Toy having optically actuated sound generator

• US 4,675,519 A
• Filed: 01/31/1986
• Issued: 06/23/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Price, William E.
• Original Assignee: Price, William E.
• Inventors: Price, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Westin, Edward P.
• Application Number:
  US06/824,432
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 250/206, 250/208, 250/209, 250/214 R, 250/214 SW, 250/221, 307/117, 340/555-557, 340/567, 340/573, 446/270, 446/297, 446/397, 446/298-302
• US Class Current: 446/175
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/28 Arrangements of sound-producing means in dolls; Means in dolls for producing sounds
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/10 Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers by reflection from the object G01S17/00

Abstract

A toy having an optically actuated sound generator includes first and second phototransistors coupled in series for creating a substantially binary output voltage based on the relative light intensities striking such phototransistors. A Schmitt-trigger circuit receives the binary output voltage and eliminates therefrom light-flicker components resulting from fluorescent lighting. Additional circuitry creates an enabling pulse at each transition of the Schmitt-trigger output signal, which enabling signal enables dual oscillator circuits. The dual oscillator output signals are gated together to drive a speaker for creating audible signals and to activate a light emitting diode. The electronic circuitry and speaker are housed in a baffle through which the phototransistors and light emitting diode protrude for communicating with a face portion of the toy.

Claims

1. A toy doll including optical sensor means for triggering the generation of sounds in response to variations in light striking the optical sensor means, comprising in combination:

(a) a doll body including a face portion, said face portion including at least one sensor hole formed therein;

(b) a cylindrical baffle having cylindrical walls of a predetermined diameter and having a first closed end and a second opposing open end, said first closed end having a plurality of perforations formed therein for permitting the passage of sounds therethrough, said closed end further including at least one sensor hole formed therein;

(c) a generally planar electronic circuit component board having at least one optical sensor mounted thereto and electrically coupled therewith, said optical sensor extending substantially perpendicular from said component board, said component board being disposed within and supported by the cylindrical walls of said baffle proximate said first closed end thereof, said optical sensor extending through the sensor hole of said first closed end of said baffle;

(d) electronic circuitry mounted upon said component board and responsive to said optical sensor for generating audio signals;

(e) a speaker electrically coupled to said electronic circuitry and having a diameter substantially commensurate with the predetermined diameter of said cylindrical baffle, said speaker being disposed within said cylindrical baffle proximate the open end thereof and directed toward the closed end of said cylindrical baffle for directing audio sounds out of said plurality of perforations; and

(f) means for positioning said cylindrical baffle within said doll body proximate said face portion, said optical sensor extending through the sensor hole formed within said face portion for receiving light directed toward the face portion of said doll body.

2. A toy doll as recited by claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor hole formed in the face portion of said doll body is formed at an eye region thereof, said at least one optical sensor receiving light directed toward the eye region of the face portion of said doll body.

3. A toy doll as recited by claim 1 wherein said cylindrical baffle has an aperture formed in the cylindrical walls thereof, and wherein said toy doll further includes electrical conductors coupled to said component board and extending outwardly through the aperture formed in the cylindrical walls of said cylindrical baffle for connection to an electrical power source located external from said cylindrical baffle.

4. A toy doll as recited by claim 1 further including a light source mounted to said component board and electrically coupled with said electronic circuitry for generating light signals when said audio signals are generated, the closed end of said cylindrical baffle having at least a second hole formed therein, said light source extending through said second hole, said face portion of said doll body including at least a second hole formed therein, said light source extending through the second hole in said face portion for displaying said light signals upon said face portion of said toy doll.

5. A toy doll having a face portion and generating audible and visual signals in response to variations in light impinging on said face portion, comprising in combination:

(a) optical sensor means disposed within the face portion of said toy doll for creating a voltage responsive to light received by said face portion;

(b) detecting means coupled to said optical sensor means for detecting a change in said light responsive voltage and generating a trigger pulse in response thereto;

(c) an electrical circuit coupled to said detecting means and responsive to said trigger pulse for generating audio signals in response thereto;

(d) a speaker coupled to said electrical circuit for receiving said audio signals and providing audible signals in response thereto; and

(e) a light emitting device communicating with the face portion of said toy doll and coupled to said electrical circuit, said light-emitting device providing visual signals from the face portion of said toy doll generally corresponding to said audible signals provided by said speaker.

6. A toy doll as recited by claim 5 wherein the face portion of said toy doll has a hole formed therein at a point corresponding to a nose of said toy doll, and wherein said light-emitting device protrudes through said hole.

7. A toy doll as recited by claim 6 wherein said optical sensor means and said light-emitting device are disposed within the face portion of said toy doll relatively near one another to permit feedback of light signals emitted by said light-emitting device to said optical sensor means under subdued ambient lighting conditions.

8. A toy doll having a doll body generating audible signals in response to variations in light impinging on first and second portions thereof, comprising in combination:

(a) a first phototransistor having an emitter, a light responsive base, and a collector;

(b) first means for coupling the emitter of said first phototransistor to ground potential;

(c) a second phototransistor having an emitter, a light responsive base, and a collector;

(d) second means for coupling the collector of said second phototransistor to a supply voltage;

(e) third means for coupling the collector of said first phototransistor with the emitter of said second phototransistor at a summing junction to produce a junction voltage;

(f) the doll body of said toy doll including at least first and second holes formed therein for passing light to said first and second phototransistors, respectively;

(g) said junction voltage generally assuming one of two output voltage levels in accordance with the relative amounts of light received by said first and second phototransistors, said junction voltage assuming a first output voltage level relatively near ground potential when said first phototransistor receives more light than said second phototransistor, said junction voltage assuming a second output voltage level relatively near the supply voltage when said first phototransistor receives less light than said second phototransistor;

(h) detecting means coupled to said summing junction and responsive to transitions of the junction voltage between the first and second output voltage levels for generating a trigger pulse in response to such transitions;

(i) audio generator means coupled to said detecting means and responsive to said trigger pulse for generating audio signals for a predetermined duration; and

(j) a speaker coupled to said audio generator means for providing audible signals in response to said audio signals.

9. A toy doll as recited by claim 8 wherein said first and second means are each current limiting resistors.

10. A toy doll as recited by claim 8 further including a Schmitt-trigger circuit having an input coupled to said summing junction and a binary output coupled to said detecting means, said Schmitt-trigger circuit serving to sharpen rising and falling edges of transitions of the junction voltage, and serving to increase the immunity of said toy doll to light flicker conditions resulting from fluorescent lighting.

11. A toy doll as recited by claim 10 wherein said detecting means detects each transition of said binary output of said Schmitt-trigger circuit and generates said trigger pulse in response thereto.

12. A toy doll having a doll body and generating audible signals in response to variations in light impinging on said doll body, comprising in combination:

(a) optical sensor means communicating with the doll body of said toy doll for creating a voltage responsive to light received by said optical sensor means;

(b) a Schmitt-trigger circuit having at least one input coupled to said optical sensor means for receiving the light responsive voltage and having an output for providing a binary output signal having first and second logic states, said binary output signal switching to a first logic state when said light responsive voltage falls below a first threshold voltage and switching to a second logic state when said light responsive voltage rises above a second threshold voltage, said first threshold voltage being of lesser magnitude than said second threshold voltage for imparting hysteresis to the input/output voltage transfer characteristics of said Schmitt-trigger circuit, said Schmitt-trigger circuit thereby serving to sharpen rising and falling edges of transitions of said light responsive voltage, and serving to increase the immunity of said toy doll to light flicker conditions resulting from fluourescent lighting;

(c) detecting means coupled to the output of said Schmitt-trigger circuit for detecting transitions in the binary output signal provided thereby and generating a trigger pulse of predetermined duration in response thereto;

(d) audio generator means coupled to said detecting means and responsive to said trigger pulse for generating audio signals; and

(e) a speaker coupled to said audio generator means for providing audible signals in response to said audio signals.

13. A toy doll as recited by claim 12 wherein said detecting means includes a pulse forming network including a diode, a resistor, and a capacitor, said resistor and capacitor being interconnected at a common node to cause said common node to discharge at an associated RC time constant, said diode being connected to said common node and coupled to the output of said Schmitt-trigger circuit for charging said common node in response to a transition of said binary output signal, said trigger pulse being derived from said common node.

14. A toy doll as recited by claim 13 wherein said detecting means further includes an edge detector circuit coupled between the output of said Schmitt-trigger circuit and said pulse forming network for creating a positive pulse of relatively short duration each time the binary output signal of said Schmitt-trigger circuit switches between the first and second logic states, said positive pulse created by said edge detector circuit causing the diode of said pulse forming network to charge said common node for subsequent discharge by the resistor and capacitor of said pulse forming network.

15. A toy doll as recited by claim 14 wherein said edge detector circuit includes an exclusive-OR logic gate having first and second inputs, the first input of said exclusive-OR gate being directly coupled to said Schmitt-trigger circuit output, the second input of said exclusive-OR gate being coupled through a time-delay network to said Schmitt-trigger circuit output for receiving said binary output signal delayed by a relatively short period corresponding to the relatively short duration of the positive pulse created by said edge detector circuit.

16. A toy doll as recited by claim 13 wherein said pulse forming network is retriggered each time said common node thereof is charged by said diode.

17. A toy doll including optical sensor means for triggering the generation of lifelike sounds from the toy doll, comprising in combination:

(a) a doll body having at least one hole formed therein;

(b) optical sensor means disposed within said doll body and communicating with said hole therein for receiving light therethrough and generating an electrical signal in response thereto;

(c) circuit means coupled to said optical sensor means and responsive to predetermined changes in said light responsive electrical signal for providing an enabling signal of a predetermined duration;

(d) a first oscillator coupled to said circuit means and having a gating input for receiving said enabling signal, said first oscillator having an output for providing a first oscillating signal of a first frequency during the presence of said enabling signal;

(e) a second oscillator coupled to said circuit means and having a gating input for receiving said enabling signal, said second oscillator having an output for providing a second oscillating signal of a second frequency during the presence of said enabling signal, the second frequency being within the range of audio frequencies and relatively higher than said first frequency;

(f) logic gating means having first and second input terminals, said first input terminal being coupled to the output of said first oscillator for receiving said first oscillating signal, said second input terminal being coupled to the output of said second oscillator for receiving said second oscillating signal, said logic gating means having an output terminal providing a gated output signal corresponding to said second oscillating signal gated by said first oscillating signal during the presence of said enabling signal; and

(g) a speaker mounted within said doll body and coupled to the output terminal of said logic gating means and responsive to the gated output signal for providing said lifelike sounds.

18. A toy doll as recited by claim 17 wherein said circuit means includes a Schmitt-trigger circuit having an input coupled to said optical sensor means for receiving said light responsive electrical signal therefrom, said Schmitt-trigger circuit including an output for providing a binary output signal having first and second logic states, said binary output signal switching to a first logic state when said light responsive electrical signal falls below a first threshold level and switching to a second logic state when said light responsive electrical signal rises above a second threshold level, said first threshold level being of lesser magnitude than said second threshold level for imparting hysteresis to the input/output voltage transfer characteristics of said Schmitt-trigger circuit, said Schmitt-trigger circuit thereby serving to sharpen rising and falling edges of transitions of said light responsive electrical signal and to increase the immunity of said toy doll to light flicker conditions resulting from fluorescent lighting, said circuit means being responsive to transitions in the binary output signal provided by said Schmitt-trigger circuit for providing said enabling signal.

19. A toy doll as recited by claim 18 wherein said first and second oscillators each comprise an inverting logic gate having first and second inputs and an output, each of said first and second inputs exhibiting Schmitt-trigger action with respect to the output of each said inverting logic gate, the first input of each of said inverting logic gates being coupled in common to said circuit means for receiving said enabling signal, the second input of each of said inverting logic gates being coupled through a feedback resistor to the respective output thereof, the second input of each of said inverting logic gates being further coupled through an associated capacitor to a fixed reference voltage.

20. A toy doll as recited by claim 19 wherein said Schmitt-trigger circuit included within said circuit means comprises a third inverting logic gate having at least one input exhibiting Schmitt-trigger action with respect to the output thereof, and wherein said first, second and third inverting logic gates are provided within a single CMOS integrated circuit.

21. A toy doll as recited by claim 18 wherein said second oscillator further includes a control terminal for receiving a control voltage, said second oscillator being responsive to said control voltage for selectively varying at least the frequency or the duty cycle of said second oscillating signal, and wherein the output of said Schmitt-trigger circuit is connected to said control terminal for providing said control voltage thereto.

22. A toy doll as recited by claim 19 wherein said second oscillator further includes an RC control network having an input control terminal and an output control terminal, the input control terminal being coupled to the output of said Schmitt-trigger circuit within said circuit means, and the output control terminal being coupled to the second input of said inverting logic gate of said second oscillator for selectively varying at least the frequency or duty cycle of said second oscillating signal in accordance with the binary output state of said Schmitt-trigger circuit within said circuit means.

23. A toy doll having a doll body and generating audible sounds in response to particular variations of light impinging on at least two portions of said doll body, comprising in combination:

(a) optical sensor means having first and second light sensors positioned at first and second locations within said doll body for viewing first and second light fields, said optical sensor means including an output terminal for providing an output signal having first and second output states, the output signal assuming a first output state when said first light sensor receives relatively more light than said second light sensor, the output signal assuming a second output state when said second light sensor receives relatively more light than said first light sensor;

(b) detecting means coupled to said output terminal of said optical sensor means and responsive to transitions of the output signal between the first and second output states for generating a trigger pulse in response to such transitions;

(c) audio generator means coupled to said detecting means and responsive to said trigger pulse for generating audio signals for a predetermined duration; and

(d) a speaker coupled to said audio generator means for providing audible signals in response to said audio signals.

24. A toy doll as recited by claim 23 further including a Schmitt-trigger circuit for coupling said optical sensor means to said detecting means, said Schmitt-trigger circuit having an input coupled to the output terminal of said optical sensor means and an output terminal coupled to said detecting means, said Schmitt-trigger circuit serving to sharpen rising and falling edges of transitions of the output signal provided by said optical sensor means and to increase the immunity of said toy doll to light flicker conditions resulting from fluorescent lighting.

25. A toy doll as recited by claim 23 wherein said first and second light fields are separate from one another and are non-overlapping.