Toy responsive to blowing or sound

• US 9,108,115 B1
• Filed: 08/25/2014
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silverlit Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverlit Limited
• Inventors: Fung, Choi Kei
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre Eddy
• Assistant Examiner(s): RADA, ALEX P
• Application Number:
  US14/467,886
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 446/175
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 13/005 with self-moving head or facial features with a choice of features A63H3/365; movable eyes A63H3/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 13/02 imitating natural actions, e.g. catching a mouse by a cat, the kicking of an animal
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/28 Arrangements of sound-producing means in dolls; Means in dolls for producing sounds
• 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

Abstract

An interactive toy has an outer shell, with a non-reactive portion and a first reactive portion. There is a blow sensor for sensing blowing on the shell by a user or from sound from the user or another toy. A microprocessor processes the blowing or sound and generates instructions to cause operation of the reactive portion of the body. Several toys can be responsive to at least one of the toys or sounds, the responsiveness being generated from the user or from other of the several toys to obtain a multiple reaction of multiple toys as a started from an initial blowing or sound by a user or by a sound generation by of the multiple toys.

Claims

1. An interactive toy comprising:

a body having an outer shell, the shell having a non-reactive portion and a first reactive portion;

a blow sensor with the body for sensing a pressure caused by blowing on the shell by an human user in the vicinity of the body;

a microprocessor for processing the blowing pressure and generating instructions in response to the blowing pressure, the instructions being for causing operation of the reactive portion of the body;

wherein the microprocessor includes generating signals to sequentially activate and deactivate a first electrical coil thereby to sequentially attract and release a first magnet thereby to cause movement of the interactive toy, the movement being by causing relative changes in position between non-reactive portion and the first reactive portion;

a second reactive portion of the shell, and a second coil, and wherein generating the signals to sequentially activate and deactivate the second electrical coil thereby sequentially attracts and releases a second magnet thereby to cause second movement of the interactive toy, the movement being by causing relative changes in position between a non-reactive portion and a second reactive portion;

wherein the toy is a bird, the bird having a head, a mouth having a beak with two elements, and a body, and a change in position of the first reactive portion is exhibited as the sequentially opening and closing of the mouth of the bird;

wherein the change in position of the second reactive portion is exhibited as the turning of the head of the bird relative to the body of the bird, and including two coils, and two controls to drive the respective coils independently including;

activating and deactivating a first coil to attract and release a first magnet, and thereby operate the mouth by relative first movement up or down of one or both elements of the beak of the bird and thereby open and close the mouth; and

activating and deactivating a second coil to activate the second coil in one direction or in an opposite direction or to be deactivated whereby the second coil acts on a second magnet to be attracted to one end or repelled to other end or in neutral position respectively and thereby to operate the head for turning left, right and returning to a neutral position, which turning action is a movement sense which is not up and down and is different to the first movement.

2. The interactive toy as claimed in claim 1 including a speaker in the body of the toy, and wherein the microprocessor includes a routine for analyzing sound in the vicinity of the body, and causing the sound to develop a reaction by the toy, the reaction being the emission of a sound from the speaker.

3. The interactive toy as claimed in claim 1 including a speaker in the body of the toy, and wherein the microprocessor includes a routine for analyzing different sounds in the vicinity of the body, and classifying the sounds to develop different reactions by the toy, the reactions being selected as being at least one of from the group of movement of a reactive portion of the toy or the emission of sound from the speaker.

4. The interactive toy as claimed in claim 1 including an aperture in the shell for receiving the blowing pressure to thereby activate the microprocessor.

5. The toy as claimed in claim 1 including a communication module wherein the toy is connectable with a digital input device thereby to link the toy with digital input device through at least one of a USB, Bluetooth™

, Zigbee™

, or WiFi communication protocol whereby the toy is configured to receive at least one of a predefined object set, voice, melody, song or sound effect from the digital input device.

6. The toy as claimed in claim 1 including providing several toys to be responsive to at least one of the toys or sounds, the responsiveness being generated from the user or from other of the several toys thereby to obtain a multiple reaction of multiple toys as a started from an initial blowing or sound by a user or by a sound generation by of the multiple toys.

7. A method of operating an interactive toy comprising:

the toy being a first toy comprising a body having an outer shell, the shell having a non-reactive portion and a first reactive portion and an aperture in the shell;

a blow sensor with the body for sensing a pressure caused by blowing on the shell by an human user in the vicinity of the body;

or a sensor for sound in the vicinity of the toy; and

a microprocessor for processing the blowing pressure,

including the steps of at least one of;

(a) blowing at the aperture in the shell;

sensing a pressure caused by blowing on the shell by an human user in the vicinity of the body;

activating a microprocessor in response to the blowing pressure generating instructions in response to the blowing pressure, and

causing operation of the reactive portion of the body;

or

(b) generating a sound towards the shell;

sensing the sound generated by an human user in the vicinity of the body;

activating a microprocessor in response to the sound;

generating instructions in response to the sound; and

causing operation of the reactive portion of the body

(c) generating signals to independently sequentially activate and deactivate a first electrical coil;

sequentially attracting or releasing a first magnet thereby to cause movement of the interactive toy, and the movement being by causing relative changes in position between non-reactive portion and the first reactive portion;

(d) including a second reactive portion of the shell, and a second coil, and generating the signals to sequentially activate and deactivate the second electrical coil thereby sequentially attracts and releases a second magnet thereby to cause second movement of the interactive toy, and the movement being caused by relative changes in position between a non-reactive portion and a second reactive portion;

(e) wherein the toy is a bird, the bird having a head, a mouth, and a body, and a first changing the position of the first reactive portion exhibits as the sequentially opening and closing of the mouth of the bird; and

a second changing the position of the first reactive portion exhibits as the turning of the head of the bird relative to the body of the bird; and

(f) including a speaker in the body of the toy, analyzing sound in the vicinity of the body, and causing the sound to develop a reaction by the toy, the reaction being the emission of a sound from the speaker, and classifying the sounds to develop different reactions by the toy, the reactions being selected as being at least one of from the group of movement of a reactive portion of the toy or the emission of sound from the speaker.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 including

providing a second toy comprising a body having an outer shell, the shell having a non-reactive portion and a first reactive portion and an aperture in the shell, a speaker for emitting sound as part of the operation;

a blow sensor with the body for sensing a pressure caused by blowing on the shell by an human user in the vicinity of the body; and

a microprocessor for processing the blowing pressure,

including the steps of

blowing at the aperture in the shell of the first or second toy;

sensing a pressure caused by blowing on the shell by an human user in the vicinity of the body of the toy into which there has been a blowing pressure;

activating in the toy into which there has been a blowing pressure;

a microprocessor in response to the blowing pressure;

generating in the toy into which there has been a blowing pressure instructions in response to the blowing pressure,

causing in the toy into which there has been a blowing pressure an operation of the reactive portion of the body;

emitting a sound in the toy into which there has been a blowing pressure; and

causing a responsive reaction from the toy into which there has been a blowing pressure to the other toy.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 including connecting the toy with a digital input device thereby to link the toy with digital input device through at least one of a USB, Bluetooth™

Zigbee™

, or WiFi communication protocol whereby the toy is configured to receive at least one of a predefined object set, voice, melody, song or sound effect from the digital input device.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7 including

providing a second toy comprising a body having an outer shell, the shell having a non-reactive portion and a first reactive portion and an aperture in the shell, a speaker for emitting sound as part of the operation;

a sound sensor with the body for sensing sound from the first toy, a speaker for emitting sound as part of the operation;

including the steps of

blowing at the aperture in the shell of the first toy;

sensing a pressure caused by blowing on the shell by an human user in the vicinity of the body of the first toy;

activating a microprocessor in response to the blowing pressure

generating instructions in response to the blowing pressure,

causing an operation of the reactive portion of the body,

emitting a sound in the toy into which there has been a blowing pressure; and

causing a responsive reaction in the second toy.

11. The method as claimed in claim 7 and wherein the change in position of the second reactive portion is a turning of the head of the bird relative to the body of the bird, including two separate controls for:

activating and deactivating the mouth by relative movement of one or both elements of the beak of the bird; and

activating in one direction or in an opposite direction or being deactivated respectively and operating the head for turning left, right and returning to a neutral position.

12. The method as claimed in claim 7 including providing several toys to be responsive to at least one of the toys or sounds, the responsiveness being generated from the user or from other of the several toys thereby to obtain a multiple reaction of multiple toys as a started from an initial blowing or sound by a user or by a sound generation by of the multiple toys.

13. An interactive toy comprising:

a first toy bird including

a body having an outer shell, the shell having a non-reactive portion and a first reactive portion;

a blow sensor with the body for sensing a pressure caused by blowing on the shell by an human user in the vicinity of the body; and

a microprocessor for processing the blowing pressure and generating instructions in response to the blowing pressure, the instructions being for causing operation of the reactive portion of the body;

a speaker for emitting sound as part of the operation;

a second toy bird including

a body having an outer shell, the shell having a non-reactive portion and a first reactive portion;

a blow sensor with the body for sensing a pressure caused by blowing on the shell by an human user in the vicinity of the body; and

a microprocessor for processing the blowing pressure and generating instructions in response to the blowing pressure, the instructions being for causing operation of the reactive portion of the body;

a speaker for emitting sound as part of the operation;

a reaction by the first toy causing a responsive reaction by the second toy;

wherein the microprocessor includes generating signals independently to sequentially activate and deactivate a first electrical coil thereby to sequentially attract and release a first magnet thereby to cause movement of the interactive toy, the movement being by causing relative changes in position between non-reactive portion and the first reactive portion;

a second reactive portion of the shell, and a second coil, and wherein generating the signals to sequentially activate and deactivate the second electrical coil thereby sequentially attracts and releases a second magnet thereby to cause second movement of the interactive toy, the movement being by causing relative changes in position between a non-reactive portion and a second reactive portion; and

the bird having a head, a mouth having a beak with two elements, and a body, and a change in position of the first reactive portion is exhibited as the sequentially opening and closing of the mouth of the bird.

14. An interactive toy comprising:

a first toy bird including

a body having an outer shell, the shell having a non-reactive portion and a first reactive portion;

a sensor with the body for sensing a sound caused by an human user in the vicinity of the body; and

a microprocessor for processing the sound and generating instructions in response to, the instructions being for causing operation of the reactive portion of the body;

a speaker for emitting sound as part of the operation;

a second toy bird including

a body having an outer shell, the shell having a non-reactive portion and a first reactive portion;

a sensor with the body for sensing a sound caused by an human user in the vicinity of the body; and

a microprocessor for processing the sound and generating instructions in response to, the instructions being for causing operation of the reactive portion of the body;

a speaker for emitting sound as part of the operation; and

a reaction by the first toy causing a responsive reaction by the second toy;

wherein the microprocessor includes generating signals independently to sequentially activate and deactivate a first electrical coil thereby to sequentially attract and release a first magnet thereby to cause movement of the interactive toy, the movement being by causing relative changes in position between non-reactive portion and the first reactive portion;

a second reactive portion of the shell, and a second coil, and wherein generating the signals to sequentially activate and deactivate the second electrical coil thereby sequentially attracts and releases a second magnet thereby to cause second movement of the interactive toy, the movement being by causing relative changes in position between a non-reactive portion and a second reactive portion; and

the bird having a head, a mouth having a beak with two elements, and a body, and a change in position of the first reactive portion is exhibited as the sequentially opening and closing of the mouth of the bird.