Computer play toy for infants and very young children
First Claim
1. A computer toy for infants and very young children, utilizing a computer with an audio output, a display screen, and an input device, the object of which toy is to allow the user to engage in interactive play with the computer, the computer toy comprising:
- (a) a library means for storing video and audio data associated with a group of consecutively arranged audiovisual subsequences, said subsequences comprising sequential portions of an audiovisual simulation of a predetermined animated activity;
(b) a detection means for detecting input signals which are generated and sent to the computer by the input device whenever the input device is activated by the user whereby the user is able to control the pace of said simulation;
(c) a selection means for selecting from the group of consecutively arranged audiovisual subsequences the subsequence which consecutively follows the last selected subsequence;
(d) an audio means for retrieving the audio data associated with a selected audiovisual subsequence and sending said audio data to the computer audio output whereby sound is generated;
(e) a video means for retrieving the video data associated with a selected audiovisual subsequence and sending said video data to the display screen whereby video is generated; and
(f) a control means for enabling, whenever an input signal is detected by said detection means, said selection means to select an audiovisual subsequence and said audio and video means to respectively retrieve and output audio and video data corresponding to said selected subsequence, whereby an audiovisual simulation of said predetermined animated activity automatically progresses.
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Abstract
The present invention is an educational computer toy for an infant or very young child, in which the computer toy provides audiovisual stimuli simulating an activity (e.g., playing with toys, playing a musical instrument, working with tools, etc.) in response to input by the infant or very young child. The computer toy of the present invention requires the use of a computer (or processor), a display screen, and a keyboard (or input wand or other input device). During play, the user provides an input signal by banging on the keyboard (or shaking the input wand or activating other input devices). The processor in turn, responds to each input signal by presenting on the display screen the next in succession of a group of consecutive sets of audiovisual subsequences whereby an audiovisual simulation of a predetermined activity automatically progresses. According to a computer toy of this type, an infant or very young child can easily interact with a computer accurately simulating various interesting activities.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A computer toy for infants and very young children, utilizing a computer with an audio output, a display screen, and an input device, the object of which toy is to allow the user to engage in interactive play with the computer, the computer toy comprising:
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(a) a library means for storing video and audio data associated with a group of consecutively arranged audiovisual subsequences, said subsequences comprising sequential portions of an audiovisual simulation of a predetermined animated activity; (b) a detection means for detecting input signals which are generated and sent to the computer by the input device whenever the input device is activated by the user whereby the user is able to control the pace of said simulation; (c) a selection means for selecting from the group of consecutively arranged audiovisual subsequences the subsequence which consecutively follows the last selected subsequence; (d) an audio means for retrieving the audio data associated with a selected audiovisual subsequence and sending said audio data to the computer audio output whereby sound is generated; (e) a video means for retrieving the video data associated with a selected audiovisual subsequence and sending said video data to the display screen whereby video is generated; and (f) a control means for enabling, whenever an input signal is detected by said detection means, said selection means to select an audiovisual subsequence and said audio and video means to respectively retrieve and output audio and video data corresponding to said selected subsequence, whereby an audiovisual simulation of said predetermined animated activity automatically progresses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification