INTERACTIVE TOY WITH EMBEDDED VISION SYSTEM

• US 20120083182A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Heatherly, Christopher, Ong, Kenlip, Traylor, Scott, Donadio, Christine, Czirjak, Liane, Osterman, Leah, Bach, Jordan
• Granted Patent: US 8,998,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/175
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

Systems and associated methods for providing a play device capable of capturing an image stream through a camera module and process the images through computer vision software. Embodiments provide interactive toys that recognize a set of pre-programmed images and provide responses to images presented by a user. For example, embodiments provide for a toy that requests a certain image and provides a response based upon whether the user presents the correct image.

Claims

1. An interactive toy system comprising:

a toy comprising one or more interactive functions;

one or more video capturing modules configured to send image information to one or more video processing modules, the one or more video processing modules generating recognition information designating whether image information matches one or more pre-programmed images;

one or more microprocessors configured to receive recognition information;

wherein the one or more microprocessors activate one or more interactive functions based on the recognition information received.

2. The interactive toy system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more interactive functions are selected from the group comprising:

motion, sound, light, and color.

3. The interactive toy system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more pre-programmed images are selected from the group comprising:

numbers, letters, mathematical functions, colors, shapes, words, toys, clothing, and patterns.

4. The interactive toy system according to claim 3, wherein activating the one or more interactive functions comprises:

responding to the one or more microprocessors receiving recognition information that the image information matches a mathematical function by asking for the answer to the mathematical function.

5. The interactive toy system according to claim 1, wherein the image information comprises sequential and combinatorial images.

6. The interactive toy system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more video capturing modules comprise a CMOS camera module.

7. The interactive toy system according to claim 1, activating the one or more interactive functions serves functions from the group comprised of:

motion planning, gameplay response, storytelling, and educational applications

8. The interactive toy system according to claim 1, further comprising:

one or more image materials.

9. The interactive toy system according to claim 8, wherein the image materials are selected from the group comprising:

one or more flashcards, one or more books, one or more articles of clothing, and one or more toys.

10. The interactive toy system according to claim 1, wherein activating the one or more interactive functions based on the recognition information received comprises requesting a specific image.

11. A method of providing an interactive toy comprising:

providing a toy comprising one or more interactive functions;

embedding one or more video capturing modules, one or more video processing modules, and one or more microprocessors in the toy;

configuring the one or more video capturing modules to send image information to the one or more video processing modules, the one or more video processing modules generating recognition information designating whether image information matches one or more pre-programmed images;

configuring the one or more microprocessors to receive recognition information;

wherein the one or more microprocessors activate one or more interactive functions based on the recognition information received.

12. The method of providing an interactive toy according to claim 11, wherein the one or more interactive functions are selected from the group comprising:

motion, sound, light, and color.

13. The method of providing an interactive toy according to claim 11, wherein the one or more pre-programmed images are selected from the group comprising:

numbers, letters, mathematical functions, colors, shapes, words, toys, clothing, and patterns.

14. The interactive toy system according to claim 13, wherein activating the one or more interactive functions comprises:

responding to the one or more microprocessors receiving recognition information that the image information matches a mathematical function by asking for the answer to the mathematical function.

15. The interactive toy system according to claim 11, wherein the image information comprises sequential and combinatorial images.

16. The method of providing an interactive toy according to claim 11, wherein the one or more video capturing modules comprise a CMOS camera module.

17. The method of providing an interactive toy according to claim 11, activating the one or more interactive functions serves functions from the group comprised of:

motion planning, gameplay response, storytelling, and educational applications

18. The method of providing an interactive toy according to claim 11, further comprising:

providing one or more image materials.

19. The method of providing an interactive toy according to claim 16, wherein the image materials are selected from the group comprising:

one or more flashcards, one or more books, one or more articles of clothing, and one or more toys.

20. The method of providing an interactive toy according to claim 11, wherein activating the one or more interactive functions based on the recognition information received comprises requesting a specific image.