Scanning toy

• US 20030171063A1
• Filed: 01/06/2003
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shuler, Eric Thomas, Freeman, Richard Glen, Campisano, Kathleen, Soto, Jorge Gabriel
• Granted Patent: US 6,905,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/167
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/3005 Cash-registers

Abstract

An interactive shopping role-play toy comprises a toy item bin, a first set of toy items replicating shopping items, an input device adapted to uniquely identify each of the toy items; and an audio playback device adapted to play an audio acknowledgment associated with the identified toy item. The audio acknowledgement is uniquely associated with the identified toy item. The input device is configured to uniquely identify a toy item when the toy item is within physical proximity of the input device. Each toy item includes an RF identification tag corresponding to a unique electronic identification, and the input device includes an RF identification tag reader.

Claims

1. A toy comprising:

(a) a scannable toy item;

(b) an electronic scanner configured to identify the scannable toy item when the electronic scanner is brought within physical proximity to the scannable toy item; and

(c) an audio playback device electronically coupled to the electronic scanner, wherein the audio playback device is configured to play an audio output that is uniquely associated with the scannable toy item.

2. The toy of claim 1, wherein the audio playback device is configured to play a first unique audio output in response to an initial identification of the scannable toy item by the electronic scanner and to play a second unique audio output in response to a subsequent identification of the scannable toy item by the electronic scanner.

3. The toy of claim 1, wherein the audio playback device is configured to play a first audio output that requests a child to scan the scannable toy item before the child has scanned the scannable toy item.

4. The toy of claim 1, wherein the audio output describes an attribute of the scannable toy item.

5. The toy of claim 4, wherein the attribute of the scannable toy item is a color.

6. The toy of claim 4, wherein the attribute of the scannable toy item is a shape.

7. The toy of claim 4, wherein the attribute of the scannable toy item is a number.

8. The toy of claim 4, wherein the attribute of the scannable toy item is the name of the shopping item.

9. The toy of claim 4, wherein the scannable item is a food item and the attribute is nutritional information associated with the food item.

10. The toy of claim 1, wherein the scannable toy item includes an RF identification tag corresponding to the unique electronic identification, and wherein the electronic scanner includes an RF identification tag reader adapted to read the RF identification tag.

11. The toy of claim 1, wherein the electronic scanner further includes a pressure switch in a scanning head portion, and wherein the audio playback device is configured to play a generic audio acknowledgement after the pressure switch is activated.

12. The toy of claim 1, wherein the audio output comprises at least one unique audio output and at least one non-unique audio output.

13. The toy of claim 1, wherein the toy has at least two of a learn mode, a game mode, and an explore mode.

14. The toy of claim 13, further comprising a mode switch configured to change the operational mode of the toy.

15. The toy of claim 1, further comprising a data input device electronically coupled with the audio playback device and adapted to receive additional data for use by the audio playback device.

16. The toy of claim 1 wherein the scannable toy item is a scannable role-play toy item.

17. The toy of claim 1 further comprising a shopping cart, wherein the scannable toy item is to be placed in the shopping cart.

18. The toy of claim 15, wherein the data input device is a slot adapted to receive a transferable information storage medium.

19. An toy, comprising:

(a) a container;

(b) a plurality of toy items, each toy item of the first plurality replicating a shopping item;

(c) an input device adapted to uniquely identify each of the toy items; and

(d) an audio playback device adapted to play an audio output associated with the identified toy item.

20. The toy of claim 20, wherein the audio output is uniquely associated with the identified toy item.

21. The toy of claim 20, wherein the input device is configured to uniquely identify a toy item when the toy item is within physical proximity of the input device.

23. The toy of claim 20, wherein the audio playback device includes a memory preprogrammed with a first set of audio outputs associated with the first plurality of toy items.

25. The toy of claim 20 wherein the container is in the form of a shopping cart or a shopping basket.

22. The toy of claim 22, wherein each toy item includes an RF identification tag corresponding to a unique electronic identification;

and the input device includes a scanner comprising an RF identification tag reader.

24. The toy of claim 24, further comprising a second plurality of toy items, each toy item of the second plurality replicating a shopping item;

and

wherein the audio playback device is adapted to play an audio output associated with the identified toy item selected from a second set of audio outputs associated with the second plurality of toy items.

26. A kit comprising:

(a) a plurality of scannable toy items; and

(b) a plurality of RF identification tags respectively associated with the plurality of scannable toy items,

wherein the RF identification tags are capable of being read by a scanner comprising an RF identification tag reader.

27. The kit of claim 26 wherein the scannable toy items are food items

28. The kit of claim 26 further comprising a transferable information storage medium comprising audio data corresponding to the plurality of scannable toy items.

29. The kit of claim 26 further comprising a data cartridge comprising audio data corresponding to the plurality of scannable toy items.

30. A kit comprising:

(a) a plurality of scannable toy items;

(b) a plurality of identification tags respectively associated with the plurality of scannable toy items; and

(c) a transferable information storage medium comprising code for audio corresponding to the plurality of scannable toy items.

31. The kit of claim 30 wherein the plurality of identification tags comprise bar codes.

32. The kit of claim 30 wherein the identification tags are RF identification tags.