Object recognition toys and games
First Claim
1. A toy or game play apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of play objects each having a non-self-powered RFID tag IC, each of said tag ICs having a memory that stores digital data that includes at least specific identification information that is different from that of the other said objects, and at least one powered master unit that includes a micro-controller and a RFID reader/interrogator circuit, said master unit and said play object having an appearance consistent with a mode of play between them, said master unit being operable, when at least a selected one of said play objects is in position in a localized detection region relative to said master unit so as to afford remote wireless RF communication between said master unit circuit and the tag IC of that selected play object, but without requiring physical contact between said master unit and that play object, to send power to energize that tag IC to enable that tag IC to transmit digital data at that time back to said master unit, said data transmitted by said tag IC including at least some of said specific identification information, all of said tag ICs transmitting at the same frequency, said master unit being operable to recognize said data transmitted from said tag IC and to make a presentation to a user at least partially caused by that transmitted data, said presentation being supportive of play by the user with the toy or game play apparatus in accordance with said mode of play.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A toy or game play apparatus or method involving a powered host such as a doll or a tablet which operates interactively in a mode of play with one or more non-powered play objects. The host has a preprogrammed microcontroller and a RFID reader/interrogator circuit. Each play object has a RFID tag IC. Each tag IC has a memory holding digital data that includes at least ID information different from that of the other play objects. When the host and a play object are positioned so as to afford RF communication between them, the host can send power to energize the tag IC of the play object. This causes the tag IC to transmit data including at least its ID information back to the host. The host recognizes that transmitted data and makes a presentation in accordance with the mode of play to the user caused by that transmitted data. In one mode the play objects may have a variable aspect, and the host determines and makes a user presentation based on the then current state of the variable aspect.
193 Citations
70 Claims
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1. A toy or game play apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of play objects each having a non-self-powered RFID tag IC, each of said tag ICs having a memory that stores digital data that includes at least specific identification information that is different from that of the other said objects, and at least one powered master unit that includes a micro-controller and a RFID reader/interrogator circuit, said master unit and said play object having an appearance consistent with a mode of play between them, said master unit being operable, when at least a selected one of said play objects is in position in a localized detection region relative to said master unit so as to afford remote wireless RF communication between said master unit circuit and the tag IC of that selected play object, but without requiring physical contact between said master unit and that play object, to send power to energize that tag IC to enable that tag IC to transmit digital data at that time back to said master unit, said data transmitted by said tag IC including at least some of said specific identification information, all of said tag ICs transmitting at the same frequency, said master unit being operable to recognize said data transmitted from said tag IC and to make a presentation to a user at least partially caused by that transmitted data, said presentation being supportive of play by the user with the toy or game play apparatus in accordance with said mode of play. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of playing with a toy or game play apparatus comprising:
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1) providing a plurality of play objects each having a non-self-powered RFID tag IC, each of the tag ICs having a memory which stores digital data that includes at least specific information that is different for each of the play objects, 2) providing a powered master unit that includes a microcontroller and a RFID reader/interrogator circuit, the play objects and master unit having an appearance consistent with a mod of play between them, the master unit being operable, when at least one of the play objects is in position in a localized detection region relative to said master unit such as will afford remote wireless RF communication between the master unit reader/interrogator circuit and the tag IC of that selected play object, but without requiring physical contact between the master unit and that play object, to send power to energize that tag IC to cause that tag IC to transmit at that time at least its specific information data back to the master unit, the master unit being operable to recognize that transmitted data and to make a presentation to a user at least partially caused by that transmitted data, said presentation being supportive of play by the user with the toy or game play apparatus in accordance with said mode of play, 3) positioning the master unit and at least one of the play objects relative to one another so that the positioned play object is in the detection region relative to the master unit, 4) causing the master unit to send power to energize that positioned play object for data transmission by that play object back to the master unit, 5) causing the master unit to make a supportive presentation to the user at least partially based on the transmitted data, and 6) repeating steps
3),
4) and
5). - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. Toy or game play apparatus comprising:
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a main object designed and arranged for interactive use with a plurality of play objects, each of said play objects having a non-self-powered RFID tag IC, each of said tag ICs having a memory that holds digital data that includes at least specific information that is different from that of the other of said play objects, said main object being operatively associated with a powered master unit that includes a microcontroller and a RFID reader/interrogator circuit and a plurality of master antennae, said master antennae being located at a plurality of spaced apart positions on said main object, said master unit being operable, when a selected one of said play objects is in a localized detection region relative to one of said master antennae such as will afford RF communication between said master unit circuit and the tag IC of that selected play object, but without requiring physical contact between said master unit and that play object, to send power to energize that tag IC to cause that tag IC to transmit at least some of its specific information data back to said master unit, said master unit also being operable to recognize that transmitted data and to make a presentation to the user of the toy or game play apparatus caused at least in part by that transmitted data, said master unit being operable to successively activate one of said master antennae at a time, and said master unit being operable to recognize which if any of the play objects is in the detection region of each master antenna, and to control said presentation to the user accordingly. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. Toy or game play apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of play objects each having a non-self-powered RFID tag IC, each of said tag ICs having a memory that stores digital data that includes at least specific information that is different from that of the other of said play objects, a powered master unit that includes a microcontroller and a RFID reader/interrogator circuits, said master unit being operable, when a plurality of said play objects are positioned so that those play objects are in the localized detection region relative to said master unit such as will afford RF communication between said master unit circuit and the tag ICs of those play objects, to sequentially send power to energize those tag ICs to cause each of those tag ICs to sequentially transmit at least some of its specific information data back to said master unit, said master unit also being operable to recognize all of that transmitted data and to make a presentation to a user of the toy or game play apparatus caused at least in part by that transmitted data, said presentation being supportive of play in accordance with a mode of play, said presentation appearing to a user to be a generally simultaneous as to all of said positioned play objects. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. Toy or game play apparatus comprising:
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at least one play object having at least one variable aspect, said play object having a non-self-powered RFID tag IC, said tag IC including a writeable memory that stores digital data representing the current state of said variable aspect, and a powered host unit that includes a microcontroller and a RFID reader/interrogator circuit, said host unit being operable, when one of said play objects is positioned in a localized detection region relative to said host unit such as will afford remote wireless RF communication between said host unit circuit and the tag IC of that play object, but without requiring physical contact between said host unit and that play object, to send power to energize said tag IC to enable said tag IC to transmit data at that time back to said to said host unit, said tag IC being capable of receiving new digital data about a different current state of said variable aspect and storing such new data in its writable memory, said host unit also being operable to recognize data transmitted from that play object and to make a presentation to a user relating to the then current state of said variable aspect to implement play by the user with the toy or game play apparatus related to said variable aspect. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A toy or game play apparatus comprising:
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at least one play object having a RFID tag IC with a writable memory;
a master play unit including a microprocessor for writing data to and reading data from the memory, said play object and master play unit having an appearance compatible with a mode of play between them; and
programming in at least the master play unit for bidirectional RF transmission between the master play unit and the play object to implement said mode of play. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. Play apparatus comprising
first and second play objects having appearances consistent with a mode of play between such objects and respectively comprising: -
first and second wireless RFID information transceivers, said second transceiver being non-self powered, the first and the second transceivers being positionable for remote mutual digital date-transmission contact;
first and second circuits operating first and second programs;
a writable memory in the second play object for holding digital data, means in the first play object, controlled by the first program, for writing to and reading from the memory in the second play object with which the first play object is in data-transmission contact, through their transceivers; and
means in the first play object, controlled by the first program and by the written or read data, or both, for indicating to a user information for implementing play by the user with the objects in accordance with said mode of play. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A method of play comprising:
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providing at least one play object having a RFID tag IC with a writable memory;
providing a master play unit including a microprocessor for writing data to and reading data from the memory, said play object and master play unit having an appearance compatible with a mode of play between them;
causing bidirectional RF transmission between the master play unit and the play object;
providing to a user a presentation based at least in part on data from the play object provided by said bidirectional RF transmission, said presentation serving to implement said mode of play. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. Play apparatus comprising:
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first and second play objects, respectively comprising;
first and second wireless information transceivers in mutual data-transmission contact, and first and second circuits operating first and second programs; and
a writable memory in the second play object for holding data representing the current condition of a variable virtual play substance;
means in the first play object, controlled by the first program, for writing to or reading from the memory, or both, through the transceivers;
indicating means in the first play object, controlled by the first program and by the written or read data, or both, for indicating to a user a play characteristic derived from the then current condition of the variable virtual play substance, such indicated play characteristic being supportive of play by the user with the play apparatus in accordance with a mode of play. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A method of play comprising:
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1) providing first and second play objects, respectively comprising;
first and second wireless information transceivers in mutual data-transmission contact, and first and second circuits operating first and second programs; and
a writable memory in the second play object for holding data representing the current condition of a variable virtual play substance;
means in the first play object, controlled by the first program, for writing data to or reading data from the memory, or both, through the transceivers;
indicating means in the first play object, controlled by the first program and by the written or read data, or both, for indicating to a user a play characteristic derived at least in part from the then current condition of the variable virtual play substance, such indicated play characteristic being supportive of play by the user with the play apparatus in accordance with a mode of play, 2) causing data-transmission between said first and second play objects, and 3) indicating to a user a play characteristic derived at least in part from the data transmitted from the second play object that represents the then current condition of the variable virtual play substance, such indication being supportive of said mode of play. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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Specification