A TOY OR EDUCATIONAL DEVICE

Abstract: A toy or educational device has a housing (1) with an upper surface (2) on which a book or sheet of paper may rest. Underneath the surface a number of proximity sensors (3) are provided. The upper surface provided with electrical or optical sensors (4) adapted to identify codes formed on the rear face of the book or sheet of paper. The housing has a loudspeaker (6) and a slot (7) to receive a cassette tape. The control buttons (5) are provided. The sheet of paper may be located on the upper surface of the book. The loudspeaker gives preliminary instructions and, when a finger is placed upon a certain part of the picture, the machine then responds with a further comment.

Description: "A Toy or Educational Device" THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a toy or educational device. According to this invention there is provided a toy or educational device, said device comprising a data input means in the form of manually operable or manually responsive input means adapted to input data, a tape or disc drive arrangement adapted to drive a tape or disc carrying control signals and message signals and incor¬ porating means to red such signals, the device further comprising means to generate an audible or visible message from a first message signals and selecting means responsive to the control signals and to operation of the data input means to select a subsequent message signal from a plurality of available signals present on the tape or disc to generate a subsequent audible or visible message. Preferably, the data input means comprises an array of proximity sensors located adjacent a surface defined by the device. The sensors may be capacitive proximity sen¬ sors, or inductive proximity sensors. Alternatively the said data input means com- prises an array of pressure sensitive switches or the like located adjacent a surface defined by the device. In another embodiment the data input means com¬ prises a keyboard. Preferably, the tape or disc drive arrangement is adapted to drive a tape or disc and read signals from a plurality of tracks present on the tape or disc. Conveniently, the tape or disc drive includes a plurality of reading heads, there being one head for each track. Advantageously, the tape or disc drive includes a single reading head, means being provided to move the position of the reading head, to align the reading head with various tracks present upon the tape. Conveniently,the tape or disc drive arrangement is adapted to read control signals and message signals which are multiplexed onto a single track. Preferably, the selecting means are adapted to move the tape or disc to an appropriate position and, where necessary, select an appropriate track to enable the sub¬ sequent message signal to be read from the track. Advantageously, the device comprises a memory ad¬ apted to receive and store signals from the tape or disc which can be utilised to generate a subsequent audible or visible message, the selecting means being operative to select an appropriate signal from the memory to be ut¬ ilised to generate the subsequent audible or visible message. Preferably, further sensor means are provided ad- jacent said surface adapted to sense markings or indicia present on an item located on the surface in order to identify that item, means being provided to pass signals from the further sensor means to the selecting means. In one embodiment a display is provided upon which said visible message may be displayed, the display com¬ prising a liquid crystal display or a light-emitting diode display. The device may be provided in combination with a tape or disc carrying control signals and message signals. In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a block diagram of the operational parts of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a block diagrammatic view of a modified embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view of an apparatus com¬ prising a second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 5 is a block diagrammatic view of the ap¬ paratus of Figure 4. Referring initially to Figure 1 of the drawings an apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises a housing 1 comprising an upper surface 2 on which a book or sheet of paper may rest. Underneath the surface to a plurality of proximity sensors 3 are provided, which may be in a regular array as illustrated. The proximity sensors may be capacitative or inductive, the proximity sensors act as a data input. The upper surface 2 may be provided with a plurality of electrical or optical sen¬ sors 4 adapted to identify appropriate codes formed on the rear face of a book or a sheet of paper resting upon the surface 2. The housing 1 is provided with one or more appro¬ priate control buttons 5 and is also provided with a loud-speaker 6. While the main operative components of the device in accordance with the invention will be described later with reference to Figure 2, the general mode of operation of the device will now be explained. When the device is in use a sheet of paper or book is located upon the surface 2. The device is activated by utilising an appropriate button 5. Sound then emanates from the loudspeaker which may comprise pre¬ liminary instructions, and which may then comprises a question concerning information displayed upon the paper resting upon the surface 2 or the book resting upon the surface 2. If it is assumed that the paper or book dis¬ plays a picture of animals, the question may be "Can you put your finger on the giraffe?". When a finger is then placed upon the book, the location of the finger can be sensed by means of the sen¬ sors 3. The location of the finger is thus input into the device as- data. Then the apparatus can provide an appropriate oral response such as "Yes that is the giraffe well done!" or "No that is the chimpanzee try again" . If a subsequent attempt is made to locate the giraffe, again, depending upon where the finger is placed, an appropriate answer will be generated by the device. It is envisaged that special sheets of paper or special books for use with the machine will be supplied, together with a cassette tape which contains the appro¬ priate information to enable the machine to operate as described. The device may have a slot 7 to enable a cassette tape to be inserted into a tape drive within the housing. It is to be understood that instead of using prox¬ imity sensors 3 the device may have an array of pressure sensitive sensors or switches. Referring now to Figure 2 of the accompanying draw¬ ings, it can be seen that the device can be considered to comprise a sensor which comprises the combination of the sensor elements 3 and 4, which is connected to a micro¬ processor 11 or other device capable of effecting the necessary control of the apparatus. The microprocessor is adapted to control a tape disc or tape streamer 12 which is, of course, adapted to utilise the cassettes mentioned above. These cassettes may be of an individual design so that only authorised cassettes may be utilised with the machine. In particular it is to be appreciated that the cassette provided for use with the machine will be a multi-track cassette, having, for example four tracks. The microprocessor thus effects control of a track selecting mechanism 13 which may select one of a plurality of reading heads or which may mechanically move a single reading moving head to have an appropriate pos¬ ition. The microprocessor also controls a tape drive mechanism 14 which drives the tape. There are two outputs from the tape streamer 12. One output 15, which carries digital information is con¬ nected directly to the microprocessor 11. The other out¬ put 16 is connected to an audio output 17 which comprises an appropriate amplifier and, of course, the loudspeaker 6. It is to be appreciated that when a sheet of paper or book are placed upon the surface 2, the optical or electrical sensors 4 will generate a signal identifying the page or book which can be fed to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor may then be caused to actuate the tape drive until a pre-selected area of tape is in the region of the tape heads. While the tape is being driven digital signals will be provided through the lead 15 to the microprocessor, so the microprocessor can stop the tape drive at an appropriate moment. Then, when the ap¬ propriate button 5 is operated to initiate operation of the device, the microprocessor will cause the tape drive to operate and will select one of the tracks upon which are signals corresponding to the oral instructions and the preliminary question. While the oral instructions and the preliminary questions are being read from the tape and being passed to the audio oputput, simul¬ taneously digital information is being passed to the microprocessor through the output 15. This information is stored. temporarily within the microprocessor. When the initial question has been asked and a finger is then placed adjacent one of the sensors 3 in the sensor array 10 an appropriate signal is fed to the microprocesor. The microprocessor then has to determine how to cause the tape streamer to operate so that the appropriate comment or subseuquent command is provided at the audio output. Utilising the digital information that has just been provided to the microprocessor through the lead 15, and also utilising the identity of the part¬ icular sensor activated, the microprocessor determines precisely where, on the tape, the appropriate answer is to be found. The appropriate track is then selected and the tape drive is then driven to locate the tape in the correct position. The tape drive is then again driven to drive the tape at the appropriate speed past the reading head, so the appropriate signals are fed to the audio output. It will be appreciated that the digital information fed to the microprocessor enables the microprocessor to determine precisely what action should be taken with regard to the tape drive 14 and the track select 13 re¬ gardless of which of the sensors 3 is activated. In the illustrated embodiment there are twelve sensors but it is to be apprecaited that there may be many more sensors, for example twenty or more. Thus there are twenty poss¬ ible answers or responses which can be given to an action taken by a person utilising the apparatus. Whilst the apparatus described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 may operate in a satisfactory manner, it will be appreciated that there may be a pause, whilst the tape drive is operated to locate adajcent the reading head of the appropriate part of tape which carries the signal that is to be generated and passed to the audio output. This may be considered undesirable. Thus Figure 3 illustrates a modified embodiment of the invention in which the tape streamer 12 is provided with a further output 18 which is fed to a memory 19 which is controlled by means of a control lead 20 by the microprocessor 11. When this embodiment of the invention is utilised, as the tape drive is operated initially, so that signals are fed to the audio output in the form of an oral instruction and a preliminary question. Simultaneously signals are fed to the memory representative of all the various res- ponses that may be made. These signals may be present on the remaining tracks of the multi-track tape, provided that a multi-track reading head is utilised. It will be appreciated that in operating this em¬ bodiment of the invention, by the time a person using the device is able to locate a finger adjacent one of the sensors, all the appropriate responses are present, in digitised form, within the memory 19. When a finger is located adjacent one of the sensors the microprocessor controls the memory to select the appropriate set of signals stored within the memory and pass those signals to the audio output, where the signals provide an in¬ telligible audible output from the audio output 17. Thus, in this embodiment of the invention there is vir¬ tually no pause between a person placing a finger adjacent the sensor, and the machine reacting with an appropriate audible comment. The memory (which can be considered to be a voice compression chip) can only store digital information. The tape may thus carry the information in a digital form, but if the tape carries the information in an analog form the signals from the tape pass an analog to digital connector before being stored in the memory. Signals from the memory pass a digital to analog con¬ verter before being passed to the audio output. A modified embodiment of the invention may utilise a voice synthesiser controlled by digital information carried on the tape and/or stored in a memory. It is to be appreciated that in alternative embodi¬ ments of the invention, the signals to be passed to the memory may be multiplexed on a single track tape, together with a signal representative of the question to be asked. However, it is to be noted that in each em¬ bodiment digital control signals from the tape are fed to the microprocessor, so that the microprocessor is able to determine precisely which signal, from many signals available to be selected, is to be selected in response to operation of any particular sensor on the sensor array. Referring now to Figure 4 of the accompanying draw¬ ings a further device in accordance with the invention is illustrated, comprising a housing 30 which presents a manually operable keyboard 31 (which may be an ordinary keyboard with separate keys or a membrane keyboard) and a visible display 32, which may be a liquid crystal display or a light-emitting diode display. The display may have any appropriate size. The device presents control buttons 33 and a loudspeaker 34, and a slot 35 for a cassette. It is envisaged that when this device is utilised, when the appropriate button 33 is activated, the device will initiailly ask an audible question which will require an answer to be entered by means of the keyboard 31. The keyboard may, for example, be a standard "type¬ writer" keyboard, and the question may ask for a part¬ icular word to be spelled correctly using the keyboard. The person will then use the keyboard to "type" in the spelling that is thought to be correct. This spelling may appear on the display 32. Depending upon whether the spelling is correct or not the response to this may be either an audible message confirming that the spelling is correct, or an audible message indicating that the spelling is incorrect and for example, inviting the person using the machine to have another attempt. The machine may be adapted to cause one letter, or more than one letter, to "flash" in and on-and-off manner to identify a particular letter, particularly if the audible message -is such as "Can you see the flashing letter -this letter is not correct". It will be appreciated that after a number of attempts to spell the word correctly the operator is still unsuccessful, the machine may display the correct spelling of the word, and given audible message such as "You were unable to spell that word, better luck next time". Referring now to Figure 5 it can be seen that the arrangement of the embodiment shown in Figure 4 bears a certain resemblance to the arrangements illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The arrangement includes a tape streamer 40 which is again intended to receive specific cassettes. The taper streamer incldues a tape drive mechanism 41 and a track select mechanism 42 to which both control by microprocessor 43. The microprocessor 43 receives digital information from an output 44 of the tape streamer. The tape streamer has another output 45 which is connected to a memory 46 and a further output 47 which is connected to an audio output arrangement 48 com¬ prising an appropriate amplifier and an appropriate loudspeaker, such as the loudspeaker 34. The micro¬ processor is also connected to the keyboard 31 and to the display 32. It is to be appreciated that when operation of the device is initiated, the tape drive is operated. Whilst the initial portion of the tape is passing the reading head, an appropriate signal is generated and passed through the audio output, comprising the first message which invites the person utilising the device to enter the spelling of a word via the keyboard. Simultaneously digital information is supplied to the microprocessor and further digital information is stored within the memory 46. The microprocessor is programmed to compare the attempt to spell the word with the correct spelling of the word, this comprising part of the information supplied to the microprocessor from the output 44 and from the memory 46. Depending upon the accuracy or in¬ accuracy of the attempt, the microprocessor passes through routines to cause the apparatus to operate gen¬ erally as described above. During these routines the tape drive may be caused to move the tape to a pre¬ selected position and also the track selector may be caused to select an appropriate track if the micro¬ processor requires information stored at a further point on the tape. When one word has been completed, the tape advances to the next word. Whilst this embodiment of the invention has been described with specific reference to an arrangement utilised to exercise spelling, it is to be appreciated that this type of arrangement may be utilised in many different teaching seenarios. The tape may contain many questions relating to almost any topic of academic edu¬ cation, requiring a student to type in answers. The questions may be so constructed that the student may have to type in a word selected from a number of options as an answer, or even just code letters as an answer. Such an embodiment may especially be useful in connection with the teaching of languages. Whilst the invention has been described with refer¬ ence to various specific embodiments it is to be appre¬ ciated that many modifications may be effected. For ex¬ ample, instead of using a tape • in a cassette, an optically readable disc could be utilised.

Claims: _ _ CLAIMS : 1. A toy or educational device, said device comprising a data input means in the form of manually operable or manually responsive input means adapted to input data, a tape or disc drive arrangement adapted to drive a tape or disc carrying control signals and message signals and in¬ corporating means to red such signals, the device further comprising means to generate an audible or visible message from a first message signals and selecting means responsive to the control signals and to operation of the data input means to select a subsequent message signal from a plurality of available signals present on the tape or disc to generate a subsequent audible or visible message. 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the data input means comprises an array of proximity sensors located adjacent a surface defined by the device. 3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the sensors are capacitive proximity sensors. 4. A device according to claim 2, wherein the sensors are inductive proximity sensors. 5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the said data input means comprises an array of pressure sensitive switches or the like located adjacent a surface defined by the device. 6. A device according to claim . 1 , wherein the data input means comprises a keyboard. 7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tape or disc drive arrangement is aαapted to drive a tape or disc and read signals from a plurality of tracks present on the tape or disc. 8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the tape or disc drive includes a plurality of reading heads, there being one head for each track. 9. A device according to claim 7, wherein the tape or disc drive includes a single reading head, means being provided to move the position of the reading head, to align the reading head with various tracks present upon the tape. 10. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein the tape or disc drive arrangement is adapted to read control signals and message signals which are multi¬ plexed onto a single track. 11. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the selecting means are adapted to move the tape disc to an appropriate position and, where nec¬ essary, select an appropriate track to enable the sub¬ sequent message signal to be read from the track. 12. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the device comprises a memory adapted to receive and store signals from the tape or disc which can be utilised to generate a subsequent audible or visible message, the selecting means being operative to select an appropriate signal from the memory to be utilised to generate the subsequent audible or visible message. 13. A device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, or any claim dependent thereon, wherein further sensor means are provided adjacent said surface adapted to sense mark¬ ings or indicia present on an item located on the surface in order to identify that item, means being provided to pass signals from the further sensor means to the select¬ ing means. 14. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 » wherein a display is provided upon which said visible message may be displayed, the display comprising a liquid crystal display or a light-emitting diode display. 15. A device according to any one of preceding claims in combination with a tape or disc carrying control signals and message signals.

Inventors: JESSOP RICHARD VERNON, JESSOP, RICHARD, VERNON
Applicants: TELSTAR ENTERPRISES LIMITED
Application year: 1990
Main classification: G09B17
IPC codes: G09B5, G09B17