Toy detection and signaling circuit

• US 4,874,343 A
• Filed: 10/23/1987
• Issued: 10/17/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Rosenthal, Doren
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MUIR, DAVID N
• Application Number:
  US07/113,104
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 446/175, 446/219, 446/191, 446/473, 446/484, 446/485, 446/297
• 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: A63H 30/00 Remote-control arrangements specially adapted for toys, e.g. for toy vehicles steering mechanisms for toy vehicles A63H17/36; for model railways A63H19/24, A63H19/28

Abstract

A toy figure for detecting and signaling changes in ambient light level in which a detection circuit includes an operational amplifier acting as a comparator for comparing two signals from a voltage divider network. The first input signal is the signal of interest to be detected. The second input signal is held stable by a capacitor with a relatively long time constant. When the first signal exceeds the second signal, a change in output of the comparator is produced to effect both radiation and audio signal outputs from the toy figure.

Claims

1. A toy for detecting and signaling changes in ambient light level comprising:

a toy figure assembly;

detection circuit means including a single photodetector responsive to ambient light and light reflected from moving objects to produce an electrical signal having lower frequency and higher frequency signal components and a comparator means having a frequency selective voltage divider network for causing said higher frequency signal component to be detected and said lower frequency signal component to be ignored whereby when said higher frequency signal component is of sufficient amplitude to exceed a predetermined bias voltage of said lower frequency signal component a change in output of said comparator means is produced; and

signaling means disposed in said toy figure assembly responsive to said comparator means for producing signals in response to changes in the output of said comparator means.

2. A toy according to claim 1 wherein said signaling means includes an LED to emit infrared radiation which is flashed on and off at a frequency of about 15 Hz.

3. A toy according to claim 1 wherein said toy figure assembly includes a body portion having a transparent cover and said signaling means includes an LED positioned in overlying relationship with said transparent cover.

4. A toy according to claim 1 wherein the output of the detecting circuit means is supplied to a Schmidtt oscillator coupled to at least one LED.

5. A toy according to claim 4 wherein the output of the detecting circuit means is coupled to audio generator means for generating audio signals for a predetermined duration.

6. A toy according to claim 1 wherein signals supplied to said detection circuit means are received from a band pass amplifier means.

7. A toy according to claim 6 wherein said band pass amplifier receives input signals from a phototransistor.

8. A toy according to claim 7 wherein the toy figure assembly includes a head and said phototransistor is positioned in the head in overlying relationship with a lens positioned to receive ambient light.

9. A toy for detecting and signaling changes in ambient light level comprising:

a toy figure assembly having head, body, and limbs;

signaling means disposed in the body for producing radiation and audio signals;

a single phototransistor disposed in said head for producing a light responsive signal;

band pass amplifier means coupled to said phototransistor for receiving said light responsive signal from said phototransistor and supplying a pair of signal components; and

detection circuit means including comparator means for comparing said pair of signal components and having a frequency selective voltage divider network, one of said signal components being the signal component of interest to be detected and the other of said signal components being held stable by a capacitor with a relatively long time constant whereby a change in output of said comparator means is produced thereby triggering signals from the signaling means when the one of said signal component pair of interest substantially exceeds the other of said signal components.