Patent ID: 6089942
Filing Date: 2000-07-18
Classification: A63H

Abstract:
An interactive toy, comprising:a memory for storing digital data representative of speech phrases;a speech synthesizer, connected to the memory, for converting the digital data into audible synthesized speech phrases;an infra-red transceiver for communicating infra-red signals over a field-of-view to a second toy;a switch for enabling a user of the toy to select between a stand-alone mode and an infra-red transmission mode;a microphone; anda processor, connected to the switch, the microphone, the infra-red transceiver, the speech synthesizer, and the memory, for determining the selected mode and,(i) in the event the stand-alone mode is selected,(a) monitoring the microphone for sound input, and(b) in the event that sound input is present, selecting digital speech data representative of a speech phrase and supplying such data to the speech synthesizer; and(ii) in the event the infra-red transmission mode is selected,(a) receiving a first infra-red signal from the second toy indicative of a speech phrase audibly generated by the second toy,(b) selecting digital speech data representative of a reply speech phrase in response to the first signal and supplying such data to the speech synthesizer, and(c) transmitting a second signal to the second toy indicative of the selected phrase.