Toy with programmable remote control

• US 20040082268A1
• Filed: 10/23/2002
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silverlit Toys Manufactory Limited (Silverlit Toys)
• Original Assignee: Silverlit Toys Manufactory Limited (Silverlit Toys)
• Inventors: Choi, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,291,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/454
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/004 Stunt-cars, e.g. lifting front wheels, roll-over or invertible cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/262 Chassis; Wheel mountings; Wheels; Axles; Suspensions; Fitting body portions to chassis
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/32 Acoustical or optical signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/34 Arrangements for imitating the noise of motors
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/22 Electric drives power supply through track A63H18/12
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission

Abstract

A programmable device such as a toy or novelty item and a remote controller has a keyboard which can be activated by a user to set up any one of multiple different motions of the toy. Sounds and lights can be activated to coordinate with the movement. The toy can be a car or other device capable of moving in the environment. The toy is also controllable solely by remote control through a transmitter in the remote controller and a receiver in the toy.

Claims

1. A programmable toy device comprising:

a) a body;

b) a motor for activating a motive generator on the body for causing the body to move relative to a surrounding environment, and including a receiver for electronic signals;

c) a remote controller;

d) a key pad mounted on the remote control unit including a series of control elements for operation by a user;

e) the key pad and control elements in the remote controller being connected with a microprocessor for encoding control signals in the remote controller, and being connected with a transmitter being for transmission of the control signals to the receiver in the body;

f) the receiver in the body being connected with a decoder for translating signals received into control signals for operating the motive generator whereby the body is caused to move in different directions according to the action of the motive generator; and

g) the arrangement being such that the key pad on the remote control unit is operable or controllable to effect programmable control of the motive generator in the body, and wherein the keys of the keypad are preprogrammed such that keys represent different motion events to be encoded and transmitted to the receiver.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the motive generator is at least one wheel and the body is representative of a vehicle.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are two motive generators, the generators being a pair of wheels, each wheel being operated by a respective motor.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the body is representative of an automobile vehicle and wherein there are four spaced wheels, and wherein two wheels are driven, the two wheels being motive generators.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the driven wheels are the rear wheels of the automobile vehicle.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the microprocessor in the remote controller is programmable so as to permit for a selection of motions including multiple motions of forward, backward, left turn, right turn or sinusoidal.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 including the motion of pop-wheeling, and wherein the center of gravity of the vehicle is located strategically relative to the wheels thereby to permit tipping of the vehicle according to the control of the wheel motion and thereby to permit pop-wheeling.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7 including a free roller element located towards the rear of the vehicle, the free roller element being for facilitating motion of the vehicle where the motion is in a tilted pop-wheeled state.

9. A device as claimed in claim 1 including a sound generator and a speaker for transmitting sounds in the control unit, and means for selectively interacting the sounds to correspond with action of the motive generator on the body.

10. A device as claimed in claim 1 including a light generator for creating light on the body, and means for selectively interacting the light generator in relation to the activation of the motive generator.

11. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are different transmission and receiver frequencies for operable communication between the transmitter and receiver, the transmitted frequency being selected for a pre selected receiver, whereby multiple receivers each at a discrete frequency are controllable by the transmitter.

12. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in the remote control unit, the encoder is connected to a transmitter and in turn to an antenna, and wherein, in the body, a transmitted signal is received by an antenna on the body, and wherein the decoder in the body decodes the received signal to operate the motive generator.

13. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the key pad permits the operation of multiple controls which is thereby to permit the selection of multiple combinations of motion of the body.

14. A device as claimed in claim 1 including sensors for determining the nature of the environment surrounding the device, and means for relating the nature of the environment as sensed selectively to activate a sound, light, or motion according to signals from the sensor.

25. A device as claimed in claim 1 including a radio frequency transmitter in the controller and a receiver in the body, the transmitter and receiver permitting the device to respond to signals transmitted from the controller to the body.

15. A programmable toy vehicle comprising:

a body;

a motor for activating wheels on the body for causing the body to move on a surface;

a remote control unit;

a key pad located with the remote control unit including a series of keys for operation by a user;

the keys being connected with an encoding microprocessor located in the remote control unit for translating activation of a key to an encoded signal transmission to a receiver in the body for operating the motor whereby the body is caused to move in different directions on the surface according to the action of the motor on the wheels;

the arrangement being such that the motor, wheels, and a receiver decoding microprocessor are contained with the body, and wherein the keys are operable or controllable under the action of the keypad on the remote control unit, and the body being representative of an automobile vehicle with spaced wheels, and wherein at least one wheel is driven by the motor, the encoding microprocessor in the remote control unit being programmable so as to permit for a selection of motions;

the decoding microprocessor in the body being connected to control means for driving the motor;

the key pad permitting the operation of the multiple keys thereby to permit the selection of motion of the body; and

wherein the microprocessor in the body is not separately programmable other than through the remote control unit.

16. A toy as claimed in claim 15 wherein the body is representative of an automobile vehicle and wherein there are four spaced wheels, and wherein two wheels are driven by a respective motor.

17. A toy as claimed in claim 16 wherein the encoding microprocessor in the remote control unit is programmable so as to permit for a selection of motions including at least one or multiple motions of forward, backward, left turn, right turn or sinusoidal.

18. A toy as claimed in claim 17 including the motion of pop-wheeling, and wherein the center of gravity of the vehicle is located strategically relative to the wheels thereby to permit tipping of the vehicle according to the control of the wheel motion and thereby to permit pop-wheeling.

19. A toy as claimed in claim 16 including a speaker for creating sounds, and means for selectively interacting via activation of the wheels with sounds from the speaker.

20. A toy as claimed in claim 16 including a light generator for creating light, and means for selectively interacting the light of the light source in relation to the activation of the wheels.

21. A toy as claimed in claim 16 wherein the decoding microprocessor in the body is connected to control means for operating the motor, and the control means operates a light source in the body.

22. A toy as claimed in claim 16 wherein the key pad permits the operation of multiple controls which is thereby to permit the selection of multiple combinations of motion of the body.

26. A vehicle as claimed in claim 15 including a radio frequency transmitter in the controller and a receiver in the body, the transmitter and receiver permitting the vehicle to respond to signals transmitted from the controller to the vehicle.

23. A programmable toy car comprising:

a body and four spaced wheels;

two motor means for activating a respective one of two wheels on the body for causing the body to move on a surface;

a remote detached controller;

a key pad located on the remote controller including a series of multiple control switches for operation by a user the key pad in the remote control unit permitting operation of the multiple controls thereby to permit the selection of multiple combinations of motion of the body;

the control switches being connected with an encoding microprocessor located in the remote controller for translating signals received into control signals for operating, through a transmitter with the remote controller, and sending signals to a receiver in the body;

a decoding microprocessor with the receiver receiving the signals and being connected to control means for operating the two motors, and control means in the body for operating a light source in the body;

the receiver in the body acting with the respective motors whereby the body is caused to move in different directions on the surface according to the action of each motor on the respective one of the two wheels; and

the arrangement being such that the key pad, switches and encoding microprocessor are contained in the separate remote controller, and wherein the microprocessor in the receiver is solely operable or controllable under the action of a remote detached controller, and the microprocessor in the remote controller being programmable so as to permit for a selection of motions including at least one of multiple motions of forward, backward, left turn, right turn or sinusoidal.

24. A toy as claimed in claim 23 including the motion of pop-wheeling, and wherein the center of gravity of the vehicle is located strategically relative to the wheels thereby to permit tipping of the vehicle according to the control of the wheel motion and thereby to permit pop-wheeling.

27. A toy as claimed in claim 23 including a radio frequency transmitter in the controller and a receiver in the body, the transmitter and receiver permitting the body to respond to signals transmitted from the controller to the body.