Multifunction removable memory device with ornamental housing

• US 8,882,561 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2007
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Dyer, Ian, King, Paul, Burns, Joy, Ongchangco, Kislap, Kelly, Emily, Buse, Carrie, Heimann, Kenneth, Goff, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): HARPER, TRAMAR YONG
• Application Number:
  US11/697,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20080014829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,776 Days
• Field of Search: 446/297
• US Class Current: 446/484
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0243 for decorative purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0278 of USB type details relating to connectors H01R27/00

Abstract

An electronic toy memory device is disclosed which may include memory, a processor and may depict a character on the housing. The memory device may store audio files and network addresses. Connecting the memory device to a computer may launch a software application with content associated with the character depicted on the memory device housing. Connecting to a server over the internet may launch additional software applications stored on the server with additional content associated with the character depicted on the housing. The character may be depicted on a shell which is frictionally attached to the housing and further includes accessories such as clothes which may be frictionally attached to the shell.

Claims

1. A toy electronic device comprising:

a housing sized to fit in the hand and including a case defining an enclosure and at least one character shell configured to resemble a character and to be frictionally attached to the case;

memory mounted in the case and storing software commands, files and network addresses;

a first connector mounted in the case and configured to be connected to a computer;

a second connector mounted in the case and configured to be connected to an audio output device; and

a processor mounted in the case and operably connected to the memory and the first and second connectors for transferring data received on the first connector to the memory, and selectively operable for transferring data from the memory to the second connector.

2. The toy electronic device of claim 1 wherein the memory stores data associated with the character depicted by the shell portion.

3. The toy electronic device of claim 1 wherein the memory further stores audio files, and the device further includes a user input for manually selecting audio files stored in the memory and to play the selected files at the audio output device.

4. The toy electronic device of claim 3 wherein the audio files are MP3 formatted files.

5. The toy electronic device of claim 1 wherein the first connector is configured to be moved relative to the case between a first position with the connector disposed in the case, and a second position in which the connector extends beyond the case.

6. The toy electronic device of claim 1 wherein the character shell is further configured to resemble a character with a body and includes at least one accessory configured, at least in part, to resemble clothes, the at least one accessory being frictionally supported on the character shell.

7. The toy electronic device of claim 1 wherein the character shell is at least partially translucent and the case includes at least one light source configured to direct light through the character shell portion.

8. The toy electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a third connector mounted in the case, operably connected to the processor, and configured to frictionally receive a memory device.

9. The toy electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a docking station having a fourth connector configured to operatively connect to the first connector and a communication link configured to connect the fourth connector to a computer data port.

10. The toy electronic device of claim 9 wherein the docking station includes a light configured to illuminate the character shell when the fourth connector is connected to the first connector.

11. A doll system for launching a software application comprising:

a computer including;

a display,

first memory storing a first software application and software commands;

a first connector; and

a first processor operably connected to the first memory, the display and the first connector; and

a character memory device including;

an elongate housing with a character shell depicting in relief, at least in part, a character;

a second connector mounted in the housing and configured to be selectively and operably connected to the first connector;

a second processor mounted in the housing and connected to the second connector; and

a second memory mounted in the housing and operably connected to the

second processor for storing software commands and network addresses;

wherein the first computer processor is configured to launch the first software application in response to the second connector operably engaging the first connector.

12. The doll system of claim 11 wherein the housing includes a case defining an enclosure, and the character shell of the housing is frictionally attached to the case.

13. The doll system of claim 11 wherein the computer is further configured to connect to the internet and the computer further includes an internet browser, configured to access an internet location associated with an internet address, and accessing an internet address stored in the second memory launches a second software application stored at the internet address.

14. The doll system of claim 11 wherein the character shell of the housing includes an accessory associated with the depicted character, the accessory being adapted to be manually repeatedly attached to the character shell of the housing.

15. The doll system of claim 11 wherein the memory device further includes at least one sound generating device connected to the second processor, a user input connected to the second processor, and the second memory further stores audio files selectable at the user input, and the second processor is configured to play at the sound generating device an audio file selected with the user input.

16. The doll system of claim 11 wherein the second connector is configured to be moved between a first position extending from the housing and a second position disposed inside the housing.

17. A doll system for launching a software application comprising:

a character memory device including;

an elongate housing with a character shell depicting in relief a character;

a first connector configured to be moved between a first position with the first connector disposed in the housing, and a second position in which the first connector extends beyond the housing;

a processor mounted in the housing and connected to the first connector; and

device memory mounted in the housing and operably connected to the processor for storing software commands;

a memory medium readable by a processor and storing applications and software commands executable by the processor including;

a first software application with content related to the character depicted on the character shell of the character memory device;

a first set of one or more software commands which when executed launches the first software application on detecting the character memory device; and

a second set of one or more software commands which when executed launches a second software application stored at a network address where content of the second software application is related to the character depicted on the character shell of the memory device.

18. The doll system of claim 17 wherein the elongate housing includes a case defining an enclosure, and the character shell of the housing is frictionally attached to the case.

19. The doll system of claim 18 wherein the character shell is at least partially a light guide, such that light introduced into the guide illuminates all or part of the at least one character shell of the housing, and the case includes a light source configured to direct light into the guide.

20. The doll system of claim 17 wherein the device memory further stores audio files, and the device further includes a second connector configured to connect to an audio output device and a user input for selecting audio files in memory and to play the selected files at the audio output device.