Talking doll responsive to external signal

• US 4,840,602 A
• Filed: 12/02/1987
• Issued: 06/20/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hasbro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Coleco Industries Incorporated (Ranger Industries, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rose, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US07/127,903
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 446/303, 446/297, 446/298, 446/300, 446/301, 446/397, 446/175, 434/307, 434/308, 434/323, 360/79, 360/80, 340/539, 340/721, 340/696, 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 273/DIG. 28, 273/1 E, 358/335, 358/142
• US Class Current: 446/175
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2476 Speech or voice synthesisers, e.g. using a speech chip
• 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: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/003 with radio receiver

Abstract

A doll cooperates with a remote signal source which provides a narration with which the doll interacts, and it has a vocabulary stored in digital data in a memory which may be accessed to cause a speech synthesizer in the doll to simulate speech. The doll has a radio frequency receiver which receives encoded data from the remote signal source, and a central processing unit which accesses the memory for selected speech data to simulate the doll'"'"'s response to portions of the narration from the remote signal source. The remote source provides a narrative and substantially simultaneously transmits a radio frequency signal providing binary coded data which, when analyzed by the logic of the doll, elicits an intelligent or responsive statement from the doll. In one embodiment, the remote source includes a cassette tape player for providing the narration and the encoded signals. In another embodiment, the remote source includes a TV for outputting a coded light pattern, and a photo sensor for recognizing the light pattern and allowing the remote source to transmit a coded signal to the doll.

Claims

1. In combination, a talking toy and an external signal generating means, said talking toy including

(a) a central processing unit;

(b) a speech synthesizer including a digital to analog converter;

(c) a memory for storing speech data in digital form;

(d) a speaker coupled to said digital to analog converter to produce synthesized human speech, said central processing unit being arranged to access said memory to select speech data therefrom and supply said accessed data to said synthesizer, said speech data being stored in said memory in addresses which may be accessed to produce phrases of human speech; and

(e) a radio frequency receiver coupled to said central processing unit to receive a binary encoded signal indicative of speech data to be elicited from said memory;

said external signal generating means including

(i) means for transmitting a radio frequency signal to said toy, said signal having binary encoded instructions for eliciting speech data from the memory of said toy; and

(ii) means for narrating a story to which speech comments from the toy are elicited.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said external signal generating means is a two track cassette player with a tape having the narration on one track and binary signals on the other for eliciting speech data from said memory.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said external signal generating means includes a television receiver and video input thereinto which will manifest a recognizable code indicative of the binary coded instructions, means for recognizing said code, and means responsive to said recognition means for transmitting said radio frequency signal.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said recognizable code is light patterns displayed on said television receiver and said means for recognizing is a photo sensitive sensor.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said toy also includes a transmitter and the toy may initiate simulated speech and transmit binary encoded signals indicative thereof, and wherein said binary encoded signal from said external signal generating means inhibits speech initiation by said toy.

6. In combination, a talking toy and cassette tape player, said talking toy including

(a) a central processing unit;

(b) a speech synthesizer including a digital to analog converter;

(c) a memory for storing speech data in digital form;

(d) a speaker coupled to said digital to analog converter to produce synthesized human speech, said central procesing unit being arranged to access said memory to select speech data therefrom and supply said accessed data to said synthesizer, said speech data being stored in said memory in addresses which may be accessed to produce phrases of human speech; and

(e) a radio frequency receiver coupled to said central processing unit to receive a binary encoded signal indicative of speech data to be elicited from said memory;

said cassette tape player including

(i) means for transmitting a radio frequency signal to said toy, said signal having binary encoded instructions for eliciting speech data from the memory of said toy; and

(ii) means for narrating a story to which speech comments from the toy are elicited.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said cassette tape player is a two track cassette player with a tape having the narration on one track and binary signals on the other for eliciting speech data from said memory.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said toy also includes a transmitter and the toy may initiate simulated speech and transmit binary encoded signals indicative thereof, and wherein said binary encoded signal from said tape player inhibits speech initiation by said toy.