SQUEEZABLE MUSICAL TOY WITH LOOPING AND DECAYING SCORE AND VARIABLE CAPACITANCE STRESS SENSOR

• US 20120220187A1
• Filed: 02/28/2012
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Invention, LLC
• Original Assignee: Applied Minds LLC
• Inventors: HILLIS, W. Daniel, Howe, Russel
• Granted Patent: US 9,259,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/297
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/28 Arrangements of sound-producing means in dolls; Means in dolls for producing sounds
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 5/00 Musical or noise- producing devices for additional toy effects other than acoustical musical tops A63H1/28; sound-producing dolls A63H3/28; musical toy vehicles A63H17/268; acoustical vehicle-signalling devices A63H17/32; whistling toy locomotive arrangements A63H19/14; music, sound or noise production in general G10
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0551 using variable capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/26 for automatically producing a series of tones
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/055 Spint toy, i.e. specifically designed for children, e.g. adapted for smaller fingers or simplified in some way; Musical instrument-shaped game input interfaces with simplified control features

Abstract

An enhanced toy produces repeating, decaying notes in response to applied pressure. The tone of each note is determined, based on the location at which a user applies pressure. The initial amplitude of each note is proportional to the intensity, as measured by a stress sensor. The toy periodically repeats each note, attenuating the amplitude of each successive repetition by a decay factor. The toy may alter the notes associated with each of a plurality of locations. For example, if all currently repeating notes have decayed below a predetermined threshold, the currently available set of notes may be exchanged for a new set of notes, e.g. with different tones or timbres. The stress sensors may comprise flexible capacitors within the toy. As the user applies pressure, the geometry of one or more capacitors deform, altering the measured capacitance, through which the intensity of the applied pressure is determined.

Claims

1. A musical toy, comprising:

a body comprising a plurality of segments;

a plurality of stress sensors, wherein each of the stress sensors corresponds to a corresponding segment, a microcontroller in communication with each of the stress sensors; and

a speaker;

to wherein the microcontroller is configured to

produce a signal that corresponds to one or a plurality of musical notes, wherein the signal is based upon which of the plurality of sensors is activated, and

output the signal through the speaker.

2. The musical toy of claim 1, wherein each of the stress sensors comprises a capacitor having a corresponding electrical capacitance having a value that is increases as a function of pressure applied by a user.

3. The musical toy of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to add the produced signal to a music loop.

4. The musical toy of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to apply a decay function to the music loop.

5. The musical toy of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory; and

a plurality of audio samples stored within the memory, wherein each the audio samples corresponds to one of the musical notes;

wherein the microprocessor is further configured to retrieve a respective one of the stored audio files to produce the signal.

6. The musical toy of claim 1, wherein each of the stored audio samples has a characteristic duration.

7. The musical toy of claim 1, wherein the initial amplitude of the musical note is proportional to the intensity with which the pressure is applied by the user.

8. The musical toy of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to cease repetition of a musical note if the amplitude of the musical note falls below a predetermined threshold.

9. The musical toy of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to purge the oldest currently repeating note when the user initiates a new note, and the total number of currently repeating notes has reached a predetermined maximum number of notes.

10. The musical toy of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to alter one or more of the musical notes.

11. A process, comprising the steps of:

providing a structure comprising a speaker and a plurality of sensors, wherein each of the sensors has a tone associated therewith;

sensing pressure applied to one or more of the sensors by a user;

retrieving audio samples that correspond to one or more musical notes, wherein the retrieved audio samples are based upon which of the plurality of sensors is activated;

adding the retrieved audio samples to a music loop signal;

outputting the music loop signal from the speaker; and

applying a decay function to the music loop signal.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein each of the sensors comprises a capacitor having a corresponding electrical capacitance having a value that is increases as a function of pressure applied by a user.

13. The process of claim 11, wherein the step of sensing pressure applied to one or more of the sensors comprises a step of determining the intensity with which the pressure is applied, wherein the intensity comprises any of a magnitude or a rate of change.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein the initial amplitude of the musical note is proportional to the intensity with which the pressure is applied by the user.

15. The process of claim 11, wherein the step of adding the retrieved audio sample to the music loop comprises replacing a prior audio sample within the music loop signal.

16. The process of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

storing a plurality of the audio samples stored within the memory, wherein each the audio samples corresponds to one of the musical notes.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein each of the stored audio samples has a characteristic duration.

18. The process of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

ceasing repetition of the musical note if the amplitude of the musical note falls below a predetermined threshold.

19. The process of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

purging the oldest currently repeating note when the user initiates a new note, and the total number of currently repeating notes has reached a predetermined maximum number of notes.

20. The process of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

altering one or more of the musical notes.

21. A capacitor, comprising:

a compliant generally cylindrical dielectric layer extending from a first end to a second end opposite the first end, comprising an outer cylindrical surface extending between the first end and the second end, and a central hole defined between the first end and the second send, the central hole being coaxial to the outer cylindrical surface, and defining an inner cylindrical surface, wherein a radial distance is defined between the inner surface and the outer surface;

a first electrically conductive layer located on the outer cylindrical surface of the compliant generally cylindrical dielectric layer; and

a second electrically conductive layer located on the inner cylindrical surface of the compliant generally cylindrical dielectric layer;

wherein the compliant generally cylindrical dielectric layer is compressible in response to an applied radial pressure; and

wherein the capacitance of the capacitor changes as a function of the applied radial pressure.

22. The capacitor of claim 21, wherein the generally cylindrical dielectric layer comprises open cell foam.

23. The capacitor of claim 21, wherein any of the first electrically conductive layer or the second electrically conductive layer comprise a metallized film.

24. The capacitor of claim 23, wherein the metallized film comprises biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film.

25. The capacitor of claim 21, further comprising:

a cylindrical structural core located within the central hole and extending between the first end and the second end, wherein the second electrically conductive layer surrounds the structural core.

26. The capacitor of claim 25, wherein the structural core comprises closed-cell foam.

27. The capacitor of claim 21, wherein the capacitor is deformable.

28. The capacitor of claim 21, wherein the areas of the first electrically conductive layer, the second electrically conductive layer, and the dielectric layer remain approximately constant during deformation.

29. The capacitor of claim 21, wherein the capacitance is a function of a changing separation between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer.