U.S. patent application number 12/506958 was filed with the patent office on 2011-01-27 for toy and companion avatar on portable electronic device.
This patent application is currently assigned to BOREI CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Melinda C. Campbell, Paul P. Campbell, Ling Kun L. Cheng, David M. Holmes, Khanh M. Le.
Application Number | 20110021109 12/506958 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43497733 |
Filed Date | 2011-01-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110021109 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Le; Khanh M. ; et
al. |
January 27, 2011 |
TOY AND COMPANION AVATAR ON PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE
Abstract
A toy and software application accessory extends the
distinguishing play experience of a particular 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.
Inventors: |
Le; Khanh M.; (Morgan Hill,
CA) ; Holmes; David M.; (Cupertino, CA) ;
Campbell; Paul P.; (San Jose, CA) ; Campbell; Melinda
C.; (San Jose, CA) ; Cheng; Ling Kun L.;
(Sunnyvale, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Thomas E. Schatzel;Law Offices of Thomas E. Schatzel, P.C.
200 Altura Vista
Los Gatos
CA
95032
US
|
Assignee: |
BOREI CORPORATION
|
Family ID: |
43497733 |
Appl. No.: |
12/506958 |
Filed: |
July 21, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/300 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H 13/00 20130101;
A63H 2200/00 20130101; A63H 3/28 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/300 |
International
Class: |
A63H 3/28 20060101
A63H003/28 |
Claims
1. A companion play apparatus, comprising: a toy with a personality
expressed by its appearance, movements, reactions to stimulus, and
speech; a matching software application accessory for extending a
distinguishing play experience of the toy to a digital play
experience on a personal electronic device with an accelerometer,
speaker, and a touch-sensitive display screen, wherein a digital
play experience or video game presents avatars, dialog, and
backgrounds that accessorize the toy on the electronic device;
wireless connectivity providing for the toy and/or the electronic
device to download updates, modifications, and enhancements to a
basic program; wherein, other personalities can be downloaded to
change toy play experience, and to extend the play life of the toy
by generating different play experiences.
2. The companion play apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a
personality accessory kit that includes a new personality, clothes,
props, and other matching accessories to augment the toy and said
digital play experience.
3. The companion play apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
wireless connectivity providing for the toy and/or the electronic
device to interactively play with other users having similar
toys.
4. The companion play apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an
applications program for instilling a personality in said toy or
avatar by steering inputs from said sensors, accelerometer
measurements, and other sensing devices to execute particular
scripts characteristic in their output controls to recognizable
personalities.
5. A method for extending the play experience of a toy to a digital
play experience on a personal electronics device, comprising:
displaying an avatar of said toy on said personal electronics
device; animating said avatar to respond to touch screen inputs and
accelerometer measurements taken within said personal electronics
device.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: animating said avatar
to respond to touch sensors and accelerometer measurements taken
within said toy.
7. The method of claim 5, further comprising: instilling a
personality in said toy or avatar by steering inputs from said
sensors, accelerometer measurements, and other sensing devices to
execute particular scripts characteristic in their output controls
to selected personalities.
8. The method of claim 5, further comprising: speaking words or
sounding music through a speaker that depend on which touch sensors
and accelerometer measurements taken within said toy or personal
electronics device were processed.
9. The method of claim 5, further comprising: moving the body limbs
of said toy with motors or the cartoon limbs of said avatar in
animation that depend on which touch sensors and accelerometer
measurements taken within said toy or personal electronics device
were processed.
10. A software application accessory 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,
comprising: a personality module for downloading as executable
computer program code to a personal electronics device; and a set
of scripts included in the personality module that direct how an
avatar animated on said touch screen should specifically respond to
particular touch screen inputs and said accelerometer, and what
sounds should be output to said speaker; wherein, said avatar, a
dialog, and an environment produced on said personal electronics
device display a characteristic tie to said toy by mirroring said
toy.
11. The software application accessory of claim 10, further
comprising: a program in a memory for animating said avatar to
respond to touch sensors and accelerometer measurements taken
within said toy.
12. The software application accessory of claim 10, further
comprising: a program in a memory for instilling a personality in
said toy or avatar by steering inputs from said sensors,
accelerometer measurements, and other sensing devices to execute
particular scripts characteristic in their output controls to
selected personalities.
13. The software application accessory of claim 10, further
comprising: a program in a memory for speaking words or sounding
music through a speaker that depend on which touch sensors and
accelerometer measurements taken within said toy or personal
electronics device were processed.
14. The software application accessory of claim 10, further
comprising: a program in a memory for moving the body limbs of said
toy with motors or the cartoon limbs of said avatar in animation
that depend on which touch sensors and accelerometer measurements
taken within said toy or personal electronics device were
processed.
Description
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'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's name, e.g., through speaker 276.
[0022] An interaction between the user and the toy'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'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'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'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's
listen to music". An 8-10 yr-old user could hear, "let'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'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.
* * * * *