Learning sports toy and method

• US 20030153413A1
• Filed: 01/02/2003
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wood, Michael C., Shuler, Eric Thomas, Soto, Jorge Gabriel
• Application Number:
  US10/336,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20030153413A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/479
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/083 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0058 electric A63F7/027, A63F7/3065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

The present invention provides a sports toy with multiple instructional modalities which combine auditory, visual, and kinesthetic stimulation to teach and reinforce language skills. In one embodiment, a sports toy comprises a goal defining an aperture and a switch associated with the goal for indicating that a goal has been scored. A memory is operatively associated with the switch. A voice synthesizer is operatively associated with the memory and a speaker is in turn operatively associated with the voice synthesizer. Code stored in the memory causes sounds associated with language to sound from the speaker after the switch is activated. The sounds associated with the language include letter names, letter sounds, words, or phonics. The sports toy may also comprise an electronic visual display operatively associated with the memory for displaying stored images, such as letters or words, after the switch is activated.

Claims

1. A sports toy comprising:

(a) a goal defining an area;

(b) a switch associated with the goal for indicating that a goal has been scored;

(c) a memory operatively associated with the switch;

(d) a voice synthesizer operatively associated with the memory;

(d) a speaker operatively associated with the voice synthesizer; and

(e) code stored in the memory for causing sounds associated with language to sound from the speaker after the switch is activated.

2. The sports toy of claim 1, wherein the area is an aperture.

3. The sports toy of claim 1, wherein the sounds associated with language include letter names, letter sounds, words, or phonics.

4. The sports toy of claim 1, wherein the sounds associated with language include a letter from the alphabet.

5. The sports toy of claim 1, wherein the sounds associated with language include a three letter word.

6. The sports toy of claim 5, wherein the three letter word is bus, cat, dog, or pig.

7. The sports toy of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises code for causing sounds associated with numbers to sound from the speaker after the switch is activated.

8. The sports toy of claim 7, wherein the sounds associated with numbers include a number in the range from about 1 to 10.

9. The sports toy of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises code for causing musical tunes, sound effects, declaratory instruction, or positive feedback statements to sound from the speaker before or after the switch is activated.

10. The sports toy of claim 1, further comprising an electronic visual display operatively associated with the memory for displaying stored images after the switch is activated.

11. The sports toy of claim 10, wherein the displayed image comprises a letter, word, or number.

12. The sports toy of claim 1, further comprising an electronic visual display operatively associated with the memory for displaying geometric shapes or patterns before or after the switch is activated.

13. The sports toy of claim 1, further comprising at least one flashing light operatively associated with the memory that flashes after the switch is activated.

14. The sports toy of claim 1, where the goal comprises a basketball hoop.

15. A toy basketball apparatus comprising:

(a) abase;

(b) a basketball hoop coupled to the base; and

(c) a cup disposed on the base, wherein the cup receives a toy basketball passing through the basketball hoop.

16. The toy basketball apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cup is capable of rotating about an axis.

17. The toy basketball apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cup is rotatable in a range from about 1°

to 180°

.

18. The toy basketball apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cup is rotatable to a closed position to receive and retain the toy basketball after a child throws the basketball through the basketball hoop.

19. The toy basketball apparatus of claim 18, wherein a lip on the base is in engagement with the cup in the closed position.

20. The toy basketball apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cup is rotatable to an open position to (i) receive the toy basketball after a child throws the basketball through the basketball hoop, and (ii) automatically release the toy basketball back towards the child.

21. The toy basketball apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cup is rotatable to an open position to (i) receive the toy basketball after a child throws the basketball through the basketball hoop, and (ii) automatically release the toy basketball away from the base.

22. The toy basketball apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cup has a half funnel shape and a sloping floor.

23. The toy basketball apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a support coupled between the base and the basketball hoop.

24. The toy basketball apparatus of claim 23, wherein the support is adjustable along a vertical direction.

25. A toy basketball apparatus comprising:

(a) abase;

(b) a support coupled to the base;

(c) a basketball hoop coupled to the support;

(d) a switch associated with the basketball hoop for indicating that a basket has been scored;

(e) a memory operatively associated with the switch;

(f) a voice synthesizer operatively associated with the memory;

(g) a speaker operatively associated with the voice synthesizer;

(h) code stored in the memory for causing sounds associated with language to sound from the speaker after the switch is activated;

(i) an electronic visual display operatively associated with the memory for displaying stored images of a letter or word after the switch is activated; and

(j) a cup disposed in the base, wherein the cup receives a toy basketball passing through the basketball hoop.

26. A method for teaching letters, spelling, or phonetics to a child comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a toy having a goal defining an area and a switch associated with the goal;

(b) receiving input from the switch that a goal has been scored; and

(c) causing sounds associated with language to sound from a speaker after the switch has been activated.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the sounds associated with language include letter names, letter sounds, words, or phonics.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising teaching counting by causing sounds associated with numbers to sound from the speaker after the switch is activated.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising displaying stored images of letters, words, or numbers after the switch is activated.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising automatically turning the toy off after a predetermined period of inactivity.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the receiving and causing sound steps are carried out by a microprocessor.

32. A method for providing play with a toy basketball apparatus comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a toy having a base, a basketball hoop coupled to the base, and a cup disposed on the base; and

(b) receiving in the cup a toy basketball passing through the basketball hoop.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising retaining the basketball in the cup.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising automatically releasing the toy basketball from the cup and back towards the child.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising automatically releasing the toy basketball from the cup and away from the base.