Musically interacting devices

• US 8,324,492 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vergence Entertainment, LLC
• Original Assignee: Vergence Entertainment, LLC
• Inventors: Feeney, Robert J., Haas, Jeff E., Barkley, Brent W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Kawing
• Application Number:
  US11/738,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20070256547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,055 Days
• Field of Search: 846/15, 84/1, 846/00, 846/01, 846/02, 446/175, 446/297, 446/303
• US Class Current: 84/615
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/26 for automatically producing a series of tones
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/115 Instrument identification, i.e. recognizing an electrophonic musical instrument, e.g. on a network, by means of a code, e.g. IMEI, serial number, or a profile describing its capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/211 Wireless transmission, e.g. of music parameters or control data by radio, infrared or ultrasound beam G10H2220/405

Abstract

Provided is, among other things, a system of musically interacting devices. A first device has a first identification code, a first wireless communication interface and a first audio player, and a second device has a second identification code, a second wireless communication interface and a second audio player. The first device and the second device are configured to participate in an interaction sequence in which: the first device wirelessly communicates using the first wireless communication interface, the second device wirelessly communicates using the second wireless communication interface, a musical composition is selected based on both the first identification code and the second identification code, and the first device and the second device cooperatively play the musical composition, with each of the first device and the second device playing a different part of the musical composition.

Claims

1. A system of musically interacting devices, comprising:

a first device having a first identification code, a first wireless communication interface and a first audio player; and

a second device having a second identification code, a second wireless communication interface and a second audio player,

wherein the first device and the second device are configured to participate in an interaction sequence in which;

the first device wirelessly communicates using the first wireless communication interface and the second device wirelessly communicates using the second wireless communication interface,

a musical composition is selected based on both the first identification code and the second identification code, and

the first device and the second device cooperatively play the musical composition, with each of the first device and the second device playing a different part of the musical composition,

wherein at least one device from among the first device and the second device is disposed within a housing that has an overall outward appearance of a toy character, and

wherein said at least one device has attached to it a removable module that;

(1) stores information causing a modification of the identification code of said at least one device, and (2) has an outward appearance indicating said modification.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the interaction sequence occurs automatically when the first device and the second device are positioned so that they are able to wirelessly communicate with the each other.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a third device, having a third identification code, a third wireless communication interface and a third audio player, and wherein the third device also is configured to participate in the interaction sequence, such that a musical composition is selected based on the first identification code, the second identification code and the third identification code, and all three devices cooperatively play the musical composition, with each of the first device, the second device and the third device playing a different part of the musical composition.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein each of the first device and the second device is configured to replicate a sound of a different musical instrument.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first device and the second device also is configured to play music independently.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the part of the musical composition played by the first device is based on the first identification code and the part of the musical composition played by the second device is based on the second identification code.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising an external device configured to load configuration information into at least one of the first device and the second device.

8. A system according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic link between a publicly accessible network and at least one of the first device and the second device, allowing said at least one of the first device and the second device to directly communicate across the publicly accessible network.

9. A system of musically interacting devices, comprising:

a first device having a stored first library of musical segments according to a first musical style, a first wireless communication interface and a first audio player; and

a second device having a stored second library of musical segments according to a second musical style, a second wireless communication interface and a second audio player,

wherein the first device and the second device are configured to participate in an interaction sequence in which;

the first device wirelessly communicates using the first wireless communication interface and the second device wirelessly communicates using the second wireless communication interface,

a musical composition is selected based on the first musical style,

the first device plays the musical composition, and

the second device plays accompanying music to the musical composition, the accompanying music being based on the second musical style and at least one of;

(1) the first musical style and (2) the musical composition,

wherein at least one device from among the first device and the second device is disposed within a housing that has an overall outward appearance of a toy character, and

wherein said at least one device has attached to it a removable module that;

(1) stores information causing a modification of the musical style of said at least one device, and (2) has an outward appearance indicating said modification.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein in playing the accompanying music, the second device modifies existing musical segments based on at least one of:

(1) the first musical style and (2) the musical composition.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein in playing the accompanying music, the second device modifies existing musical segments based on the second musical style.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein the interaction sequence occurs automatically when the first device and the second device are positioned so that they are able to wirelessly communicate with the each other.

13. A system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the first device and the second device also is configured to play music independently.

14. A system according to claim 9, further comprising an electronic link between a publicly accessible network and at least one of the first device and the second device, allowing said at least one of the first device and the second device to directly communicate across the publicly accessible network.

15. A system of musically interacting devices, comprising:

a plurality of different devices, each having an associated identification code and each storing a plurality of musical patterns related to its identification code,

wherein upon linking individual ones of the different devices together, the linked devices execute an interaction sequence in which they play a musical composition, with different ones of the linked devices playing different parts of the musical composition,

wherein the musical composition is based on the associated identification codes of the linked devices,

wherein at least one device from among the different devices is disposed within a housing that has an overall outward appearance of a toy character, and

wherein said at least one device has attached to it a removable module that;

(1) stores information causing a modification of the identification code of said at least one device, and (2) has an outward appearance indicating said modification.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein arbitrary combinations of the different devices can be linked together.

17. A system according to claim 15, wherein the interaction sequence occurs automatically when the first device and the second device are positioned so that they are able to wirelessly communicate with the each other.