Abstract:
A noise-generating toy includes first and second optical sensors to detect the intensity of light in first and second optical fields, respectively. The sensor signals serve as inputs to a comparator which provides as an output a differential signal indicative of the difference between the sensor outputs. The comparator output drives an oscillator which generates audio signals in response to the differential in the intensity of light. The oscillator drives one or more speakers with the audio signals, and the speakers use the audio signals to produce audible sound or noise.

Description:
This is a continuation of Ser. No. 479,574, filed Mar. 28, 1983, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to noise generating toys, and more particularly, to an optical differential sensing circuit for actuating a noise generator in a toy to emit at least one, and preferably plural, audible sounds. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Children have in the past exhibited a desire to play with toys that mimic behavior typical of a real-life human or animal. The advancement of the electronics industry has made it possible for toys to more realistically portray the desired traits. In particular, toys which are capable of producing audible sounds upon activation by the user have in the past proven to be very successful. 
     Initially, noise-generating toys were manually activated by a user depressing various portions of the toy to force air through whistle or reed-type mechanisms. However, these manually actuated mechanisms failed to closely mimic or emit sounds which were typical of the human or animal which the toy portrayed. Further, this type of prior art had to be directly activated by the user and could not be sustained over any length of time. 
     Electronic circuits were adapted to electrically control movement of toys and the audible sounds emitted therefrom. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,338 to Collins discloses a toy which simultaneously mimics a dog&#39;s physical movements while emitting an audible sound which imitates a dog&#39;s bark. The mechanism for eliciting the simulated dog movements and barks is directly activated by a switch controlled by the user. 
     The development of the photo-cell enabled manufacturers to provide toys which could be activated remotely. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,274,729 to Refabert discloses a doll having a photo-cell actuated sounding means. In particular, the Refabert patent teaches a photo conductive cell which is mounted in such a manner on the doll so that it can be irradiated by light, such as on the doll&#39;s chest or in one of the doll&#39;s eyes. A small electric motor is energized under control of the intensity of the irradiation of the photo conductive cell. Means for producing an audible signal is operated by the small electric motor. The means for producing the audible sound comprises at least one bellow and reed, which mechanically create the audible sound. 
     As electrical technology has advanced, the need existed to provide remotely actuated toys which elicit a plurality of audible sounds without the need for providing plural mechanical bellows and reed combinations. Recently, the tendency has been to provide verbally actuated toys. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,927 to Dankman et al discloses a voice responsive talking toy. The Dankman patent discloses a toy which, in response to a complex sound such as human speech, generates a train of audio pulses. The pulses generated by the Dankman toy are psuedo-random with respect to frequency composition and duration. Such toys require fairly complex and expensive electrical circuits. 
     The need still exists to provide a toy which is remotely or automatically actuated to emit audible sounds and which is efficiently and inexpensively manufactured. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved remotely activated circuit for causing audio signals to be emitted from a toy. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide such a circuit which is inexpensive to manufacture, requires little power to operate, and generates random audio signals upon activation. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide such a circuit which is activated by a determined light differential between two fields of radiation. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide such a circuit which generates and emits sounds which are typical of the character which the toy portrays, such as a human child, an animal, or a television character. 
     The above and other objects are achieved by an optical sensing circuit for activating an audio generator, comprising optical sensors for sensing the insensity of light in at least one field of radiation. A comparator circuit is coupled to the optical sensors and triggers a pulse at a determined differential level in the intensity of light between the optical sensors. An oscillating circuit is reactively coupled to the comparator circuit and generates audio signals in response to the triggered pulse at the differential level determined by the comparator means. A speaker is coupled to the oscillator circuit for emitting the audio signals. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 comprises a block diagram of the inventive optical sensing circuit. 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of the optical sensing circuit adapted for use in a toy in the form of a small doll. 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of means for focusing and controlling the light from a plurality of fields onto optical sensors. 
     FIG. 4 is a detailed diagram of a preferred embodiment of the circuit. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the block diagram of FIG. 1, it is seen that plural optical sensing circuits 10, 12 sense the intensity of light in fields of radiation 14, 16. The fields of radiation 14, 16 may constitute a single volume, with the optical sensors 10, 12 simply focused in separate areas of the volume. The optical sensors 10, 12 are coupled together and serve as the input to a comparator circuit 18. The comparator circuit 18 monitors a differential in the intensity of the light between the fields of radiation 14, 16 as detected by the optical sensing circuits 10, 12. At a determined differential level, the comparator circuit 18 triggers a detection pulse. The triggered detection pulse is input to an oscillator circuit 20 which is coupled to the comparator circuit 18. The oscillator circuit 20 reacts to the triggered pulse from the comparator circuit and generates random audio signals. The random audio signals are then input to a speaker circuit 22, where they are emitted. 
     Referring additionally to FIG. 2, the above described circuit is shown adapted for use in a toy doll which portrays a small child. The optical sensors 10, 12 are positioned in the eyes of the doll, and the fields of radiation 14, 16 are the areas generally in front thereof. The comparator circuit 18 and oscillator circuit 20 should be fabricated of low power IC&#39;s so that the circuits 18, 20 can be positioned within the body of the doll and can operate for long periods of time powered by standard batteries. Generally, CMOS type IC&#39;s are preferred. The speaker circuit 22 can be positioned beneath clothing or within the mouth of the doll. 
     In the configuration shown in FIG. 2, if one eye of the doll is closed, or if an object is passed through either or both of the fields of radiation 14, 16, a differential in the intensity of light is detected by the optical sensing circuits 10, 12. The comparator circuit 18 monitors the level of the differential, and at a determined differential triggers a detection pulse. The detection pulse in turn is input to the oscillator circuit 20. The oscillator circuit 20 reacts to the detection pulse and generates random audio signals which are input to the speaker circuit 22. The speaker circuit 22 emits audible sounds which if desired, can be programmed to sound like a small child. 
     Shown in FIG. 3 are first and second light amplifying apparatuses 23, 25. Each apparatus 23, 25 comprises a cylindrical channel 24, 26 which holds in place a cylindrical lens 28, 30. Each lens 28, 30 amplifies, and intensifies, the level of radiation within the fields 14, 16 and focuses the radiation upon pick up 32, 34. Thus, even small changes in the level of radiation within the fields 14, 16 can be detected by the pickups 32, 34. The pickups 32, 34 are coupled to the optical sensing circuits 10, 12 respectively. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, a detailed circuit is shown as an exemplative means for carrying out the function of the block diagram of FIG. 1. The first optical sensing circuit 10 comprises a photo conductive transistor T1 having its base responsively coupled to the first amplifying apparatus 23 and pickup 32. The collector of transistor T1 is coupled to Vcc through a resistor R1. The emitter of transistor T1 is coupled to a summing junction SJ, the positive side of a capacitor C1, and to the second optical sensing circuit 12 at the collector of a second photo-conductive transistor T2. Transistor T2 is responsively coupled to the second amplifying apparatus 25 at pickup 34. The emitter of transistor T2 is coupled to ground through resistor R2. In its preferred embodiment, it is found that with Vcc equal to +9 V, resistors R1 and R2 have values of 1K ohm and capacitor C1 has a value equal to 0.01 ufd. 
     The summing junction SJ creates a voltage that is responsive to the relative intensities of the two fields of radiation 14, 16, and serves as the input to the comparator circuit 18. The summing junction SJ is coupled to both inputs of a NAND gate IC1A (type 4093) constituting a Schmitt-trigger circuit. In operation, it is assumed that transistor T1 has a higher gain than transistor T2. As a result, with a light background, the voltage level at the summing junction SJ will be driven high. As a dark object passes through field 14, the light amplified by the apparatus 24 is reduced, causing transistor T1 to lose base drive. As a result, transistor T2, which still receives light, drives the summing junction SJ to a low voltage. When the dark object passes out of the field 14 into field 16, transistor T1 again receives base drive while transistor T2 loses base drive, thus causing the summing junction SJ to return to a high voltage. A similar, but reversed, operation occurs when a light object passes through a dark background. 
     The output of NAND gate IC1A will switch high when the summing junction SJ passes from a logical 1 state to a logical zero state. Thus, as the dark object passes through the lighted field 14, the summing junction SJ drops to a logical 0 and causes the output of NAND gate IC1A to switch to logical 1. The output of NAND gate IC1A is coupled to a first input of exclusive of (XOR) gate IC2A (type 4070) and to the second input of XOR gate IC2A through a resistor R3. The second input of XOR gate IC2A is also coupled to ground through capacitor C2. In its preferred form, resistor R3 has a value of 100K ohms and capacitor C2 has a value of 0.1 ufd. 
     As the output of the NAND gate IC1A switches to logical 1, the output of XOR gate IC2A switches to logical 1, and the second input to XOR gate IC2A charges in accordance with time constant R3C2 to a logical 1. When the second input to XOR gate IC2A reaches logical 1, the output to XOR gate IC2A returns to logical 0, thereby ending a short positive pulse. In its preferred embodiment, the triggered positive pulse acts as a transition detector and has a duration of approximately 7 msec. 
     The output of XOR gate IC2A is coupled to a first input of a second XOR gate IC2B (type 4070) through the parallel combination of a diode D1 and a resistor R4. The first input of XOR gate IC2B is also coupled to ground through capacitor C3. In the preferred form, diode D1 is a type 1N914 diode, resistor R4, has a value of 1 Meg ohm, and capacitor C3 has a value of 1 ufd. The second input of the XOR gate IC2B is coupled to ground. When the transition detector IC2A emits the triggered positive pulse, the first input to XOR gate IC2B initially switches to a positive voltage and then slowly discharges to logical zero. The total decay time is approximately 2.5 seconds. As the first input to the XOR gate IC2B switches to logical 1, the output of the XOR gate IC2B also switches to logical 1. The output of the XOR gate IC2B remains at logical 1 voltage until the first input decays past a transition level between logical 1 and logical 0, which occurs at approximate 650 msec after initially switching to logical 1. As such, XOR gate IC2B serves to stretch out the initial triggered 7 msec positive pulse from the transition detector to a longer 650 msec positive pulse. 
     The output of the NAND gate IC1A, in addition to representing a trigger pulse, serves as one of the inputs to the oscillator circuit 20 at terminal 36. The output of the XOR gate IC2B serves as a second input to the oscillating circuit 20 at terminal 38. As the output of NAND gate IC1A switches to a logical 1, the input terminal 36 to the oscillator circuit 20 simultaneously switches to logical 1. A capacitor C4 is thus charged through a resistor R5. In a preferred form, R5 has a value of 27K ohms and C4 has a value of 4.7 ufd. The positive side of the capacitor C4 is coupled to another capacitor C5 through a resistor R6. The negative sides of capacitor C4 and capacitor C5 are coupled to ground. The preferred value of R6 is 47K ohm and the preferred value of C5 is 0.022 uf. The positive side of capacitor C6 is coupled to a first input of a NAND gate IC1B. The output of NAND gate IC1B is coupled to the first input through a feedback resistor R7. Feedback resistor R7 has a value of 48K ohms. The output of XOR gate IC2B at terminal 38 is coupled to the second input of NAND gate IC1B and to a first input of another NAND gate IC1C (type 4093). The second input of NAND gate IC1C is coupled to ground through capacitor C6 and to the output of NAND gate IC1C through a feedback resistor R8. The recommended values of C6 and R8 are 1 uf and 100K ohms, respectively. The output of NAND gate IC1C and NAND gate IC1B are coupled to first and second inputs, respectively, of NAND gate IC1D (type 4093). 
     In operation, as the input to the oscillating circuit at terminal 36 switches to logical 1, capacitor C4 charges according to the R5C4 time constant, causing C5 to simultaneously charge in accord with its R6C5 time constant. Capacitor C4 charges from approximately 2 volts to 6 volts in about 170 msec. During that time the first input to NAND gate IC1B oscillates from between positive 2 to positive 5 volts. As a result, the NAND gate IC1B emits at its output a varied square wave. Simultaneously, the output of XOR gate IC2B emits a positive pulse at terminal 38. The positive pulse is coupled to the second input of NAND gate IC1B and the first input to NAND gate IC1C. The output of NAND gate IC1C is caused to emit a square wave having a 100 ms duration. At least once during the 650 msec period in which the outputs of NAND gates IC1B and IC1C are emitting the square wave forms, the output of IC1B is low while the output of IC1C switches high. This combination causes the output of NAND gate IC1D to rise to logical 1 during the period in which the output of IC1B is low and the output of IC1C is high. This positive pulse causes the transistor T3 to turn on and hence cause the speaker 40 to emit an audible sound and the LED D2 to turn on. 
     As the dark object continues to pass through the fields of radiation, and eventually leaves the field 14, capacitor C4 is caused to discharge over a 650 msec period. As a result, NAND gate IC1B is caused to oscillate for a longer period of time. The NAND gate IC1D thus causes transistor T3 to turn on and off a plurality of times, resulting in a plurality of audible sounds. 
     In its preferred form, the invention will emit at least one sound when a dark object enters the light background of the field of radiation 14, and will emit at least a plurality of sounds as the dark object leaves the field 14. The invention functions similarly when a light object is passed through a dark background in the fields of radiation. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, it may be desirable to integrate the pick up 32 (or 34) as part of the optical sensor 10 (or 12). Additionally, while reference is made to the transistor T1 having higher a gain than the transistor T2, it should be evident that the circuit permits operation to be achieved using a transistor T2 which would have a higher gain than the transistor T1. However, it is most desirable to have the transistor T1 and T2 substantially matched to each other.