Electronic playset

• US 8,292,689 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2007
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Hardin, Mark, Chan, Andy, Skifstrom, Eric, Millerick, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): HARPER, TRAMAR YONG
• Application Number:
  US11/865,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20080113586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,849 Days
• Field of Search: 446/175
• US Class Current: 446/477
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/52 Dolls' houses, furniture or other equipment simulating liquid flow A63H33/3022; Dolls' clothing or footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068

Abstract

The present disclosure provides for electronic playsets and components thereof. An electronic playset of the present disclosure may include a see-through monitor having a transparent screen configured to display an animated image superimposed over one or more regions. The see-through monitor may be moveable by rotation or translation between one or more positions, the one or more positions being adjacent to the one or more regions. Some embodiments including a see-through monitor with a light source configured to illuminate the one or more regions. Another aspect of the present disclosure provides for a removable toy having an identifiable accessory that may be provided to an electronic playset. The playset may be configured to identify the toy and display an animated character based on the identity.

Claims

1. An electronic playset comprising:

a housing including a first region and a second region;

a mount disposed on the housing;

a see-through electronic monitor coupled to the mount and moveable between a first position and a second position, the first position being adjacent to the first region and the second position being adjacent to the second region, the monitor including a transparent screen configured to display a first animated image superimposed over the first region when the monitor is in the first position, and to display a second animated image superimposed over the second region when the monitor is in the second position; and

a light source disposed on the monitor and configured to illuminate the first region when the monitor is in the first position and to illuminate the second region when the monitor is in the second position.

2. The electronic playset of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second regions is a diorama with a three-dimensional object, and the transparent screen is further configured to display an animated image appearing to interact with the three-dimensional object.

3. The electronic playset of claim 1 further comprising:

a controller;

a first plurality of electrical contacts disposed on the housing and electrically connected to the controller; and

a removable toy having an identifiable accessory comprising;

a second plurality of electrical contacts including a first pair of contacts;

a diode interconnecting the first pair of contacts and adapted to limit current flow between the first pair of contacts to a first direction;

wherein;

the second plurality of electrical contacts may be connected to the first plurality of electrical contacts; and

the controller is configured to apply voltage to one contact that forms the first pair of contacts, to detect voltage on the other contact that forms the first pair of contacts, and to determine an identity of the removable toy based at least in part on the first direction.

4. The electronic playset of claim 3 wherein the second plurality of electrical contacts comprises a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, and a third electrical contact, and the controller is further configured to detect voltage on the first, second or third electrical contact not included in the first pair of the second plurality of electrical contacts, and to determine the identity of the removable toy based on which two of the first, second and third electrical contacts form the first pair of the second plurality of electrical contacts.

5. The electronic playset of claim 3 wherein the controller is configured to perform the steps of applying, detecting and determining in response to the second plurality of electrical contacts being connected to the first plurality of electrical contacts.

6. The electronic playset of claim 3 further comprising a user-controlled switch operably connected to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to perform the steps of applying, detecting and determining in response to actuation of the user-controlled switch.

7. The electronic playset of claim 3 wherein at least one of the first and second animated images includes a character based on the identity of the removable toy.

8. An electronic playset comprising:

a housing including a first region, a second region and a third region;

a mount disposed on the housing; and

a see-through monitor coupled to the mount so that the see-through monitor may be both rotated around and translated along the mount between a first position adjacent to the first region, a second position adjacent to the second region, and a third position adjacent to the third region, the see-through monitor including a transparent screen configured to display an animated image superimposed over the first region when the see-through monitor is in the first position, to display an animated image superimposed over the second region when the see-through monitor is in the second position, and to display an animated image superimposed over the third region when the see-through monitor is in the third position.

9. The electronic playset of claim 8 wherein the mount defines an axis and the first region is positioned on one side of the axis and the second and third regions are positioned on the opposite side of the axis.

10. The electronic playset of claim 8 wherein at least one of the first, second and third regions is a diorama with a three-dimensional object, and the transparent screen is further configured to display an animated image appearing to interact with the three-dimensional object.

11. The electronic playset of claim 8 further comprising:

a controller;

a first plurality of electrical contacts disposed on the housing and electrically connected to the controller; and

a removable toy having an identifiable accessory comprising;

a second plurality of electrical contacts including a first pair of contacts;

a diode interconnecting the first pair of contacts and adapted to limit current flow between the first pair of contacts to a first direction;

wherein;

the second plurality of electrical contacts may be connected to the first plurality of electrical contacts; and

the controller is configured to apply voltage to one contact that forms the first pair of contacts, to detect voltage on the other contact that forms the first pair of contacts, and to determine an identity of the removable toy based at least in part on the first direction.

12. The electronic playset of claim 11 wherein the second plurality of electrical contacts comprises a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, and a third electrical contact, and the controller is further configured to detect voltage on the first, second or third electrical contact not included in the first pair of the second plurality of electrical contacts, and to determine the identity of the removable toy based on which two of the first, second and third electrical contacts form the first pair of the second plurality of electrical contacts.

13. The electronic playset of claim 11 wherein the controller is configured to perform the steps of applying, detecting and determining in response to the second plurality of electrical contacts being connected to the first plurality of electrical contacts.

14. The electronic playset of claim 11 further comprising a user-controlled switch operably connected to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to perform the steps of applying, detecting and determining in response to actuation of the user-controlled switch.

15. The electronic playset of claim 11 wherein the animated image includes a character based on the identity of the removable toy.

16. An electronic playset comprising:

a housing including a first region, a second region and a third region;

a mount disposed on the housing;

a see-through monitor coupled to the mount so that the see-through monitor may be both rotated around and translated along the mount between a first position adjacent to the first region, a second position adjacent to the second region, and a third position adjacent to the third region, the see-through monitor including a transparent screen configured to display an animated image superimposed over the first region when the see-through monitor is in the first position, to display an animated image superimposed over the second region when the see-through monitor is in the second position, and to display an animated image superimposed over the third region when the see-through monitor is in the third position; and

a light source disposed on the see-through monitor and configured to illuminate the first region when the see-through monitor is in the first position, to illuminate the second region when the see-through monitor is in the second position, and to illuminate the third region when the see-through monitor is in the third position.

17. The electronic playset of claim 16 wherein the mount defines an axis and the first region is positioned on one side of the axis and the second and third regions are positioned on the opposite side of the axis.

18. The electronic playset of claim 16 wherein at least one of the first, second and third regions is a diorama with a three-dimensional object, and the transparent screen is further configured to display an animated image appearing to interact with the three-dimensional object.

19. The electronic playset of claim 16 further comprising:

a controller;

a plurality of electrical contacts disposed on the housing and electrically connected to the controller; and

a removable toy having an identifiable accessory comprising;

a first electrical contact;

a second electrical contact;

a third electrical contact; and

a diode interconnecting a first pair of contacts formed by two of the first, second and third electric contacts and adapted to limit current flow between the first pair of contacts to a first direction;

wherein;

the first, second and third electrical contacts may be connected to the plurality of electrical contacts; and

the controller is configured to apply voltage to one contact that forms the first pair of contacts, to detect voltage on the other contact that forms the first pair of contacts, to detect voltage on the first, second or third electrical contact that does not form the first pair of contacts, and to determine an identity of the removable toy based at least in part on the first direction and on which two of the first, second and third electrical contacts form the first pair of contacts.