US20030003839A1 - Intercommunicating toy - Google Patents

Intercommunicating toy Download PDF

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Publication number
US20030003839A1
US20030003839A1 US10/006,248 US624801A US2003003839A1 US 20030003839 A1 US20030003839 A1 US 20030003839A1 US 624801 A US624801 A US 624801A US 2003003839 A1 US2003003839 A1 US 2003003839A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
toy
intercommunicating
wireless communication
data
communication device
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US10/006,248
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English (en)
Inventor
Chun-Ping Lin
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Winbond Electronics Corp
Original Assignee
Winbond Electronics Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Winbond Electronics Corp filed Critical Winbond Electronics Corp
Assigned to WINBOND ELECTRONICS CORP. reassignment WINBOND ELECTRONICS CORP. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LIN, CHUN-PING
Publication of US20030003839A1 publication Critical patent/US20030003839A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
    • A63H30/00—Remote-control arrangements specially adapted for toys, e.g. for toy vehicles
    • A63H30/02—Electrical arrangements
    • A63H30/04—Electrical arrangements using wireless transmission
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
    • A63H2200/00—Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls

Definitions

  • the present invention is related to an intercommunicating toy, and more particularly to a toy which can intercommunicate with other toys by way of wireless communication for increasing the fun effect.
  • the toy applications are designed for firmware updateable to meet the market requirement in addition to functions of speaking, singing, and acting.
  • FIG. 1 shows the conventional toy supporting the technology of internet software download.
  • the toy 11 can download the newest software to the flash memory inside the toy 11 by way of connecting the cable 12 to the computer 13 .
  • the newest software can be downloaded from the internet 15 to the toy 11 through the connection wire 14 to the computer 13 .
  • the interface ports between the computer and the toy may be a parallel port or a serial port. Because the operation interface is convenient to the user, this kind of toy is fashionable to the toy market.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a toy for intercommunication to other toys by way of wireless communication technology.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a toy that can talk with other toys or act according to other toys.
  • an intercommunicating toy comprises: a toy body; a storage device inside the toy body for storing a first data; a communication interface inside the toy and electrically connected to the storage device for transmitting a second data to update the first data in the storage device; a controller inside the toy body and electrically connected to the storage device for controlling the communication interface in order to update the storage device; and a wireless communication device inside the toy body for providing an intercommunication effect with another intercommunicating toy according to a control command of the controller.
  • the storage device is an updateable memory.
  • the updateable memory is a flash memory.
  • the first data is a software and the second data is a new software.
  • the second data is obtained from a computer through the communication interface, and the computer is connected to an internet.
  • the communication interface is a parallel port.
  • the communication interface is a serial port.
  • the controller includes a system control/voice process device.
  • the wireless communication device is a radio frequency (RF) wireless communication device.
  • RF radio frequency
  • the wireless communication device is an infrared rays (IR) wireless communication device.
  • IR infrared rays
  • the communication interface is a wireless communication interface for providing the intercommunicating toy to wirelessly download the second data from a computer.
  • an intercommunicating toy comprises: a first toy having a first wireless communication device; and a second toy having a second wireless communication device; the first toy and the second toy communicate through the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device; the second toy acts according to a first command of the first toy; the first toy acts according to a second command of the second toy so as to make an intercommunication effect.
  • both the first toy and the second toy have an updateable memory.
  • the software is updated through a communication interface; the communication interface is connected to a computer; the computer is connected to a web site of an internet.
  • the communication interface is a parallel port.
  • the communication interface is a serial port.
  • both the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device are a radio frequency wireless communication device.
  • both the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device are an infrared rays wireless communication device.
  • the toys have a shape of an animal.
  • the intercommunication effect includes a sound, a light and an act.
  • FIG. 1 is a conventional toy for updating the software.
  • FIG. 2 is a system diagram for two toys' intercommunication according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a block diagram according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a control block diagram for communication interface and data transmission according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a system control/voice process device block diagram according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 showing the system diagram for two toy's intercommunication.
  • the dog toys 21 , 22 can call or respond each other by way of wireless communication.
  • the dog toy 21 gives a bark
  • the hardware will send a command requiring a response to the dog toy 22 .
  • the dog toy 22 receives the command, it will respond the bark sound.
  • the same principle may apply to other intercommunications easily.
  • the contents of the intercommunication includes every voice, song, and action according to the present invention. These data of the voice, song and action may be updated from the web site of the internet or the CD-ROM provided by the toy maker.
  • the toys have a communication interface which can connect to the computer for updating the new version software.
  • the computer interface includes the serial port, the parallel port, the USB port, the game port, etc.
  • FIG. 3 shows the hardware block diagram of the intercommunicating toy.
  • the intercommunicating toy includes a toy body 30 , a communication interface/data transmission control device 31 , an updateable memory 32 , a wireless communication device 33 , system control/voice process device 34 , speaker 35 , lamplight/motor 36 , etc.
  • the communication interface/data transmission control device 31 may work to download the software from the computer or the internet to the updateable memory 32 .
  • the intercommunication among toys is the main feature of present invention.
  • the intercommunicating toys may intercommunicate with other intercommunicating toys for increasing the fun or game effect.
  • system control/voice process device 34 can control the wireless device to communicate with other intercommunicating toys by way of radio frequency (RF) or infrared rays (IR) communication.
  • the system control/voice process device 34 can also drive the speaker 35 and lamplight/motor 36 to make the intercommunicating toy having the effects of sounding, lighting, vibrating, etc.
  • the operation is easy to do.
  • dog toys they may be designed as the second dog toy follows the first dog toy to bark, to sing songs, to swing the tail, etc. Thus the dog toys may have the intercommunication effects. Furthermore the toy's fun may be increased.
  • the new software may be put on the CD-ROM or the web site provided by the toy maker. It may be downloaded through the communication interface/data transmission control device 31 .
  • the communication interface/data transmission control device 31 can also upload the status of the intercommucating toy to the computer. Totally, the main work of the communication interface/data transmission control device 31 is the communication and control between the toy and the computer for transmitting data efficiently.
  • the interfaces that the communication interface/data transmission control device 31 can handle include the serial port, the parallel port, the USB port and the game port.
  • the new contents of the toy may be stored in the updateable memory 32 after they are downloaded.
  • the updateable memory 32 may store the voice and song data or the control program.
  • the updateable memory 32 may be the flash memory, DRAM(Dynamic RAM) or SRAM (Static RAM), etc.
  • the system control/voice process device 34 is the main control element. It handles the execution and the control of the system program, the data of voice and song, the actions, etc, where the actions of the toy can be showed by driving the motor or the lamplight.
  • the system control/voice process device 34 can also be as a control element for the transmission of the control signal and the wireless data. Thus the toy may intercommunicate each other by the execution of those functions.
  • the wireless communication device 33 is the control element for the voice and the wireless control signal. In addition to transimit the control signal and the control program of the toy, it can even transmit the voice of the user.
  • the transmission mediums may be the radio frequency (RF), the infrared rays (IR), etc.
  • RF radio frequency
  • IR infrared rays
  • the RF carier may be 27 MHZ, 49 MHZ, 315 MHZ, 433 MHZ, 900 MHZ
  • the IR transmission may be a general IR or the IRDA.
  • FIG. 4 shows the computer interface/data transmission control block diagram, wherein includes the computer interface communication protocol control 41 , the data transmission direction control 42 , data sequence transfer device 43 and the memory data storage control 44 .
  • the computer interface communication protocol control 41 may detect the comupter basic interface setting and select the most suitable driving program to transmit (download or upload) the updateable data, where the computer interface includes the serial port, the parallel port, the USB port and the game port.
  • the data transmission direction control 42 may handle the data flow, and control downloading data to the toy or uploading data to the computer.
  • the data sequence transfer device 43 may transfer the data formats.
  • the serial format data of the serial port may be transferred to the format which is fit to the format of the memory.
  • the parallel data format of the parallel port or the serial data format of the USB port and game port the data sequence transfer device 43 involved to transfer them.
  • the memory data storage control 44 may control the data storage of the memory.
  • the memory may be the flash memory, the DRAM, the SRAM, etc.
  • FIG. 5 shows the system control/voice process device 34 .
  • This is the contorl kernel of the intercommunicating toy. It includes the memory data read/write control 51 , the voice data play 52 , the melody data play 53 , sound/light/motor control device 54 , RF/IR signal and data transmission control 55 and wireless communication protocol control 56 .
  • the memory data read/write control 51 can handle the data read for the memory and the control program or the access control for restoring the toy current status to the memory.
  • the voice data play 52 can decode the voice data stored in the memory and play back the voice data.
  • the melody data play 53 can decode the delody data and play back the melody data.
  • the sound/light/motor control device 54 can handle the toy actions by driving the motors, controlling the light, excuting the system program.
  • the RF/IR data and signal transmission control 55 can control the RF or IR devices to transmit data or receive data exactly. Another purpose of the RF/IR data and signal transmission control 55 is treated as a window to the data or the control signal. Therefore, RF/IR data and signal transmission control 55 is the control center of the wireless communication device.
  • the wireless communication protocol control 56 handles the complicated communication protocol of RF or IR.
  • the target of “intercommunication function” of the intercommunicating toy may be attained and the intercommunication operations may be implemented.
  • the applications of the intercommunicating toy is as followed:
  • Two or more toys can communicate with the control signal or data each other.
  • Two or more toys can be controlled and played simultaneously and further the channel shared purpose may be attained.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
US10/006,248 2001-06-19 2001-12-10 Intercommunicating toy Abandoned US20030003839A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
TW90114794A TW572767B (en) 2001-06-19 2001-06-19 Interactive toy
TW90114794 2001-06-19

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20030003839A1 true US20030003839A1 (en) 2003-01-02

Family

ID=21678582

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/006,248 Abandoned US20030003839A1 (en) 2001-06-19 2001-12-10 Intercommunicating toy

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US20030003839A1 (ja)
JP (1) JP2003010561A (ja)
TW (1) TW572767B (ja)

Cited By (21)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040072498A1 (en) * 2002-10-15 2004-04-15 Yeon Ku Beom System and method for controlling toy using web
GB2419827A (en) * 2004-11-04 2006-05-10 Peter James Williams Electronically interactive action figures
GB2423943A (en) * 2005-04-26 2006-09-13 Steven Lipman Communicating Toy
US20070087838A1 (en) * 2005-09-12 2007-04-19 Jonathan Bradbury Video game media
US20070087837A1 (en) * 2005-09-12 2007-04-19 Jonathan Bradbury Video game consoles
US20070087839A1 (en) * 2005-09-12 2007-04-19 Jonathan Bradbury Video game systems
US20070158911A1 (en) * 2005-11-07 2007-07-12 Torre Gabriel D L Interactive role-play toy apparatus
US20090137323A1 (en) * 2007-09-14 2009-05-28 John D. Fiegener Toy with memory and USB Ports
WO2009113067A2 (en) * 2008-03-11 2009-09-17 In-Dot Ltd. Systems and methods for communication
US20100044441A1 (en) * 2007-03-12 2010-02-25 Moshe Cohen Color sensing for a reader device and the like
US20100104201A1 (en) * 2007-03-12 2010-04-29 In-Dot Ltd. reader device having various functionalities
US20100311507A1 (en) * 2008-02-13 2010-12-09 In-Dot Ltd. method and an apparatus for managing games and a learning plaything
US20110027770A1 (en) * 2008-04-09 2011-02-03 In-Dot Ltd. Reader devices and related housings and accessories and methods of using same
US20110143631A1 (en) * 2007-07-19 2011-06-16 Steven Lipman Interacting toys
US8353767B1 (en) * 2007-07-13 2013-01-15 Ganz System and method for a virtual character in a virtual world to interact with a user
US20130244539A1 (en) * 2010-04-06 2013-09-19 Librae Limited Interacting toys
WO2013192348A1 (en) * 2012-06-22 2013-12-27 Nant Holdings Ip, Llc Distributed wireless toy-based skill exchange, systems and methods
US20140170929A1 (en) * 2012-12-17 2014-06-19 Librae Limited Interacting toys
CN104932800A (zh) * 2014-03-21 2015-09-23 朱江 一种互动装置
US10111035B2 (en) 2016-10-03 2018-10-23 Isaac Davenport Real-time proximity tracking using received signal strength indication
US10272349B2 (en) * 2016-09-07 2019-04-30 Isaac Davenport Dialog simulation

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2005278790A (ja) * 2004-03-29 2005-10-13 Aiphone Co Ltd 健康管理システム
TWI393583B (zh) * 2007-11-02 2013-04-21 Hon Hai Prec Ind Co Ltd 電子玩具
KR100910339B1 (ko) * 2009-05-12 2009-08-04 주식회사 삼창에스씨 교육 및 유희 기능이 포함된 다기능 테라피 장치
CN104415543A (zh) * 2013-08-23 2015-03-18 朱江 一种智能互动式玩具

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US6364735B1 (en) * 1999-08-13 2002-04-02 Bill Goodman Consulting Llc RF identification system for use in toys
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Cited By (37)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040072498A1 (en) * 2002-10-15 2004-04-15 Yeon Ku Beom System and method for controlling toy using web
GB2419827A (en) * 2004-11-04 2006-05-10 Peter James Williams Electronically interactive action figures
GB2423943B (en) * 2005-04-26 2007-05-02 Steven Lipman Toys
GB2423943A (en) * 2005-04-26 2006-09-13 Steven Lipman Communicating Toy
GB2425490A (en) * 2005-04-26 2006-11-01 Steven Lipman Wireless communication toy
US8540546B2 (en) * 2005-04-26 2013-09-24 Muscae Limited Toys
US20080160877A1 (en) * 2005-04-26 2008-07-03 Steven Lipman Toys
US20110092286A1 (en) * 2005-09-12 2011-04-21 Jonathan Bradbury Video Game System and Methods of Operating a Video Game
US20070087837A1 (en) * 2005-09-12 2007-04-19 Jonathan Bradbury Video game consoles
US20070087839A1 (en) * 2005-09-12 2007-04-19 Jonathan Bradbury Video game systems
US20070087838A1 (en) * 2005-09-12 2007-04-19 Jonathan Bradbury Video game media
US9731208B2 (en) 2005-09-12 2017-08-15 Mattel, Inc. Methods of playing video games
US8535153B2 (en) 2005-09-12 2013-09-17 Jonathan Bradbury Video game system and methods of operating a video game
US7883420B2 (en) 2005-09-12 2011-02-08 Mattel, Inc. Video game systems
US20070158911A1 (en) * 2005-11-07 2007-07-12 Torre Gabriel D L Interactive role-play toy apparatus
US20100044441A1 (en) * 2007-03-12 2010-02-25 Moshe Cohen Color sensing for a reader device and the like
US20100104201A1 (en) * 2007-03-12 2010-04-29 In-Dot Ltd. reader device having various functionalities
US8787672B2 (en) * 2007-03-12 2014-07-22 In-Dot Ltd. Reader device having various functionalities
US8353767B1 (en) * 2007-07-13 2013-01-15 Ganz System and method for a virtual character in a virtual world to interact with a user
US20110143631A1 (en) * 2007-07-19 2011-06-16 Steven Lipman Interacting toys
US8827761B2 (en) 2007-07-19 2014-09-09 Hydrae Limited Interacting toys
US20150111465A1 (en) * 2007-07-19 2015-04-23 Hydrae Limited Interacting toys
US8795022B2 (en) 2007-07-19 2014-08-05 Hydrae Limited Interacting toys
US20090137323A1 (en) * 2007-09-14 2009-05-28 John D. Fiegener Toy with memory and USB Ports
US8545335B2 (en) 2007-09-14 2013-10-01 Tool, Inc. Toy with memory and USB ports
US20100311507A1 (en) * 2008-02-13 2010-12-09 In-Dot Ltd. method and an apparatus for managing games and a learning plaything
US8556732B2 (en) 2008-02-13 2013-10-15 In-Dot Ltd. Method and an apparatus for managing games and a learning plaything
US8591302B2 (en) 2008-03-11 2013-11-26 In-Dot Ltd. Systems and methods for communication
WO2009113067A3 (en) * 2008-03-11 2010-08-26 In-Dot Ltd. Systems and methods for communication
WO2009113067A2 (en) * 2008-03-11 2009-09-17 In-Dot Ltd. Systems and methods for communication
US20110027770A1 (en) * 2008-04-09 2011-02-03 In-Dot Ltd. Reader devices and related housings and accessories and methods of using same
US20130244539A1 (en) * 2010-04-06 2013-09-19 Librae Limited Interacting toys
WO2013192348A1 (en) * 2012-06-22 2013-12-27 Nant Holdings Ip, Llc Distributed wireless toy-based skill exchange, systems and methods
US20140170929A1 (en) * 2012-12-17 2014-06-19 Librae Limited Interacting toys
CN104932800A (zh) * 2014-03-21 2015-09-23 朱江 一种互动装置
US10272349B2 (en) * 2016-09-07 2019-04-30 Isaac Davenport Dialog simulation
US10111035B2 (en) 2016-10-03 2018-10-23 Isaac Davenport Real-time proximity tracking using received signal strength indication

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
TW572767B (en) 2004-01-21
JP2003010561A (ja) 2003-01-14

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: WINBOND ELECTRONICS CORP., TAIWAN

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:LIN, CHUN-PING;REEL/FRAME:012361/0209

Effective date: 20010914

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION