Interactive talking dolls

• US 6,497,604 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2001
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ietronix
• Original Assignee: Chi Fai Mak, Peter Sui Lun Fong
• Inventors: Fong, Peter Sui Lun, Mak, Chi Fai
• Primary Examiner(s): Ricci, John A.
• Application Number:
  US09/883,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20010034180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 369/31, 369/63-67, 434/308, 434/319-322, 434/397, 446/175, 446/268, 446/297-303, 446/397
• US Class Current: 446/297
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/28 Arrangements of sound-producing means in dolls; Means in dolls for producing sounds
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission

Abstract

A set of interactive toys that perform a sequence of actions in response to one another without external activation other than an initial actuation to begin the sequence of actions. Preferably, each toy has an activation switch and/or a receiver for a wireless signal such as an infrared signal which activates the toy. Upon activation, the toy performs a desired action, such as the enunciation of a speech pattern, and signals another toy to perform a responsive action. Preferably, the toy are capable of performing several different action sequences, such as the enunciation of different conversations, the performance of different movements, etc. Additionally, the toys are programmable by a remote control device. The remote control device either functions as an activation switch, initiating a random or predetermined (yet not user determined) sequence of interactions, or as an interaction selector, such that a desired sequence of actions may be selected.

Claims

1. An interactive device having an interactive subsystem comprising:

at least one play-mode subsystem operative to perform at least one predetermined instruction generated by at least one other interactive device; and

at least one infrared communication subsystem operative to communicate with said other interactive device and to relay said predetermined instruction received from said other interactive device to said play-mode subsystem, the communication subsystem comprising;

an infrared detector subsystem operative to detect an infrared signal; and

an infrared transmitter subsystem operative to transmit an infrared signal;

said communication subsystem being operative to communicate in the form of at least one of a transmission and a reception of said infrared signal.

2. The interactive device of claim 1 wherein said infrared transmitter subsystem comprises:

a frequency oscillator generator subsystem operative to generate said infrared signal;

an infrared emitter driver subsystem operative to emit said generated infrared signal to at least one other infrared detector subsystem; and

at least one output disable/enable control subsystem operative to control the relay of said generated infrared signal from said generator subsystem to said emitter driver subsystem.

3. The interactive device of claim 1, wherein said interactive subsystem further comprises:

an activation subsystem operative to activate said play-mode subsystem;

an options-setting subsystem operative to determine at least one of an operational duration of the interactive subsystem and a performance order when a plurality of predetermined instructions are received by said play-mode subsystem; and

a micro-controller subsystem operative to execute operations of said play-mode subsystem upon activation of said activation subsystem;

wherein at least one of said operational duration and said performance order to be executed by said micro-controller subsystem is based on said determination of said options-setting subsystem.

4. The interactive device of claim 3 wherein said activation subsystem comprises:

a mode selection subsystem operative to determine whether said play-mode subsystem is active;

the activation subsystem being operative to activate said play-mode subsystem based on said predetermined instruction received from said external source upon a determination by said mode selection subsystem that said play-mode subsystem is active.

5. The interactive device of claim 4 wherein said communication subsystem relays said predetermined instruction received from said external source to said activation subsystem.

6. The interactive device of claim 3 wherein said performance order is a random performance order.

7. The interactive device of claim 3 wherein said performance order is a sequential performance order.

8. The interactive device of claim 3 wherein said performance order is a combination of a random performance order and a sequential performance order.

9. The interactive device of claim 3 wherein said communication subsystem relays said predetermined instruction received from said external source to said options-setting subsystem.

10. The interactive device of claim 3 wherein said interactive subsystem further comprises:

a recordable memory medium having a predetermined instruction stored thereon; and

a data-input subsystem which is operative to provide said play-mode subsystem with said predetermined instruction from said recordable memory medium.

11. The interactive device of claim 10 wherein said recordable memory medium is at least one recordable integrated circuit chip.

12. The interactive device of claim 10 further comprising an external recording device to record said predetermined instruction.

13. The interactive device of claim 12 wherein said external recording device is a microphone.

14. The interactive device of claim 10 wherein said predetermined instruction is at least one data-file and at least one instruction for storage of said data-file in said recordable memory medium for subsequent retrieval by said data-input subsystem and operational execution of said play-mode subsystem by said micro-controller subsystem.

15. The interactive device of claim 1 wherein the interactive device is selected from the group consisting of:

a toy;

a doll;

an animal; and

a musical instrument.

16. An interactive device having an interactive subsystem comprising:

at least one programmable learn-mode subsystem operative to receive at least one predetermined instruction;

at least one recordable memory medium having at least one pre-stored instruction stored therein; and

at least one play-mode subsystem operative to perform at least one instruction wherein said instruction is at least one of said predetermined instruction relayed from said programmable learn-mode subsystem and said pre-stored instruction relayed from said memory medium.

17. The interactive device of claim 16 wherein said learn-mode subsystem comprises:

a programmable options-setting subsystem operative to determine at least one of an operational duration of the interactive subsystem and a performance order when a plurality of predetermined instructions are received by said learn-mode subsystem.

18. The interactive device of claim 17 wherein said interactive subsystem further comprises:

an activation subsystem operative to determine activation of at least one of said play-mode and said learn-mode subsystems;

a data-input subsystem operative to provide said play-mode subsystem with said pre-stored instruction; and

a micro-controller subsystem operative to execute operations of at least one of said play-mode and said learn-mode subsystems based on said determination of said activation subsystem;

wherein at least one of said operational duration and said performance order to be executed by said micro-controller subsystem is based on said determination of said options-setting subsystem.

19. The interactive device of claim 18 wherein said interactive subsystem further comprises:

a communication subsystem operative to communicate with an external source.

20. The interactive device of claim 19 wherein said external source comprises another interactive device.

21. The interactive device of claim 19 wherein said communication subsystem comprises:

an infrared detector subsystem operative to detect an infrared signal; and

an infrared transmitter subsystem operative to transmit an infrared signal;

said communication subsystem being operative to communicate in the form of at least one of a transmission and a reception of said infrared signal.

22. The interactive device of claim 21 wherein said infrared transmitter subsystem comprises:

a frequency oscillator generator subsystem operative to generate said infrared signal;

an infrared emitter driver subsystem operative to emit said generated infrared signal to at least one other infrared detector subsystem; and

an output disable/enable control subsystem operative to control the relay of said generated infrared signal from said generator subsystem to said emitter driver subsystem.

23. The interactive device of claim 19 wherein said activation subsystem comprises:

a mode-selection subsystem operative to determine which of at least one of said play-mode and said learn-mode subsystems is active;

said activation subsystem being operative to activate said play-mode subsystem based on a predetermined instruction received from at least one of an external source and an external activation switch, and to activate said learn-mode subsystem based on a predetermined instruction received from said mode-selection subsystem.

24. The interactive device of claim 23 wherein said communication subsystem relays said predetermined instruction received from said external source to said activation subsystem.

25. The interactive device of claim 24 wherein said communication subsystem relays said predetermined instruction received from said external source to said programmable options-setting subsystem.

26. The interactive device of claim 25 wherein said relayed predetermined instruction is an instruction to modify said determination of said programmable options-setting subsystem.

27. The interactive device of claim 25 wherein said relayed predetermined instruction is an instruction to modify at least one operative parameter of said programmable options-setting subsystem.

28. The interactive device of claim 18 wherein said pre-stored instruction is retrieved by said data-input subsystem from said recordable memory medium.

29. The interactive device of claim 28 wherein said recordable memory medium is at least one recordable integrated circuit chip.

30. The interactive device of claim 28 further comprising an external recording device to record said pre-stored instruction.

31. The interactive device of claim 30 wherein said external recording device is a microphone.

32. The interactive device of claim 28 wherein said predetermined instruction is at least one data-file for subsequent execution by said play-mode subsystem.

33. The interactive device of claim 28 wherein said predetermined instruction is at least one data-file and at least one instruction for storage of said data-file in said recordable memory medium for subsequent retrieval by said data-input subsystem and operational execution of said play-mode subsystem by said micro-controller subsystem.

34. The interactive device of claim 17 wherein said performance order is a random performance order.

35. The interactive device of claim 17 wherein said performance order is a sequential performance order.

36. The interactive device of claim 17 wherein said performance order is a combination of a random performance order and a sequential performance order.

37. The interactive device of claim 16 wherein the interactive device is selected from the group consisting of:

a toy;

a doll;

an animal; and

a musical instrument.

38. An entertainment system comprising at least two interactive devices, each of the interactive devices having an interactive subsystem comprising:

at least one play-mode subsystem operative to perform at least one predetermined instruction generated by at least one external source; and

at least one infrared communication subsystem operative to communicate with said external source and to relay said predetermined instruction received from said external source to said play-mode subsystem, the communication subsystem comprising;

an infrared detector subsystem operative to detect an infrared signal; and

an infrared transmitter subsystem operative to transmit an infrared signal;

said communication subsystem being operative to communicate in the form of at least one of a transmission and a reception of said infrared signal.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein said external source is another interactive device.