Patent ID: 6012961
Filing Date: 2000-01-11
Classification: A63H

Abstract:
An interactive toy comprising:a base unit having a movable part;an electromechanical actuator mounted on board said base unit and connected to said movable part of said base unit for actuating said movable part of said base unit responsive to control data;an audio output device mounted on board said base unit, said audio output device outputting audio responsive to audio data;a digital processing device mounted on board the base unit, said digital processing device being in electrical communication with said electromechanical actuator for directing control data to said electromechanical actuator and directly controlling operation of said electromechanical actuator, said digital processing device being in electrical communication with said audio output device for directing sound data to said audio output device for controlling operation thereof; a reprogrammable data storage device mounted on board said base unit in electrical communication with said digital processing device for selectively storing program data for controlling operation of said digital processing device, control data to be accessed by said digital processing device during operation thereof, and sound data to be accessed by said digital processing device during operation thereof;a data input port mounted on board said base unit in electrical communication with said digital processing device for selectively receiving said program data, said control data and said audio data from an external data source and for routing commands from an external source to said digital processing device; anda standalone power source mounted on board said base unit for providing standalone power to said electromechanical actuator, said audio output device, said digital processing device and said data storage device,said interactive toy being operative in a first tethered mode wherein said digital processing device is connected to said external data source through said data input port, said digital processing device receiving control data and sound data from said external data source, said digital processing device further receiving command data from said external data source for control of said digital processing device;said interactive toy being operative in a second tethered mode wherein said digital processing device is connected to said external data source through said data input port, said digital processing device receiving a stream of program data, control data and audio data which are stored in said reprogrammable data storage device, andsaid interactive toy being operative in a third untethered mode wherein said digital processing device is not connected to said external data source, said digital processing device executing an on-board program and accessing said control data and said audio data from said reprogrammable data storage device to automatically control operation of said electromechanical actuator and said audio output device.