Computerized toy

• US 6,620,024 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2001
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silverlit Toys Manufactory Limited (Silverlit Toys)
• Original Assignee: Silverlit Toys Manufactory Limited (Silverlit Toys)
• Inventors: Choi, Kei Fung
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks, Derris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cegielnik, Urszula M
• Application Number:
  US09/776,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 446/356, 446/353, 446/352, 446/330, 446/175, 446/454, 446/456, 446/297, 446/298, 446/299, 446/300, 446/301, 446/302, 446/303, 446/321, 446/337, 446/338, 446/339, 318/568.2, 318/568.12, 318/568.1, 318/569, 901/1, 901/15
• US Class Current: 446/485
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 11/00 Self-movable toy figures
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission

Abstract

A computerized toy system has a body having the appearance of an animal. The computerized toy system permits the animal to adopt different attitudes and positions, the positions including at least three of a lying attitude, a sitting attitude, a working attitude, a standing attitude and different types of walking attitudes. There are limbs having joints to permit for movement of the toy. There are sufficient in number to permit for a relatively natural and smooth manner of movement representation of the animal. The body construct or skin appearance renders the toy realistic of an animal. The skin appearance may selectively be a fur or plush-type body.

Claims

1. A computerized toy system comprising:

a body having the appearance of an animal,

the body of the animal including joints for permitting the animal to adopt different attitudes and positions, the positions including at least three of a lying attitude, a sitting attitude, a working attitude, a standing attitude and different types of walking attitudes;

a system for encoding emotional moods in the animal, said emotional moods being displayed through a pattern of lights; and

means for having the toy animal encode and decode emotional moods and wherein said emotional moods are communicated by different flashing light patterns selectively relative to a second computerized toy selectively of a similar nature to the first toy whereby the toy is capable of communicating that particular emotion.

2. A toy as claimed in claim 1 including at least 16 joints, and 16 computerized means, a computerized means being for operating each respective joint.

3. A toy as claimed in claim 1 including no more than 16 joints, and no more than 16 computerized means, a computerized means being for operating each respective joint.

4. A toy as claimed in claim 1 including sound recognition means and means for having the body respond by movement in a direction of the sound source, and additionally having the animal respond with sound representative of the species.

5. A toy as claimed in claim 4 including means for turning the head of an animal in the direction of the source of sound and means for having the body move relative to a physical environment on which it rests in the direction of the sound.

6. A toy as claimed in claim 5 including means in the body for recognizing a human voice and being reactive to the human voice.

7. A toy as claimed in claim 6 including means for submitting commands to the body via voice and for the body to respond to the voice control and selectively including means operable by a button in a controller for operating the body.

8. A toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein the toy is programmed to have a set of initial behavior characteristics, and wherein the behavior characteristics are relatively uniquely set for a particular toy.

9. A toy as claimed in claim 8 including means for changing behavior characteristics of the toy by interaction with the user.

10. A toy as claimed in claim 9 wherein the behavior characteristics of the toy are editable via an online connection with a computer.

11. A toy as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one touch sensor to permit the body to respond through at least one of the different attitudes.

12. A computerized toy system comprising:

a body having the appearance of an animal;

the body of the animal including joints for permitting the animal to adopt different attitudes and positions, the positions including at least three of a lying attitude, a sitting altitude, a working attitude, a standing attitude and different types of walking attitudes;

a system for encoding emotional moods in the animal, said emotional moods being displayed through a pattern of lights;

at least one touch sensor to permit the body to respond through at least one of the different attitudes; and

means for having the toy animal encode and decode emotional moods, wherein said emotional moods are communicated by different flashing light patterns respectively relative to a second computerized toy selectively of a similar nature to the first toy whereby the toy is capable of communicating that particular emotion.

13. A computerized toy system comprising:

a body having the appearance of an animal;

the body of the animal including joints for permitting the animal to adopt different attitudes and positions, the positions including at least three of a lying attitude, a sitting attitude, a working attitude, a standing attitude and different types of walking attitudes;

computer programmable means on the toy for editing the different attributes via an online connection with a computer;

a system for encoding emotional moods in the animal, said emotional moods being displayed through a pattern of lights;

means for having the toy animal encode and decode emotional moods, wherein said emotional moods are communicated by different flashing light patterns respectively relative to a second computerized toy selectively of a similar nature to the first toy whereby the toy is capable of communicating that particular emotion,

sound recognition means to have the body of the animal respond by movement in a direction of the sound source; and

means for mining the head of an animal in the direction of the source of sound and means for having the body move relative to a physical environment on which it rests in the direction of the sound.

14. A toy as claimed in claim 13 further comprising at least one touch sensor to permit the body to respond through at least one of the different attitudes.

15. A toy as claimed in claim 13 wherein the toy is programmed to have a set of initial behavior characteristics, and wherein the behavior characteristics are relatively uniquely set for a particular toy.

16. A toy as claimed in claim 13 further comprising at least one touch sensor to permit the body to respond through at least one of the different attitudes.