WIRELESSLY CONTROLLED ACTION FIGURES

• US 20140349547A1
• Filed: 12/04/2013
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Retail Authority LLC
• Original Assignee: Retail Authority LLC
• Inventors: Fife, James A., Womack, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US14/097,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20140349547A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/353
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 11/00 Self-movable toy figures
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission

Abstract

A system may include two character figurines, each of which may be an action figure. Each character figurine may have a body with a humanoid shape. The character figurines may include a first character figurine with a wireless transmitter that transmits a wireless signal, and a second character figurine with a wireless receiver that receives the wireless signal. The second character figurine may have an action system that causes the second character figurine to undertake a visually perceptible action when the wireless signal is received. The action system may include a motor, and the visually perceptible action may include motion of the second character figurine, driven by the motor, that approximates receipt of a wound inflicted by the first character figurine.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first character figurine comprising;

a first body that resembles a first character; and

a first wireless transmitter coupled to the first body, wherein the first wireless transmitter transmits a first wireless signal; and

a second character figurine comprising;

a second body that resembles a second character;

a second wireless receiver coupled to the second body, wherein the second wireless receiver receives the first wireless signal; and

a second action system coupled to the second body and the second wireless receiver such that, in response to receipt of the first wireless signal, the second action system causes the second character figurine to perform a second visually perceptible action.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first body comprises a first humanoid shape and the second body comprises a second humanoid shape.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first character figurine further comprises a first backpack configured to be coupled to a first back of the first humanoid shape, wherein the backpack comprises a first battery compartment that receives a first battery, wherein the first battery compartment is electrically connected to the first wireless transmitter to permit transmission of electricity from the first battery to the first wireless transmitter, wherein the second character figurine further comprises a second backpack configured to be coupled to a second back of the second humanoid shape, wherein the second backpack comprises a second battery compartment that receives a second battery, wherein the second battery compartment is electrically connected to the second wireless receiver and to the second action system to permit transmission of electricity from the second battery to the second wireless receiver and the second action system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first body comprises a first plurality of joints that enables the first body to be posed in any of a first plurality of configurations, wherein the second body comprises a second plurality of joints that enables the second body to be posed in any of a second plurality of configurations.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second action system comprises a motor coupled to at least one joint of the second plurality of joints, wherein the second visually perceptible action comprises motion of the second body, driven by the motor, from a first configuration of the second plurality of configurations to a second configuration of the second plurality of configurations.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein motion of the second body from the first configuration to the second configuration approximates receipt by the second character of a wound inflicted by the first character.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless transmitter comprises an infrared transmitter, wherein the second wireless receiver comprises an infrared receiver, wherein the first wireless signal comprises an infrared signal.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first character figurine further comprises a weapon, wherein the first character figurine is posable to hold the weapon such that transmission of the first wireless signal by the first wireless transmitter approximates use of the weapon by the first character against the second character.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second character figurine further comprises a second wireless transmitter that transmits a second wireless signal, wherein the first character figurine further comprises:

a first wireless receiver that receives the second wireless signal; and

a first action system that, in response to receipt of the second wireless signal, causes the first character figurine to perform a first visually perceptible action.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first body comprises a torso, wherein the first wireless transmitter and the first wireless receiver are both positioned on the torso.

11. A method for manufacturing a system, the method comprising:

providing a first body that resembles a first character to define a first character figurine;

providing a first wireless transmitter capable of transmitting a first wireless signal;

coupling the first wireless transmitter to the first body;

providing a second body that resembles a second character to define a second character figurine;

providing a second wireless receiver capable of receiving the first wireless signal;

providing a second action system;

coupling the second wireless receiver to the second body; and

coupling the second action system to the second body and the second wireless receiver such that, in response to receipt of the first wireless signal, the second action system causes the second character figurine to perform a second visually perceptible action.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the first body comprises providing a first humanoid shape comprising a first plurality of joints that enables the first humanoid shape to be posed in any of a first plurality of configurations, wherein providing the second body comprises providing a second humanoid shape comprising a second plurality of joints that enables the second humanoid shape to be posed in any of a second plurality of configurations.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a first backpack comprising a first battery compartment that receives a first battery, wherein the first backpack is configured to be coupled to a first back of the first humanoid shape such that the first battery compartment is electrically connected to the first wireless transmitter to permit transmission of electricity from the first battery to the first wireless transmitter; and

providing a second backpack comprising a second battery compartment that receives a second battery, wherein the second backpack is configured to be coupled to a second back of the second humanoid such that the second battery compartment is electrically connected to the second wireless receiver and to the second action system to permit transmission of electricity from the second battery to the second wireless receiver and the second action system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein providing the first body comprises providing a weapon such that the first character figurine is posable to hold the weapon such that transmission of the first wireless signal by the first wireless transmitter approximates use of the weapon by the first character against the second character, wherein the second action system comprises a motor, wherein coupling the second action system to the second body and the second wireless receiver comprises coupling the motor to at least one joint of the second plurality of joints such that the second visually perceptible action comprises motion of the second body, driven by the motor, from a first configuration to a second configuration to approximate receipt by the second character of a wound inflicted by the first character.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the first wireless transmitter comprises providing an infrared transmitter, wherein providing the second wireless receiver comprises providing an infrared receiver.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a second wireless transmitter capable of transmitting a second wireless signal;

coupling the second wireless transmitter to the second body;

providing a first wireless receiver that receives the second wireless signal;

providing first action system;

coupling the first wireless receiver to the first body; and

coupling the first action system to the first body and the first wireless receiver such that, in response to receipt of the second wireless signal, the first action system causes the first character figurine to perform a first visually perceptible action.

17. A system comprising:

a first character figurine comprising;

a first body comprising a first humanoid shape that resembles a first character, the first body comprising a first plurality of joints that enables the first body to be posed in any of a first plurality of configurations; and

a first infrared transmitter coupled to the first body, wherein the first infrared transmitter transmits a first infrared signal; and

a second character figurine comprising;

a second body comprising a second humanoid shape that resembles a second character, the second body comprising a second plurality of joints that enables the second body to be posed in any of a second plurality of configurations;

a second infrared receiver coupled to the second body, wherein the second infrared receiver receives the first infrared signal; and

a second action system coupled to the second body and the second infrared receiver such that, in response to receipt of the first infrared signal, the second action system causes the second character figurine to perform a second visually perceptible action.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first character figurine further comprises a first backpack configured to be coupled to a first back of the first humanoid shape, wherein the backpack comprises a first battery compartment that receives a first battery, wherein the first battery compartment is electrically connected to the first infrared transmitter to permit transmission of electricity from the first battery to the first infrared transmitter, wherein the second character figurine further comprises a second backpack configured to be coupled to a second back of the second humanoid shape, wherein the second backpack comprises a second battery compartment that receives a second battery, wherein the second battery compartment is electrically connected to the second infrared receiver and to the second action system to permit transmission of electricity from the second battery to the second infrared receiver and the second action system.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first character figurine further comprises a weapon, wherein the first character figurine is posable to hold the weapon such that transmission of the first infrared signal by the first infrared transmitter approximates use of the weapon by the first character against the second character, wherein the second action system comprises a motor coupled to at least one joint of the second plurality of joints, wherein the second visually perceptible action comprises motion of the second body, driven by the motor, from a first configuration of the second plurality of configurations to a second configuration of the second plurality of configurations to approximate receipt by the second character of a wound inflicted by the first character.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the second character figurine further comprises a second infrared transmitter that transmits a second infrared signal, wherein the first character figurine further comprises:

a first infrared receiver that receives the second infrared signal; and

a first action system that, in response to receipt of the second infrared signal, causes the first character figurine to perform a first visually perceptible action.