Interactive toys

• US 9,830,778 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2013
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dialware Communication, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dialware Communication, LLC
• Inventors: Atsmon, Alon, Antebi, Amit, Cohen, Moshe, Shimoni, Sharon
• Primary Examiner(s): HARPER, TRAMAR YONG
• Application Number:
  US13/867,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20130244531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• Field of Search: 446175
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• 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 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/00 Other toys
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/16 using difference in transit time between electrical and acoustic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/74 Systems using reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/22 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0728 the arrangement being an optical or sound-based communication interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 : Game play aspects of gaming systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 : Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves

Abstract

A plurality of individual toys, at least a first one of which generates acoustic signals and at least a second one of which receives acoustic signals. When the second toy receives acoustic signals from the first toy, it responds, for example, by generating a sound and/or controlling its motion. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the toys flock and/or form a procession of toys which follow a leader toy, for example a mother goose and a plurality of following and preferably quacking goslings.

Claims

1. A method of operating toys, comprising:

generating, during a user-interactive game scenario, a detectable acoustic signal by a source comprising a wearable signal generator, wherein the wearable signal generator is configured to generate the detectable acoustic signal responsive to a motion of the wearable signal generator;

detecting the acoustic signal by one of;

a toy and a computer;

analyzing the detected acoustic signal by any of the toy and the computer, wherein said analyzing includes recognizing a particular pattern in the acoustic signal and wherein said analyzing includes determining that the recognized particular pattern is associated with one or more of the motion, position, and orientation of the wearable signal generator;

selecting at least one particular response from a plurality of responses based on the determined association of said recognized particular pattern with said one or more of the motion, position, and orientation of the wearable signal generator; and

performing the selected at least one particular response by the toy.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said analyzing the detected acoustic signal further includes detecting at least one of acoustic signal amplitude, acoustic signal frequency, time duration of the signal, frequency spectrum, Doppler shift, change in amplitude, change in duration, and a number of repetitions.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one response includes at least one of making a sound, moving toward the source, moving in a particular direction, following the source of the signal, moving in a synchronized manner.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said acoustic signal is an audible signal.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the computer comprises a remote computer.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said analyzing the detected signal is performed by the remote computer which is in communication with the toy.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the wearable signal generator is a bracelet.