Toy

• US 20060160588A1
• Filed: 10/24/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sega Toys Co., Ltd (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sega Toys Co., Ltd (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Satoshi, Kanauchi, Shigeru
• Granted Patent: US 7,370,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/52 Dolls' houses, furniture or other equipment simulating liquid flow A63H33/3022; Dolls' clothing or footwear

Abstract

The present invention provides a toy that makes character movement realistic, A transparent LCD screen that is visible from the front of the room is disposed within the room so as to be in contact with the walls, ceiling and floor thereof. An internal body such as a chair and an external body such as a tree, fence or kennel are arranged at the front and rear of the LCD screen. A girl character and an animal character are displayed on the LCD screen. A user is able to enjoy the game while viewing the character of the LCD screen, internal body, and external body.

Claims

1. A toy, comprising:

a structural body that constitutes a physical space which has depth and is open at the front;

a transparent LCD screen that is disposed in a position that is visible from the front in the vicinity of the front or within the space;

an object that is disposed physically at the front or rear of the LCD screen; and

display means for displaying an image of a character on the LCD screen and programmed such that the character moves on the LCD screen virtually in association with the object.

2. The toy according to claim 1, wherein the structural body is a house of the toy, the space is a room of the house, the object is at least one of furniture and internal structure disposed in the room, and the character is programmed to virtually move on the LCD screen at the rear portion or front portion of the physical object.

3. The toy according to claim 2, further comprising an object externally disposed at the front of the house, and the character is programmed to virtually move on the LCD screen at the rear portion of the externally disposed object.

4. A toy house, wherein the house constitutes a room space open at the front, and comprises:

a transparent LCD screen that is provided in contact with the left and right walls, ceiling and floor of the room and disposed in a position that is visible from the front;

an internal body that is disposed on both sides of the front and rear portions of the LCD screen; and

display means for displaying a character on the LCD screen and programmed such that the character moves virtually in association with the internal body.

5. The toy house according to claim 4, wherein the internal body is stairs that are disposed at the rear of the LCD screen and the display means is programmed such that the character virtually moves up and down the stairs.

6. The toy house according to claim 4, wherein the internal body is a table disposed at the front of the LCD screen and the display means is programmed such that the character moves to sit in front of the table.

7. The toy house according to claim 4, wherein the internal body is a table and a chair arranged with the LCD screen interposed therebetween and the display means is programmed such that the character moves to sit on the chair in front of the table.

8. A toy house, wherein the house constitutes a room space open at the front, and comprises:

a transparent LCD screen that is provided in contact with the left and right walls, ceiling and floor of the room and disposed in a position that is visible from the front;

an external body disposed externally from the room at the front of the LCD screen and an internal body that is disposed at the rear of the LCD screen; and

display means for displaying a character on the LCD screen and programmed such that the character moves virtually in association with the external body or internal body.

9. A toy house, comprising:

an LCD screen that is disposed in a space inside the house; and

display means for displaying a moving character on the LCD screen,

wherein the toy house is constituted such that another house can be connected next to the house, and

wherein the display means is programmed such that, when the other house is connected in parallel, the moving character virtually moves from one house to the other house.