Interactive toys

• US 9,607,475 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2014
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beepcard Limited (Beepcard, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dialware Incorporated
• Inventors: Cohen, Moshe, Sege, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Seng H
• Application Number:
  US14/190,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20140179432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• 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: A63H 33/00 Other toys
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/16 using difference in transit time between electrical and acoustic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/74 Systems using reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/22 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0728 the arrangement being an optical or sound-based communication interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 : Game play aspects of gaming systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 : Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves

Abstract

A plurality of individual toys, at least a first one of which generates acoustic signals and at least a second one of which receives acoustic signals. When the second toy receives acoustic signals from the first toy, it responds, for example, by generating a sound and/or controlling its motion. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the toys flock and/or form a procession of toys which follow a leader toy, for example a mother goose and a plurality of following and preferably quacking goslings.

Claims

1. A method for playing an interactive computer game, comprising:

moving a user-controlled play implement, wherein the user-controlled play implement models at least one of a motion of a virtual object in the computer game and a force applied to a virtual object in the computer game;

transmitting a signal by the play implement, wherein the signal includes an indication of the motion of the play implement;

receiving the signal by a computer, wherein the signal includes an indication of a particular physical action performable by a user, wherein the particular physical action is selected from a change in position, a change in orientation, a three dimensional (3D) motion, rotation, and acceleration;

responding by the computer to the signal received, in accordance with the interactive computer game; and

controlling an action figure to respond to movement of the user-controlled play implement, said responding including a corresponding movement of the action figure.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting a signal includes:

receiving the signal by a telephone; and

transmitting a signal by the telephone to the computer.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal is selected from an audible signal and a magnetic signal.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal is provided by one of an acoustic card device and a magnetic signal generating device.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the one of an acoustic card device and magnetic signal generating device stores data including at least one of user-related information, billing information, and gaming information.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the change in position, change in orientation, three dimensional (3D) motion, rotation, and acceleration is determined using at least one of a microphone and a speaker mounted on the user-controlled play implement, the at least one of a microphone and a speaker one of transmitting and receiving signals from at least one of the computer and another speaker and a microphone controller.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user-controlled play implement is one of a bracelet, a glove, a sound maker mounted on a play implement, a club, a steering wheel, a joystick, a sword, a gun, and a virtual reality suit.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the interactive computer game includes manipulation of a computer character and wherein movement of the user-controlled play implement results in a corresponding movement of the computer character.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the interactive computer game is one of a boxing match, a baseball game, and a golf game.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said manipulation of the computer character includes manipulation of hand motions of the computer character.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said controlling includes one of transmitting a signal by the user-controlled play implement directly to the action figure and transmitting a signal by the computer to the action figure.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motion of the play implement causes a change in at least one of position, orientation, motion vector and acceleration of a virtual play implement in the interactive computer game.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the virtual play implement is displayed on a screen.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the virtual object is displayed on a screen.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the play implement includes more than one of a transmitter and receiver.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said responding includes modifying the computer game.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving signals by a set-top box and at least one of score keeping and display updating by the set-top box.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the interactive computer game is a “

Simon Says”

game and the user-controlled lay implement is used to track at least one of a position and motion of a player.

19. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a second user-controlled play implement, said first and second user-controlled play implements communicating with a central unit for play between two players.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the central unit displays information responsive to signaling by the two players.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein one of the two user-controlled play implements is located remote geographically from the other one.

22. A method for playing an interactive computer game, comprising:

moving a user-controlled play implement, wherein the play implement models at least one of a motion of a virtual object in the computer game and a force applied to a virtual object in the computer game, and wherein the play implement includes an acoustic transducer comprising a bendable piezoelectric film, the bendable piezoelectric film bent around the play implement;

transmitting a signal by the play implement, wherein the signal includes an indication of the motion of the play implement;

receiving the signal by a computer, wherein the signal includes an indication of a particular physical action performable by a user, wherein the particular physical action is selected from a change in position, a change in orientation, a three dimensional (3D) motion, rotation, and acceleration; and

responding by the computer to the signal received, in accordance with the interactive computer game.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein said transmitting a signal includes:

receiving the signal by a telephone; and

transmitting a signal by the telephone to the computer.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the signal is selected from an audible signal and a magnetic signal.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the signal is provided by one of an acoustic card device and a magnetic signal generating device.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the one of an acoustic card device and magnetic signal generating device stores data including at least one of user-related information, billing information, and gaming information.

27. The method according to claim 22, wherein the change in position, change in orientation, three dimensional (3D) motion, rotation, and acceleration is determined using at least one of a microphone and a speaker mounted on the user-controlled play implement, the at least one of a microphone and a speaker one of transmitting and receiving signals from at least one of the computer and another speaker and a microphone controller.

28. The method according to claim 22, wherein the user-controlled play implement is one of a bracelet, a glove, a sound maker mounted on a play implement, a club, a steering wheel, a joystick, a sword, a gun, and a virtual reality suit.

29. The method according to claim 22, wherein the interactive computer game includes manipulation of a computer character and wherein movement of the user-controlled play implement results in a corresponding movement of the computer character.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the interactive computer game is one of a boxing match, a baseball game, and a golf game.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein said manipulation of the computer character includes manipulation of hand motions of the computer character.

32. The method according to claim 22, wherein the motion of the play implement causes a change in at least one of position, orientation, motion vector and acceleration of a virtual play implement in the interactive computer game.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the virtual play implement is displayed on a screen.

34. The method according to claim 22, wherein the virtual object is displayed on a screen.

35. The method according to claim 22, wherein the play implement includes more than one of a transmitter and receiver.

36. The method according to claim 22, wherein the play implement includes an acoustic transducer comprising a bendable piezoelectric film, the bendable piezoelectric film bent around the play implement.

37. The method according to claim 22, wherein said responding includes modifying the computer game.

38. The method according to claim 22, further comprising receiving signals by a set-top box and at least one of score keeping and display updating by the set-top box.

39. The method according to claim 22, wherein the interactive computer game is a “

Simon Says”

game and the user-controlled lay implement is used to track at least one of a position and motion of a player.

40. The method according to claim 22, further comprising a second user-controlled play implement, said first and second user-controlled play implements communicating with a central unit for play between two players.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the central unit displays information responsive to signaling by the two players.

42. The method according to claim 40, wherein one of the two user-controlled play implements is located remote geographically from the other one.