Interactive toy

• US 20040219499A1
• Filed: 05/01/2003
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The First Years Incorporated (TOMY Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: The First Years Incorporated (TOMY Company Limited)
• Inventors: Cesa, Joseph A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,964,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/258
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 11/00 Self-movable toy figures
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/22 Electric drives power supply through track A63H18/12

Abstract

A developmental toy for small children includes a contacting member is rotated by an electric motor and a controller that, in response to input from a sensor, signals the electric motor to move the toy from a starting position for an initial period of time in an initial direction and signals the motor to wait a resting period of time. If no further input is received from a child that is detected by the sensor within the resting period of time, the controller signals the motor to move the toy back in an opposite sense, toward the starting location.

Claims

1. A developmental toy for small children, the toy comprising

a contacting member;

an electric motor that rotates the contacting member to move the toy along a surface;

a sensor responsive to input from a child; and

a controller that, in response to indication from the sensor of receipt of the input, signals the electric motor to move the toy from a starting position for an initial period of time in an initial direction, signals the motor to wait a waiting period of time, and if no further input is received within the waiting period of time, signals the motor to move the toy in an opposite sense, generally toward the starting location.

2. The developmental toy of claim 1, wherein the controller signals the motor to move the toy for a second period of time less than 100 percent of the initial period of time in the opposite sense.

3. The developmental toy of claim 2, wherein the toy moves a second period of time from about one-quarter to about three-quarters of the initial period of time in the opposite sense.

4. The developmental toy of claim 3, wherein the toy moves a second period of time about one-third of the initial time in the opposite sense.

5. The developmental toy of claim 1, wherein the controller signals the motor to move the toy for a second period of time about the initial period of time in the opposite sense.

6. The developmental toy of claim 1, wherein the contacting member defines an arcuate contacting surface configured to roll along a surface.

7. The developmental toy of claim 6, wherein the toy has a body and wherein the contacting member comprises a wheel that rotates with respect to the body.

8. The developmental toy of claim 6, wherein the toy is in the form of a ball, the contacting member defining an exterior surface of the ball.

9. The developmental toy of claim 7, further including an eccentric weight, the motor rotating the contacting member with respect to the eccentric weight.

10. The developmental toy of claim 1, wherein the input is an induced motion of the toy.

11. The developmental toy of claim 10, wherein the induced motion is a linear acceleration of the toy.

12. The developmental toy of claim 10, wherein the induced motion is a rotational acceleration of the toy.

13. The developmental toy of claim 1, wherein the input is audible.

14. The developmental toy of claim 1 further comprising a sound source for providing audible sound.

15. The developmental toy of claim 14, wherein the sound source provides audible sound only while moving.

16. The developmental toy of claim 14, wherein the sound source provides audible sound only while waiting.

17. The developmental toy of claim 14, wherein the sound source provides audible sound while moving and waiting.

18. The toy of claim 1, wherein the toy moves in the opposite sense at an angle between about 90 degrees to about 270 degrees relative to the initial direction.

19. The toy of claim 18, wherein the toy moves in the opposite sense at an angle of about 180 degrees relative to the initial direction.

20. A method for developing motor skills of a small child using a toy, the method comprising:

providing control circuitry for controlling actuation of a motor, the motor configured to rotate a drive shaft in a first direction and in an opposite, second direction;

operatively connecting the drive shaft to a contacting member to cause rotation of the contacting member, the contacting member configured to move the toy a distance;

signaling the control circuitry to actuate the motor to rotate the drive shaft in the first direction for moving the toy in an initial direction for an initial period of time along a surface in response to a first induced motion of the toy;

signaling the control circuitry to discontinue actuation of the motor for a waiting period of time; and

in the absence of a second induced motion for the waiting period of time, signaling the control circuitry to actuate the motor in the second direction for moving the toy in a sense generally opposite the initial direction.

21. A developmental toy for small children comprising:

a contacting member configured to move the toy;

a bi-directional motor including a drive shaft operatively connected to the contacting member, the bi-directional motor configured to rotate the drive shaft in a first direction and in a second, opposite direction; and

control means for actuating the bi-directional motor to rotate the contacting member and move the toy along a surface a distance and for pausing the bi-directional motor to maintain a position of the toy;

wherein, in response to a first induced motion, the control means actuates the bi-directional motor in the first direction for a first period of time and pauses the bi-directional motor after the first period of time for a resting period of time; and

wherein, in the absence of a second induced motion during the resting period of time, the control means actuates the bi-directional motor in the second direction for a second period of time.

22. The developmental toy of claim 21, wherein the second period of time is about equivalent to the first period of time.

23. The developmental toy of claim 21, wherein the second period of time is different from the first period of time.

24. The developmental toy of claim 21 further including sensor means for sensing induced motion of the toy and providing a signal to the control means in response to induced motion.

25. A method for developing the motor skills of a child using a developmental toy having a contacting member, an electric motor that rotates the contacting member to move the toy along a surface, a sensor responsive to input from a child and a controller that, in response to indication from the sensor of receipt of the input, signals the electric motor to move the toy, the method comprising:

in response to indication from the sensor, moving the toy from an initial position for a first period of time;

pausing the toy for a resting period of time; and

if no signal received from the sensor within the resting period of time, moving the toy in an opposite sense, generally toward the starting location.