Autonomous Toy Capable of Tracking and Interacting With a Source

• US 20150147936A1
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cepia LLC
• Original Assignee: Cepia LLC
• Inventors: McGowan, Joseph L., Reynolds, Michael C., Hornsby, James Russell
• Application Number:
  US14/164,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20150147936A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/456
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 11/00 Self-movable toy figures
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/36 Steering-mechanisms for toy vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/395 steered by program
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/22 Electric drives power supply through track A63H18/12
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission

Abstract

A mechanized, movable toy with the ability to interact with and explore its environment, while performing actions and creating noises at specific intervals. The toy has at least two receivers and a control unit capable of detecting wireless signals from a source and capable of reacting to move towards the source of the wireless signals. Once the toy enters within an area of the source, the toy performs a new action. The source may be a stationary device, handheld device, movable device, or another mobile toy. The toy may contain switches thereupon to switch the toy on or off. The receivers may be arranged in and around the toy to detect the wireless signals from one side of the toy or another.

Claims

1. An interactive toy and a source, comprising:

a toy being capable of moving autonomously in its environment through movements controlled by control circuitry of the toy;

a source of a wireless signal which is physically separate from the toy;

two or more sensors of the toy capable of detecting the at least one wireless signal;

a control circuitry of the toy capable of analyzing the wireless signal detected by the sensors and able to direct the toy towards the source of the wireless signal;

wherein the control circuitry of the toy causes the toy to perform a trick once the toy is within a predetermined distance of the source of the wireless signal;

wherein the trick involves a specific set of movements by the toy around or near the source;

wherein there may be multiple different sources of the wireless signal each capable of emitting a different wireless signal;

wherein different wireless signals cause the toy to perform a different trick.

2. The toy of claim 1, wherein the source of the wireless signal emits an infrared signal and the sensors are capable of detecting infrared signals.

3. The toy of claim 2, wherein there are at least two motors on the toy capable of moving the toy.

4. The toy of claim 3, wherein the toy has at least four sensors, with at least two sensors at the front of the toy and at least two sensors at the rear of the toy.

5. The toy of claim 2, wherein the toy has three wheels, with its center of gravity over two wheels of the toy.

6. The toy of claim 5, wherein a trick performed by the toy includes moving in reverse, then moving forward allowing the front of the toy to rise up and ride on only two wheels.

7. The toy of claim 2, wherein the tricks comprise moving from one side to another while sitting on its rear wheels, spinning around in a circle, charging at the source, or moving from side to side.

8. The toy of claim 7, wherein the toy is capable of physically interacting with the toy and causing the ball to move, with the toy moving correspondingly to continue to interact with the toy.

9. The toy of claim 8, wherein there may be multiple toys capable of pursuing the source at the same time.

10. The toy of claim 2, wherein the source comprises a handheld device, a stationary device, or a ball.

11. The toy of claim 10, wherein the ball consists of four wireless emitters.

12. The toy of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry of the toy recognizes it is within the predetermined distance from the source of the wireless signal because of a coded signal sent in sequence within the wireless signal from the source of the wireless signal.

13. The toy of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry of the toy recognizes it is within the predetermined distance from the source of the wireless signal because the toy recognizes a second signal delivered to the toy within the predetermined distance.

14. The toy of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry of the toy recognizes it is within the predetermined distance from the source of the wireless signal because the control circuitry of the toy analyzes the signal strength of the detected wireless signal.