Educational toy

• US 20050059317A1
• Filed: 09/17/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Little Tikes Company The
• Original Assignee: Little Tikes Company The
• Inventors: Smith, Steve, Hui, Chi Kong Stanley, Keller, Mike, Kanoza, Jason, McEachen, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US10/665,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20050059317A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/175
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2419 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/242 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2489 by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/305 Fishing games with magnetic pieces A63F9/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/16 made of parts that can be put together facial parts only A63H3/365
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/365 allowing a choice of facial features, e.g. to change the facial expression change of expression through animation A63H3/48, self-moving A63H13/005; movable eyes A63H3/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/006 Infant exercisers, e.g. for attachment to a crib
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068

Abstract

A toy comprising a host structure, a plurality of attachable items that can be selectively attached to the host structure, and a radio frequency identification device. The radio frequency identification device comprises at least one reader and a plurality of tags which, when read by a reader, provide identification information particular to each tag. Each reader is housed by the host structure and the tags are each housed by one of the plurality of attachable items. The reader reads the identification information from a particular tag at the time that the corresponding attachable item is attached to the host structure and different outputs are generated depending upon which item is attached.

Claims

1. A toy comprising a host structure, a plurality of attachable items that can be selectively attached to the host structure, and an output device;

wherein the host structure comprises at least one reader;

wherein the plurality of attachable items each include a tag which, when read by the at least one reader, provides identification information particular to that tag;

wherein the at least one reader reads the identification information from a particular tag when the corresponding attachable item is attached to the host structure; and

wherein the output device generates different outputs depending upon which attachable item has been identified by the at least one reader;

wherein the at least one reader broadcast a radio frequency activation signal, which is received by one of the tags at the time that the corresponding attachable item is attached, and wherein the tag is powered by the activation signal to transmit identification information to the at least one reader.

6. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one reader comprises only one reader and wherein only one of the attachable items is attachable to the host structure at a time.

7. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one reader comprises a plurality of readers and wherein a plurality of the attachable items can be attached to the host structure at the same time.

8. A toy as set forth in claim 7, wherein the output device generates a particular output when all of the attachable items have been attached to the host structure.

9. A toy as set forth in claim 1, comprising a mode selector to select different modes of operation and wherein the outputs change depending upon the selected mode of operation.

11. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the output is visual.

12. A toy as set forth in claim 11, wherein the visual output occurs on the attachable item.

13. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the different outputs occur on at least one of the attachable items.

14. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the attachable items are of different colors and the different outputs correspond to these different colors.

15. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the attachable items have different numerals printed thereon and wherein the different outputs correspond to these different numerals.

16. A toy as set forth in claim 15, wherein the outputs correspond to addition or subtraction of these numerals.

20. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the host structure resembles a torso and the attachable items resemble body parts attachable to the torso.

21. A toy as set forth in claim 20, wherein the identification device generates an output when all of the attachable items are attached to the host structure.

22. A toy as set forth in claim 1, further comprising connectors for connecting the attachment items to the host structure.

23. A toy as set forth in claim 22, wherein the connectors comprise a magnetic connecting arrangement between the host structure and the attachment items.

24. A toy as set forth in claim 22, wherein the connectors comprise a hook-and-loop fastening arrangement between the host structure and the attachment items.

25. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the attachment items are fitted around the host structure.

2. (Cancelled)

3. (Cancelled)

4. A toy comprising a host structure, a plurality of attachable items that can be selectively attached to the host structure, and an output device;

wherein the host structure comprises at least one reader;

wherein the plurality of attachable items each include a tag which, when read by the at least one reader, provides identification information particular to that tag;

wherein the at least one reader reads the identification information from a particular tag when the corresponding attachable item is attached to the host structure; and

wherein the output device generates different outputs depending upon which attachable item has been identified by the at least one reader;

wherein the at least one reader and tags comprise a bar code identification device.

5. A toy as set forth in claim 4, wherein each tag comprises a bar code printed on the attachable item and wherein each reader reads the bar code to obtain identification information.

10. A toy comprising a host structure, a plurality of attachable items that can be selectively attached to the host structure, and an output device;

wherein the host structure comprises at least one reader;

wherein the plurality of attachable items each include a tag which, when read by the at least one reader, provides identification information particular to that tag;

wherein the at least one reader reads the identification information from a particular tag when the corresponding attachable item is attached to the host structure; and

wherein the output device generates different outputs depending upon which attachable item has been identified by the at least one reader;

wherein the output is audio.

17. A toy comprising a host structure, a plurality of attachable items that can be selectively attached to the host structure, and an output device;

wherein the host structure comprises at least one reader;

wherein the plurality of attachable items each include a tag which, when read by the at least one reader, provides identification information particular to that tag;

wherein the at least one reader reads the identification information from a particular tag when the corresponding attachable item is attached to the host structure; and

wherein the output device generates different outputs depending upon which attachable item has been identified by the at least one reader;

wherein the host structure resembles a fishing rod.

18. A toy as set forth in claim 17, wherein the attachable items resemble fish, aquatic animals and/or sea creatures.

19. A toy comprising a host structure, a plurality of attachable items that can be selectively attached to the host structure, and an output device;

wherein the host structure comprises at least one reader;

wherein the plurality of attachable items each include a tag which, when read by the at least one reader, provides identification information particular to that tag;

wherein the at least one reader reads the identification information from a particular tag when the corresponding attachable item is attached to the host structure; and

wherein the output device generates different outputs depending upon which attachable item has been identified by the at least one reader;

wherein the host structure resembles a personality-void head and the attachable items resemble hats, masks, and other accessories that project a certain personality onto the head.

26. A toy comprising:

a host structure that resembles a fishing rod,

a radio frequency reader housed by the host structure and positioned at an attachment location corresponding to where a simulated fish would be caught by a fishing rod,

a plurality of attachable items that can be selectively attached, one at a time, to the host structure at the attachment location,

a plurality of radio frequency tags each housed by one of the plurality of attachable items and, when respectively read by the reader, providing identification information particular to that attachment item, and

magnetic connectors for connecting the attachable items to the attachment location;

wherein the reader reads the identification information from a particular tag at the time that the corresponding attachable item is attached to the host structure; and

wherein different outputs are generated depending upon which attachable item is identified by the reader.

27. A toy as set forth in claim 26, wherein the attachable items resemble fish, aquatic animals, and/or sea creatures.

28. A toy comprising:

a host structure that comprises a substantially spherical object with facial expressions thereon;

a radio frequency reader housed by the host structure and positioned in an upper portion of the spherical object;

a plurality of attachable items, which resemble hats, masks, and other accessories that project a certain personality onto a head, and which can be selectively attached to the host structure by fitting them around the upper portion of the substantially spherical object, and

a plurality of radio frequency tags, each housed by one of the plurality of attachable items and, when respectively read by one of the readers, providing identification information particular to that attachment item;

wherein the reader reads the identification information from a particular tag at the time that the corresponding attachable item is attached to the host structure; and

wherein different outputs are generated depending upon which attachable item is identified by the reader.

29. A toy as set forth in claim 28, wherein at least some of the different outputs are provided through at least some of the attachment items.

30. A toy as set forth in claim 29, wherein the outputs provided through the attachment items comprise lights, which are turned on when the attachment item is identified by the reader.

31. A toy comprising:

a host structure that resembles a torso;

a plurality of radio frequency readers housed by the host structure at different attachment locations corresponding to missing body parts;

a plurality of attachable items, which resemble the missing body parts and which can be selectively attached to the host structure at the different attachment locations;

a plurality of radio frequency tags, each housed by one of the plurality of attachable items and, when respectively read by one of the readers, providing identification information particular to that attachment item;

wherein each of the readers read the identification information from a particular tag at the time that the corresponding attachable item is attached to the adjacent attachment location; and

wherein different outputs are generated depending upon which attachable item is identified by the reader.

32. A host structure as set forth in claim 31, wherein the host structure resembles a teddy-bear torso and the attachment items resemble teddy-bear body parts.