Real time conversational toy having secure playback response

• US 4,117,605 A
• Filed: 06/24/1976
• Issued: 10/03/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael J. Freeman
• Original Assignee: Michael J. Freeman
• Inventors: Freeman, Michael J., Kurland, Lawrence G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rose, Arthur S.
• Application Number:
  US05/699,433
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 46/232, 35/5, 35/6, 35/9 A, 35/8 A, 35/35 C, 360/60, 360/69, 360/132, 360/71, 235/61.7 B, 340/147 MD
• US Class Current: 434/319
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/183 electric
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/06 of the multiple-choice answer-type, i.e. where a given question is provided with a series of answers and a choice has to be made from the answers

Abstract

A real time conversational verbal interactive toy apparatus capable of providing a conversational type response to an interrogatory message from a removably insertable magnetic storage medium which comprises a plurality of coextensive multipurpose audio tracks contained in a housing includes a multipurpose selection apparatus for directly selecting one of the tracks for reproducing the selected information stored thereon, such as a multiple choice response to the interrogatory message, an insertion security apparatus operatively associated with a receptacle therein for providing an insertion condition for the inserted received magnetic storage medium housing with respect to the receptacle, the storage medium housing having a playback authorization code disposed thereon, the insertion security apparatus comprising elements responsive to this code for providing the insertion condition therefrom, and a condition responsive network operatively associated with the insertion security apparatus for controllably enabling the provision of a secure selected multiple choice playback response from the storage medium. Each track stores information in reproducible segments which are spatially related in time along the tracks and related in content to the corresponding segments on the other coextensive tracks of the plurality for providing the real time conversational type response. The condition responsive network is responsive to the provision of the insertion condition for providing the enable condition to a playback head only when the provided insertion condition corresponds solely to the playback authorization code so that only media capable of providing the aforementioned type of response may be employed.

Claims

1. A real time conversational verbal interactive toy apparatus comprising a removably insertable magnetic storage medium having a housing for said storage medium, said magnetic storage medium comprising a plurality of coextensive multipurpose audio tracks capable of having audio information stored thereon for multipurpose audio playback therefrom;

receptacle means for removably receiving said inserted storage medium housing wiith said storage medium in a playback position thereof;

audio playback means adjacent said multitrack storage medium and in alignment therewith in said playback position of said received inserted storage medium housing for selectively obtaining said stored audio information from each of said coextensive tracks;

multiple choice multipurpose selection means operatively connected to said playback means for directly selecting one of said tracks for reproducing said selected information stored thereon in accordance with a predetermined variable purpose for said multipurpose audio track; and

audio output means operatively connected to said playback means and said direct selection means for directly providing said selected track information from said selectively obtained stored audio information for selectively reproducing said information as an audio output therefrom, said information being stored on each track in a plurality of reproducible information segments, each of said segments comprising a complete message reproducible by said playback means directly in response to the selection of said track upon which said segments are stored, each of said information segments on each of said coextensive tracks being spatially related in real time along said tracks and related in content to said information segments on the other of said coextensive tracks in said plurality thereof, said selection means comprising means for designating only one of said coextensive tracks as an interrogatory message track with said information stored thereon comprising interrogatory messages and for designating said other of said coextensive tracks as responsive message tracks with said stored information thereon conprising selectable responsive messages spatially related along said other tracks in said real time and related in content to said interrogatory messages on said one designated interogatory message track dependent on said predetermined purpose for said multipurpose tracks, each of said tracks having substantially the same associated track width, said verbal interactive toy having a timed relationship between adjacent successive interrogatory messages solely dependent on the spatial relationship between said adjacent successive interrogatory messages on said one designated interrogatory message track and said responsive messages on said other tracks whereby said verbal interactive toy apparatus is capable of controlling verbal interaction in real time solely dependent on said spatial relationship, said interrogatory message containing a predetermined category of response thereto, each of said predetermined variable purposes corresponding to a different category of response to said interrogatory messages on said designated interrogatory message track, said multipurpose selection means enabling said category of response to be varied in accordance with a variation in said predetermined category of response contained in said interrogatory message on said designated real time related interrogatory message track;

insertion security means operatively associated with said receptacle means for providing an insertion condition for said inserted received multitrack magnetic storage medium housing with respect to said receptacle means, said multitrack storage medium housing having means disposed thereon comprising a playback authorization code for reproduction from said multitrack storage medium, said insertion security means comprising means responsive to said playback authorization code for providing said insertion condition therefrom; and

condition responsive means operatively associated with said insertion security means for controllably enabling the provision of said selectable reproduction of said selected information from said multitrack storage medium, said playback means having an enable condition and a disable condition for enabling the provision of said selectable reproduction therefrom only in said enable condition thereof, said condition rsponsive means being responsive to said insertion security means provided insertion condition for providing said enable condition to said playback means only when said provided insertion condition corresponds to a predetermined playback authorization code, whereby only a magnetic storage medium capable of providing said real time conversational type response to an interrogatory message may be employed in said verbal interactive toy apparatus for ensuring secure provision of said real time conversational type response;

said multiple choice multipurpose selection means comprising a plurality of switch means, one of said switch means being associated with each of said plurality of audio tracks, at least one of said switch means associated with one of said selectable other designated responsive message tracks comprising a parallel connected switch bank having a plurality of separately operable different single purpose switch members, each of said different single purpose corresponding to a different category of response to an associated real time related interrogatory message, means associated with said switch bank whereby only one of said switch members is operable at a time for said direct selection of said one associated track dependent on said predetermined category of response, said predetermined category of response being defined in said real time related interrogatory message on said interrogatory message track, whereby the category of multiple choice response to said interrogatory messages may be varied and said real time conversational type response may be ensured for each category;

said one interrogatory message containing track further comprising associated multiple choice selectable responses to a particular interrogatory message, said other tracks comprising responsive messages related in real time and content to said interrogatory messages and corresponding to said multiple choice selectable responses, only one of said plurality of other tracks comprising the correct selectable responsive message to a particular real time related interrogatory message.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of other tracks further comprises additional descriptive information relating to the content of said correct selectable responsive message, said designated interrogatory message track containing a subsequent different particular interrogatory message related in real time but unrelated in content to said additional information on said one additional information containing track with said other responsive message tracks containing selectable responsive messages related in real time and content to said subsequent different particular interrogatory message and related in real time but unrelated in content to said additional information, said switch means associated with said other responsive message tracks having a different selectable purpose for said subsequent different particular interrogatory message than for said particular interrogatory message related to said additional information, whereby secure real time conversational type multipurpose selection and response to successive interrogatory messages may be provided for said verbal interactive toy apparatus.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of said switch means associated with said responsive message containing tracks comprises a multiple purpose parallel connected switch bank having a separately operable switch member for each of said multiple purposes, only one of said switch members being operable at a time for said direct selection of said associated track dependent on said predetermined purpose, said predetermined purpose being defined in said real time related interrogatory message on said interrogatory message track.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said other designated responsive message tracks further comprise said particular interrogatory message identical in content and spatially related in real time along said tracks to said particular interrogatory message on said one designated interrogatory message track, wiith said selectable responsive messages to said particular interrogatory message being adjacent thereto and spatially related in real time along said tracks to said particular interrogatory message.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said audio playback means comprises a movable single track audio playback head selectively movable from track to track of said multitrack magnetic storage medium dependent on said track selected, said multiple choice multipurpose selection means comprising means for moving said single track audio playback head into alignment with said selected track for enabling said reproducing of said selected information stored thereon when sad provided insertion condition corresponds to a predetermined playback authorization code.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said audio playback means comprises a movable single track audio playback head selectively movable from rack to track of said multitrack magnetic storage medium dependent on said track selected, said multiple choice multipurpose selection means comprising means for moving said single track audio playback head into alignment with said selected track for enabling said reproducing of said selected information stored thereon when said provided insertion condition corresponds to a predetermined playback authorization code.

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said other designated responsive message tracks further comprise said particular interrogatory message identical in content and spatially related in real time along said other tracks to said particular interrogatory message on said one designated interrogatory message track with said selectable responsive messages to said particular interrogatory message being adjacent thereto and spatially related in real time along said tracks to said particular interrogatory message.

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said multiple choice multipurpose selection means comprises a removable template having a plurality of indicia thereon associated with the possible predetermined purposes for said selectable tracks on a particular inserted multitrack storage mediumm, said template being changeable dependent on said possible predetermined purposes.

9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said condition responsive means comprises logic gating means responsive to said insertion condition for providing said enable condition.

10. an apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said authorization code comprises an optically readable code, said insertion security means responsive to said playback authorization code comprising means responsive to said optically readable code for providing a digital signal therefrom to said logic gating means, said digital signal comprising said insertion condition, said logic gating means being responsive to said provided digital signal for providing said enable condition only when said provided digital signal corresponds to said predetermined authorization code.

11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said digital signal providing means comprises means for providing digital signal information corresponding to an unauthorized playback code and digital signal information corresponding to said predetermined playback authorization code, said logic gating means comprising first AND gate means operatively connected to said digital signal providing means for solely receiving said digital signal information corresponding to said predetermined authorization code for providing a first authorization logic output condition when said digital signal information corresponding to said predetermined authorization code is received thereby, second OR gate means operatively connected to said digital signal providing means for solely receiving said digital signal information corresponding to said unauthorized playback code for providing a first state output condition when said digital signal information corresponding to said unauthorized playback code is received thereby and a second state output condition when said digital signal information corresponding to said unauthorized playback code is not received thereby, first logic inverter means operatively connected to the output of said second OR gate means for inverting said state output condition thereof for providing a second authorization logic output condition from said first logic inverter means only when said second state output condition is provided thereto from said second OR gate means, and third AND gate means operatively connected to said first AND gate means and said first logic inverter means means outputs for providing said enable condition solely when said first and second authorization logic output conditions are present.

12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said enable condition providing means further comprises transistor switch means operatively connected to said third AND gate means output for providing said enable condition solely when said first and second authorization logic output conditions are present.

13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 12 further comprising power source means for providing power to enable operation of said audio playback means, said transistor switch means being operatively connected between said power source means and said audio playback means for enabling provision of said power to said audio playback means solely in said enable condition thereof.

14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein said digital signal providing means comprises a photodetector matrix array and an illumination source optically registrable therewith, said optically readable authorization code providing means comprising a plurality of light transmitting passageways in said housing disposable in said insertion security means between said illumination source and said photodetector matrix array in optical registration therewith for enabling selective illumination of said photodetector matrix array through said housing light transmitting passageways for providing said digital signal information dependent on said selectively illuminated photodetector matrix array, said photodetector matrix array being operatively connected to said first AND gate means and second OR gate means for providing said digital signal information thereto.

15. An apparatus in accordance with claim 14 wherein said photodetector matrix array comprises a plurality of photodetectors and said illummination source comprises an equal plurality of light emitting diodes with each one of said diodes being optically registrable with a given one of said photodetectors in said matrix array.

16. An apparatus in accordance with claim 14 wherein said matrix array comprises a plurality of photodetectors and said illumination source comprises a plurality of light transmitting optical fibers with each one of said fibers being optically registrable with a given one of said passageways for illuminating a given one of said photodetectors in said array.

17. An apparatus in accordance with claim 14 wherein said photodetector matrix array comprises a plurality of phototransistors.

18. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein said digital signal providing means comprises a photodetector matrix array and an illumination source optically registrable therewith, said optically readable authorization code providing means comprising a plurality of light transmitting passageways in said housing disposable in said insertion security means between said illumination source and said photodetector matrix array in optical registration therewith for enabling selective illumination of said photodetector matrix array through said housing light transmitting passageways for providing said digital signal information dependent on said selectively illuminated photodetector matrix array, said photodetector matrix array being operatively connected to said first AND gate means and second OR gate means for providing said digital signal information thereto.

19. An apparatus in accordance with claim 18 wherein said photodetector matrix array comprises a plurality of photodetectors and said illumination source comprises an equal plurality of light emitting diodes with each of said diodes being optically registrable with a given one of said photodetectors in said matrix array.

20. An apparatus in accordance with claim 18 wherein said matrix array comprises a plurality of photodetectors and said illumination source comprises a plurality of light transmitting optical fibers with each one of said fibers being optically registrable with a given one of said passageways for illuminating a given one of said photodetectors in said array.

21. An apparatus in accordance with claim 18 wherein said photodetector matrix array comprises a plurality of phototransistors.

22. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising power source mmeans for providing power to enable operation of said audio playback means, said condition responsive means being operatively connected between said power source means and said audio playback means for enabling provision of said power to said audio playback means solely in said enable condition thereof.

23. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said receptacle means comprises a unique keyway for insertion of said housing for controllably enabling placement of said housing with said storage medium in said playback position thereof, said disposed housing authorization code means comprising means cooperable with said keyway for enabling said housing insertion.

24. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said insertion security means further comprises detection means disposed in cooperation with said receptacle means for positively defining a composite detection pattern cooperable with said playback authorization code disposed on said storage medium housing, said composite detection pattern detection means comprising a first plurality of detectors dispersed throughout said composite pattern solely in positions defining a pattern corresponding to said predetermined playback authorization code and a second plurality of detectors dispersed throughout said first plurality of predetermined playback authorization code corresponding pattern defining detectors solely in predetermined positions positively defining spurious locations in said playback authorization code corresponding pattern, said insertion condition providing playback authorization code responsive means comprising means responsive to both said first and second plurality of detectors for providing said insertion condition, said condition responsive means providing said enable condition when said provided insertion condition corresponds solely to said predetermined playback authorization code and said positively defined spurious locations are not detected, whereby the provision of an erroneous enable condition is minimized upon insertion of an unauthorized storage medium housing in said receptacle means.