Drawing device with multimedia enhancement

• US 5,867,914 A
• Filed: 02/09/1996
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Ohio Art Company
• Original Assignee: The Ohio Art Company
• Inventors: Miller, Larry E., Watson, James E., Jones, Brian R., Schwartz, Stephen, Beckman, Ralph, Sharpe, Henry III
• Primary Examiner(s): BENNETT, GEORGE B
• Application Number:
  US08/599,221
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 33/18.1, 434/409, 434/410, 273/240
• US Class Current: 33/18.1
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 1/00 Repeatedly-usable boards or tablets for writing or drawing drawing-boards B43L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 1/126 withinterposed adhesive substances
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 13/046 with cables

Abstract

A multimedia enhancement for an amusement device includes a sound synthesizer for creating a user perceptible signal, such as an audio signal, in response to selective actuation of the controls of the amusement device. The amusement device includes a screen for displaying a viewer perceptible image and a pair of rotary control knobs operatively associated with rotary switches and a selectably actuable on-off switch to provide amusing sounds and feedback indicative of the operator'"'"'s use of the control knobs. The sound synthesizer is programmed to also create one of a series of sounds from a plurality of families of sounds in a predetermined sequence in response to actuation of the control elements by the user or randomly.

Claims

1. A drawing device comprising:

a fluid-tight inner container having a transparent surface on one side thereof;

a fluid within the inner container for coating the inside surface of the transparent surface;

a stylus mounted within said container for movement to dislodge the fluid from said surface;

an outer compartment for enclosing said inner container, said outer compartment having an opening on one side;

means for aligning the transparent surface of the inner container with the opening in the outer container;

at least one control;

means operatively connecting the control to the stylus; and

multimedia means for producing a user perceptible signal in response to operation of the control.

2. The drawing device of claim 1 wherein the means for aligning the transparent surface of the inner container with the opening in the outer container comprises at least one element integral with the outer compartment for engaging the exterior of the inner compartment.

3. The drawing device of claim 2 wherein the means for aligning the transparent surface comprises a plurality of upstanding ribs molded integrally with the outer compartment.

4. The drawing device of claim 3 wherein the means for aligning the transparent surface further includes a battery compartment formed integrally with the outer compartment.

5. The drawing device of claim 1 wherein the multimedia means includes a sound synthesizer for creating an audio signal in response to movement of the control.

6. The drawing device of claim 5 wherein the control includes a pair of rotatably mounted control knobs and switch means associated with each control knob to generate an audio signal in response to rotation of one of the control knobs.

7. The drawing device of claim 6 wherein each switch means knob includes a rotary switch mounted between the inner container and the outer compartment for conjoint rotation with the control knob.

8. The drawing device of claim 7 wherein each switch includes a movable wiper and a stationary element having a plurality of contacts engageable by said wiper.

9. The drawing device of claim 1 wherein the multimedia enhancement includes means for generating a predetermined user perceptible signal in response to inversion of the drawing device.

10. The drawing device of claim 9 wherein the means for generating said predetermined signal is a gravity switch.

11. The drawing device of claim 9 wherein the means for generating said predetermined signal is a momentary contact switch.

12. A drawing device comprising:

at least one user operable control element for moving a stylus about a drawing surface, and

multimedia means for generating a user perceptible signal in response to at least several of a plurality of user operations of the control element.

13. The drawing device of claim 12 wherein the multimedia means includes a sound synthesizer, and wherein the user perceptible signal indicates the rate of operation of the control element.

14. The drawing device of claim 13, further including a pair of control elements and wherein the user perceptible signal indicates the rate and direction of the movement of the control elements.

15. The drawing device of claim 12 wherein the multimedia means includes means for generating said user perceptible signal after the control element has been at rest for a period of time.

16. The drawing device of claim 15 wherein the multimedia means further generates a second unique user perceptible signal representing an erase sound upon inversion of the drawing device.

17. The drawing device of claim 16 wherein the multimedia means further repetitively generates said erase sound upon vibration of the drawing device.

18. A multimedia enhancement for a drawing device having at least one control element for moving a stylus about a drawing surface, the enhancement comprising:

means for generating a user perceptible signal in response to at least several of a plurality of operations of the control element.

19. The multimedia enhancement of claim 18, wherein the means for generating said user perceptible signal includes a sound synthesizer, and wherein the signal indicates the rate of operation of the control element.

20. The multimedia enhancement of claim 19, wherein the signal indicates further the direction of operation of the control element.

21. The multimedia enhancement of claim 19, wherein the sound synthesizer generates a further signal indicating that the device has been gravitationally inverted.

22. The multimedia enhancement of claim 19, wherein the sound synthesizer generates a further signal indicating that the control knob has been stationary for a period of time.