REMOTE CONTROLLER AND RECHARGER FOR REMOTE CONTROLLING AND FOR USE IN RECHARGING OF A TOY ITEM

• US 20120126956A1
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Desk Pets International (HK) Limited
• Original Assignee: Desk Pets International (HK) Limited
• Inventors: Trzecieski, Michael, Piltz, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,760,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

The embodiments of the invention provide for novel toy remote controller and recharger (TRCR) (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) for remote controlling and for use in recharging of a toy item (2010, 2009, 1974). The TRCR (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) operates in two modes of operation, where in a first mode of operation the TRCR (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) it is used for controlling a play flow of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) through transmitting a playflow control wireless signal (102b) from a wireless transmitter (102a) in response to input from a user and in a second mode of operation the TRCR (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) is for recharging of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) through electrical power provided from the USB port (110) when a toy charging connector (101) is coupled with the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974). Optionally, embodiments of the invention also allow for the TRCR (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) to control the playflow of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) when the TRCR (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) is coupled with the USB port (110) for receiving of a playflow control data (588) therefrom and the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) is uncoupled from the toy charging connector (101).

Claims

1. A remote controller and recharger for remote controlling and for use in recharging of a toy item comprising:

a housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a) comprising an outside surface (100b, 200b, 300b);

a toy charging connector (101) comprising a first portion (101a) disposed within the housing and a second portion (101b) extending past the outside surface (100b, 200b, 300b);

a wireless transmitter (102a) for transmitting a playflow control wireless signal (102b) past the outside surface (100b, 200b, 300b) of the housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a);

a retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) comprising at least two contacts (103a, 103b) and for extending past the outside surface (100b, 200b, 300b) of the housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a) in a second state, wherein in the second state the retractable connector (103) at least two contacts (103a, 103b) are for engaging a USB port (110) for having electrical power provided from the USB port (110) to the at least two contacts (103a, 103b);

a user input device (104) for at least one of extending past the outside surface (100b, 200b, 300b) of the housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a) and disposed within the housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a) for receiving input from the user; and

a control circuit (105) coupled with the at least two contacts (103a, 103b) and with the toy charging connector (101) and the wireless transmitter (102a) and the user input device (104), the control circuit (105) comprising a recharging circuit (105a), wherein in a first mode of operation the control circuit (105) is for controlling a play flow of the toy item (2010) through transmitting the playflow control wireless signal (102b) from the wireless transmitter (102a) and in a second mode of operation the control circuit (105) is for recharging of the toy item (2010) through electrical power provided from the USB port (110) when the toy charging connector (101) is coupled with the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) and the retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) is in the second state.

2. A remote controller and recharger for remote controlling and for use in recharging of a toy item according to claim 1 wherein the wireless transmitter (102a) comprises at least one of an infrared light emitting diode (102) for emitting of modulated light and a radio transmitter (302a) for emitting of radio waves.

3. A remote controller and recharger for remote controlling and for use in recharging of a toy item according to claim 2 comprising a pivot axis (299, 399), wherein the retractable connector (203, 303) is for extending past the outside surface (200b, 300b) of the housing (200a, 300a) using a pivoting motion in a second state and for being retracted approximately within the housing (200a, 300a) in a first state.

4. A remote controller and recharger for remote controlling and for use in recharging of a toy item according to claim 2 wherein the user input device (104) comprises at least a first button (104a) coupled with the control circuit (105), wherein the modulated light emitted from the light emitting diode (102) comprises a first set of optical signals upon pressing of the at least a first button (104a).

5. A remote controller and recharger for remote controlling and for use in recharging of a toy item according to claim 1 comprises one of a rechargeable battery (106) and a removeable battery (108) disposed with the housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a) and coupled with the control circuit (105), wherein in the second mode of operation the electrical power provided from the USB port (110) is for at least one of recharging of the rechargeable battery (106) and for providing of electrical power to the control circuit (105).

6. A remote controller and recharger for remote controlling and for use in recharging of a toy item according to claim 1 wherein the user input device (104) comprises at least one of a touch sensor (304a) and a variable resistor (204a) and an optical sensor.

7. A remote controller and recharger for remote controlling and for use in recharging of a toy item according to claim 1 wherein the remote controller comprises a releasable locking mechanism (109) coupled between the retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) and the housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a), wherein the releasable locking mechanism (109) is for releasably locking the retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) when the retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) at least one of transitions between the first state and second state and between the second state and first state, wherein in the first state the retractable connector is approximately retracted within the housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a).

8. A remote controller and recharger for remote controlling and for use in recharging of a toy item according to claim 1 wherein the retractable connector (503) comprises at least four contacts, the at least four contacts comprising the at least two contacts (103a, 103b) and two additional contacts (505c, 505d) coupled with the control circuit (105), wherein the two additional contacts (505c, 505d) are for receiving of a playflow control data (588) from the USB port (110) when the retractable connector (503) is in the second state and the control circuit (105) is operating in the first mode of operation for wirelessly controlling of a play flow of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974).

9. A system comprising:

a USB port (110);

a toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) comprising a toy housing (2010b) and having a toy rechargeable battery (2010c) disposed within the toy housing (2010b) and a toy charging receptacle coupled (2010d) with the toy rechargeable battery (2010c) and a wireless receiver (2010e) for receiving of a playflow control wireless signal (102b) and coupled with a toy control circuit (2010f) for controlling a play flow of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) in dependence upon the playflow control wireless signal (102b);

a remote controller and recharger (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) for operating in a first mode of operation for controlling of a play flow of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) and for in a second mode of operation for recharging of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974), the remote controller and recharger (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) comprising;

a housing comprising (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a) an outside surface (100b, 200b, 300b);

a toy charging connector (101) comprising a first portion (101a) disposed within the housing and a second portion (101b) extending past the outside surface (100b, 200b, 300b);

a wireless transmitter (102a) for transmitting a playflow control wireless signal (102b) past the outside surface (100b, 200b, 300b) of the housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a), the playflow control wireless signal (102b) for being received by the wireless receiver (2010e);

a retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) comprising at least two contacts (103a, 103b) and for extending past the outside surface (100b, 200b, 300b) of the housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a) in a second state, wherein in the second state the retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) at least two contacts (103a, 103b) are for engaging a USB port (110) for having electrical power provided from the USB port (110) to the at least two contacts (103a, 103b);

a user input device (104) for at least one of extending past the outside surface (100b, 200b, 300b) of the housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a) and disposed within the housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a) for receiving input from the user; and

a control circuit (105) coupled with the at least two contacts (103a, 103b) and with the toy charging connector (101) and the wireless transmitter (102a) and the user input device (104), the control circuit (105) comprising a recharging circuit (105a), wherein in the first mode of operation the remote controller and recharger (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) is for controlling the play flow of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) through transmitting the playflow control wireless signal (102b) from the wireless transmitter (102a) for being received by the wireless receiver (2010e) and in the second mode of operation the remote controller and recharger (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) is for recharging of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) toy rechargeable battery (2010c) through electrical power provided from the USB port (110) when the toy charging connector (101) is coupled with toy charging receptacle (2010d) and the retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) is in the second state.

10. A system according to claim 9 wherein the wireless receiver (2010e) comprises an optical receiver for receiving of light pulses and the wireless transmitter (102a) comprises an optical transmitter for emitting the light pulses past the outside surface of the housing, wherein the play flow of the toy item is controller through the light pulses emitted from the optical transmitter for being received by the optical receiver when the remote controller and recharger is in the first mode of operation.

11. A system according to claim 9 wherein the retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) comprises at least four contacts, the at least four contacts comprises the at least two contacts (103a, 103b) and two additional contacts (505c, 505d) coupled with the control circuit (105), wherein the two additional contacts (505c, 505d) are for receiving of a playflow control data (588) from the USB port (110) when the retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) is in the second state and the control circuit (105) is operating in the first mode of operation for wirelessly controlling of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) in dependence upon the playflow control data (588).

12. A system according to claim 9 wherein the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) comprises one of a propeller (1974a), at least a leg (2009a), at least a wheel (2010a).

18. A method according to claim 12 comprising:

receiving of a playflow control data (588) from the USB port (110);

generating the playflow control wireless signal (102b) in dependence upon the playflow control data (588); and

controlling the playflow of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) in dependence upon the received playflow control wireless signal (102b).

19. A method according to claim 18 comprising:

providing a computer (599);

providing software for execution on the computer (599); and

generating the playflow control data (588) by using the software for execution on the computer (599).

20. A method according to claim 12 comprising:

providing a rechargeable battery (106) disposed within the TRCR (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) and coupled with the wireless transmitter (102a) and wherein recharging comprises recharging of the rechargeable batter (106) from electrical power received from the USB port (110).

13. A method comprising:

providing a toy remote controller and recharger (TRCR) (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) comprising a wireless transmitter (102a) coupled with a retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) and a user input device (104) and having a housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a);

coupling the TRCR (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) with the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) and the retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) with a USB port (110);

receiving of electrical power provided from the USB port (110);

recharging of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) through the electrical power received from the USB port (110);

uncoupling of the TRCR (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) from the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974);

wirelessly transmitting a playflow control wireless signal (102b) using the wireless transmitter (102a);

receiving of the playflow control wireless signal (102b) by the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974); and

controlling a playflow of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) through the received playflow control wireless signal (102b) by the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974).

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the playflow comprises, at least one of moving of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) in a forwards direction, moving of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) in a backwards direction, moving of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) in a right turn and moving of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974) in a left turn.

15. A method according to claim 14 comprising:

receiving of input from a user by the user input device (104) to change the playflow control wireless signal (102b); and

changing a playflow of the toy item (2010, 2009, 1974).

16. A method according to claim 15 comprising:

uncoupling of the retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) from the USB port (110).

17. A method according to claim 13 wherein coupling comprises extending of the retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) in relation to the housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a) and uncoupling comprises retracting of the retractable connector (103, 203, 303, 503) in relation to the housing (100a, 200a, 300a, 400a).