"Electronic Musical Puzzle"

• US 20130130589A1
• Filed: 11/15/2012
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jesse J. Cobb
• Original Assignee: Jesse J. Cobb
• Inventors: Cobb, Jesse J.
• Application Number:
  US13/678,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20130130589A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/485
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00599 with slit, slot or groove A63F3/00634 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0003 Games specially adapted for blind or partially sighted people
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2402 Input by manual operation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/247 audible, e.g. using a loudspeaker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2489 by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0612 Electronic puzzles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates generally to the field of electronic toys and particularly to toys for blind and visually impaired children. The specification discloses an electronic musical puzzle for blind or visually impaired children comprising an electronic deck featuring a plurality of ordered slots and one special “reader slot” into which any of a plurality of blocks may be placed. Each block contains a remote electronic identifier (e.g. an RFID tag) that the deck is capable of reading. When a block is placed in the “reader slot”, a unique tone, musical phrase, or sound recording associated with the particular block is played back. The same sound is played back when the block is placed in its unique correct slot and then pressed down. To solve the puzzle, the child must place each block in its correct slot. Once the puzzle is solved in this way, the child may selectively play back each sound by pressing on a block of choice. In embodiments where each bock represents a single tone, the child can then play the blocks like an electronic keyboard.

Claims

1. An electronic toy especially useful for blind and visually impaired children comprising:

a plurality of game pieces, each game piece having an electronic identifier;

an electronic deck having a plurality of ordered slots and at least one reader slot into which any of a plurality of game pieces may be received; and

a reader circuit disposed in the electronic deck for;

responsive to receiving a game piece in the reader slot, producing an audible unique tone, musical phrase, or sound recording associated with the received block; and

responsive to receiving a game piece in a corresponding ordered slot, and responsive to downward pressure applied the game piece, producing said audible unique tone, musical phrase, or sound recording;

wherein, a user may solve a puzzle by placing each game piece in the reader slot, identifying the tone, musical phrase, or sound recording produced, and then moving each game piece into its corresponding ordered slot, thereby enabling the user to selectively play back each unique tone, musical phrase, or sound recording by pressing on each game piece of choice.

2. The electronic toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the electronic identifier comprises a radio frequency identification device.

3. The electronic toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ordered slots are arranged in a muscial scale.

4. The electronic toy as set forth in claim 3 wherein the musical scale represents an arrangement according to a keyboard instrument.

5. The electronic toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the reader circuit is further for, responsive to receiving a game piece in a non-corresponding ordered slot, producing an audible error tone, error musical phrase, or error sound recording.

6. The electronic toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the plurality of game pieces comprise block-shaped game pieces.