Interactive play set

• US 20130072083A1
• Filed: 07/23/2012
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nabil N. Ghaly
• Original Assignee: Nabil N. Ghaly
• Inventors: Ghaly, Nabil N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,845,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/91
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/52 Dolls' houses, furniture or other equipment simulating liquid flow A63H33/3022; Dolls' clothing or footwear

Abstract

An interactive intelligent play set, method and apparatus, is disclosed which includes a principle toy, a plurality of action figures, and/or play accessories. An intelligent play set identifies and tracks action figures and/or play accessories used by a player during a play session, provides interactions based on the specific action figures, accessories, or combinations thereof, used by a player during game play, provides interactions based on the history of how a player has interacted with the set during previous play sessions, and/or enables a player to construct new interactions between the various play pieces of the play set, using basic interactions as building blocks.

The specification discloses one preferred embodiment, and three alternate embodiments that are based on one or more of the concepts described herein.

Claims

1. An interactive play set, which includes a primary toy device that interacts with a plurality of play pieces, comprising:

a microprocessor with a computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program to control the operation of the primary toy device,

means for identifying a play piece during a play session,

computer memory to store a plurality of interactions between the primary toy device and said play pieces, and

a control program segment to provide an interaction for the toy device that is based on the identity of the play piece used by a player during the play session.

2. An interactive play set as recited in claim 1 further comprising an input control mechanism to enable a player to interact with the primary toy device.

3. An interactive play set as recited in claim 1 further comprising means for generating visual or sound effects that are coordinated with actions provided by the primary toy device.

4. An interactive play set as recited in claim 1, wherein the primary toy device is in the form of an interactive toy pet device, and wherein said plurality of play pieces includes a plurality of cue cards.

5. An interactive play set as recited in claim 1, wherein said primary toy device is implemented by a motorized vehicle, and wherein said plurality of play pieces includes a plurality of traffic signs.

6. An interactive play set as recited in claim 1, wherein said primary toy device is implemented by an interactive doll device, and wherein said plurality of play pieces includes a plurality clothing pieces and accessories.

7. An interactive play set as recited in claim 5, wherein said motorized vehicle is in the form of a passenger car, a military vehicle, a rescue vehicle, a bus, or an action character vehicle.

8. An interactive play set as recited in claim 1, wherein primary toy device is implemented by a motorized vehicle in the form of a taxi car, and wherein said plurality of play pieces include at least one of a plurality of action figures, a plurality of traffic signs, and a plurality of building models.

9. An interactive play set as recited in claim 8, wherein said plurality of building models includes houses, office buildings, train station, school, hospital, or movie theatre.

10. An interactive play set as recited in claim 8, wherein said action figures depict passengers, and wherein said building models depict destinations, and further comprising means to enable a player to program a motion profile associated with an action figure/building model combination.

11. An interactive play set as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for identifying play pieces during a play session includes radio frequency identification reader and associated tags.

12. An interactive play set, which includes a primary toy device that interacts with a plurality of play pieces, comprising:

a microprocessor with a computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program to control the operation of the primary toy device,

a communication module to identify play pieces during a play session,

computer memory to store data related to a plurality of interactions between the primary toy and said play pieces, and

a control program segment to provide an interaction that is based on the identity of a play piece used by a player during the play session.

13. An interactive play set as recited in claim 12 wherein said communication module includes at least one of infrared transmitter/receiver, Radio Frequency transmitter/receiver, and Magnetic Coupling device.

14. An interactive play set as recited in claim 12 wherein the primary toy device is in the form of a mechanized vehicle, and wherein the interactions include a motion profile for the vehicle.

15. An interactive play set as recited in claim 14 further comprising a remote control apparatus that includes a plurality of switches to control the operation of the vehicle.

16. An interactive play set as recited in claim 12 wherein the primary toy device is in the form of an interactive toy pet device, and wherein the play pieces include a plurality of cue cards.

17. An interactive play set that includes a motorized vehicle, and a plurality of play pieces, comprising:

a microprocessor with a computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program to control the operation of the vehicle,

a communication module to identify play pieces used by a player during game play,

computer memory to store information related to interactions, including speed and steering data for a plurality of motion actions that are associated with play pieces, and

a control program segment that generates a movement action for the vehicle based on the identity of play pieces used by the player during game play.

18. An interactive play set as recited in claim 17, wherein said movement action of the vehicle includes at least one of forward movement, backward movement, increase speed, decrease speed, stop, left turn, right turn, and U turn.

19. An interactive play set as recited in claim 17, wherein said play pieces includes at least one of action figures that depict passengers, traffic signs, and building models that depict destinations for passengers.

20. An interactive play set as recited in claim 17 further comprising means to associate a motion profile for the vehicle with a play piece, or a plurality of play pieces.

21. An interactive play set that includes a primary toy device, and a plurality of play pieces, comprising:

a microprocessor with a computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program to control the operation of the primary toy device,

a communication module to identify play pieces used by a player during game play,

computer memory to store data for a plurality of interactions that are associated with play pieces, and

means for programming additional interactions for the primary toy device using stored interactions as building blocks.

22. An interactive play set as recited in claim 21, wherein the communication module is based on Radio Frequency Identification technology, and wherein at least one play piece includes means for activating, and deactivating a passive RFID tag.

23. An interactive play set as recited in claim 22, wherein said means for activating and deactivating a passive RFID tag includes a cue card with an animation mechanism.

26. An interactive play set that includes an interactive toy pet device, and a plurality of play pieces, comprising:

a microprocessor with a computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program to control the operation of the pet device,

a communication module to identify a play piece used by a player during game play,

computer memory to store a plurality of interactions between the pet device and a play piece, and

a control program segment that generates an interaction for the pet device based on the identity of said play piece used by the player during game play.

27. An interactive play set as recited in claim 26, wherein said play pieces include cue cards.

28. An interactive play set as recited in claim 27, wherein at least one of said cue cards is animated.