Electronic toy with alterable features

• US 7,607,962 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Hardin, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol; Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): RADA, ALEX P
• Application Number:
  US11/743,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20080026672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 446/175, 446/484, 446168-169, 446/173, 446/82, 446/477, 463/1, 434402-403, 434/428
• US Class Current: 446/484
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 13/00 Toy figures with self-moving parts, with or without movement of the toy as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 15/00 Other gravity-operated toy figures
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/22 Electric drives power supply through track A63H18/12

Abstract

An electronic toy with alterable features. The toy includes a body having a sensor adapted to detect at least a first orientation of the body and a second orientation of the body, and provide a corresponding sensor output. In some embodiments, the toy includes a controller configured to select a set of toy outputs from a library of toy outputs in response to the sensor output. The toy outputs may include a play mode and/or a persona. In some embodiments, the toy includes one or more movable portions coupled to the body and adapted to move in response to changes in the orientation of the body.

Claims

1. An electronic toy comprising:

a body having first and second orientation surfaces facing different directions, the body being configured to house a plurality of components including;

a sensor mounted to the body and adapted to detect at least a first orientation of the body when the first orientation surface is above the second orientation surface and a second orientation of the body when the body is rotated so that the second orientation surface is above the first orientation surface, and provide a corresponding sensor output;

a controller configured to receive the sensor output and select a corresponding set of toy outputs from a library of toy outputs, where the selected set of toy outputs including at least one of a play mode and a persona; and

one or more movable portions coupled to the body and adapted to move relative to the body in response to changes in the orientation of the body so that the one or more movable portions are hidden in one of the first and second orientations and at least partially visible when the body is in the other of the first and second orientations.

2. The toy of claim 1, wherein the one or more movable portions are mounted to an exterior of the body.

3. The toy of claim 1, wherein the one or more movable portions are adapted to move in response to the sensor output.

4. The toy of claim 1, wherein at least one of the movable portions is configured to move from a first position, in which the movable portion is substantially hidden, to a second position, in which the movable portion is substantially visible.

5. The toy of claim 1, wherein the sensor is coupled to one of the movable portions and the movable portion is adapted to move in response to gravity, thereby triggering the sensor.

6. The toy of claim 1, wherein the sensor is located on the interior of the body and includes a gravity switch.

7. The toy of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to select a particular persona in response to detection of a particular orientation of the body.

8. The toy of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to select a particular set of toy outputs in response to detection of a particular series of orientations of the body.

21. The toy of claim 1, wherein the one or more movable portions are mounted to an interior of the body.

9. A method of accessing features of a toy having a body including first and second orientation surfaces facing different directions, the body being configured to house a plurality of components including a sensor adapted to detect at least a first and a second orientation of the body and provide a corresponding sensor output, and a controller configured to access one of a first persona and a second persona from a library of toy outputs in response to the sensor output, the method comprising:

detecting a first orientation of the body when the first orientation surface is above the second orientation surface and a second orientation of the body when the body is rotated so that the second orientation surface is above the first orientation surface;

selecting a persona from the library in response to the detected orientation of the body;

communicating the selected toy output to a user interface; and

altering, in response to the detected orientation of the body, a movable portion of the body relative to the body from a first position to a second position so that the movable portion is hidden in one of the first and second orientations and at least partially visible when the body is in the other of the first and second orientations.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting a play mode from the library of toy outputs.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the movable portion is mounted on an exterior of the body.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising detecting a series of orientations of the body and selecting a persona in response to the detected series of orientation.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein a particular persona is selected in response to detection of a particular orientation.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of communicating the selected toy output includes lighting a display.

15. An electronic toy having a body including first and second orientation surfaces facing different directions, comprising:

a means, mounted to the body of the toy, for sensing at least a first orientation of the body when the first orientation surface is above the second orientation surface and a second orientation of the body when the body is rotated so that the second orientation surface is above the first orientation surface;

a means for selecting a persona from a library of personas in response to the sensed orientation;

a means for displaying the selected persona; and

a housing including one or more movable portions configured to move relative to the housing in response to movement of the housing so that the movable portion is hidden in one of the first and second orientations and at least partially visible in the other of the first and second orientations.

16. The toy of claim 15, wherein the means for displaying the selected persona includes a liquid crystal display.

17. The toy of claim 16, wherein the liquid crystal display is disposed within the housing and at least one of the movable portions is disposed within the housing such that the at least one movable portion becomes visible when the liquid crystal display is lighted.

18. The toy of claim 15, wherein at least one of the movable portions is configured to move relative to the housing from a first position, in which the movable portion is substantially hidden, to a second position, in which the movable portion is substantially visible.

19. The toy of claim 18, wherein the at least one movable portion is configured to recess within the housing in the first position.

20. The toy of claim 16 wherein at least one of the one or more movable portions is mounted within the housing so that it is at least partially visible through the liquid crystal display in one of the first and second orientations.