Interactive children's game

• US 5,829,985 A
• Filed: 07/01/1996
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: i Create International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: i Create International Incorporated
• Inventors: Campanella, John V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Richman, Glenn E.
• Application Number:
  US08/674,170
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 434/308, 434/309, 434/317, 434/322, 434/314, 434/408, 434/162-165, 434/430, 434/169
• US Class Current: 434/317
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/062 Combinations of audio and printed presentations, e.g. magnetically striped cards, talking books, magnetic tapes with printed texts thereon

Abstract

An electronic storybook is disclosed that allows a child to not only interact with the storybook by drawing characters that depict or change a scene, but also to allow the child to record his/her verbal comments, interpretations and impressions while the scene is being created so that the full story told by a child may be captured in an audio-visual manner.

Claims

1. A storybook particularly suited for a child that allows the child'"'"'s artistic and verbal participation therewith, said storybook comprising:

(a) a surface on which lines are physically drawn to render one or more scenes;

(b) a plurality of pushbuttons arranged into groups that are segmented into record and play pushbuttons for each scene;

(c) a microphone producing electrical signals in response to a human'"'"'s voice;

(d) a speaker; and

(e) voice recording circuitry with input and output stages and having means for playing back recorded voice, said voice recording circuitry having means at its input stage for receiving said electrical signals from said microphone and means at its output stage for transmitting electrical signals representative of recorded voice to said speaker, said voice recording circuitry having means so as to be activated in response to any of said record and play pushbuttons.

2. The storybook according to claim 1, wherein said voice recording circuitry having means for playing back recorded voice comprises:

(a) a microprocessor connected to said plurality of pushbuttons and generating predetermined controlling routines respectively in response to each of said pushbuttons; and

(b) a first audio storage device connected to receive said electrical signals from said microphone and being responsive to each of said predetermined controlling routines and generating corresponding electrical signals representative of recorded voice which are transmitted to said speaker connected thereto.

3. The storybook according to claim 2 further comprising a second audio storage device being arranged to override said first audio storage device.

4. The storybook according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of pushbuttons, microphone, speaker and voice record circuitry having means for playing back recorded voice are all mounted on a case having a first opening and wherein said surface comprises a sheet dimensioned to be insertable into said first opening.

5. The storybook according to claim 4, wherein said case further comprises a second opening and wherein said second audio board is dimensioned to be insertable into said second opening.

6. The storybook according to claim 4, wherein said case further comprises at least one enclosure having an open top and dimensioned to provide space for storage.

7. The storybook according to claim 4, wherein said case has a handle so as to provide a portable case for carrying said storybook.

8. The storybook according to claim 4, wherein said case comprises a plastic material.

9. The storybook according to claim 4, wherein said sheet is paper.

10. The storybook according to claim 4, wherein said sheet is plastic and capable of receiving lines drawn with a water-based ink without being pervious thereto.

11. A story book particularly suited for a child that allows the child'"'"'s artistic and verbal participation comprising the steps of:

(a) manually drawing lines without the use of electrical means on a surface partitioned into a plurality of scenes;

(b) a plurality of operating means arranged into groups that are segmented into record and play operating means for each scene;

(c) recording verbal commentary contemporaneously with said rendering of said scenes; and

(d) playing back said verbal commentary contemporaneously with viewing said rendered scenes.