GB2499773A

GB2499773A - Interactive animal toy

Info

Publication number: GB2499773A
Application number: GB1108649.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Thomas Hamblin; Julie Hamblin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-05-24
Filing date: 2011-05-24
Publication date: 2013-09-04
Anticipated expiration: 2031-05-24
Also published as: GB201108649D0; GB2499773B

Abstract

An interactive animal toy comprising a housing 100, a plurality of selectors on the housing 104-107, a treat delivery facility 103 and a control facility incorporating a plurality of complexity levels and complexity level adjusters. The arrangement is such that at any selected complexity level the animal has to learn to operate at least one of the selectors, within prescribed parameters, in order to be rewarded with a treat. Preferably the selectors are lights, in particular LEDs. The toy can be provided with a sensor to detect the presence of the animal and means to disable the device if it is picked up.

Description

1

ANIMAL INTERACTIVE TOY

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to interactive toys for animals, particularly but not exclusively house dogs.

5 Background to the Invention

Various devices are known which respond to the application of a force from an animal or bird to release a reward. A particular such device is disclosed in US Patent Specification 4267799. The device therein described has a handle grippable by a dog to pull a cord which in turn triggers the projection of a ball for the dog to retrieve. When the dog places the 10 retrieved ball on top of the device a treat is released. This is a rather simple toy and when the dog has learned what to do to gain a treat the toy becomes simply a feeding device and, in terms of a game or intellectual stimulus, rather boring.

It has been perceived desirable to provide an animal interactive toy which can also develop a pet's intelligence by featuring progressively added complexity.

15 Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention an animal interactive toy comprises:

a housing;

selector means on the housing and operable by an animal;

a treat delivery facility;

20 a control facility incorporating a plurality of complexity levels and complexity level adjusters; the arrangement being such that at any selected complexity level the animal has to learn to operate the selector means, within prescribed parameters, in order for the treat to be made available.

2

Typically the prescribed parameters comprise a combination of the order in which selectors are to be operated and the number thereof and the time within which selectors are to be operated.

The housing may comprise an upper surface incorporating an array of selectors and a tray 5 into which the treat delivery facility will deliver one or more treats responsive to the appropriate operation of the selectors. Advantageously there is also an upper housing member arranged to contain the treat delivery facility, which may include a treat hopper. The housing, preferably the upper housing member, may comprise an indicator, for example of the on/off status of the toy and the selected complexity level.

10 It is a particular advantage of a toy in accordance with the invention that a degree of interaction is required between a pet and its owner in order for the pet to learn how to use it. In a toy which incorporates four complexity levels for example, it is to be expected that owner/pet interaction must occur in order for a first level to be tried and probably again in order for at least one of the further levels to be tried. That done however, options for a 15 timing device and/or a sensor of the presence of the animal to switch the toy on can enable the toy to entertain a pet whilst the owner is absent. A sound device may be incorporated to alert the animal to the fact that the game is "on"; likewise the selectors may be associated with sound generation devices, perhaps a different sound for each selector.

Preferably the selectors, which may for example be buttons, toggles or levers are differently 20 coloured. This may rather be obtained by the selectors being of a neutral colour, for example white, and translucent, with LEDs beneath to impart one or more of a desired colour when illuminated. It being the case that the canine visual range is normally more receptive between 500nm and 400nm, the colours selected for, say, four selectors may be pink, orange, white, violet, though others are possible. The illumination of the selectors 25 may be arranged as an aspect of the toy, that is to say that at one level the animal is being invited to press the one selector that is illuminated for a short period of time. At another level a plurality of selectors may be illuminated and the animal has to determine which one to press. At yet another level the colour of a selector may be arranged to change, requiring the animal to recognize a selector by either colour or sound. Whilst the buttons may be

3

arranged simply for being depressed, the toggles may be arranged for being pushed, pulled or both.

The toys may be made in a plurality of sizes and arranged thereby to cater for any domestic, domesticated or even husbanded creature, including birds, reptiles, fish or insects and 5 spiders. Accordingly, in this Patent Specification the word "animal" is to be interpreted as applying to any of these. For dogs however a toy of the order of 30cm mean diameter (not that the toy need in any sense circular though "paw" shape is thought particularly pleasing) with selectors in the form of buttons of the order of 5 - 6cm diameter can cater for dogs of a different size if the buttons are arrayed about 7cm between centres for a small/medium dog 10 and about 9.5cm between centres for a larger animal.

A minimisation of corners to the toy also makes it difficult for an animal to bite the toy or pick it up. Despite this a tilt or acceleration sensor may be included arranged to disable the toy if it is picked up. The base of the toy may be about 35 - 50mm deep for stability purposes and to house batteries, circuitry, selector retainers and sensors and treat tray.

15 A toy of such dimensions may readily be constructed to have largely the shape of a flat plate with sides that slope outwards toward the base so as not to be too easily picked up by the animal.

A treat hopper may be formed on the upper surface of the toy and have a closable access port, the closure not being susceptible of being opened by the animal. There is preferably a 20 tray associated with the hopper, into which a treat can be dispensed. The tray is preferably formed so that the treat does not readily roll out of it, partly so that the animal readily finds the treat and perhaps also to avoid crumbs fouling the selectors. Typically the hopper may be arranged to dispense round, flat dog treats such as "Armitage Goodboy"™ dog training treats or "Pedigree"® cheesy bites dog treats. Accordingly a treat feeder mechanism may 25 comprise a slider having a hollow or shape sized to a treat and arranged to sit beneath a treat stack and an associated cam drive arranged to shuttle the slide between loading and dispensing locations.

The toy advantageously includes a sensor that the hopper is empty, the sensor perhaps comprising a mechanical or optical switch which prevents the toy from operating when the hopper is empty.

A toy can be fabricated from vacuum formed or injection moulded high impact ABS plastics material of 1.5 - 4mm thickness to be fairly resilient to bite, scuff or scratch damage.

The toy is preferably battery powered, thus avoiding danger to the animal from interference with an electrical supply, likewise avoiding damage to such a supply. A battery recharger socket may however be included.

An advanced version of the toy may incorporate a display screen, preferably a LCD display screen for displaying time and status for example.

The control facility may be arranged automatically to change the complexity level of the toy, rather than or in addition to this being arranged to be chosen by an operative.

The treat delivery facility may be controlled or programmed so that only a given number of treats can be dispensed within a given time period.

A typical series of complexity levels is set out below:

Level 1

• A single button is illuminated or flashed for 1 second and then turned off for half a second and the cycle is repeated until the correct button is pressed - this cycle lasts 30 seconds then the game moves to another button;

• When the correct button is pressed a treat is dispensed and the light remains off for around 4 seconds;

• If the wrong button is pressed it is ignored as this is the entry level of the game;

• The animal will learn by association that an illuminated button plus focussed interaction results in a treat.

Level 2

5

10

• A single button is illuminated or flashed for 1 second then turned off for half a second and the cycle repeated until the correct button is pressed - this cycle lasts 15 seconds then the game moves to another button;

• When the correct button is pressed a treat is dispensed and the lights remain off for around 2 seconds;

• If the wrong button is pressed - the game steps to another random button and no treat is given;

• This level is slightly quicker paced and more challenging as a wrong response is not ignored.

Level 3

• Two buttons are illuminated or flashed, 1 second on and 0.5 seconds off, and this cycle is repeated for 30 seconds;

• If a correct button is pressed the light is switched off;

15 • If a wrong button is pressed it is ignored;

• If the second correct button is pressed before 30 seconds have elapsed a treat is dispensed;

• This is a new entry level (two interactions per response and fading the treat) so wrong buttons are ignored.

20 Level 4

• Two buttons are illuminated or flashed (1 second on and 0.5 seconds off) this cycle being repeated for 15 seconds;

• If the correct button is pressed the light is switched off;

• If a wrong button is pressed the cycle is reset and two new lights are randomly

25 illuminated;

• If the second correct button is pressed before 15 seconds have elapsed a treat is dispensed;

• If 15 seconds pass before both buttons are pressed the cycle restarts with two random buttons;

30 • This is a faster paced version of level 3 and wrong buttons are not ignored.

6

Level 5

• This is a random sequence of level 2 and level 4 interactions;

• Game cycle time of 15 seconds;

• Wrong interactions prompt next cycle and are not ignored;

5 • Adds variance and variety to the previously learnt experiences.

7

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention;

5 Figure 2 is a front elevation of the first embodiment;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention;

Figures 4 & 5 are circuit diagrams of a full option version of the invention;

Figures 6 & 7 are circuit diagrams of a so-called "eco" version of the invention;

Figures 8 & 9 are a flow chart defining the operation of an embodiment of the invention;

10 Figures 10 to 12 are schematic diagrams illustrating an animal interactive toy reward supply facility; and

Figures 13 and 14 illustrate button and button mounting respectively.

Description of Preferred Embodiments

15 The devices particularly described with reference to the figures are two interactive toys for pet dogs. These comprise, as shown in figures 1 to 3, a housing 100 having a base 101, a cowl 102 above the base, and a feeding trough recess 103. The base 101 has sides sloping slightly inwards from the bottom and the cowl 102 is so shaped that the whole toy is relatively difficult of being picked up by the dog.

20 The toy shown in figures 1 and 2 has four buttons 104, 105, 106, 107 mounted in the base 101 whilst the toy illustrated in figure 3 has two buttons 105,107 and two toggles 108,109.

The front face of the cowl 102 carries an indicator screen 110 and an array of program selectors 111. The cowl 102 incorporates a lid 112, see figure 10, with a latch 113 enabling access to a feed mechanism. The program selectors 111 have a low profile thus making 25 them difficult of operation by the dog. The indicator screen 110 in a simple "eco"

8

embodiment comprises a LED array arranged to indicate game status. In a "full" format embodiment the screen 111 comprises a LCD display arranged to show game status, timer, mode status etc. The selectors associated with the screen 111 in the full format toy include the facility of setting a timer to switch the toy on at some point during an owner's absence 5 as well as enabling the selection of quite a large number of possible game modes. The feature of enabling the toy to sense the presence of a dog and switch itself on is also incorporated.

The buttons and toggles each comprise a cap part 130 and a central shaft 131 (see figure 13). They are formed of a translucent, somewhat high impact and somewhat white plastics 10 material and are formed and so fit into a recess 140 (see figure 14) in the base 101 as to overlap the upper surface of the base, thus minimising ingress of liquid and particles between the button and the base. The central shaft 131 fits into a sleeve 141 in the recess 140, within which is a microswitch. A single or pair of light emitting diodes (LED) 142 is also mounted in the recess 140. The LEDs 142 have a different colour for each button, namely 15 pink, orange, white and violet.

A feed mechanism is illustrated in figures 11 and 12. It comprises a hopper 150, a shuttle 151, a motor (not shown) drivably associated with a rotor 152 which in turn is drivably associated with the shuttle 151 via a beam 153. Sensors, not shown, are arranged for indicating that the hopper 150 is empty and in that case to switch off the toy. The treat 20 feeder accordingly uses a rotational gear with a cam-arm pin on the wide part of the gear to move the shuttle 151 from a rest position over the feed hole to a loading position under the hopper 150. The simple microswitch/sensor enables the cycle to reset itself after each dispensing operation. The "hopper empty sensor" is an optical sensor with a balanced plastic actuator.

25 Circuit diagrams for the "eco" and "full" embodiments are disclosed respectively in figures 4 and 5 on the one hand and 6 and 7 on the other. It will be observed that they are both based upon the same 16F877 PIC PCB processor, incorporating also a MOSFET transister and a voltage regulator, with the extra facilities of timers, dog proximity sensor, increased game complexity being readily added on. The circuit board may be mounted in the base 101 or 30 the cowl 102. Batteries, to whit four C (D) type batteries, are sited in a battery bay mounted

9

in the base 101. These add ballast and thus confer the advantage of both anchoring the toy, to some extent, to a floor and stabilising it against being tipped over.

A typical selection of games is set out below:

Level 1

5 • A single button is illuminated or flashed for 1 second and then turned off for half a second and the cycle is repeated until the correct button is pressed - this cycle lasts 30 seconds then the game moves to another button;

10 • If the wrong button is pressed it is ignored as this is the entry level of the game;

Level 2

15 • A single button is illuminated or flashed for 1 second then turned off for half a second and the cycle repeated until the correct button is pressed - this cycle lasts 15 seconds then the game moves to another button;

20 • If the wrong button is pressed - the game steps to another random button and no treat is given;

25 Level 3

• If a correct button is pressed the light is switched off;

• If a wrong button is pressed it is ignored;

10

Level 4

• If the correct button is pressed the light is switched off;

• If a wrong button is pressed the cycle is reset and two new lights are randomly illuminated;

• This is a faster paced version of level 3 and wrong buttons are not ignored.

Level 5

• This is a random sequence of level 2 and level 4 interactions;

• Game cycle time of 15 seconds;

• Wrong interactions prompt next cycle and are not ignored;

• Adds variance and variety to the previously learnt experiences.

An instruction manual issued with the toy will enable a dog owner to teach his dog to play the game at a basic level. At this level the dog may learn that interaction with a lighted button or toggle will earn it a treat dispensed by the toy. Once the dog has reached an easy confidence with the basic game level the owner can increase the difficulty of the game. As set out above the game comprises four individual levels of complexity and a final fifth level.

The game play cycle is controlled as both a timed cycle and one with a cut-off after dispensing a predetermined number of treats - this latter being effected by only loading the hopper with those treats.

11

Levels 1 and 3 are training levels allowing the owner to teach his dog to play to that level. In those levels mistakes are ignored but the cycle times are slightly longer, to allow for training. Levels 2 and 4 are similar to levels 1 and 3 except that if the wrong button is activated the cycle is caused to move on, making the game even more of a challenge. Levels 5 1 and 2 use only one lighted button, this providing an increased challenge, requiring greater focus to earn a treat. Levels 3 and 4 use two lighted buttons, this increases the level of interactivity and focus required to earn a treat.

The final, fifth level uses two of the earlier complexity levels together with a random element, preventing the dog from being able to predict the next game cycle.

10 The housings 100 of the toys are formed from high impact scratch and scuff resistant plastics material 2mm thick. The footprint of the housing 100 is a stylised paw with a mean diameter of the order of 30cm. The overall height is 10 cm. The face of the cowl 102 is angled about 20° back from the vertical while the feed tray falls rearward by about 10° to assist in retaining treats therein. The buttons are 6cm in diameter and spaced 7cm between 15 centres.

Parts Key for Figures 4 through 7

Quantity References

Value

1

CI

10|iF

1

C2

100|iF

3

C3,C7,C8

lOOnF

1

C4

l|iF

2

C5,C6

22pF

1

R1

10k

4

R2,R3,R4,R5

47R

3

R6,R14, R19

220R

7

R7,R8,R9,R10, R11,R12,R13

4k7

3

R15,R16,R17

lk

10

R18,R21,R22,R23,R24,R25,R26,R27,R28,R29

100R

1

R20

100k

5

R30,R31,R32,R33,R34

33k

1

U1

PIC16F887

1

U2

7805 5v Regulator

1

U3

DS1307

1

Ql

STP36NF06L

2

D1,D2

1N4001

9

D3,D4,D5,D6,D7,D8,D9,D10,D11

LED 3 mm

1

D12

1N5821

1

BAT1

3 V 20mm Coin Cell

6

J1,J2,J3,J4,J9,J14

SIL-100-02

4

J5,J6,J7,J8

SIL-100-04

3

J10,J11,J13

SIL-100-03

2

J12,J15

26642001RP2

1

J16

CONN-SIL18

1

RV1

10K

5

SW1,SW2,SW3,SW4,SW5

SPST Mini

1

XI

Crystal Freq=8Mhz

1

X2

Crystal Freq=32.768Mhz

Claims

1. An animal interactive toy comprising:

a housing;

selector means on the housing and operable by an animal;

5 a treat delivery facility;

a control facility incorporating a plurality of complexity levels and complexity level adjusters; the arrangement being such that at any selected complexity level the animal has to learn to operate the selector means, within prescribed parameters, in order for the treat to be made available.

10 2. An animal interactive toy comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of selectors on the housing and operable by an animal;

a treat delivery facility;

a control facility incorporating a plurality of complexity levels and complexity level adjusters; 15 the arrangement being such that at any selected complexity level the animal has to learn to operate at least one of the selectors, within prescribed parameters, in order for the treat to be made available.

3. An animal interactive toy comprising:

a housing incorporating a selector operable by the animal within prescribed parameters;

20 a treat delivery facility associated with the housing; and a control facility incorporating a plurality of complexity levels and complexity level adjusters and arranged to adjust said prescribed parameters; the arrangement being such that at any selected complexity level, except for the highest the animal has to learn to succeed at that level in order to obtain a treat but after having mastered that level the complexity level is 25 increased and the animal has to learn to succeed at this subsequent level.

13

4. A toy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 and wherein the prescribed parameters comprise a combination of the order in which selectors are to be operated and the number thereof and the time within which selectors are to be operated.

5. A toy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 and wherein the housing comprises an 5 upper surface incorporating an array of selectors and a tray into which the treat delivery facility will deliver one or more treats responsive to the appropriate operation of the selectors.

6. A toy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 and wherein there is an upper housing member arranged to contain the treat delivery facility.

10 7. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the housing comprises an indicator of the status of the toy and the selected complexity level.

8. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims incorporating at least four complexity levels.

9. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and incorporating a timing device 15 to switch the toy on whilst the owner is absent.

10. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and incorporating a sensor of the presence of an animal.

11. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and incorporating a sound generating device.

20 12. A toy as claimed in claim 11 and wherein the sound generating device is arranged to alert the animal to the fact that the game is "on"

13. A toy as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12 and wherein a selector is associated with a sound generation device.

14. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the selectors 25 comprise buttons, toggles or levers or combinations thereof.

15. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the selectors are each differently coloured.

14

16. A toy as claimed in claim 15 and wherein the colours are within the canine visual range.

17. A toy as claimed in claim 16 and wherein there are four selectors coloured respectively pink, orange, white, and violet.

5 18. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the selectors are of a neutral colour, for example white, and translucent, with LEDs beneath to impart one or more of a desired colour when illuminated.

19. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and having a mean diameter of the order of 30cm.

10 20. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and having a paw planform.

21. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the selectors are in the form of buttons of the order of 5 - 6cm diameter.

22. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the selectors are arrayed at about 7cm to 10cm between centres.

15 23. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and arranged to disable the toy if it is picked up.

24. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the housing has has a base about 30 - 50mm deep.

25. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the housing has a 20 base arranged to house batteries, circuitry, selector retainers and sensors and treat tray.

26. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and having a treat hopper formed on the upper surface of the toy with a closable access port.

27. A toy as claimed in claim 26 and having a sensor that the hopper is empty, the sensor being linked to a switch which prevents the toy from operating when the hopper is empty.

25 28. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and having a tray into which a treat can be dispensed.

15

29. A toy as claimed in claim 28 and wherein the tray is formed so that the treat does not readily roll out of it.

30. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the housing is fabricated from vacuum formed or injection moulded high impact ABS plastics material of

5 1.5-4mm thickness.

31. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and arranged to be battery powered.

32. A toy as claimed in claim 31 and having a battery recharger socket.

33. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and incorporating a display 10 screen.

34. A toy as claimed in claim 33 and wherein the display screen has a plurality of light emitting diodes.

35. A toy as claimed in claim 33 or claim 34 and wherein the display screen is a LCD display screen for displaying time and status.

15 36. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the control facility is arranged automatically to change the complexity level of the toy, rather than or in addition to this being arranged to be chosen by an operative.

37. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and wherein the treat delivery facility is controlled so that only a given number of treats can be dispensed within a given

20 time period.

38. An animal interactive toy as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16