Voice controlled toy

• US 4,717,364 A
• Filed: 09/04/1984
• Issued: 01/05/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tomy Kogyo Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tomy Kogyo Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Furukawa, Masami
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US06/647,144
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 446/175, 446/454, 446/456, 446/443, 446/436, 446/279, 446/354, 446/289, 446/290, 446/352, 446/353, 446/280, 340/825.72, 381/110, 364/513.5, 364/513, 367/198, 367/197, 74/789, 74/665 GA, 74/674, 74/353
• US Class Current: 446/175
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 11/00 Self-movable toy figures
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19084 Spur
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19363 Rotary carriage

Abstract

A voice actuated toy robot receives commands via a radio transmitter and receiver, and in response to receipt of these commands propogates a signal through a CPU. Initially the toy is programmed by storing records of commands in a memory which is associated with the CPU. Upon further receipt of identical commands, the CPU scans the memory and upon finding a match between a record in the memory and a new command, the CPU activates a switch associated with the record in the memory so as to set the switch. A mechanical interogator is capable of cycicly interogating a plurality of switches each of which corresponds to one of the records in the memory. Upon interogation of the switches, if it is determined a signal is present at one of the switches, the interogator ceases interogation and a mechanism is set so as to propogate motion from a motor to an appendage driving wheel or the like of the robot to produce an output in response to the audio command which was received.

Claims

1. A robot which comprises:

a housing;

a plurality of movable means movable mounted on said housing for movement relative to said housing;

a motor means for producing a first output and a second output mounted on said housing, one of said first and second outputs comprising a clockwise output and the other of said first and second outputs comprising a counterclockwise output;

a drive means for propagating motion, said drive means operatively associated with said motor means so as to receive both of said first and second outputs of said motor means;

said drive means further operatively associated with each of said plurality of movable means, said drive mans for transmitting said first output of said motor means independently to each of said movable means so as to move said movable means relative to said housing;

said drive means including selector means for transfering at least said first output, said selector means rotatably mounted on said housing, said selector means rotating in response to said second output and said selector means remaining stationary in one of a plurality of positions in response to said first output, in each of said positions said selector means transferrings aid first output to one of said plurality of movable means to move said respective movable means with respect to said housing;

a control means for controlling in which of said plurality of positions said selector means remains stationary, said control means operatively associated with said selector means;

said selector means includes a rotating member, said rotating member including a plurality of switch engagement means for engaging switches, said switch engagement means located on said rotating member in a spaced array;

said control means includes a plurality of switch means for switching, each of said switch means associated with one of said movable means, said switch means positioned in association with said rotating member whereby said array of said switch engagement means sequentially interacts with said plurality of switch means in response to rotation of said rotating member.

2. The robot of claim 1 wherein:

said control means includes an audio receiving means, said audio receiving means for receiving an audio input and in response to said audio inptu said control means moving said selector means between said plurality of positions.

3. The robot of claim 1 wherein:

said drive means further includes a clutch means operatively associated with said selector means, said first output transferred to said selector means by said clutch means.

4. The robot of claim 3 wherein:

said drive means further includes retaining means, said retaining means operatively associated with said selector means, said retaining means for interacting with said selector means to prevent rotation of said selector means in response to said first output.

5. The robot of claim 4 including:

at least one of said movable means comprises a rotating wheel capable of at least partially supporting said robot and propelling said robot in response to rotation of said selector means;

at least a further of said movable means comprising at least one grasping member, said grasping member for engaging and transporting an object.

6. The robor of claim 1 wherein:

at least one of said movable means comprises a rotating wheel capable of at least partially supporting said robot and propelling said robot in response to rotation of said selector means.

7. The robot of claim 6 wherein:

at least a further portion of said movable means comprises at least one grasping member, said grasping member for engaging and transporting an object.

8. The robot of claim 1 including:

electronic means associated with said switch means, said electronic means for activating said plurality of switch means one at a time in response to operator inputed stimulus.

9. The robot of claim 8 including:

said drive means further includes a clutch means operatively associated with said selector means, said first output transferred to said selector means by said clutch means;

said drive means further includes retaining means, said retaining means operatively associated with said selector means, said retaining means for interacting with said selector means to prevent rotation of said selector means in response to said first output.

10. The robot of claim 8 wherein:

said drive means further includes a plurality of gear train means, each of said plurality of movable means associated with one of said gear train means;

said rotating member includes a plurality of gear train means selecting means, each of said gear train means selecting means associated with one of said plurality of said switch means whereby in response to activation of said switch means by said electronic means motion is propogated through the respective gear train means selecting means to the associated gear train means and to the respective movable means.

11. A voice actuated toy which comprises:

an electronic means for receiving audio signals and storing records of said audio signals, said electornic means further for comparing an inputed audio signal with eah of its previously stored audio signals, said electronic means outputting one of a plurality of output signals in response to recept of an input audio signal which amtches one of said stored records of aduio signals;

a plurality of switches connected to said electornic means, the number of said switches equal to the number of said stored records of said auido signals, each of said switches including an output terminal;

a drive means operatively associated with said switches, said drive means having a plurality of movable members each of which is capable of executing a predetermined movement, said drive means movable member executing said movements in response to said output signals of said electronic means;

said drive means further including switch selector means for interacting with said plurality of switches one at a time, each of said respective output signals from said electronic means propogated to said drive means only when the respective switch associated with said respective signal is activated by said switch selector means.

12. A voice toy of claim 11 wherein:

said electronic means includes digitizing means for digitizing said audio signals received;

said electronic means further including central processing means and memory means associated with said central processing means, said central processing means for processing said digitized signal and initially storing a record of said signal in said memory means and further in comparing further digitized signals with said records in said memory means so as to match said further digitized signals with said records in said memory means, said central processing means outputting one of said output signals in response to matching of said further digitized signals with one of said records.

13. The toy of claim 12 wherein:

said signal outputed by said central processing means is one of a high or a low signal to said respective switches means;

said drive means including motor means and said electronic means further including motor control means, said motor control means for reversing the output of said motor betwen one of a clockwise and counterclockwise output in response to a receipt of one of said outputted signals from said central processing means.

14. The toy of claim 11 wherein:

said electronic mean sincludes a sound recognition means, said sound recognition means for receiving and storing a plurality of vocal commands, said sound recognition means for further comparing a vocal command to said plurality of stored vocal commands and in response to a match thereof said electronic means outputting one of said plurality of output signals.

15. The toy of claim 11 wherein:

said drive means includes a motor means mounted on said housing, said motor means producing a first output and a second output, one of said first and second outputs comprising a clockwise output and the other of said first and second outputs comprising a counterclockwise output;

said drive means further independently transmitting said first output of said motor means to each of said mvoble members so as to move said movable members relative to said housing;

said switch selector means rotatably mounted on said housing, said selector means rotating in response to said second output and said selector means remaining stationary in one of a plurality of positions in response to said first output, in each of said positions said selector means transferring said first output ot one of said plurality of movable members to move said respective movable members with respect to said housing.

16. The toy of claim 15 wherein:

said electronic means includes a soudn recognition means, said sound recognition means for receiving and storing a plurality of records of vocal commands, said sound recognition means for further comparing a voacl command to said plurality of stored records of vocal commands and in response to a match thereof said electronic means outputting one of said plurality of output signals.

17. The toy of claim 16 wherein:

said sound recognition means includes digitizing means for digitizing said audio signals received;

said sound recognition means further including central processing means and memory means associated with said central processing, said central processing means for processing said digitized signal and initially storing a record of said signal in said memory means and further in comparing further digitized signals with said records in said memory means so as to match said further digitized signals with said records in said memory means, said central processing means outputting one said output signals in response to said match.

18. A sound recognition toy which comprises:

a housing;

an electronic sound recognition means, said sound recognition means for receiving and storing a plurality of records of audio commands, said sound recognition means for further comparing a new audio command to said plurality of stored records of audio commands and in response to a match between said new audio command and one of said stored records of audio commands said sound recognition means outputting an output signal;

a plurality of switches connected to said sound recognition means, the number of said switches equla to the number of said stored records of audio commands, each of said switches including an output terminal;

a motor means for producing an output, said motor means located on said housing;

a selector means for selecting a switch, said selector means operatively associated with said motor means, said selector means rotatably mounted on said housing, said selector means including a switch engagement means for activating said switches one at a time, said switch engagement means positioned in association with said plurality of switches;

a plurality of movable means for producing movement, said movble means mounted on said housing so as to move relative to said housing, said plurality of movable means operatively associated with said selector means so as to be capable of being activated by said selector means in response to activating of one of said switches and when so activated said movable means operatively connectable to said motor means so as to be moved by said motor means.