Communications device within a doll

• US 6,064,421 A
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 05/16/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andreas Suchanek
• Original Assignee: Dirk Pohl
• Inventors: Pohl, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/113,205
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14, 348/61, 348/143, 379/102.01, 379/102.02, 379/102.03, 379/93.17, 379/93.19, 379/93.23, 446/268, 446/298, 446/72, 446/81, 463/41, 901/8
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/02 Constructional features of telephone sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

The invention concerns a communications device incorporated into a doll-like figure with at least one microphone, at least one speaker and communications module for exchange of data with a digital data network. The invention thus proceeds from a digital telephone, preferably a videophone. The invention creates a communications device suitable for recording and reproducing other signals in addition to conventional data, particularly sound signals. The doll-like figure containing the communications device has a base body with at least one moving part attached to the base body, and at least one adjusting motor for driving the part. The motor is controlled by a control device which receives control signals via the communications module from the data network. A movement sensor may be provided which detects a manual adjusting movement of the moving part and which is connected to the data network with a data line, thereby permitting the movement signals to be transmitted as control signals to the data network.

Claims

1. A communications device comprising:

(i) at least one microphone;

(ii) at least one speaker;

(iii) a communications module for exchange of data with a digital data network having a data line;

(iv) a base body having connected thereto at least one moving part;

(v) at least one adjusting motor capable of moving the moving part;

(vi) a control device capable of receiving control signals from the data network over the communications module and of controlling the adjusting motor; and

(vi) a motion sensor adapted to detect a manual adjustment movement of the moving part and capable of transmitting control signals representing the detected movement to the data network via the data line.

2. The communications device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one camera and at least one display screen.

3. The communications device according to claim 2, wherein a central point of the surface of the display screen is projected onto the optical axis of the camera by means of a partially reflecting mirror.

4. The communications device according to claim 1 wherein the microphone and speaker comprise a single unitary component with a vibrating diaphragm.

5. The communications device according to claim 1, comprising at least two microphones and at least two speakers, which are disposed laterally on the base body.

6. The communications device according to claim 1, further comprising at least two cameras and at least two display screens which are disposed next to one another.

7. The communications device according to claim 1 comprising the following moving parts:

a) a head part disposed on top of the base body,

b) two arm parts disposed laterally to the base body; and

c) two leg parts disposed next to one another on a lower part of the base body.

8. The communications device according to claim 7, wherein the head part can be rotated around a vertical axis and can be articulated so that it can be turned on base body in a pitch motion.

9. The communications device according to claim 7, wherein each arm part can be articulated in a rotatable manner around an axis on base body.

10. The communications device according to claim 9, further comprising a hand part disposed at an end of the arm part.

11. The communications device according to claim 10, wherein the hand part further comprises at least two gripping segments which are capable of being articulated.

12. The communications device according claim 7, wherein each leg part is capable of being articulated in a rotatable manner around an axis on the base body.

13. The communications device according to claim 12, wherein the leg part further comprises a foot part capable of being articulated so that it can be turned.

14. The communications device according to claim 7, wherein the speaker is arranged in a mouth window in a lower half of a front side of the head part.

15. The communications device according to claim 7, wherein a microphone and speaker are disposed on each side of the head part.

16. The communications device according to claim 7, where in a display screen or a mirror reflecting the display screen and a camera are arranged in an eye window on a front side of an upper half of the head part.

17. The communications device according to claim 7, wherein a display screen or a mirror reflecting the display screen and a camera are arranged on a back side of the head part.

18. The communications device according to claim 1 further comprising an indicator surface for indicating graphic representations.

19. The communications device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor surface capable of determining a contact with a specific point of the sensor surface and the coordinates of the contacted point.

20. The communications device according to claim 1, wherein the communications module comprises a connection socket capable of receiving a plug of a connection cable for connection to the digital data network.

21. The communications device according to claim 1, wherein the communications module for data exchange with the digital data network comprises a transmitting and receiving unit for radio signals.

22. The communications device according to claim 1, wherein the motion sensor comprises an incremental angular measurement sensor, capable of measuring the turning or rotating motion around the joint axis of a moving member.

23. The communications device according to claim 1, wherein the motor comprises a d.c. servomotor or step motor.

24. The communications device according to claim 1, further comprising a step-down gear disposed between the motor and moving part.

25. The communications device according to claim 1, further comprising a signal processor (CPU) and at least one data storage device.

26. The communications device according to claim 1, further comprising a reading or read/write means for a digital data storage medium.

27. The communications device of claim 26, wherein the reading or read/write means comprises a chip card or a magnetic stripe card.