Hand-held interactive electronic device

• US 20060050061A1
• Filed: 08/05/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Aiken, Brian L., Nissen, Erica, Petit, Justin, Reile, Pete, Coleman, Shanti, Eckler, Travis
• Granted Patent: US 7,602,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A hand-held interactive electronic device has an electronic display with a touch screen. A plurality of icons is on the touch screen. A frame element separate from the touch screen bounds a portion of the touch screen. A plurality of indicia is on the frame element. Each indicium is in register with a corresponding icon on the touch screen. A processor is operatively coupled to the display. A fixed memory or a removable memory is operatively coupled to the processor. The memory stores instructions defining a plurality of functions. Each function is associated with a corresponding indicium on the frame element. The processor is configured to enable the function associated with the corresponding indicium upon selection of the icon registered with the corresponding indicium.

Claims

1. A hand-held interactive electronic device, comprising:

an electronic display having a visible and user accessible touch screen;

a plurality of icons visible on the touch screen;

a frame element separate from the touch screen, the frame element bounding a portion of the touch screen;

a plurality of indicia on the frame element, each indicium being in register with a corresponding icon on the touch screen;

a processor operatively coupled to the display; and

a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions defining a plurality of functions, each function being associated with a corresponding indicium on the frame element,

wherein the processor is configured to enable the function associated with the corresponding indicium upon selection of the icon registered with the corresponding indicium.

2. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor causes at least one icon of the plurality of icons to appear on the touch screen.

3. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the icons of the plurality of icons are positioned in a spaced-apart relationship in at least one margin of the touch screen.

4. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein each icon of the plurality of icons is fixed in position.

5. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein each icon of the plurality of icons has a unique color.

6. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of icons comprises a first group of icons and a second group of icons, each icon of the first group having a unique color and the same geometric shape, each icon of the second group having a graphic unique with respect to other graphics of the device.

7. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the touch screen has a generally rectangular shape and a first margin, and each icon of the plurality of icons is fixed in position in a spaced-apart relationship in the first margin.

8. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the display and the touch screen have a generally rectangular shape and a first margin, and the plurality of icons comprises a first group of icons and a second group of icons, each icon of the first group being fixed in position in a spaced-apart relationship in a first portion of the first margin and having a generally triangular shape, each icon of the second group being fixed in position in a spaced-apart relationship in a second portion of the first margin and having a graphic unique with respect to other graphics of the device.

9. The hand-held interactive device according to claim 8, wherein each icon of the first group has a vertex oriented toward the corresponding indicium.

10. The hand-held interactive device according to claim 8, wherein the rectangular shape is a square.

11. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the touch screen has a generally rectangular shape, a first margin and a second margin in an opposed and spaced-apart relationship with the first margin, a frame formed by a plurality of the frame elements encloses the touch screen, and the plurality of icons comprises a first group of icons and a second group of icons, each icon of the first group being fixed in position in a spaced-apart relationship in a first portion of the first or second margins and having a generally triangular shape with a vertex oriented toward the corresponding indicium, each icon of the second group being fixed in position in a spaced-apart relationship in a second portion of the first or second margins and having a graphic unique with respect to other graphics of the device.

12. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of icons is selectable by a stylus.

13. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of icons is selectable by a finger.

14. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the frame element is removably coupled to the display.

15. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the memory comprises fixed memory and removable memory, and the frame element is connected to the removable memory.

16. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 15, wherein a script executable by the processor is stored in the removable memory, and wherein at least one of the indicia on the frame element is a graphic related to the script.

17. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of functions comprises a first set of functions and a second set of functions, each function of the first set being permanently associated with the corresponding icon and with one tool of a plurality of tools.

18. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of tools comprises a pencil tool and an erase tool.

19. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of functions comprises a first set of functions and a second set of functions, and a script executable by the processor is stored in the memory, the script providing a plurality of script-based activities, each function of the second set being associated with a corresponding script-based activity of a plurality of script-based activities.

20. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 19 wherein the plurality of script-based activities comprises letter writing recognition.

21. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of functions comprises a first set of functions and a second set of functions, and a script executable by the processor is stored in the memory, the script providing a plurality of script-based activities, each function of the first set being permanently associated with the corresponding icon and with one tool of a plurality of tools, each function of the second set being associated with a corresponding script-based activity.

22. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 21, wherein the memory comprises fixed memory and removable memory, the instructions defining the first set of functions being stored in the fixed memory, the instructions defining the second set of functions being stored in the removable memory.

23. A hand-held interactive electronic device, comprising:

a base unit having an electronic display;

a processor in the base unit, the processor operatively coupled to the display; and

a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory comprising fixed memory in the base unit and removable memory insertable in the base unit;

a script stored in the removable memory and executable by the processor;

a frame element separate from the touch screen, the frame element bounding a portion of the touch screen, the frame element connected to the removable memory; and

a graphic on the frame element, the graphic related to the script.

24. A hand-held interactive electronic device, according to claim 23,wherein the electronic display has a touch screen bounded by the frame element;

and the electronic device further comprises;

a plurality of icons on the touch screen;

a plurality of indicia on the frame element, each indicium being in register with a corresponding icon on the touch screen;

instructions defining a plurality of functions stored in the memory, each function being associated with a corresponding indicium on the frame element

wherein the processor is configured to enable the function associated with the corresponding indicium upon selection of the icon registered with the corresponding indicium.

25. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 24, wherein the script provides a plurality of script-based activities, the plurality of functions comprises a first set of functions and a second set of functions, each function of the first set being permanently associated with the corresponding icon and with one tool of a plurality of tools, each function of the second set being associated with a corresponding script-based activity of the plurality of script-based activities.

26. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 24, wherein the plurality of icons are selected by a stylus or a finger.

27. The hand-held interactive electronic device according to claim 26, wherein the stylus is removable retainable in a stylus slot in the base unit.