Interactive talking dolls

• US 20040082255A1
• Filed: 09/09/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ietronix
• Original Assignee: Ietronix
• Inventors: Fong, Peter Sui Lun, Mak, Chi Fai
• Granted Patent: US 7,068,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/75
• 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

Abstract

A set of interactive toys that perform a sequence of actions in response to one another without external activation other than an initial actuation to begin the sequence of actions. Preferably, each toy has an activation switch and/or a receiver for a wireless signal such as an infrared signal which activates the toy. Upon activation, the toy performs a desired action, such as the enunciation of a speech pattern, and signals another toy to perform a responsive action. Preferably, the toy are capable of performing several different action sequences, such as the enunciation of different conversations, the performance of different movements, etc. Additionally, the toys are programmable by a remote control device. The remote control device either functions as an activation switch, initiating a random or predetermined (yet not user determined) sequence of interactions, or as an interaction selector, such that a desired sequence of actions may be selected.

Claims

1. An interactive set of toys comprising:

a first toy having a first action performing device;

a second toy having a second action performing device;

a first signal generator associated with said first action performing device, said first signal generator generating a first signal after an action is performed by said first action performing device;

a first signal transmitter associated with said first signal generator, said first signal transmitter transmitting said first signal; and

a first signal receiver associated with said second action performing device, said first signal receiver receiving said first signal from said first signal transmitter to activate said second action performing device.

2. An interactive toy as in claim 1, further comprising:

a second signal generator associated with said second action performing device, said second signal generator generating a second signal after an action is performed by said second action performing device; and

a second signal transmitter associated with said second signal generator, said signal transmitter transmitting said second signal.

3. An interactive toy as in claim 2, further comprising a second signal receiver associated with said first action performing device, said second signal receiver receiving said second signal from said second signal transmitter to activate said first action performing device.

4. An interactive toy as in claim 3, wherein said first and second signal generators generate infrared signals and said first and second signal receivers receive said infrared signals.

5. An interactive toy as in claim 3, further comprising:

a first control unit controlling said first action performing device, said first signal generator, and said second signal receiver; and

a second control unit controlling said second action performing device, said second signal generator, and said first signal receiver.

6. An interactive toy as in claim 5, wherein said first and second control units encode and decode said signals.

7. An interactive toy as in claim 5, wherein:

said first action performing device is capable of performing a plurality of desired actions, a single action being performed in response to each activation of said first action performing device;

said first control unit is programmable by a remote control device having a plurality of control buttons such that each selected control button of the remote control device is associated with a different one of said plurality of desired actions; and

activation of a control button causes said action performing device to perform the associated one of a plurality of desired actions.

8. An interactive toy as in claim 1, wherein said first and second device for performing a desired action comprise a voice chip, said voice chip enunciating a desired speech pattern comprising the desired action.

9. An interactive toy as in claim 8, wherein said first and second toy each further comprise a speaker associated with said voice chip.

10. An interactive toy as in claim 8, wherein at least one of said toys further comprises a recording mechanism associated with one of said voice chips, said recording mechanism permitting recording of a speech pattern and the coupled to an associated speaker.

11. An interactive toy as in claim 8, wherein said first and second toys are dolls.

12. An interactive toy as in claim 11, wherein at least one of said device for performing a desired function further comprises a motor, said motor moving the doll associated therewith in response to a signal from the other doll.

13. An interactive toy as in claim 1, further comprising a first activation switch on said first toy, said activation switch being accessible to a user to activate said first action performing device.

14. An interactive toy as in claim 13, further including a second activation switch on said second toy.

15. An interactive toy as in claim 13, wherein said first activation switch is touch sensitive.

16. An interactive toy as in claim 13, wherein said first activation switch is light activated.

17. An interactive toy as in claim 13, wherein said first activation switch is a receiver for a wireless signal.

18. An interactive toy as in claim 1, wherein:

said first and second toys are dolls; and

at least one of said action performing devices comprises a motor, said motor moving the doll associated therewith in response to a signal from the other doll.

19. An interactive toy as in claim 1, wherein said first signal generator generates an infrared signal and said first signal receiver receives said infrared signal.

20. An interactive toy as in claim 17, further comprising:

a second signal generator associated with said second device for performing a desired action, said second signal generator generating an infrared signal after an action is performed by said second action performing device;

a second signal transmitter associated with said second signal generator; and

a second signal receiver associated with said first action performing device, said second signal receiver receiving said infrared signal from said second signal transmitter to activate said first action performing device.

21. An interactive toy as in claim 20, wherein:

said first toy is an activation keyboard;

said first action performing device emits a sound signal;

said second toy is a sound producing element; and

said second action performing device toy a musical piece.

22. An interactive toy as in claim 21, wherein said sound producing element is a musical instrument.

23. A method of causing a set of toys to perform an interactive sequence of actions, said method comprising the steps of:

activating a first toy to perform a first desired action;

generating a first signal identifying the first desired action performed;

transmitting said first signal to a second toy;

causing said first signal to activate said second toy to perform a second desired action responsive to said first desired action.

24. A method as in claim 23, wherein said step of generating a first signal further comprises the step of encoding said first signal.

25. A method as in claim 23, further comprising the step of generating a second signal identifying the second desired action performed.

26. A method as in claim 25, wherein said steps of generating a first and second signal further comprise the steps of encoding said first and second signals.

27. A method as in claim 23, wherein said first desired action comprises the enunciation of a speech pattern by said first toy.

28. A method as in claim 23, wherein said first desired action comprises movement of said first toy.

29. A method as in claim 23, wherein said second desired action comprises the enunciation of a speech pattern by said second toy.

30. A method as in claim 23, wherein said second desired action comprises movement of said second toy.

31. A method as in claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting said second signal to another toy; and

causing said second signal to activate said other toy to perform a third desired action responsive to said second desired action.

32. A method as in claim 31, wherein said other toy is said first toy, said step of causing said second signal to activate said other toy comprising the step of causing said first toy to perform said third desired action responsive to said second desired action.

33. A method as in claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

generating a third signal identifying the third desired action performed;

transmitting said third signal to another toy;

causing said third signal to activate said other toy to perform a fourth desired action responsive to said third desired action.

34. A method as in claim 33, wherein an activation keyboard performs said first and third desired actions and a sound producing element performs said second and fourth desired actions.

35. A method as in claim 34, wherein said second and fourth desired actions comprise the performance of a musical piece.

36. A method as in claim 23, wherein said step of transmitting said first signal to said second toy comprises the step of wirelessly transmitting said first signal.

37. A method as in claim 36, wherein said step of wirelessly transmitting said first signal comprises the step of transmitting an infrared signal to an infrared detector/receiver in said second toy.

38. A method as in claim 23, further comprising the step of programming said first toy to respond to a signal from a remote control device.

39. A method as in claim 38, further comprising the step of providing said first toy with a microcontroller unit, said microcontroller unit running a subroutine associating each of a plurality of codes with a different action to be performed, said step of generating a first signal identifying the first desired action performed further comprising the step of associating said first signal with one of said plurality of codes.

40. A method as in claim 39, wherein:

said remote control device comprises a plurality of control buttons; and

said programming step further comprises the steps of associating the signals of each of said control buttons with one of said plurality of codes.