Abstract:
The invention provides a toy that talks when activated. The toy may be activated by simulating play with the toy or by changing the illumination of the toy&#39;s environment. Through electronic circuitry, the toy produces a sound output when its magnetic sensor detects a magnet nearby or when its photosensor detects a change in the level of illumination in the surrounding area. The toy may be used for peek-a-boo play involving children.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/855,798 filed Nov. 1, 2006 which is incorporated herein by this reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to the general field of children&#39;s toys of the type having sensor activated behavior. 
         [0003]    The typical type of toy with which the invention is specifically concerned is a doll that reacts to certain stimuli with an activated behavior, such as crying or making some other sound, waving a hand, or dancing. Although the description that follows is directed to a talking doll, the invention is not limited to this particular form of implementation. 
         [0004]    To elicit the behavior from such dolls, an activation step is required. For instance, dolls having a pull string which, when pulled, causes a doll to speak simple preprogrammed words are well known. Additionally, toggle switches, buttons, loud noises and points on a doll responsive to pressure are also known to activate speech and motion in toys. 
         [0005]    Light can also trigger detectors to activate a toy or other device. For example, photosensors can detect darkness and, in response, turn on a light. Typically such devices monitor the amount of ambient light received by the photosensor, and when the amount of light received drops below a pre-established threshold, the light is turned on. 
         [0006]    Such photosensors have been incorporated into dolls to elicit a response when the level of ambient light changes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,627 describes a doll that has a photosensor located in each of the doll&#39;s eyes so that if either sensor is first exposed to ambient light, then deactivated by blocking the ambient light, such as by placing the doll&#39;s or the user&#39;s hand over at least one of the doll&#39;s eyes, a specific behavior, such as speech, is activated. 
         [0007]    While conventional sensors can be used to elicit behavior from a toy such as a doll, such toys do not respond in an identical matter in both light and dark conditions while also allowing the toy to respond to changes in ambient light unrelated to use of the doll. Since ease of use is a primary goal, a toy such as a doll whose behavior can be activated in both light and dark conditions is desirable. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    An object of the present invention is to provide a toy, such as a doll, that can speak, light up, or move in response to interaction with the user or as a result of changes in ambient light. 
         [0009]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a toy, such as a doll, specifically designed to generate a voice output when playing a “peek a boo” game with a user in both light and dark conditions. 
         [0010]    A further object is to provide a toy, such as a doll that is responsive to changes in ambient light. 
         [0011]    To these and other ends, the present invention broadly contemplates a toy, such as a child&#39;s doll, having a head with eyes, wherein each of the toy&#39;s eyes contains both a photosensor and a magnetic sensor, the head being connected to a body with two or more appendages, such as arms, the appendages containing magnets to activate magnetic sensors in the eyes when they are brought into close proximity of each other, wherein the body and/or head contain an integrated circuit and/or a processor and software for producing a preprogrammed behavior upon activation of either of the photosensors or magnetic sensors located in the toy&#39;s eyes. 
         [0012]    Specifically, the invention may be embodied in a doll designed to play “peek a boo” wherein the doll&#39;s head or body contains a speaker that will play a synthesized voice upon activation by either of the photosensors or magnetic sensors. Specifically, upon activation, the toy responds with the phrase “peek-a-boo, I see you, peek-a-boo, I love you.” Also, lights may be placed in the doll&#39;s eyes or cheeks so that upon activation of the photo or magnetic sensors, the eyes or cheeks can be lit up. 
         [0013]    Additionally, the dolls arms can be mechanically animated so that upon activation of the photo or magnetic sensors in the doll&#39;s eyes, the doll&#39;s arms can move without user interaction. In one embodiment, upon activation, the doll can move its arms to cover its eyes, such as a child would when playing “peek a boo”. 
         [0014]    The sensors in the toy&#39;s eyes can be activated in numerous different ways. The photosensors located in the toy&#39;s eyes are activated when covered and uncovered by the toy&#39;s hands or when the light in a room in which the toy resides is switched on. Similarly, the magnetic sensors are activated when a magnet in one of the toy&#39;s appendages is brought next to one of the magnetic sensor&#39;s in the toy&#39;s eyes. Because the toy can be activated by moving the appendages so as to make it play the familiar game of “peek a boo”, the toy can be used by a child without having to learn any complicated steps or procedures to activate the doll&#39;s response. Additionally, because it contains both photo and magnetic sensors, the toy can be used in well lit areas as well as in total darkness. The invention provides a simple but safe and fun toy for children. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a toy embodying one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a front view showing the activation of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a circuit diagram showing the circuitry of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a back view of a toy of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a back view showing the on/off switch and battery box of the toy in one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a front view of a toy of one embodiment of the present invention showing the location of particular components beneath the toy&#39;s surface; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a front view of certain components that may be located within the toy of one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0022]    In one embodiment, the peek-a-boo toy of the present invention incorporates a simple children&#39;s game into a figure portraying a baby or an animal. Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  6  and  7 , the toy  FIG. 10  generally has a head  12 , a torso  14 , appendages  16 , and identifying features such as eyes  18 , nose  20 , mouth  22 , ears  24 , and/or hair  26 . The appendages  16  generally have a proximal end  28  and a distal end  30 , including a magnet  40 , relative to the point of attachment to the torso  14 . On a baby toy figure, as in  FIG. 1 , the appendages are arms  32  and legs  34 , with hands  36  and feet  38 , respectively. On an animal toy figure (not shown) the appendages can be forelimbs and hindlimbs, and both can have paws. The appendages  16  are sufficiently flexible and have a length to allow movement to bring the distal end of the appendage proximate to one or more sensors. For example, the arms  32  of a baby toy figure are capable of being moved to bring the hands  36  over sensors in the eyes  18 . 
         [0023]    As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , in one embodiment, at least one of the toy&#39;s eyes contains both a photosensor  42  and a magnetic sensor  44  which in turn are connected to an integrated circuit  46  located within the torso  14  or head  12  of the toy. The integrated circuit  46 , shown in the circuit of  FIG. 3  which in one embodiment is mounted on a printed circuit board, is attached to a power source  48 , such as two AA batteries, and contains a voice synthesizer that can play a prerecorded message through an attached speaker  50  when the circuit is activated. In one embodiment, the integrated circuit  46  is an EM5500 4-bit microcontroller unit manufactured by Elan Microelectronics Corp. of Taiwan. The attached speaker  50  may be connected to the voice synthesizer directly or through an amplifier. In one embodiment, when the integrated circuit  46  is activated, the speaker  50  plays a message, such as “peek-a-boo, I see you!” and/or “peek-a-boo, I love you!” The speaker  50  can be placed in either the toy&#39;s head  12  or its torso  14  and in one embodiment is a 160 ohm, 0.25 watt polyester speaker. In another embodiment of the present invention, upon activation the integrated circuit  46  can turn on lights  52  located in the toy&#39;s eye cavities  58  or cheeks  54 . The lights are preferably light emitting diodes (LED) because they are durable, energy efficient and do not generate a large amount of heat. 
         [0024]    In one embodiment, the integrated circuit  46  can be activated by triggering either or both of the magnetic sensors  44 , which in one embodiment are reed switches, and/or either or both of the photosensors  42 . It is understood that a processor and software can be used in place of or in addition to the integrated circuit  46  to perform the same tasks. 
         [0025]    The integrated circuit  46  can be activated in several ways to elicit a response from the toy. One way utilizes the magnetic sensor  44  to trigger the integrated circuit  46  to respond when the magnetic sensor  44  is activated for a first time period, such as two seconds, and is then deactivated for a second time period, such as one-half second. By setting such a sufficiently long first time period, the toy will not accidentally be triggered if the magnet  40  briefly swings by the magnetic sensor  44  located in the eye  18 . Likewise, by setting such a sufficiently long second time period, the toy will not be accidentally triggered if the magnet  40  momentarily slips away from the magnetic sensor  44 . In a similar manner, the photosensor  42  can trigger a response from the integrated circuit  46  if either photosensor  42  is subjected to an amount of energy below a threshold for the first time period, such as two seconds, and is subsequently exposed to an amount of energy above a threshold amount for at least a second time period, such as one-half second. As discussed above regarding the magnetic sensor, setting the first time period longer than a certain duration will insure that the toy is not inadvertently triggered if the photosensor is momentarily obstructed. Likewise, by setting the second time period to a sufficiently long duration, the toy will not be activated when the photosensor is briefly exposed to light, such as when a user briefly lets the hand  36  slip thereby allowing a small amount of ambient energy to reach the photosensor  42 . 
         [0026]    In one embodiment, a sleep timer, which can be implemented in the integrated circuit  46 , can be employed to prevent the doll from being inadvertently activated at night or by the rising sun. Specifically, the doll  10  can be set to enter a sleep state if the level of ambient light is not above a threshold for a predetermined amount of time, such as fifteen minutes. Once the doll  10  enters this sleep state, the integrated circuit  46  can not be activated through the photosensors  42  but instead must be activated by use of the magnet  40  and magnetic sensor  44 . This function can be useful if, for instance, a person wanted to turn on the light in the room where the doll is located without inadvertently activating the doll&#39;s sound output, which might awaken a sleeping child. Moreover, the child could still activate the doll in the dark by using the magnetic sensor  44 , which would also reset the sleep timer. Alternatively or additionally, a manual on/off switch  56 , preferably located on the doll&#39;s back, can be used to completely shut off the doll, so that even the magnetic sensor  44  will not activate the doll. Moreover, in one embodiment the sleep timer an also be reset by toggling the on/off switch  56  to the “off” position and then back to the “on” position. 
         [0027]    When engaged in play, a child may move one or more of the toy&#39;s appendages  16  to cover at least one of the eyes  18  such as the hand  36  (see  FIG. 2 ) and then uncover the eyes by moving the appendages  16  away from the eyes  18 . This action activates the integrated circuit because the magnetic sensor  44  located in the eyes  18  detects the magnet  40  located in the hands  36  as the eyes  18  are covered. As discussed above, the integrated circuit  46  will then produce a sound output, such as a prerecorded message, through the speaker  50 . Similarly, the sound output may be generated when the photosensor  42  located in the eyes  18 , detects a change in illumination due to either or both of the eyes  18  being covered and uncovered with either the toy&#39;s hands  36 , the user&#39;s own hands (not shown) or a light being turned on in a room (not shown) where the toy resides. The use of both photosensors  42  and magnetic sensors  44  is advantageous because the toy can be activated merely by turning the lights on in the room where the toy resides and allows a child to activate the toy by covering the toy&#39;s eyes  18  with the child&#39;s own hands (via the photosensors  42 ) yet it still works in the dark because of the magnetic sensors  44  and the magnets  40  located in the toys hands  36 . 
         [0028]    In another embodiment of the invention, the activation of the sound output may coincide with activation of one or more lights located in the eyes  18  or cheeks  54 . The light may light up as the toy says “peek-a-boo, I see you, peek-a-boo, I love you”, or some other prerecorded message, and switch off as the sound output ends. 
         [0029]    The toy  10  may be made of plastic, fabric, or any other material that accommodates flexibility in the appendages  16 . 
         [0030]    This invention is not limited to the features and embodiments hereinabove specifically set forth, but may be carried out in other ways without departure from its spirit.