Audio responsive digital toy

• US 4,375,287 A
• Filed: 03/23/1981
• Issued: 03/01/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smith, Henry C.
• Original Assignee: Smith, Henry C.
• Inventors: Smith, Henry C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hum, Vance Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Application Number:
  US06/246,308
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 273/237, 273/138 A, 273/139, 273/1 E, 273/1 GC, 46/232, 46/256
• US Class Current: 463/22
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/183 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/006 electronically

Abstract

A digital toy which produces a random response to an audible inquiry. During the time of the audible inquiry, a switch is depressed. During that switch depression time a random response of the yes or no type is determined and at the same time an enabling signal is generated so long as an audible inquiry has been detected. Upon release of the switch the enabling signal causes binary coded decimal lights to flash and simultaneously tones to be sounded for a time period followed by a buzzer sound after which the predetermined response is displayed.

Claims

1. A digital toy providing a random response to an audible inquiry, comprising:

switch means having first and second positions;

response determining means activated during placement of said switch means in said first position for determining a random response;

audio detecting means activated during placement of said switch means in said first position for providing an enabling signal responsive to the detection of an audible inquiry;

display means activated by said enabling signal during the placement of said switch means in said second position for displaying the response determined wherein said display means comprises delay means for converting said enabling signal into a timed signal, and circuit means for producing a sensory display output during said timed signal and upon termination thereof displaying said random response; and

said circuit means comprises pulse means for producing output pulses during the duration of said timed signal, counter means for counting the output pulses, and optical display means for optically displaying the counter of said counter means.

2. A digital toy as in claim 1, wherein said circuit means further comprises tone generator means for providing output sounds, said output pulses frequency modulating said tone generator means, whereby said tone generator means produces its output sounds responsive to said output pulses, and speaker means for audibly reproducing said output sounds.

3. A digital toy as in claim 2, and further comprising control means coupled to said tone generator means for varying the pitch of the output sound.

4. A digital toy as in claim 2, and further comprising trigger means responsive to the termination of said timed signal for terminating said audible sounds and said optical display, and for causing said random response to be displayed for a predetermined interval.

5. A digital toy as in claim 4, and further comprising audible sounding means for producing a distinct audible sound through said speaker means responsive to said termination by said trigger means.

6. A digital toy as in claim 1, wherein said response determining means comprises clock means activated throughout the placement of said switch means in said first position, counter means for counting the output of said clock means, decoding means for decoding the output of said counter means into continuous repetitive numeric count series, and a pair of indicator means respectively responsive to alternate ones of the count of said count series, whereby a random binary output is produced.