",
    "2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the width of the first funnel opening furthest from the first channel is at least twice a width of the first channel, and the width of the second funnel opening furthest from the second channel is at least twice a width of the second channel.",
    "3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first channel comprises a first puck stop, and the second channel comprise a second puck stop, wherein the first puck stop and the second puck stop are configured to prevent further movement of a user interface grip puck along the angle relative to the first direction of the first and second channels toward the base when inserted into each of the first channel and the second channel.",
    "4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first channel, the second channel, the first stop and the second stop cooperatively maintain the user interface grip puck, to be inserted into and supported by the first channel and the second channel, in a known fixed position.",
    "5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first funnel opening comprises a first lateral guide wall closing the first funnel opening along a side furthest from the second support, and the second funnel opening comprises a second lateral guide wall closing the second funnel opening along a side furthest from the first support, wherein the first lateral guide wall and the second lateral guide wall are configured to limit lateral movement of a user interface grip puck when inserted to engage each of the first channel and the second channel.",
    "6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first support is separated from the second support by at least the robotic effector threshold distance along at least a portion of a length of the first support between the first channel and the base.",
    "7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a user interface grip puck configured to be positioned with portions of the grip puck extending into each of the first channel and the second channel and temporarily supported by the first channel and the second channel while an effector grip area of the grip puck is exposed between the first support and the second support.",
    "8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first support comprises a first exterior surface, and the second support comprises a second exterior surface wherein a maximum width of the grip puck is less than a distance between the first exterior surface and the second exterior surface.",
    "9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base comprises at least one mounting aperture configured to receive a fixture to fix the base and first and second supports in a position.",
    "10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the angle relative to the first direction of the first channel and the second channel is configured to enable a user interface grip puck to slide down, based on gravity, into the channels when the user interface grip puck is released.",
    "11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first channel comprises a first puck stop, and the second channel comprise a second puck stop, wherein the first puck stop and the second puck stop are configured to prevent further sliding of the user interface grip puck along the first and second channels and maintain a position of the grip puck while positioned in and supported by the first and second channels.",
    "12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first channel, the second channel, the first stop and the second stop cooperatively maintain the user interface grip puck, to be inserted into and supported by the first channel and the second channel, in a known fixed position.",
    "13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first lateral support extending from the base and an exterior surface of the first support, and a second lateral support extending from the base and an exterior surface of the second support.",
    "14. A method of testing a user interface of an electronic system, the method comprising: causing end effectors to be positioned relative to a robotic user interface puck support; directing the end effectors to be positioned on opposite sides of a user interface grip puck supported by a first channel and a second channel of the robotic user interface puck support and activating the end effectors to clamp the grip puck, wherein the first channel is formed in a first support and the second channel is formed in a second support and positioned opposite to and mirroring the first channel; causing the end effectors to be retracted withdrawing the grip puck being clamped by the end effectors; causing at least one of the end effectors while clamping the grip puck to interact with a user interface of a test system being tested; directing the end effectors to insert portions of the grip puck into both a first funnel opening cooperated with and extending from the first channel and a second funnel opening cooperated with and extending from the second channel wherein a widths of the first funnel opening and the second funnel opening generally increase further from the first channel and the second channel, respectively; and activating the end effectors to release the grip puck such that the portions of the grip puck are maintained in first channel and the second channel temporarily supporting the grip puck.",
    "15. The method of claim 14, wherein the causing the end effectors to be retracted comprises retracting the grip puck generally parallel with an angle of the first and second channels, wherein the first and second channels are formed at the angle relative to a base from which the first support and the second support extend.",
    "16. The method of claim 15, wherein the directing the end effectors to be positioned on opposite sides of the grip puck comprises causing the end effectors to extend between the first support and the second support that are separated by at least a robotic effector threshold distance.",
    "17. The method of claim 14, wherein the activating the end effectors to release the grip puck comprises releasing the grip puck such that the grip puck drops along the first channel and the second channel and is stopped by a first puck stop of the first channel and a second puck stop of the second channel.",
    "18. The method of claim 17, wherein the directing the end effectors to insert the portions of the grip puck into the first funnel opening and the second funnel opening comprises causing the end effectors to extend between the first support and the second support."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This invention relates generally to supporting a robotic grip puck to enable access to the grip puck.\n\nThere are many types of retail payment machines. These machines are repeatedly used over time by numerous customers. The reliability and consistency of these machines is critical to customer satisfaction and completing sales. Accordingly, there is a need to ensure the reliability of these machines and their use.\n\nDisclosed herein are embodiments of systems, apparatuses and methods pertaining supporting a robotic grip puck to enable access to the grip puck. This description includes drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 illustrates a simplified perspective view of an exemplary robotic user interface puck support apparatus, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 2 illustrates a simplified perspective view of another exemplary puck support apparatus supporting an exemplary user interface grip puck, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 3 illustrates a simplified plane view of an exemplary puck support apparatus, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 4 illustrates a simplified cross-sectional view of an exemplary puck support apparatus, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 5 illustrates a simplified block diagram of a puck support apparatus secured with a surface, and positioned proximate a testing robot system, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 6 illustrates a simplified flow diagram of an exemplary process of testing a user interface of an electronic system, in accordance with some embodiments.",
  "cpc": [
    "B25J 9/1679",
    "G02F 1/13338",
    "G05B 2219/45089",
    "G06Q 20/34"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 9/16",
    "G06Q 20/34"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "WALMART APOLLO LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "JOHNSON CHRISTOPHER D",
    "FENTON TIMOTHY M"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-11-17",
  "publication_date": "2020-04-07",
  "grant_date": "2020-04-07",
  "priority_date": "2016-11-21",
  "application_number": "US-201715816786-A",
  "family_id": "62144584",
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}