Computer software and portable memory for an electronic educational toy

• US 7,040,898 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tinkers & Chance
• Original Assignee: Tinkers & Chance
• Inventors: Marcus, Brian I., Heit, Warren S.
• Primary Examiner(s): ADAMS, CHANDA L
• Application Number:
  US10/748,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20040142309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 434/201, 434/309, 434/323, 434/335, 434/339, 434/359, 434/362, 434/156, 434/159, 434/167, 434/169, 434/172, 434/176, 434/178, 434/185, 434/322, 434/327, 434/188, 434/191
• US Class Current: 174/504
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 1/06 and being attachable to, or mounted on, the support
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 1/16 the elements each bearing a plurality of different symbols, signs, or combinations of symbols and signs, only one symbol, sign, or combination thereof, of each element to be used at a time
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 1/36 the elements being connectible by corresponding projections and recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 11/00 Teaching hand-writing, shorthand, drawing, or painting
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/00 Teaching reading teaching lip-reading G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/003 electrically operated apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/025 with electrically operated apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 3/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation

Abstract

Computer software and portable memory for an electronic educational toy designed to stimulate the development of a child'"'"'s mind using audio feedback, the educational toy including an enclosure enclosing a processor, data storage medium and a speaker and having a substantially planar surface for being contacted by the child.

Claims

1. A portable memory to add educational software to an electronic educational toy by a user thereof, the educational software designed to teach letters of an alphabet, the portable memory comprising:

a portable memory housing designed to be compatible with and inserted into a portable memory receiving device associated with the electronic educational toy by the user thereof;

a memory medium contained in the portable memory housing; and

computer software embodied on the memory medium for use with a toy processor in the electronic educational toy, the computer software having;

data for use by the toy processor to generate a plurality of questions or instructions output via a speaker, a question or instruction of the plurality of questions or instructions designed to encourage a child to make a cognitive selection of a letter and indicate the cognitive selection of the letter by causing contact with a work platform on at least a portion of a substantially planar surface of the electronic educational toy and the question or instruction having at least one correct response;

data for use by the toy processor to determine whether the child'"'"'s cognitive selection of the letter as indicated by contact caused by the child with the work platform corresponds to a correct response to the question or instruction using information from one or more sensors for sensing the contact with the work platform, a contact capable of occurring and being sensed in arbitrary child-defined locations on the work platform, the occurrence of contact on the work platform in response to the question or instruction indicating the cognitive selection by the child of the letter corresponding to the question or instruction, the one or more sensors capable of sensing the location of a first contact caused by the child on the substantially planar surface of the work platform and, while the first contact is maintained in a position to be sensed by the one or more sensors, sensing the location of a second contact caused by the child on the substantially planar surface of work platform;

data for use by the toy processor to generate a first audio feedback response output by the speaker, the first audio feedback response indicating that the letter selected by the child corresponds to a correct response to the question or instruction; and

data for use by the toy processor to generate a second audio feedback response output by the speaker, the second audio feedback response indicating that the selection by the child is something other than a correct response to the question or instruction.

2. A portable memory as in claim 1, wherein the cognitive selection of the letter, indicated by causing contact with the work platform, comprises placement of an object on a touch-sensitive surface.

3. A portable memory as in claim 1, wherein the software generates questions or instructions with different levels of difficulty.

4. A portable memory as in claim 3, wherein the processor generates more difficult questions depending on the user having provided correct previous answers.

5. A portable memory as in claim 1, wherein interaction between the toy user and educational software added by the portable memory is facilitated by a plurality of images on the work platform.

6. A portable memory as in claim 5, wherein the plurality of images on the work platform can be changed.

7. A portable memory as in claim 1, further comprising data for a learning mode wherein the child explores letters by causing contact with the work platform without there being an indication of an incorrect selection of a letter and the toy provides audio feedback to the child when such contact corresponds to the selection of a letter, the audio feedback relating to the selected letter.

8. A portable memory as in claim 1, wherein the work platform comprises a touch-sensitive surface.

9. A portable memory as in claim 1, wherein the work platform comprises a contact-sensitive electronic display screen electronically and temporarily displaying the plurality of images on the work platform.

10. A portable memory as in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a grid of wires, wires of the grid being sequentially energized so that contact caused by the child generates a variation in one or more of the wires of the grid from which to location of contact on the work platform can be determined.

11. A portable memory to add educational software to an electronic educational toy by a user thereof, the educational software designed to teach words of a language, the portable memory comprising:

a portable memory housing designed to be compatible with and inserted into a portable memory receiving device associated with the electronic educational toy by the user thereof;

a memory medium contained in the portable memory housing; and

computer software embodied on the memory medium for use with a toy processor in the electronic educational toy, the computer software having;

data for use by the toy processor to generate a plurality of questions or instructions output via a speaker, a question or instruction of the plurality of questions or instructions designed to encourage a child to make a cognitive selection of a word and indicate the cognitive selection of the word by causing contact with a work platform on at least a portion of a substantially planar surface of the electronic educational toy and the question or instruction having at least one correct response;

data for use by the toy processor to determine whether the child'"'"'s cognitive selection of the word as indicated by contact caused by the child with the work platform corresponds to a correct response to the question or instruction using information from one or more sensors for sensing the contact with the work platform, a contact capable of occurring and being sensed in arbitrary child-defined locations on a touch-sensitive surface, the occurrence of contact on the work platform in response to the question or instruction indicating the cognitive selection by the child of the word corresponding to the question or instruction, The one or more sensors capable of sensing the location of a first contact caused by the child on the substantially planar surface of the work platform and, while the first contact is maintained in a position to be sensed by the one or more sensors, sensing the location of a second contact caused by the child on the substantially planar surface of work platform;

data for use by the toy processor to generate a first audio feedback response output by the speaker, the first audio feedback response indicating that the word selected by the child corresponds to a correct response to the question or instruction; and

data for use by the toy processor to generate a second audio feedback response output by the speaker, the second audio feedback response indicating that the selection by the child is something other than a correct response to the question or instruction.

12. A portable memory as in claim 11, wherein the cognitive selection of the word, indicated by causing contact with the work platform, comprises placement of an object on the touch-sensitive surface.

13. A portable memory as in claim 11, wherein the software generates questions or instructions with different levels of difficulty.

14. A portable memory as in claim 13, wherein the processor generates more difficult questions depending on the user having provided correct previous answers.

15. A portable memory as in claim 11, wherein interaction between the toy user and educational software added by the portable memory is facilitated by a plurality of images on the work platform.

16. A portable memory as in claim 15, wherein the plurality of images on the work platform can be changed.

17. A portable memory as in claim 11, further comprising data for a learning mode wherein the child explores words by causing contact with the work platform without there being an indication of an incorrect selection of a word and the toy provides audio feedback to the child when such contact corresponds to the selection of a word, the audio feedback relating to the selected word.

18. A portable memory as in claim 11, wherein the work platform comprises a contact-sensitive electronic display screen electronically and temporarily displaying the plurality of images on the work platform.

19. A portable memory as in claim 11, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a grid of wires, wires of the grid being sequentially energized so that contact caused by the child generates a variation in one or more of the wires of the grid from which the location of contact on the work platform can be determined.

20. A portable memory to add educational software to an electronic educational toy by a user thereof, the educational software designed to teach numbers, the portable memory comprising:

a portable memory housing designed to be compatible with and inserted into a portable memory receiving device associated with the electronic educational toy by the user thereof;

a memory medium contained in the portable memory housing; and

computer software embodied on the memory medium for use with a toy processor in the electronic educational toy, the computer software having;

data for use by the toy processor to generate a plurality of questions or instructions output via a speaker, a question or instruction of the plurality of questions or instructions designed to encourage a child to make a cognitive selection of a number and indicate the cognitive selection of the number by causing contact with a work platform on at least a portion of a substantially planar surface of the electronic educational toy and the question or instruction having at least one correct response;

data for use by the toy processor to determine whether the child'"'"'s cognitive selection of the number as indicated by contact caused by the child with the work platform corresponds to a correct response to the question or instruction using information from one or more sensors for sensing the contact with the work platform, a contact capable of occurring and being sensed in arbitrary child-defined locations on a touch-sensitive surface, the occurrence of contact on the work platform in response to the question or instruction indicating the cognitive selection by the child of the number corresponding to the question or instruction, the one or more sensors capable of sensing the location of a first contact caused by the child on the substantially planar surface of the work platform and, while the first contact is maintained in a position to be sensed by the one or more sensors, sensing the location of a second contact caused by the child on the substantially planar surface of work platform;

data for use by the toy processor to generate a first audio feedback response output by the speaker, the first audio feedback response indicating that the number selected by the child corresponds to a correct response to the question or instruction; and

data for use by the toy processor to generate a second audio feedback response output by the speaker, the second audio feedback response indicating that the selection by the child is something other than a correct response to the question or instruction.

21. A portable memory as in claim 20, wherein the cognitive selection of the number, indicated by causing contact with the work platform, comprises placement of an object on the touch-sensitive surface.

22. A portable memory as in claim 20, wherein the software generates questions or instructions with different levels of difficulty.

23. A portable memory as in claim 22, wherein the processor generates more difficult questions depending on the user having provided correct previous answers.

24. A portable memory as in claim 20, wherein interaction between the toy user and educational software added by the portable memory is facilitated by a plurality of images on the work platform.

25. A portable memory as in claim 24, wherein the plurality of images on the work platform can be changed.

26. A portable memory as in claim 20, further comprising data for a learning mode wherein the child explores numbers by causing contact with the work platform without there being an indication of an incorrect selection of a number and the toy provides audio feedback to the child when such contact corresponds to the selection of a number, the audio feedback relating to the selected number.

27. A portable memory as in claim 20, wherein the work platform comprises a contact-sensitive electronic display screen electronically and temporarily displaying the plurality of images on the work platform.

28. A portable memory as in claim 20, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a grid of wires, wires of the grid being sequentially energized so that contact caused by the child generates a variation in one or more of the wires of the grid from which the location of contact on the work platform can be determined.

29. A portable memory to add educational software to an electronic educational toy by a user thereof, the educational software designed to teach pictures, the portable memory comprising:

a portable memory housing designed to be compatible with and inserted into a portable memory receiving device associated with the electronic educational toy by the user thereof;

a memory medium contained in the portable memory housing; and

computer software embodied on the memory medium for use with a toy processor in the electronic educational toy, the computer software having;

data for use by the toy processor to generate a plurality of questions or instructions output via a speaker, a question or instruction of the plurality of questions or instructions designed to encourage a child to make a cognitive selection of a picture and indicate the cognitive selection of the picture by causing contact with a work platform on at least a portion of a substantially planar surface of the electronic educational toy housing arid the question or instruction having at least one correct response;

data for use by the toy processor to determine whether the child'"'"'s cognitive selection as indicated by contact caused by the child with the work platform corresponds to a correct response to the question or instruction using information from one or more sensors for sensing the contact with the work platform, a contact capable of occurring and being sensed in arbitrary child-defined locations on the work platform, the occurrence of contact on a touch-sensitive surface in response to the question or instruction indicating the cognitive selection by the child of the picture corresponding to the question or instruction, the one or more sensors capable of sensing the location of a first contact caused by the child on the substantially planar surface of the work platform and, while the first contact is maintained in a position to be sensed by the one or more sensors, sensing the location of a second contact caused by the child on the substantially planar surface of work platform;

data for use by the toy processor to generate a first audio feedback response output by the speaker, the first audio feedback response indicating that the selection by the child corresponds to a correct response to the question or instruction; and

data for use by the toy processor to generate a second audio feedback response output by the speaker, the second audio feedback response indicating that the selection by the child is something other than a correct response to the question or instruction.

30. A portable memory as in claim 29, wherein the cognitive selection, indicated by causing contact with the touch-sensitive surface, comprises placement of an object on the work platform.

31. A portable memory as in claim 29, wherein the software generates questions or instructions with different levels of difficulty.

32. A portable memory as in claim 31, wherein the processor generates more difficult questions depending on the user having provided correct previous answers.

33. A portable memory as in claim 29, wherein interaction between the toy user and educational software added by the portable memory is facilitated by a plurality of images on the work platform.

34. A portable memory as in claim 33, wherein the plurality of images on the work platform can be changed.

35. A portable memory as in claim 29, wherein the work platform comprises a contact-sensitive electronic display screen electronically and temporarily displaying the plurality of images on the work platform.

36. A portable memory as in claim 29, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a grid of wires, wires of the grid being sequentially energized so that contact caused by the child generates a variation in one or more of the wires of the grid from which the location of contact on the work platform can be determined.

37. A portable memory to add educational software to an electronic educational toy by a user thereof, the portable memory comprising:

a portable memory housing designed to be compatible with and inserted into a portable memory receiving device associated with the electronic educational toy by the user thereof;

a memory medium contained in the portable memory housing; and

computer software embodied on the memory medium for use with a toy processor in the electronic educational toy, the computer software having;

data for use by the toy processor to generate a plurality of questions or instructions output via a speaker, a question or instruction of the plurality of questions or instructions designed to encourage a child to make a cognitive decision and indicate the cognitive decision by causing contact with a work platform on at least a portion of a substantially planar surface of the electronic educational toy and the question or instruction having at least one correct response;

data for use by the toy processor to determine whether the child'"'"'s cognitive decision as indicated by contact caused by the child with the work platform corresponds to a correct response to the question or instruction using information from one or more sensors for sensing the contact with the work platform, a contact capable of occurring and being sensed in arbitrary child-defined locations on a touch-sensitive surface, the occurrence of contact on the work platform in response to the question or instruction indicating the cognitive decision by the child to the question or instruction, the one or more sensors capable of sensing the location of a first contact caused by the child on the substantially planar surface of the work platform and, while the first contact is maintained in a position to be sensed by the one or more sensors, sensing the location of a second contact caused by the child on the substantially planar surface of work platform;

data for use by the toy processor to generate a first audio feedback response output by the speaker, the first audio feedback response indicating that the selection by the child corresponds to a correct response to the question or instruction; and

data for use by the toy processor to generate a second audio feedback response output by the speaker, the second audio feedback response indicating that the selection by the child is something other than a correct response to the question or instruction.

38. A portable memory as in claim 37, wherein the cognitive selection, indicated by causing contact with the touch-sensitive surface, comprises placement of an object on the work platform.

39. A portable memory as in claim 37, wherein the software generates questions or instructions with different levels of difficulty.

40. A portable memory as in claim 39, wherein the processor generates more difficult questions depending on the user having provided correct previous answers.

41. A portable memory as in claim 37, wherein interaction between the toy user and educational software added by the portable memory is facilitated by a plurality of images on the work platform.

42. A portable memory as in claim 41, wherein the plurality of images on the work platform can be changed.

43. A portable memory as in claim 37, further comprising data for a learning mode wherein the child explores letters, words, numbers or pictures by causing contact with the work platform without there being an incorrect selection, or indication of an incorrect selection, of a letter, word, number or picture and the toy provides audio feedback to the child when such contact corresponds to the selection of a letter, word, number or picture, the audio feedback relating to the selected letter, word, number or picture.

44. A portable memory as in claim 37, wherein the work platform comprises a contact-sensitive electronic display screen electronically and temporarily displaying the plurality of images on the work platform.

45. A portable memory as in claim 37, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a grid of wires, wires of the grid being sequentially energized so that contact caused by the child generates a variation in one or more of the wires of the grid from which the location of contact on the work platform can be determined.