US20070087652A1

US20070087652A1 - Pet-like toy combined with MP3 player

Info

Publication number: US20070087652A1
Application number: US11/266,291
Authority: US
Inventors: Wen-Bin Hsu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-10-05
Filing date: 2005-11-04
Publication date: 2007-04-19
Also published as: TWM285388U

Abstract

A pet-like toy combined with MP3 player, wherein once said pet-like toy receives a music signal from said MP3 player, it can perform correspondingly a sound and light effect or an action. Said pet-like toy comprises a main body that mimics a shape of an animal and is provided with a base of the head part; a MP3 player that is configured into a shape of the pet's head, and is combined dismountably on the base of said pet's head part' a circuit controlling unit that is provided on said base of the head part to control said pet-like toy in performing a sound and light effect or an action. Further, when said MP3 player is separated form said pet-like toy, said MP3 player can be used separately.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention
The invention relates to a pet-like toy combined with MP3 player, and in particular, to a combined structure of a MP3 player with a pet-like toy, characterized in that said MP3 player, when combined with said pet-like toy, can provide signals to bring said pet-like toy into action; whereas on the separation of said MP3 player and said pet-like toy, said MP3 player can be used separately.
2. Description of the prior art
In recent years, pet-like toys that can swing its hand, feet or head in accordance with voice or music are increasingly popular in the market. Referring to FIG. 4, a schematic view of a conventional pet-like toy is shown. Said pet-like toy 1 can mimic a shape of any animal, such as, for example, a cat, a dog, and the like, and consisted mainly of a body part 10, a head part 11, a plurality of hand or foot parts 12, and a ear part 13.
Those head part 11, foot part 12 or ear part 13 can be engaged pivotally with said body part 10 in a manner that as said pet-like toy 1 receives a music signal, said head part 11, foot part 12 or ear part 13 can perform a predetermined action.
In general, said body part 10 is provided a circuit-controlling unit therein. In addition, a sound receiving part, such as a sound source aperture 15 is provided on said body part 10, and is telecommunicated with said circuit-controlling unit. A music player 16 (such as a CD player), and the like can provide a music signal to said circuit-controlling unit via said sound source aperture 15 so as to let said pet-like toy 1 act accordingly, or cause a plurality of light emitting diode 18 to produce various patterns.
Nevertheless, since a CD player is bulky and can be connected with said pet-like toy 1 only by means of a signal wire 17, it is inconvenient in use. Further, none conventional pet-like toy is connected with a computer so as to perform functions of naming a pet-like toy, talking with a pet-like toy and the like, and therefore, a conventional pet-like toy can not well interact with its user.
In view of the foregoing, the invention provides a novel pet-like toy to improve the shortcomings associated with a conventional technique.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the invention is to provide a pet-like toy combined with MP3 player, said MP3 player is dismountably combined with said pet-like toy in a manner that a music signal can be provided directly to said pet-like toy.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a pet-like toy combined with MP3 player, characterized in that said pet-like toy is provided with a computer interface to be connected with a computer such that functions such as naming of said pet-like toy, receiving other signals and instructions from said computer and the like can be performed thereby.
In order to achieve the above-described objectives, a pet-like toy combined with MP3 player provided by the invention comprises a main body of the pet-like toy, a circuit controlling unit and a MP3 player. Said main body of the pet-like toy mimics a shape of an animal, and is provided with a base of a head part; said circuit-controlling unit is provided on said base of the head part; and said MP3 player is configured into a shape of a pet's head, is combined dismountably with said base of the head part, and is telecommunicated with said circuit-controlling unit; wherein, by controlling with said circuit-controlling unit, the pet-like toy can perform sound and/or light effects or action corresponding to the music signal from said MP3 player.
One feature of the invention resides in that said circuit-controlling unit is telecommunicated with a computer interface that can be used to connect with a computer, thereby can perform functions such as naming said pet-like toy, receiving other signals and instructions from said computer and the like.
Another feature of the invention resides in that naming said pet-like toy, receiving other signals and instructions from said computer and the like can be displayed on the screen of said MP3 player.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These features and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of the accompanying Drawings:
FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional exploded schematic view of a pet-like toy combined with MP3 player according to one embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional assembled schematic view of a pet-like toy combined with MP3 player according to one embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a pet-like toy combined with MP3 player shown in FIG. 1 from other view angle.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a conventional pet-like toy.
In order to further understand the invention, a detailed description is provided below with reference to examples and in conjunction with drawings so as to illustrate embodiments and effects thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 and 2, a three-dimensional exploded and assembled schematic views, respectively, of a pet-like toy combined with MP3 player 2 according to the invention are shown. Said pet-like toy combined with MP3 player 2 is composed mainly of a main body of the pet-like toy 20, a circuit controlling unit 23, and a MP3 player 26.
Said main body of the pet-like toy 20 mimics a shape of an animal such as, for example, a cat, a dog or a rabbit, and the like, and therefore, is provided with a pair of ear parts 201, a tail part 202, and multiple hand parts 203 or foot parts 204. Said ear parts 201, a tail part 202, and multiple hand parts 203 or foot parts 204 are provided pivotally on said body part 20.
Said body part 20 is provided on its front end with a base 21 of said head part; said circuit-controlling unit 23 is provided within said base 21 of the head part. An interface 22 for connecting said MP3 player is telecommunicated with said circuit-controlling unit 23 and is provided on the base 21 of said head part to transmit electric signals between said MP3 player 26 and said circuit-controlling unit 23.
Said MP3 player 26 exhibits functions common with those exhibited by any commercial MP3 player, including playing sound, recording sound, adjusting amplitude of sound, providing earphone plug for connecting an earphone, and a displaying screen, and the like. While in this invention, said MP3 player is configured into a shape of a pet's head, is combined dismountably with the base of the hear part 21, and is telecommunicated with said circuit-controlling unit 23 via said interface 22. The MP3 player may take any combination manner for combining dismountably with said base of head part 21. For example, referring to FIG. 3, a plurality of positioning guiding fillister 263 and inserting slot 264 are provided on one side of said MP3 player 26, for the insertion of said interface 22 and a plurality of studs 211 on said base of the head part 21 in a manner that said MP3 player 26 can be engaged securely on said base of the hear part 21 without being dropped. Furthermore, said MP3 player is provided at the periphery of its mouth part a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED) 261, said light emitting diodes 261 can be arranged into several groups of light emitting patterns.
Accordingly, when the MP3 player 26 is combined with said base of the hear part 21 and plays a music signal, the pet-like toy can perform sound and light effects or actions corresponding to the music signal from said MP3 player under the control of said circuit-controlling unit 23.
In a preferred embodiment according to the invention, said ear part 201 can be provided with a buzzer 205 (a speaker), whereby said sound effect can be output from said buzzer 205. A preferred form of the buzzer is a stereo sound to provide superior quality of sound effect. Said light effect can be manifested by arranging said plurality of light emitting diode (LED) 261 into several groups of light emitting pattern, by providing on said tail part 202 with brilliant red light emitting diode, and/or by twinkling said light emitting diode to indicate the generation of the light effect. Moreover, the nimble motion of said tail part 202, ear part 201 or foot part 204, can be used to indicate that the music signal from the MP3 player 26 has been received by said main body of the pet-like toy 20.
In addition to the provision of said light emitting diode, said tail part can be acted as a'switch to control the operation of said sound and light effect or said action.
Alternatively, said circuit-controlling unit 23 can be telecommunicated with a animal voice unit to generate the calling of an animal, such as, for example, if the main body 20 mimics a shape of a dog, the animal voice unit might bark like a dog, and meanwhile, the buzzer 205 will bark intermittently or continuously.
In another preferred embodiment, said main body 20 is provided further at its rear end with a sound output part 27, a power supply 28 and a computer interface 29, all of them are telecommunicated with said circuit-controlling unit 23.
In this invention, the power supply may be a power supply such as a battery installed within said main body of the pet-like toy 20, or a power supply generated by connecting said power supply 28 to an external alternative electric voltage.
Said sound output part 27 is an earphone connection (not shown) that provides analog music signal to a user. Said computer interface 29 may be a USB, to connect with a computer, thereby said pet-like toy can be named, can be talked with, and can receive and perform other signal and instruction from the computer. The conversation or signal transmission between the user and the pet-like toy 2 can be displayed on said displaying screen 262.
In use of the pet-like toy 2, said MP3 player 26 can be combined with the main body 20 of said pet-like toy to provide music signal to said pet-like toy 2. On the other hand, said MP3 player 26 can be separated from said main body of the pet-like toy 20 such that said MP3 player 26 can be used separately. In case of combination said MP3 player 26 with the main body of said pet-like toy 20, by transmitting from said MP3 player 26 a signal of said circuit-controlling unit 23 to said pet-like toy, said pet-like toy 2 can perform the above-described sound and light effects or other action.
Accordingly, the pet-like toy provided by the invention has following advantages:

- 1. Since said MP3 player can be combined dismountably with said pet-like toy, a music signal can be provided directly to said pet-like toy in a combined state, while said MP3 player can be used separately as it dismounted from said pet-like toy.
- 2. The pet-like toy combined with MP3 player according to the invention is provided with a computer interface (USB) for connecting with a computer so that functions such as naming said pet-like toy, and receiving other signal and instruction from the computer, thereby the interacting effect of the pet-like toy with the user can be achieved.
- 3. Once receiving the music signal, the pet-like toy combined with MP3 player according to the invention can produce correspondingly a sound and light effect or an action, which can enhance the interaction between said pet-like toy and the user.

In summary, based on the above description and drawings, the invention can achieve the intended object, providing a pet-like toy combined with MP3 player.
Many changes and modifications in the above-described embodiment of the invention can, of course, be carried out based on the disclosure and teaching herein. Those changes and modifications or equivalents derived from the concept of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the specification and drawings are intended to be encompassed within the technical context of the invention. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pet-like toy combined with MP3 player, comprises:

a main body of the pet-like toy, mimicking a shape of an animal, and provided with a base of the head part;

a circuit controlling unit, being provided on the base of the head part;

a MP3 player, being configured into a shape of a pet's head, combined dismountably on said base of the head part and telecommunicated with said circuit-controlling unit;

wherein, through controlling by said circuit-controlling unit, said pet-like toy can perform a sound and light effect or an action corresponding to the music signal from said MP3 player.

2. A pet-like toy combined with MP3 player as in claim 1, wherein said circuit-controlling unit is telecommunicated with a power supply.

3. A pet-like toy combined with MP3 player as in claim 1, wherein said circuit-controlling unit is telecommunicated with a sound output part that is provided on one end of said main body in a manner that said sound output part can provide a signal to a user through a connection to an earphone.

4. A pet-like toy combined with MP3 player as in claim 1, wherein said circuit-controlling unit is telecommunicated with a buzzer.

5. A pet-like toy combined with MP3 player as in claim 1, wherein said circuit-controlling unit is telecommunicated with a computer interface for connecting to a computer, thereby naming of said pet-like toy, receiving other signal and instruction from the computer can be performed.

6. A pet-like toy combined with MP3 player as in claim 5, wherein said MP3 player is provided with a displaying screen, thereby a conversation signal between said computer and said pet-like toy can be displayed.

7. A pet-like toy combined with MP3 player as in claim 1, wherein said circuit-controlling unit is telecommunicated with a tail part that can be used to control the sound and light effect or action of said pet-like toy.

8. A pet-like toy combined with MP3 player as in claim 7, wherein said tail part is provided with a light emitting diode.

9. A pet-like toy combined with MP3 player as in claim 1, wherein said circuit-controlling unit is telecommunicated with an animal sound unit.

10. A pet-like toy combined with MP3 player as in claim 1, wherein said MP3 player is provided with a group of light emitting diodes that is arranged into several groups of different light emitting patterns.