Abstract: A blender includes an integrated scale used to weigh ingredients added to a vessel of the blender. The blender also includes a user interface (UI) and a recipe application that includes recipe data. The integrated scale is mounted atop the blender such that as the vessel receives ingredients, the vessel engages the integrated scale but does not operatively engage a motor of the blender when weighing ingredients. The weights may be provided to a user via the UI as the ingredients are received in the vessel. The recipe application may be executed by a microcontroller of the blender to provide recipe steps via the UI to the user and thereby guide the user through a recipe based at least in part upon the recipe data and the weight of ingredients. When blending and mixing the ingredients, the vessel operatively engages the motor but does not engage the integrated scale.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein assist a user in executing a recipe by recording and associating a blend sequence of blend steps with the recipe upon a first execution of the recipe. The systems and methods described herein further assist the user in modifying and executing the recorded blend sequence upon a second and subsequent execution of the recipe.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein assist a user in executing a recipe by recording and associating a blend sequence of blend steps with the recipe upon a first execution of the recipe. The systems and methods described herein further assist the user in modifying and executing the recorded blend sequence upon a second and subsequent execution of the recipe.

Abstract: A beverage coaster includes integrated electronics, such as a power system, a load cell, an analog to digital converter and a wireless transceiver. The beverage coaster communicates with a computing device to send information, such as a first weight, a second weight, and a third weight of objects placed on the beverage coaster. The first weight may be associated with a container, a second weight may be associated with a first ingredient, and the third weight may be associated with a second ingredient. The computing device is configured to display information related to the first, second, and third weights and provide instructions to a user thereof for maintaining proper proportions of the first and second ingredients as the user adds them to the container.

Abstract: A beverage coaster includes integrated electronics, such as a power system, a load cell, an analog to digital converter and a wireless transceiver. The beverage coaster communicates with a computing device to send information, such as a first weight, a second weight, and a third weight of objects placed on the beverage coaster. The first weight may be associated with a container, a second weight may be associated with a first ingredient, and the third weight may be associated with a second ingredient. The computing device is configured to display information related to the first, second, and third weights and provide instructions to a user thereof for maintaining proper proportions of the first and second ingredients as the user adds them to the container.

Abstract: A blender includes an integrated scale that may be used to weigh ingredients added to the blender. The integrated scale is configured and mounted atop the blender to allow for a vessel that receives ingredients to sit apart from a motor clutch mechanism of the blender when measuring ingredients. The integrated scale is also designed and mounted to allow the vessel to engage with the motor of the mixing apparatus when blending and/or mixing ingredients, while not engaging the integrated scale.

Abstract: Systems and methods for capacitive sensing of objects in a summation mode and a non-summation mode. A dual mode capacitive sensing system comprises a capacitive sensor and a processor. The capacitive sensor has a pair of adjacent conducting pads including a first conducting pad and a second conducting pad. The processor has a pair of input/output channels respectively coupled to the first and second conducting pads. The processor is configured to measure capacitance of the capacitive sensor in a summation mode and in a differential mode. A capacitive object sensing system comprises a capacitive sensor, a processor, and a plurality of objects each configured to have a unique capacitance. The processor is configured to identify one of the playing pieces based on the sensor capacitance measured when the one of the playing pieces is set on the capacitive sensor.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided relating to delivering audio content for an interactive electronic book system, including a book with a plurality of pages with overlaying magnets affixed thereto, a magnetic sensor, a temperature sensor, a speaker, a computer with calibration and temperature compensation data stored in non-volatile memory, and audio content related to the pages of the book, such that the computer determines which page the book is open to and causes the speaker to deliver audio content related to the open page. Apparatus and methods are provided for calibrating an electronic book system including temperature compensation steps.

Abstract: An interactive game board system includes a game board, a plurality of capacitive sensors embedded in the game board, a microprocessor with input channels for the capacitive sensors, computer memory means, software instructions and data for directing an interactive game, one or more playing pieces with electrically an conductive portion, and power supply means. An interactive game board system includes interdigitated sensors. An interactive game board system includes capacitive sensors operating in dynamic sensing mode. An interactive game board system includes means for identifying individual game pieces.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the presence and identity of a game piece placed at a sensing location by attaching one or more conductive rings at fixed concentric locations on the bottom of the game piece and sensing the presence or absence of the conductive rings by means of sensors that are insensitive to the rotational orientation of the game piece.

Abstract: A method and system for encoding a numeric value by the placement of indicia at fixed sensing locations on a substrate, each indicium chosen from two or more sets of indicia, each set producing different responses in a sensor, and for decoding the numeric value by sensing the presence and character of the indicia with a set of sensors apposed to the fixed sensing locations.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the presence and identity of a game piece placed at a sensing location by attaching one or more conductive rings at fixed concentric locations on the bottom of the game piece and sensing the presence or absence of the conductive rings by means of sensors that are insensitive to the rotational orientation of the game piece.

Abstract: Embodiments of an electronic instrument simulating a percussion instrument using capacitive touch sensitive sensors are described herein. Embodiments described comprise an art layer, a sensor layer, a shielding layer, an electronics package and a speaker. The art layer has depictions of one or more percussion instruments. The sensor layer is deposed under the art layer. The sensor layer has one or more instrument sensors, each comprising one or more capacitive touch sensors. Instrument sensors are positioned underneath one of the depicted percussion instruments in the art layer so that a finger tapping the depicted instrument will trigger the sensor. The capacitive touch sensors are electrically connected to the electronics package configured to detect changes in capacitance when a particular capacitive touch sensor is touched, causing the electronics package to play on the speaker a sound sample of an percussion instrument associated with that capacitive touch sensor.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the presence and identity of a game piece placed at a sensing location by attaching one or more conductive rings at fixed concentric locations on the bottom of the game piece and sensing the presence or absence of the conductive rings by means of sensors that are insensitive to the rotational orientation of the game piece.

Abstract: Touch sensitive musical instruments are described herein including embodiments having: one-sided capacitive touch sensors with conductive ground planes, one-sided capacitive touch sensors with air gaps, one-sided capacitive touch sensors with separating material, and/or one-sided capacitive touch sensors including a combination of conductive ground planes, air gaps, and/or separating material. Embodiments of touch sensitive musical instruments simulating string instruments such as guitars are described.

Abstract: Thin film capacitive touch sensors and applications thereof are described herein. Embodiments include construction of one-sided and two-sided thin film capacitive touch sensors with partial fill patterns, one-sided thin film capacitive touch sensors including conductive ground plane layers, one-sided thin film capacitive touch sensors including air gap layers, one-sided thin film capacitive touch sensors including a combination of both separation layers to create air gap layers and conductive ground plane layers.

Abstract: An interactive game board system includes a game board, a plurality of capacitive sensors embedded in the game board, a microprocessor with input channels for the capacitive sensors, computer memory means, software instructions and data for directing an interactive game, one or more playing pieces with electrically an conductive portion, and power supply means. An interactive game board system includes interdigitated sensors. An interactive game board system includes capacitive sensors operating in dynamic sensing mode. An interactive game board system includes means for identifying individual game pieces.

Abstract: A method and system for encoding a numeric value by the placement of indicia at fixed sensing locations on a substrate, each indicium chosen from two or more sets of indicia, each set producing different responses in a sensor, and for decoding the numeric value by sensing the presence and character of the indicia with a set of sensors apposed to the fixed sensing locations.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the presence and identity of a game piece placed at a sensing location by attaching one or more conductive rings at fixed concentric locations on the bottom of the game piece and sensing the presence or absence of the conductive rings by means of sensors that are insensitive to the rotational orientation of the game piece.