Interactive apparatus with ball

• US 6,761,611 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2002
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Soto, Jorge Gabriel, Wood, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ackun, Jr., Jacob K.
• Application Number:
  US10/198,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20030022592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 446/236, 446/242, 446/265, 446/266, 446/397, 446/409, 446/175, 446/484
• US Class Current: 446/175
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/00 Other toys
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 5/00 Musical or noise- producing devices for additional toy effects other than acoustical musical tops A63H1/28; sound-producing dolls A63H3/28; musical toy vehicles A63H17/268; acoustical vehicle-signalling devices A63H17/32; whistling toy locomotive arrangements A63H19/14; music, sound or noise production in general G10

Abstract

An interactive apparatus is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a interactive ball includes (a) a plurality of indicia, (b) a processor and memory unit operatively coupled to the plurality of indicia, (c) an audio output unit operatively coupled to the processor and memory unit, (d) a first outer surface; and (e) a second outer surface that is recessed with respect to the first outer surface, wherein the plurality of indicia are present at the second outer surface.

Claims

1. An interactive ball comprising:

(a) a plurality of indicia;

(b) a processor and memory unit operatively coupled to the plurality of indicia;

(c) an audio output unit operatively coupled to the processor and memory unit;

(d) a first outer surface; and

(e) a second outer surface that is recessed with respect to the first outer surface, wherein the plurality of indicia are present at the second outer surface.

2. The interactive ball of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of lights.

3. The interactive ball of claim 1 further including a motion sensor operatively coupled to the processor and the memory unit.

4. The interactive ball of claim 1, wherein the plurality of indicia is in the form of depressible buttons.

5. The interactive ball of claim 1 further comprising an input unit, wherein the input unit allows a user to select from among a plurality of different operational modes.

6. The interactive ball of claim 1, wherein the plurality of indicia is disposed in an equatorial band that encircles the ball.

7. An interactive apparatus comprising:

the interactive ball of claim 1; and

a holder, wherein the holder is adapted to hold the ball.

8. The interactive apparatus of claim 7, wherein the holder includes a pair of arms that hold the interactive ball and allows the interactive ball to be spun by a user while the ball is held by the holder.

9. The interactive apparatus of claim 8, wherein the holder further includes a locking/release mechanism that includes a retractable knob.

10. An interactive apparatus comprising:

a holder comprising a pair of arms;

a ball comprising a plurality of indicia in the form of depressible buttons disposed around an equatorial band around the ball,

wherein the pair of arms hold the ball so that the plurality of indicia are displayed to the user,

and wherein the ball comprises a processor and memory unit, and an audio output unit coupled to the processor and memory unit,

and wherein the depressible buttons are coupled to the processor.

11. The interactive apparatus of claim 10, wherein the ball is capable being spun by a user in a uniaxial direction while the ball is held by the holder.

12. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 wherein the plurality of indicia include the letters A-Z.

13. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 further including a motion sensor operatively coupled to the processor and the memory unit.

14. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of lights coupled to the processor unit.

15. The interactive apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

an input unit operatively coupled to the processor and memory unit, and

wherein the ball includes a plurality of preprogrammed modes including;

a first operating mode, wherein the plurality of indicia, the processor and memory unit and the audio output unit are configured such that when a first indicium of the plurality of indicia is pressed, the first indicium is phonetically pronounced;

a second operating mode, wherein the plurality of indicia, the processor and memory unit and the audio output unit are configured such that when a second indicium of the plurality of indicia is pressed, the second indicium is audibly identified; and

a third operating mode, wherein each of the plurality of indicia, the processor and memory unit and the audio output unit are configured such that a unique song representing each of the plurality of indicia is played when a particular indicium is pressed, and

wherein the input unit is configured for selecting one of the first, second, or third operating modes.

16. An interactive ball including

(a) a motion sensor unit;

(b) a processor and memory unit operatively coupled to the motion sensor unit; and

(c) an audio output unit operatively coupled to the processor and memory unit,

wherein when the ball is undergoing a revolving motion, the ball plays a song, and wherein when the playing of the song stops when the ball stops revolving.

17. The interactive ball of claim 16, wherein the song stops at a song halt point, and wherein the song begins playing from the song halt point after the revolving motion re-starts.

18. The interactive ball of claim 16 further comprising a plurality of indicia.

19. The interactive ball of claim 16 further comprising a plurality of indicia, wherein the plurality of indicia, the processor and memory unit and the audio output unit are configured such that when an indicium of one of the plurality of indicia is pressed, the depressed indicium is phonetically pronounced.

20. The interactive ball of claim 16 further comprising a plurality of indicia, wherein each indicium in the plurality of indicia corresponds to a different song.

21. The interactive ball of claim 18 further comprising:

an input unit operatively coupled to the processor and memory unit, and

wherein the ball includes a plurality of preprogrammed modes including;

a first operating mode, wherein the plurality of indicia, the processor and memory unit and the audio output unit are configured such that when a first indicium of the plurality of indicia is pressed, the first indicium is phonetically pronounced;

a second operating mode, wherein the plurality of indicia, the processor and memory unit and the audio output unit are configured such that when a second indicium of the plurality of indicia is pressed, the second indicium is audibly identified; and

a third operating mode, wherein each of the plurality of indicia, the processor and memory unit and the audio output unit are configured such that a unique song representing each of the plurality of indicia is played when a particular indicium is pressed, and

wherein the input unit is configured for selecting one of the first, second, or third operating modes.

22. The interactive ball of claim 16 further comprising:

a plurality of lights disposed on the ball.

23. The interactive ball of claim 18, wherein the ball includes a first outer surface and a second outer surface, the second outer surface recessed below the first outer surface, and

wherein the plurality of indicia are disposed at the second outer surface are below the first outer surface.

24. The interactive ball of claim 18, wherein the plurality of indicia is in the form of buttons disposed below the first outer surface.

25. The interactive ball of claim 23, wherein the second outer surface includes an equatorial band.

26. The interactive ball of claim 18, wherein the plurality of indicia is alphanumeric indicia.

27. The interactive ball of claim 18, wherein the plurality of indicia includes the 26 letters of the alphabet.

28. The interactive ball of claim 16, wherein the audio output unit includes a sound synthesizer and speaker.

29. The interactive ball of claim 16, wherein the motion sensor unit includes at least one ball-in-cage motion sensor.

30. The interactive ball of claim 16, wherein an outer surface of the ball is formed at least partially of a soft material.