Animated toy utilizing artificial intelligence and fingerprint verification

• US 6,807,291 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2000
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Verification Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Verification Systems LLC
• Inventors: Xu, Tianning, Arndt, Craig M., Tumey, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhavesh M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, AARON W
• Application Number:
  US09/588,085
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 382/124-127, 382/115-123, 446/484, 434/155
• US Class Current: 382/124
• 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: G06V 30/194 References adjustable by an adaptive method, e.g. learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1371 Matching features related to minutiae or pores

Abstract

An articulated and animated toy capable of recognizing human users and interacting therewith which includes a computer-based device having stored thereon encoded first human fingerprint data, a fingerprint sensor for acquiring data representative of a second human fingerprint, and software resident within said computer-based device for fingerprint verification, which includes minutiae analysis, neural networks, or another equivalent algorithm for comparing said first human fingerprint data with said second human fingerprint data and producing an output signal therefrom for use in identifying said human users. The apparatus can further include software for recognizing speech, generating speech and controlling animation of the articulated toy. In addition, said computer-based device is capable of learning and storing information pertaining to each of said human users such as name, age, sex, favorite color, etc., and to interact with each of said human users on an individual basis, providing entertainment tailored specifically to each of said human users. In addition, the apparatus can control access to the Internet via integrated web browser software and thus provide protection, especially for young children, from inappropriate web site content.

Claims

1. An interactive entertainment apparatus comprising:

a teddy bear capable of providing entertaining interaction with multiple human users;

a fingerprint capture device mounted within the abdomen of said teddy bear in a position to enable access by said human users, said fingerprint capture device being adapted to acquire a representation of a fingerprint of one of said human users, and said acquisition device being adapted to produce a signal relative to the acquired representation; and

a processor associated with said acquisition device in a manner to receive the produced signal from said acquisition device, said processor being adapted to compare the produced signal relative to data stored in memory and to provide an output signal indicative of recognition;

wherein the entertainment device provides said entertaining interaction in response to said output signal indicative of recognition.