Animated toy utilizing artificial intelligence and fingerprint verification

• US 20050031172A1
• Filed: 09/01/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Verification Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Verification Systems LLC
• Inventors: Xu, Tianning, Tumey, David M., Arndt, Craig M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,020,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/115
• 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: G06V 30/194 References adjustable by an adaptive method, e.g. learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1371 Matching features related to minutiae or pores

Abstract

An articulated and animated toy capable of recognizing human users and interacting therewith which includes a computer-based device having stored thereon encoded first human fingerprint data, a fingerprint sensor for acquiring data representative of a second human fingerprint, and software resident within said computer-based device for fingerprint verification, which includes minutiae analysis, neural networks, or another equivalent algorithm for comparing said first human fingerprint data with said second human fingerprint data and producing an output signal therefrom for use in identifying said human users. The apparatus can further include software for recognizing speech, generating speech and controlling animation of the articulated toy. In addition, said computer-based device is capable of learning and storing information pertaining to each of said human users such as name, age, sex, favorite color, etc., and to interact with each of said human users on an individual basis, providing entertainment tailored specifically to each of said human users. In addition, the apparatus can control access to the Internet via integrated web browser software and thus provide protection, especially for young children, from inappropriate web site content.

Claims

1. An interactive entertainment apparatus comprising:

an entertainment device capable of providing entertaining interaction with multiple human users;

an acquisition device associated with said entertainment device, said acquisition device being adapted to acquire a representation of a fingerprint of one of said human users, and said acquisition device being adapted to produce a signal relative to the acquired representation; and

a processor associated with said acquisition device in a manner to receive the produced signal from said acquisition device, said processor being adapted to compare the produced signal relative to data stored in memory and to provide an output signal indicative of recognition;

said processor being configured to collect and store information pertaining to each of said multiple human users on an ongoing basis to cause said entertainment device to provide entertaining interaction with each of said multiple human users on an individualized basis;

wherein the entertainment device provides said entertaining interaction in response to said output signal indicative of recognition.

2. The interactive entertainment apparatus of claim 1, wherein said entertainment device comprises a toy.

3. The interactive entertainment apparatus of claim 2, wherein said toy comprises a doll and said acquisition device is mounted to said doll.

4. The interactive entertainment apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

said toy comprises a doll; and

said acquisition device includes a fingerprint capture device contained within the body of said doll, said fingerprint capture device being situated to enable access by a human user.

5. The interactive entertainment apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

said processor is mounted to said doll in a space defined by said doll.

6. The interactive entertainment apparatus of claim 1, wherein said entertainment device comprises a video game.

7. The interactive entertainment apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said acquisition device comprises a fingerprint capture device for acquiring a representation of a fingerprint from said human user;

said acquisition device is adapted to produce a signal relative to the acquired representation of a fingerprint from said human user; and

said processor is adapted to locate characteristic portions of said produced signal, the characteristic portions being portions that correspond to minutiae of said representation of a fingerprint from said human user.

8. The interactive entertainment apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

said processor is further adapted to store representations of produced signals received from said acquisition device; and

said processor is adapted to compare a representation of a received signal relative to signal representations previously stored by said processor, to determine whether the received signal corresponds with a previous signal, and, if so, to provide an output signal indicative of recognition.

9. The interactive entertainment apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

said processor utilizes minutiae analysis to compare signal representations and determine whether the received signal corresponds with a previous signal.

10. An interactive entertainment apparatus comprising:

an entertainment device positionable in proximity to a human user, the entertainment device capable of providing entertaining interaction with the user;

an acquisition device associated with said entertainment device, said acquisition device being adapted to acquire a representation of a biometric characteristic of the human user in proximity to said entertainment device, and said acquisition device being adapted to produce a signal relative to the acquired representation; and

a processor associated with said acquisition device in a manner to receive the produced signal from said acquisition device, said processor being adapted to compare the produced signal relative to stored data and to provide an output signal indicative of recognition;

said processor being configured to collect and store information pertaining to multiple human users on an ongoing basis to cause said entertainment device to provide entertaining interaction with each of said multiple human users on an individualized basis;

wherein the entertainment device provides said entertaining interaction in response to said output signal indicative of recognition.

11. A toy comprising:

a fingerprint capture device and digitizer for acquiring a representation of a fingerprint from a human user;

a CPU associated with said fingerprint capture device and digitizer and capable of manipulating signals therefrom; and

software resident on said CPU for analyzing and recognizing said representation of a fingerprint and providing an output signal indicative of recognition;

said CPU being configured to collect and store information pertaining to multiple human users on an ongoing basis to cause said toy to provide entertaining interaction with each of said multiple human users on an individualized basis;

wherein the toy is operable to provide entertaining interaction with the human user in response to said output signal indicative of recognition.

12. The toy of claim 11, wherein:

said toy further comprises a speaker and sound controls whereby sounds produced by said toy may be controlled;

said sound controls are responsive to said signal to modify the sounds produced by said toy in relation to said signal.

13. The toy of claim 12, wherein:

said toy further comprises a microphone for the detection of sounds in the proximity of said toy; and

said software is adapted to recognize human speech included in sounds detected by said microphone and to produce signals for controlling the toy in response to recognized human speech.

14. The toy of claim 13, wherein:

said sound controls include software controls included in said software, said software controls being adapted to produce synthesized speech; and

said toy further comprises animation controls adapted to control one or more motions of the toy;

said animation controls are responsive to said signal to animate said toy in relation to said signal; and

said software is further adapted to produce synthesized speech choreographed with mechanical animation in response to recognition of said fingerprint of said human user.