WO2018174754A1

WO2018174754A1 - Electronic chessboard and method of operation thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2018174754A1
Application number: PCT/RU2018/050032
Authority: WO
Inventors: Леонид Александрович ДУДЧЕНКО
Original assignee: ПЕДАШЕНКО, Анатолий Евгеньевич
Priority date: 2017-03-23
Filing date: 2018-03-19
Publication date: 2018-09-27
Also published as: RU2640171C1

Abstract

The invention relates to devices for showing chess games and to methods of operation thereof. An electronic chessboard consists of a board for the game of chess having a transmitting coil distributed across the entire field of play, said transmitting coil being in electromagnetic communication with receiving coils which are arranged beneath each of the squares of the chessboard and are connected to a multi-channel analog switch and subsequently to an amplification stage, an amplitude detector, a generator, an analog to digital converter, and a microcomputer in two-way communication with a communications unit and an external computer, wherein each chess figure contains a resonant circuit on a ferrite core. The technical result is more accurate detection of the position of the chess figures, particularly figures located at the edges or at the boundaries of squares, more rapid detection of the position of chess figures, fewer technical delays, and, as a result, better quality transmission of a game of chess, particularly blitz chess.

Description

Electronic chessboard and how it works

Technical field

The invention relates to devices for demonstrating a chess game and methods for their operation and can be used for the purpose of teaching the art of a chess game, for example, by analyzing by a student, together with a teacher, a recorded chess game; conducting chess games between remote chess players via the Internet (allows the chess player not to be distracted by working with a computer). The device also allows you to broadcast chess tournaments via the Internet, to conduct live reporting, meeting the needs of an arbitrarily large audience.

State of the art

A peripheral device for conducting a chess game with a connection to a computer is known (RF patent for the invention J4 ° 2391127, class IPC A63F3 / 02, published June 10, 2010), which contains a chessboard including a case with chess cells on the playing surface on the case the output part of the USB connector is fixed, connected to the USB cable, in the case under each cell of the playing surface there is a corresponding sensor for registering the chess piece on the chess cell, connected through the corresponding signal converter to the output hour Strongly USB- connector contacts arranged in the housing to a DC voltage source, each transducer signal is a pulse generator. To conduct a game, chess pieces of rivals (a human player and a computer) are put on the board. Under the corresponding chess cells of the playing surface, the contacts of the corresponding registration sensors are closed placing pieces on a chess cell. The corresponding conclusions of the pulse generators are triggered and pulses with different frequency values from the signal terminals of the pulse generators are fed to the outputs of the output part of the USB connector of the peripheral device. From the output of the peripheral device, the pulse signal enters the system unit, where, under the control of the driver of the peripheral device introduced earlier, it converts the pulse signal into game information. The memory of the computer system unit is stored, and the disposition of the initial stage of a chess game is displayed on the monitor screen. With each move of the players, different pulse generators are triggered, transmitting their signals to the computer system unit. Under the action of the incoming signals, the driver is first triggered, which removes and transmits the current game information for the chess program installed in the system unit of the computer. It captures the movement of a specific chess piece. This operation can be done by sensors, the first of which registers the fact of the beginning of movement of the figure, and the second registers the fact of the end of its movement. These data are stored in the memory of the computer system unit and displayed on its monitor.

A peripheral device for playing a board game with a connection to a computer is known (RF patent for the invention J4 ° 2594553, class IPC A63F3 / 02, publ. 08.20.2016), which contains a game board with at least one playing surface, divided into separate cells, and game pieces equipped with tags containing a unique identifier or digital code recorded in the respective memory cells of the tag. In the case of the game board there is one or more printed circuit boards on which the antennas are located so that they are distributed under each cell, a microcontroller connected to a specialized chip for polling tags, a battery, a wireless module with a computer or server, and a panel with operation indicators and connectors for connecting a charger, removable storage devices, a computer, tablet, smartphone, chess clock or other recorders is fixed on the case and a button to turn on the device. The device works as follows: before playing the game, the chessboard is connected to power, and the connection to the personal computer is activated. They arrange pieces for playing chess with the tags installed in them (RFID transponders). The built-in microcontroller, having scanned the playing surface, forms a packet of information about the location of the pieces on the board, and carries out their identification. If this is the initial position of the game, then the microcontroller sends a signal to the computer about the readiness for the game; in the event that the game continues, a signal of readiness for the game is generated after comparing the current state of the game situation and a saved copy of the game protocol. The microcontroller constantly scans the playing surface and determines the change in the position of the figures by comparing the information received with the position of the figures previously stored in memory. The change in the position of the pieces on the playing surface, confirmed by the signal of fixing the move made from the chess clock, is recorded in the game protocol in the memory of the microcontroller as the next move with the time recording of it, the new record in the protocol is transmitted to the computer or server as an information packet using the corresponding data transfer protocol . The information received by a computer or server is processed in accordance with a given algorithm. At the same time moves stored in the memory of the computer or server, and on the screen of the monitor the current stage of the chess game is displayed, the game protocol and the current time are displayed.

The disadvantages of the above devices and methods of their operation are:

- relatively low reliability of determining the position of chess pieces due to the mutual influence of many oscillatory systems, limited by a small space of a chessboard;

- a relatively low speed of determining the figures, especially with blitz chess, which significantly impairs the quality of the broadcast due to the high technical delay.

The closest analogue (prototype) is a device for detecting game pieces on a board (patent US6168158, class IPC A63F3 / 02; A63F9 / 34, publ. 02.01.2001), containing a chess board divided into squares, and chess pieces, means detecting the possible presence and type of chess piece on each square, means for generating corresponding detection signals, which include: resonant coils located in the chess pieces, and elongated transmission and reception coils located under the playing field, controlling troystvo and processing device (computer). The principle of the device’s operation is based on an amplifier, in the positive feedback circuit of which there is an oscillatory system consisting of receiving and transmitting coils. When an oscillatory circuit (in the figures) appears in the zone of this oscillatory system (in the figures), an excitation condition arises, self-oscillation occurs at a frequency corresponding to the parameters of the oscillatory circuit located in figure. Analyzing these processes, we can conclude about the presence, type, or absence of a figure in the system under consideration.

The disadvantages of this invention include the following.

1. The low speed of detection and transmission to computers and the Internet of information about the state of the playing fields, the dependence of the scanning time of the field on the number of devices simultaneously connected to the communication line.

2. The need to leave a wide strip around the perimeter of the playing chess field, which increases the overall performance and, accordingly, the mass of the device.

3. Lower reliability of the definition of figures in the fields, with certain combinations, erroneous definitions arise in empty fields.

Disclosure of invention

The task to which the invention is directed is the development of a device for demonstrating a chess game, which allows for high-quality broadcasting of a chess game, especially blitz chess.

The technical result is an increase in the reliability of determining the position of chess pieces, especially pieces located at the edges or boundaries of the playing fields, due to a significant reduction in spurious mutual influences of oscillatory systems, as well as the use of processing algorithms for received signals, as well as an increase in the speed of determining the position of chess pieces and a decrease in technical delays and, as a result, improving the quality of broadcasting a chess game, especially blitz chess.

The specified technical result is achieved by the fact that the electronic chessboard consists of a chessboard, according to to the entire playing field of which a transmitting coil is distributed, which is electromagnetically coupled to receiving coils located under each of the chessboard’s playing fields, connected to a multi-channel analog switch, and further to an amplifier stage, an amplitude detector, a generator, an analog-to-digital converter, and a microcomputer having two-way communication with the communication unit with an external computer, and inside each chess piece there is an oscillatory circuit on the ferrite core.

The communication block of a chessboard can be made wired and communication with an external computer can be carried out using a communication line.

The communication unit can also be made wireless, which communicates with an external computer using a multiple access radio channel.

The specified technical result is also achieved by the fact that the method of operation of an electronic chessboard consists in the fact that the transmitting coil emits electromagnetic waves of one of the frequencies, the total number of which is determined by the number of types of game pieces, while in the receiving coils that are part of the oscillating circuit, oscillations, receiving coils are connected to a multichannel analog switch controlled by the microcomputer program, the switch works in such a way that at every moment of time to the input an amplitude detector connected to only one of the receiver coils, the other receiving coil are short-circuited, and the resonance frequency circuits arranged in staggered figures, and frequency scanning, emitted from the transmitting coil are selected in such a way that when the presence in the field of the receiving coil of the corresponding oscillatory circuit of the figure containing the specified oscillatory circuit, there is an induction balance, which leads to a sharp decrease in the amplitude of the oscillations in the receiving coil; at the output of the amplitude detector, the signal is a constant voltage level and is converted into a digital form in an analog-to-digital converter, then the signal is sent to a microcomputer, where the state of the field is determined - the type or absence of a figure on this field corresponding to the receiving coil connected at a given time, in this case, the signal parameters are analyzed, the procedure is repeated for each of the receiving coils at each frequency, after the recognition of all coils, information about the state of the fields is transmitted to the communication unit zi and further to the external computer.

The total number of frequencies of electromagnetic waves emitted by the transmitting coil may be twelve.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In FIG. 1 shows the shape and relative position of the coils, receiving and transmitting oscillatory systems on the playing field of a chessboard.

In FIG. 2 is a functional diagram explaining the principle of operation of the device.

The following notation is used in the figures: 1 - transmitting coil, 2 - receiving coil: 2-1 ... 2-64 - receiving coils of the corresponding chessboard playing field, 3 - multichannel analog switch, 4 - amplifier stage, 5 - amplitude detector, 6 - generator, 7 - analog-to-digital converter (ADC), 8 - microcomputer, 9 - wired communication unit, 9-2 - wireless communication unit with external computer, 10 - communication line with external computer, M - electromagnetic communication.

The implementation of the invention

The invention is an electronic device consisting of a chessboard (hereinafter referred to as a chessboard). A transmitting coil 1 is distributed throughout the board’s playing field, which is electromagnetically coupled to receiving coils 2-1 ... 2-64 located under each of the 64 chessboard playing fields, connected to a multi-channel analog switch 3, and then to an amplifier stage 4 , an amplitude detector 5, an oscillator 6, an analog-to-digital converter 7, and a microcomputer 8 having two-way communication with a communication unit with an external computer.

The communication unit can be wired 9, in this case, communication with the external computer is carried out using the communication line 10. In the case of using a wireless communication unit 9-2, information is transmitted to the external computer via, for example, a multiple access radio channel.

For the device to perform its function inside each chess piece, an oscillatory circuit on the ferrite core must be located.

The board is connected to an external computer via a digital port (via a wired communication unit 9 and a communication line 10) or wireless connection (through a wireless communication unit 9-2) and allows you to transfer to the computer a combination of staging on a chessboard for further processing and analysis, which allows you to record, analyze and broadcast on the Internet in real time (during a real game) a chess game.

Electronic chessboard works as follows. The presented invention operates on the principle of induction balance.

In FIG. 2 shows a functional diagram explaining the principle of operation of the device. The transmitting coil 1 is distributed throughout the playing field (see Fig. 1), emits electromagnetic waves, the amplitude and frequency of which are set by the microcomputer 8 program, the amplitude is controlled by the amplification stage 4 and the microcomputer 8, the frequency is set by the generator 6, also controlled by the microcomputer 8. Coil 1 has an electromagnetic coupling M with receiving coils 2-1 ... 2-64 located under each of 64 playing fields. Inside each chess piece is an oscillatory circuit on a ferrite core.

The determination of the presence or absence, as well as the type of figures on the playing fields is carried out as follows: the transmitting coil 1 emits electromagnetic waves of one of the twelve frequencies (according to the number of types of chess pieces), while in the receiving coils 2-1 ... 2-64, which are part of the oscillatory circuit, oscillations also occur. The receiving coils 2-1 ... 2-64 are connected to a multi-channel analog switch 3 controlled by the microcomputer program 8. The switch 3 operates in such a way that at each moment of time only one of the 64 receiving coils is connected to the input of the amplitude detector 5, the remaining receiving coils they are short-circuited, which ensures minimization of mutual influences of oscillatory systems.

The resonant frequencies of the circuits located in the chess pieces and the scanning frequencies (emitted by the transmitting coil 1) are selected in such a way that if there is a corresponding oscillatory circuit in the field of the receiving coil 2 (figure containing corresponding oscillatory circuit), an induction balance occurs, which leads to a sharp decrease in the amplitude of oscillations in the receiving coil 2.

At the output of the amplitude detector 5, the signal is a constant voltage level and is converted into a digital form in an analog-to-digital converter 7. Next, the signal is fed to a microcomputer 8, where the state of the field (type or absence of a figure in this field) corresponding to the receiving coil connected to given point in time. In this case, the amplitude of the receiving signal, the given level of the transmitting signal, the given frequency, the sequence of the analyzed coil and frequency, etc. are analyzed.

The procedure is repeated for each of the receiving coils at all 12 frequencies (according to the number of types of figures). After recognizing all the coils, information about the state of the fields is transmitted to the communication unit 9 or 9-2. The communication unit 9 transmits information to an external computer via a communication line 10, in the case of using a wireless communication unit 9-2, information in a computer is transmitted through, for example, a multiple access radio channel.

The amplitude control in the transmitting path allows you to significantly expand the dynamic range of the measurement, as well as reduce the requirements for the degree of accuracy of the elements used in the circuit (by writing 8 calibration constants to the memory of the microcomputer). Calibration constants are recorded in the memory of the microcomputer 8 in automatic mode before commissioning the device.

Existing solutions also use the properties of the influence of the oscillatory circuit on the system of receiving and transmitting coils. Like any system containing many oscillatory systems bounded by a small space (in our case, the area chessboard), is subject to mutual influence between them (for example, the effect of interference), which reduces the reliability of the determination (with some combinations, erroneous definitions of figures may occur).

The circuitry and design used in the proposed invention can significantly reduce the parasitic mutual influences of the oscillatory systems, the algorithms used for processing the received signals increase the reliability of the determination, which makes it possible to determine the figures located at the edges or borders of the playing fields with high reliability.

The electrical circuit of the device contains a switch, connecting in turn, at each moment of time, only one of 64 receiving coils, shorting all other receiving coils, which significantly reduces the parasitic mutual influences of oscillatory systems (by more than 20 db).

The used method of determination (induction balance) has a sharp resonant characteristic, which allows you to apply all the necessary 12 frequencies for scanning on a small part of the spectrum and use receiving coils of higher quality factor to obtain a pronounced signal, this ensures high sensitivity and selectivity of the system, which allows you to determine the figures standing on the edge or borders of playing fields.

The design of the device is a chessboard with a niche for placing electronics. The electronic part of the design is a printed circuit board, on one side of which are receiving and transmitting coils. The reverse side of the printed circuit board contains all the elements of the electronic circuit and ensures their connection. The printed circuit board is guided by drawing playing fields in such a way that the boundaries of the receiving coils coincide with the boundaries of the corresponding playing fields, and is fixed in the housing niche. The electronic part is closed by a cover.

In the described invention, a higher speed of detection and transmission to a computer and the Internet is achieved by using a wired communication unit 9 or a wireless unit 9-2 (Fig. 2), which has its own microcomputer, which allows the microcomputer 8, which is part of the scanning system, not be distracted by the reception, processing, preparation and sending of information packets.

The absence of the need to leave wide fields around the perimeter of the fields and the high reliability of the determination are due to the application of a solution to eliminate mutual influences by shunting coils that are not measured at the current time. As well as the use of recognition algorithms that apply the calibration of each field at each frequency.

Implementation examples

A batch of the described devices was made, which is currently in trial operation. When using it, the following temporary, electrical and operational characteristics are confirmed:

- current consumption from a power source of 12 volts is not more than 70 milliamps;

- scanning time of the entire field no more than 200 milliseconds;

- the time from the move made to display on a server on the Internet is about 0.7 seconds;

- the area at the borders of the playing fields, on which the figure may not be defined (with the maximum distance of the figure from the center,) - not more than 5 mm. Thus, when implementing the claimed device and method, the claimed technical result is achieved, namely: increasing the reliability of determining the position of chess pieces, especially figures located at the edges or borders of the playing fields, as well as increasing the speed of determining the position of chess pieces and reducing technical delay and, as consequence, improving the quality of broadcasting a chess game, especially blitz chess.

A comparative analysis of the claimed invention showed that the set of essential features of the claimed device and the method of its operation is not known from the prior art and therefore corresponds to the patentability condition "Novelty".

In the prior art there were no signs that coincided with the distinguishing features of the claimed invention and affecting the achievement of the claimed technical result, therefore, the claimed invention meets the patentability condition "Inventive step".

The above information confirms the possibility of using the claimed device to demonstrate a chess game, and therefore it meets the patentability condition "Industrial Applicability".

Claims

Claim

1. An electronic chessboard, consisting of a chessboard, a transmitting coil is distributed throughout the playing field, which is electromagnetically coupled to receiving coils located under each of the playing fields of the chessboard, connected to a multi-channel analog switch and then to an amplifier stage amplitude detector, generator, analog-to-digital Converter and microcomputer having two-way communication with the communication unit with an external computer, and within each chess piece is located ny path ferrite core.

2. The board according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication unit is wired and communication with an external computer is carried out using a communication line.

3. The board according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication unit is wireless.

4. Board according to claim 3, characterized in that the wireless communication unit communicates with an external computer using a multiple access radio channel.

5. The method of operation of the electronic chessboard, which consists in the fact that the transmitting coil emits electromagnetic waves of one of the frequencies, the total number of which is determined by the number of types of game pieces, while in the receiving coils that are part of the oscillating circuit, oscillations also occur, the receiving coils are connected to the multichannel analog switch controlled by the microcomputer program, the switch operates in such a way that at each moment of time only one of the receivers is connected to the input of the amplitude detector many coils, other receiving the coils are short-circuited, and the resonant frequencies of the circuits located in the chess pieces and the scanning frequencies emitted by the transmitting coil are selected so that if there is a corresponding oscillatory circuit in the receiving coil field containing the indicated oscillatory circuit, an induction balance occurs, which leads to a sharp decrease in the amplitude of oscillations in the receiving coil; at the output of the amplitude detector, the signal is a constant voltage level and is converted into a digital form in an analog-to-digital converter, then the signal is sent to a microcomputer, where the state of the field is determined - the type or absence of a figure on this field corresponding to the receiving coil connected at a given time, in this case, the signal parameters are analyzed, the procedure is repeated for each of the receiving coils at each frequency, after the recognition of all coils, information about the state of the fields is transmitted to the communication unit zi and further to the external computer.

6. The method according to p. 5, characterized in that the total number of frequencies of electromagnetic waves emitted by the transmitting coil is twelve.