Interactive hand held apparatus with stylus

• US 7,553,160 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2006
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chen, Alice, Flowers, Mark, Wood, Michael C., Cole, Curtis, Goldstein, David, Fitts, Michelle, Adolf, Rick, Thies, Carol, Kohl, Antonia, Miller, Joseph B. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom; Kurt
• Application Number:
  US11/404,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20060188861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 434/307.R, 434/322, 434/323, 434/356, 434/357, 434/362, 463/36, 463/37, 463/38
• US Class Current: 434/322
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An interactive, handheld apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a housing, a display screen on the housing, an electronic position location system, a stylus for selecting images on the display screen, a directional control pad on the housing and a memory device. The electronic position location system includes a processor that is capable of determining a location of a selected region of the display screen. The memory device includes computer code for an educational game and is operatively coupled to the processor.

Claims

1. An interactive, handheld apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a display screen on the housing, the display screen configured to display a plurality of images;

an electronic position location system, wherein the electronic position location system includes a processor that is capable of determining a location of a selected region of the display screen;

a stylus for selecting one or more of the plurality of images on the display screen;

a directional control pad on the housing; and

a memory device adapted to store code for a first educational program and code for a second educational program, wherein the first educational program uses the directional control pad and wherein the second educational program uses the stylus and the electronic position location system,

wherein the memory device is further adapted to store code for a video program, and

wherein a user is capable of passively viewing the video program without interacting with the interactive, handheld apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory device is in the form of a data cartridge.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the stylus is coupled to the housing with a cord.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second educational program comprises a painting program.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first educational program comprise a spelling game, a memory game, a number recognition game, or a musical game.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a speaker operatively coupled to the processor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first program and the second program are suitable for use by a child less than about 8 years of age.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the directional pad is on a left side of the display screen and wherein at least one input button is at a right side of the display screen.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory device is in the form of an internal memory chip.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing has an ergonomic shape.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory device is adapted to store a child'"'"'s interactive history with the apparatus.

12. A method of using the apparatus of claim 1 comprising:

obtaining the apparatus;

interacting with the apparatus using the directional control pad;

interacting with the apparatus using the stylus; and

passively viewing the video program being displayed on the display screen.

13. A computer readable medium adapted for use with an interactive, handheld apparatus comprising a housing, a display screen on the housing, the display screen configured to display a plurality of images, an electronic position location system, wherein the electronic position location system includes a processor that is capable of determining a location of a selected region of the display screen, a stylus for selecting one or more of the plurality of images on the display screen, a directional control pad on the housing, and wherein the interactive, handheld apparatus is adapted to use a first educational program and is adapted to use a second educational program, wherein the first educational program uses the directional control pad and wherein the second educational program uses the stylus and the electronic position location system.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the computer readable medium is in the form of a data cartridge.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the computer readable medium is in the form of a memory stick.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the computer readable medium has a storage capacity greater than about 2 MB.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the first educational program comprises a game that uses the directional control pad.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the second educational program comprises a painting program.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the first and second educational programs are stored as computer code on the computer readable medium.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the first educational program is stored as computer code on the computer readable medium.