Abstract:
An interactive money box fosters the habit of saving in children by displaying animated characters in response to insertion of coins into a money box. Characters may also be displayed in response to failure to insert coins for a period of time or at a given rate.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    A number of devices and techniques have been advanced to encourage and facilitate saving money by children. In addition to traditional piggy banks, more sophisticated mechanical and electronic devices which supplement and encourage children in the habit of saving have been introduced. 
         [0002]    It has been known that children are attracted to and identify with various animated characters in a very positive manner. Children are also adept at interacting with electronic devices. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The device and method disclosed herein provides children with an interesting and interactive way to develop the habit of saving. When a child inserts a coin into the money box, a display on the money box shows a positive animated scenario to the child. The amount of coins inserted into the money box may also be calculated automatically. After a certain amount of money has been inserted, a child friendly creature will be displayed. The health condition of the animated creature will appear as a function of savings. If the child does not insert a coin for a pre-established time, the health condition of the animated creature will decline. If the frequency of insertion is below a certain threshold of savings, the animated creature may decline in demeanor and die. Numerous different creatures may be displayed in sequence. When a sufficient number of coins is deposited, a new one will appear, and the same sequential process of health demeanor will take place. All of the creatures may be collected in a collection which is also displayable to the child. 
         [0004]    An interactive money box comprises a housing having a storage region and an opening which provides access to the storage region. A sensor detects insertion of a coin through the opening. An electronic display is mounted to the housing and visible from an exterior area location to the housing. A processor is responsive to the sensor and in communication with the electronic display. The display exhibits an animated virtual creature sequence in response to the frequency of insertion of a coin. An audio speaker in communication with the processor provides an associated audio output. The electronic display may be a dot matrix display. 
         [0005]    In one embodiment, the electronic display and processor are configurable to function as an alarm clock. The creature sequence comprises a sequence wherein the health or demeanor of the creature is displayed as a function of the frequency of the insertion of a coin. The creature sequence may also comprise a sequence wherein a new creature appears after a certain level of savings. The virtual creatures may include different animated pets, such as fish. A collection of the animated pets may be displayed upon selective activation of one or more keys. A key may be employed to transform between an alarm clock and a bank mode. The processor includes a memory containing data for generating a multiplicity of different animated creatures. 
         [0006]    A method for encouraging thrift comprises providing a container for money which has an opening. Signals indicative of the insertion of money into the opening are generated. The frequency of the signals is determined. An electronic display of an animated creature is displayed as a function of the frequency. The health condition of the animated creature is displayed as a function of the savings rate. When the frequency of coin insertion is greater than a certain threshold, a new version of an animated creature is selected and displayed. A sequence of different animated creatures is generated. A collection of the different creatures may be displayed. An audio sound is generated in association with the electronic display. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view, partly in schematic, of an interactive money box; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the interactive money box of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the interactive money box of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a rear view of the interactive money box of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a side view, partially in phantom, of the interactive money box of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 6A-F  are representative displays of virtual creatures employed in the interactive money box of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram of the electronic system employed in the interactive money box of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is an operational block diagram for the interactive money box of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is an electrical schematic diagram for the interactive money box of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    An interactive money box designated generally by the numeral  10  has a sculpted aesthetically pleasing appearance and is especially adapted for use and enjoyment by children. 
         [0017]    The money box  10  functions as an interactive piggy bank to encourage savings or thrift among young children. The money box  10  includes a coin slot  20  at an upper location. Various depressible keys  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28  adjacent the coin slot are employed for operating the money box as will be described below. A storage area  30  at the interior of the money box receives and stores the inserted coins. A removable cover  40  ( FIG. 4 ) at the opposing end of the money box can be removed for emptying the coins from the money box. An LCD display  50  provides an exterior animated image  60  as will be further described below. 
         [0018]    The money box  10  incorporates an electronic module  100  ( FIGS. 7 ,  9 ) which interacts with the user to provide an educational experience for encouraging savings. In one preferred embodiment, the money box also incorporates an alarm clock as part of the electronic module  100 . An operational diagram illustrating the alarm clock function and its relationship with the bank mode is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0019]    In general, the interactive money box functions to detect the insertion of coins (not illustrated) into the money box  10  via the slot  20 . With reference to  FIGS. 6A-E , in response to the insertion of coins at a given number and/or frequency, animated child friendly creatures  70  are displayed at the LCD display  50 . As the savings rate is maintained at a desirable level (which may be measured in terms of frequency or aggregate number) various sequences of animated images  60 ,  60 A,  60 B,  60 C,  60 D,  60 E . . . , such as cartoons of pets, are displayed at the LCD display  50 . The virtual creatures  70 , which in one representative example, is illustrated as a fish in  FIG. 6A , would display a healthy demeanor as a function of insertion of coins into the coin slot  20  at a favorable savings rate. In the event that the savings rate is below a certain threshold or aggregate number, then the healthy demeanor of the creature  70  would diminish, such as  60 B and in extremity would decline to the point the creature would die. 
         [0020]    As the savings rate continues, new virtual creatures  72 ,  74 ,  76  . . . would be created and displayed. There may be as many as ten different creatures. In one embodiment, there are ten different species of fish. Other pets and animals such as cats and dogs may also be employed. The user would be able to push (or double push) a key, for example mode key  24  and set key  22 , and view a collection ( FIG. 6F ) of all the virtual creatures  70 ,  72 ,  74 ,  76  which have been created by the savings. In addition to the visual display, the electronic module  100  would be capable of generating happy sounds as the savings rate increase, and neutral or unhappy sounds as the savings rate declines below a pre-established level. 
         [0021]    With reference to  FIG. 7 , an electronic module  100  which incorporates an alarm clock employs a microprocessor control unit  110  for implementing software control. An internal ROM  112  stores the interactive software and related data. An internal RAM  114  stores the control data. An input to the MCU  110  functions as a user interface between the child and the money box. The output of the MCU  110  generates visual animation which is preferably accompanied with audio effects. The alarm clock function is optional. 
         [0022]    A micro-detection switch  120  which detects the insertion of coins generates a signal to the MCU  110  to control the software interaction. The switch is positioned in the vicinity of the slot  20  of the money box. A battery pack  130  provides power to the module. The MCU is also responsive to various inputs, such as, for example, an adjust key  22 , a mode key  24 , a set key  26  and a snooze key  28 . The keys are manually operated at the exterior top of the money box and provide the requisite inputs to the microcontroller unit MCU  110  for operating the interactive features, as well as the alarm clock. The MCU also receives input from a 4 MHz oscillator  150 , and a 32.768 kHz crystal  152 . 
         [0023]    The MCU  110  generates an audio signal to a speaker  160  and/or signals to the LCD display  50 . The speaker  160  may, in some embodiments, be in the form of a buzzer. The MCU is also capable of generating an LED backlight  52  to enhance the visual effect. 
         [0024]    With reference to  FIG. 8 , a representative, operational diagram  200  is illustrated. The micro-detection switch  120  positioned at the opening of the money box to trigger the interaction to implement the appearance of the virtual creatures. Upon insertion of the coin through the slot  20 , the micro-detection switch is triggered to trigger the interaction in the software to generate the appropriate display. For example, when children save money by the daily insertion of a coin, the creature displayed at LCD display  50  would show a healthy demeanor of the virtual creatures which, in an illustrated representation of FIGS.  6 A and  60 C-F, are fish. 
         [0025]    In one embodiment, a switch  42  ( FIG. 5 ) is employed to detect when the removable cover  40  is removed. The removal likely means money has been removed. The input from switch  42  then resets the creature currently to an initial status state. However, the old species would be retained for viewing purposes. 
         [0026]    In a mode generated by the mode key  24 , when the system is powered and a coin is inserted, the fish demo is triggered at  202 , and the fish animation commences at  204  so that the fish from the fish collection at  206 , are shown at the LCD display  50 . In addition, the LCD may be backlit at  52 , for example, for 10 seconds. The mode key  24  changes the mode and is employed to select the creature, time or alarm mode. In the creative mode, the set key  22  is present to select a current creature or a creature collection mode. Upon pressing the set key  22 , a user may view a collection of all of the various pets, such as different species of fish represented in  FIG. 6F  produced during the historical saving period. 
         [0027]    The system is also integrated with a clock mode at  210  and an alarm mode at  212  which may be implemented through the mode key  24  and adjusted by pressing the adjust key  26 . the set key  22  sets the settings and confirms same. The clock mode at LCD display  50  would be illustrated by pressing the mode key  24 . In the normal mode, the clock display would be backlit, for example, for 10 seconds (or other time interval) by pressing the snooze key  28 . The snooze key  28  also sets the snooze function for the alarm clock. The alarm mode could also be triggered by mode key  24 , and upon the alarm being generated, would be backlit for 10 seconds, for example. 
         [0028]    The display  50  may alternatively be a 32 by 35 dot matrix or other suitable electronic display responsive to the microprocessor MCU  110 . 
         [0029]    While preferred embodiments of the interactive money box and the child thrift method are set forth for purposes of description, the foregoing description should not be deemed a limitation of the invention herein. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations and alternatives may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.