Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to toys, and in particular to toys with two-way wireless communications with personal portable electronic devices like iPODs and iPHONEs that are able to display a companion avatar of the toy and to return touch screen and accelerometer measurements back to the toy for action. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Toys can be far more interesting to play with if they are able to interact with children and adults. One key to enabling interaction is to equip a toy with sensors that can detect when and how the toy is being touched. A touch on the toys hand, if a doll, can be interpreted differently than pressure applied to the foot. A touch on the head of a toy dog could be sensed and interpreted as a pat, and an appropriate response of the toy dog would be to wag its tail. 
         [0005]    Mass produced products like toys are highly sensitive to component costs. So a practical electronics package and software application accessory for a toy would need to be very inexpensive to manufacture. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Briefly, a toy and software application accessory embodiment of the present invention extends the play experience of a physical toy to a digital play experience on personal digital assistant, personal navigation device, or other electronic device like an iPod or iPhone with an accelerometer, speaker, and a touch-sensitive display screen. The software application accessory creates a digital play experience or video game on the electronic device that presents avatars, dialog, and backgrounds that convincingly accessorize the physical toy. Wireless connectivity to a PC and the Internet allows the toy or the electronic device to download updates, modifications, and enhancements to its basic program. New personalities can be downloaded that change the toy play experience, and extend the play life of the toy by introducing new and creative play experiences. A personality accessory kit includes the new personalities, clothes, props, and other matching accessories. 
         [0007]    These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments that are illustrated in the various drawing figures. 
     
    
     
       IN THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a diagram representing a toy and a software application program accessory in a companion play apparatus embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of some electronics that could be used to implement a companion play apparatus embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram of a personality module embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart diagram of a method embodiment of the present invention for extending the play experience of a toy to a digital play experience on a personal electronics device; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a diagram of a software application accessory embodiment of the present invention for extending the play experience of a toy to a digital play experience on a personal electronics device with a touch screen, speaker, and accelerometer. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0013]      FIG. 1  represents a companion play apparatus embodiment of the present invention, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral  100 . Play apparatus  100  includes a toy  102  and a software application  104  that installs on a personal electronic device  106 . Such personal electronic device  106  is similar to an Apple, Inc., iPOD or iPHONE, and includes at least a touch-sensitive display screen  107 , and a speaker, and accelerometer inside (not shown). 
         [0014]    The software application  104  creates an avatar  108  on a touch-sensitive display screen  107  that resembles and mimics the appearance and stance of the toy  102 . The result is intended to produce an intelligent, interactive, fun, and educational toy where movements of the toy  102  are reflected by the toy avatar  108  on touch-sensitive display screen  107 , and finger movements on the touch-sensitive display screen  107  are reflected by the toy avatar  108  and the toy  102 . The toy  102  will, of course, have physical limitations on what it can do and how it can respond, and the toy avatar too will have display limitations imposed on it by the touch-sensitive display screen  107 . A satisfactory play experience can be had by an attempt by them at an approximation. 
         [0015]    A wireless communications link  110  operates between toy  102  and personal electronic device  106 . Such can be based on infrared devices for child-to-child play under one meter distant, Bluetooth devices for group play under five meters apart, radio frequency devices for multi-group play in different rooms twenty meters apart, and Wi-Fi devices for Web play over the Internet at multiple locations. Further connection and interaction with MP3 audio players, smart-phones, digital still cameras (DSCs), personal navigation devices (PNDs), digital photo frames, etc., is also preferred. 
         [0016]    In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the accelerometer, touch screen display  107 , and speakers of the personal electronic device  106  are used to create a companion play experience that is similar to that experienced by the user with the toy  102  alone. Software application  104  is therefore executable on personal electronic device  106  in the absence of toy  102 . 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  represents the electronics necessary to implement a companion play apparatus embodiment of the present invention, referred to herein by the general reference number  200 . It comprises a toy  202 , puzzle, or game, with a microcontroller unit (MCU)  204 , a microphone  206 , a speaker  208 , motor drivers  210 , camera  212 , touch sensors  214 , pressure sensor  216 , and an accelerometer  218 . The camera  212  can provide for facial recognition of the users. The accelerometer  218  detects when and how toy  202  is being moved and positioned. Microphone  206  and speaker  208  can provide for conversations with the user, or just simple responses to noises and sound making. 
         [0018]    A basic program  220  is executed by MCU  204  and is stored in non-volatile memory. A number of scripts  222  modify or direct the responses sent to the outputs like the speaker  208  and motor drivers  210  when particular inputs and combinations are sensed, e.g., by microphone  206  and accelerometer  218 . A personalities program  224  selects particular scripts to play and colors them to create an identifiable personality recognizable by the user. For example, speech output at speaker  208  can be flavored with regional accents, attitudes, exhilarations, and made to sound like a man, woman, boy, or girl. 
         [0019]    A kit of play accessories  226  can enhance the user&#39;s play experience by including special clothes for a doll, props, books, music, video, game software, etc. 
         [0020]    External communication and control is provided by at least one of an infrared (IR) device  230 , Bluetooth device  232 , radio frequency (RF) transceiver  234 , and Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11) transceiver  236 . The play accessories  226  can further include an applications program  240  that executes on a personal electronics device  250  and communicates on a wireless link  252  with toy  202 . 
         [0021]    The personal electronics device  250  further comprises a host processor  262  for mobile telephone, navigation, netbook, music player, smartphone, digital camera, and other primary uses. A personalities program  264  in a file or memory device is downloaded by applications program  240  and provides an avatar  266  and scripts  268  on top of a basic toy program  270 . Avatar  266  is essentially a cartoon of toy  202  generated by executing computer program code. A touch-sensitive display screen  272  displays animations of the avatar  266  and allows manipulations of how it appears together with an accelerometer  274 . A speaker  276  outputs game play speech, music, and supporting sounds directed by the scripts  268  and personalities  264 . A microphone  278  can be used for voice commands and recognition of the user by the toy  202  and avatar  266 . Such recognition could cause one of the scripts  268  to run that would say the user&#39;s name, e.g., through speaker  276 . 
         [0022]    An interaction between the user and the toy&#39;s avatar  266  on the touchscreen  272  is erected for an engaging entertainment experience. Various moves and interactions can be initiated by touching the touch-sensitive display screen  272  at particular places and ways. For example, by sliding a finger around, rotating personal electronics device  250 , spinning it, flipping it over, etc. Such user inputs provoke specific responses controlled by software application program  240 , e.g., sounds, music, speech, animation, images, etc. Touching the touch-sensitive display screen  272  is one way that toy avatar  266  responds and entertains the user. Toy avatar  266  can also respond to what&#39;s happening to toy  202  if the software application program  240  and toy  202  are operating near one another simultaneously and wireless link  252  is established. 
         [0023]    In one example of play, when a user puts a finger on the arm of toy avatar  266  on the touch-sensitive display screen  272 , and slides the finger up and down, application program  240  downloaded to personalities program  264  and scripts  268  reacts by moving the arm of toy avatar  266  in the same direction, e.g., speaking out “Weeeee . . . up down, up down”. It may also generate accompanying sounds, music or speech according to a script, which is an engineered suite of moves and verbal responses. Appendix A represents one such a script written in computer programming C-code. Each type of stimulus received generally plays out with a pre-programmed response. 
         [0024]    The accelerometers  218  and  274  detect when a user moves toy  202  or the personal electronic device  106 . Software application program  240  downloaded to personalities program  264  and scripts  268  recognizes the move, and responds with an animation of the same move on the display screen  272  and a speaker output of, e.g., “Oooohh, I like it. Spin me!”. 
         [0025]    Software application program  240  can be updated, modified or enhanced by replacements with software changes that re-program the toy  202  and/or the personal electronic device  250  with new or modified play experiences, games, and personalities. For example, play accessories made available on-line, or sold in memory cards or discs, can be downloaded to modify application program  240  in personal electronic device  106 . These install new toy play experience personalities and games which can be selected to suit the child&#39;s age group, gender, favorites, preferences, season of the year, etc. 
         [0026]    Each software application program  240  instills play experiences similar to those provided by the companion toy  202 . Software application program  240  selectively scripts interactive fighting, wrestling, dancing, karaoke, nurturing, and many other experiences in response to input stimuli. For example, wrestling and fighting scripts include body slam, pile driver, helicopter, and back-flip moves in response to measurements from accelerometer  274 . Nurturing experiences include horsey ride-on-knee, piggyback ride, tickle, etc. 
         [0027]    In general, the moves and interactive experience are initiated by user actions detected by the various inputs, e.g., manipulating the touch screen particular ways, rotating the personal electronic device  106 , spinning it, flipping it over, etc. The character of the inputs and their combinations causes specific responses from the device which can be sound, music, speech, images, or a combination of these. Touching the device in specific places in ways generates responses that are intended to be entertaining to the user, matching the responses from the physical toy if the application and the physical toy are running in tandem, or just mimicking the responses of the physical toy if the application runs alone on personal electronic device  106 . 
         [0028]    One example of an age-appropriate downloadable personality scripts a response for when a user touches the ear of toy  102  or  202 , or avatar  108  or  266 . If the user is a toddler, the toy  202  and/or personal electronic device  106  would be scripted to speak, “that&#39;s my ear”. But if the user is a 4-6 yr-old, the output would be to speak, “tell me a secret”. And, for a 6-8 yr-old user, “let&#39;s listen to music”. An 8-10 yr-old user could hear, “let&#39;s call a friend”. A 10-12 yr-old could be asked, “want to hear a joke?”. Personalities and scripts  222 ,  224 ,  268 , and  270 , that are likely to be enjoyed by users include, music and dancing, comedy, wise-cracking, impersonations, etc. 
         [0029]      FIG. 3  represents a personality module embodiment of the present invention, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral  300 . The personality module  300  could be used in the toys or personal electronic devices of  FIGS. 1-2 . Personality module  300  has a personality program  302  implemented as software stored in a memory device, or as firmware in a non-volatile memory. It provides program instructions for a microcomputer or microcontroller unit (shown in  FIG. 2 ). A script dispatch unit  304  decides which of several scripts  306 - 311  to run given the mix of input events presented at inputs  312 - 316 . The inputs  312 - 316  provide for various sensory inputs like touch, sight, hearing, temperature, pressure, balance, body orientation, etc. A script can include rolling a doll&#39;s eyes, speaking a particular phrase, reacting in a characteristic way, moving a limb, playing music, etc. The sequence, choices, and manner of these scripts  306 - 311  instills a personality, of sorts, in the toy or avatar being played with by the user. An output control  320  provides peripheral access to one or more of several outputs  321 - 324 . These outputs include speakers, motors to drive limbs, lights, etc. 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  illustrates a method for extending the play experience of a toy to a digital play experience on a personal electronics device, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral  400 . Method  400  includes a step  402  for displaying an avatar of the toy on the personal electronics device. A step  404  includes animating the avatar to respond to touch screen inputs and accelerometer measurements taken within the personal electronics device. A step  406  further includes animating the avatar to respond to touch sensors and accelerometer measurements taken within the toy. A step  408  instills a personality in the toy or avatar by steering inputs from the sensors, accelerometer measurements, and other sensing devices to execute particular scripts characteristic in their output controls to selected personalities. A step  410  speaks words or sounds music through a speaker that depend on which touch sensors and accelerometer measurements taken within the toy or personal electronics device were processed. A step  412  moves the body limbs of the toy with motors or the cartoon limbs of the avatar in animation that depend on which touch sensors and accelerometer measurements taken within the toy or personal electronics device were processed. 
         [0031]      FIG. 5  represents a software application accessory for extending the play experience of a toy (e.g.,  102 ,  202 ) to a digital play experience on a personal electronics device (e.g.,  106 ,  250 ) with a touch screen (e.g.,  107 ,  272 ), speaker (e.g.,  208 ,  276 ), and accelerometer (e.g.,  218 ,  274 ), and is referred to herein by general reference numeral  500 . The software application accessory  500  is provided as a computer memory device (e.g.,  104 ,  240 ) or file for execution on a host processor (e.g.,  262 ) having input and output peripherals. The software application accessory  500  includes a personality module  502  downloadable as executable computer program code to a personal electronics device. A set of scripts  504  compiled from computer program code is included in the personality module  502  to direct how an avatar (e.g.,  108 ,  266 ) animated on the touch screen should specifically respond to particular touch screen inputs and the accelerometer, and what sounds should be output to the speaker. Furthermore, the avatar, a dialog, and an environment produced on the personal electronics device are caused to display a characteristic tie to the toy by mirroring the toy through its appearance. A program  506  for forwarding into executable memory provides for animating the avatar to respond to touch sensors and accelerometer measurements taken within the toy. Another program  508  for forwarding into memory provides for instilling a personality in the toy or avatar by steering inputs from the sensors, accelerometer measurements, and other sensing devices to execute particular scripts characteristic in their output controls to selected personalities. A further program  510  for forwarding to memory provides for speaking words or sounding music through a speaker that depend on which touch sensors and accelerometer measurements taken within the toy or personal electronics device were processed. A still further program  512  in memory provides for moving the body limbs of the toy with motors, or the cartoon limbs of the avatar in animation, that depend on which touch sensors and accelerometer-measurements taken within the toy or personal electronics device were processed. 
         [0032]    Although the present invention has been described in terms of the presently preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be interpreted as limiting. Various alterations and modifications will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art after having read the above disclosure. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as covering all alterations and modifications as fall within the “true” spirit and scope of the invention.

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