Patent ID: 8545335

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a first toy which has a memory and is adapted to connect to a computer; a node or dongle which is removably connectable to the first toy and has an electronic code which provides access to a special environment in a virtual world only when the node or dongle is connected to the first toy; and a second toy having a memory and adapted to connect to the computer and the first toy wherein the toys are linked together by a male or female USB connection located at the end of an appendage; wherein the first toy has both male and female USB connections to allow the linking of multiple toys and to link to the computer; wherein the virtual world provides a plurality of activities for the user to participate in via interactions with the computer, the plurality of activities include one or more of the following activities: selecting a virtual location for the first toy to live, in the virtual world; playing of virtual games; virtually purchasing virtual homes and virtual furnishings; using virtual currency to purchase items in the virtual world; playing games with multiple toys connected to allow enhanced play by combining characteristics of each toy; virtually purchasing virtual food for a virtual avatar having similar attributes as said first toy using the virtual currency; virtually feeding the virtual avatar; playing with the virtual avatar; playing with the virtual avatar along with additional users in the virtual world who are represented as virtual toys; or communicating with the additional users using the computer to communicate to others in the virtual world; and wherein the plurality of activities can be performed by linking two or more toys together to create a group of toys for such activities.