Amusement devices: toys – Construction toy – Including electrical feature or assembly
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-17
2001-03-27
Muir, D. Neal (Department: 3212)
Amusement devices: toys
Construction toy
Including electrical feature or assembly
C446S175000, C446S299000, C446S477000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206745
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to interlocking building block apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Interlocking toy building blocks, such as Lego™, are well known.
Also well known in the art are toys which are remotely controlled by wireless communication and which are not used in conjunction with a computer system. Typically, such toys include vehicles whose motion is controlled by a human user via a remote control device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,184 to Haugerud describes a computer controlled educational toy, the construction of which teaches the user computer terminology and programming and robotic technology. Haugerud describes computer control of a toy via a wired connection, wherein the user of the computer typically writes a simple program to control movement of a robot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,602 to Rose describes a talking doll responsive to an external signal, in which the doll has a vocabulary stored in digital data in a memory which may be accessed to cause a speech synthesizer in the doll to simulate speech.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,878 to Lang describes an animated character system with real-time control.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,803 to Lang describes an animated character system with real-time control.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,615 to Aldava et al. describes an interrelational audio kinetic entertainment system in which movable and audible toys and other animated devices spaced apart from a television screen are provided with program synchronized audio and control data to interact with the program viewer in relationship to the television program.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,920 to Collier describes a radio controlled toy vehicle which generates realistic sound effects on board the vehicle. Communications with a remote computer allows an operator to modify and add new sound effects.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,480 to Hikawa describes a toy acting in response to a MIDI signal, wherein an instrument-playing toy performs simulated instrument playing movements.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,273 to Lang describes a system for remotely controlling an animated character. The system uses radio signals to transfer audio, video and other control signals to the animated character to provide speech, hearing vision and movement in real-time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,493 describes a system for a housing for a vertical dual keyboard MIDI wireless controller for accordionists. The system may be used with either a conventional MIDI cable connection or by a wireless MIDI transmission system.
German Patent DE 3009-040 to Neuhierl describes a device for adding the capability to transmit sound from a remote control to a controlled model vehicle The sound is generated by means of a microphone or a tape recorder and transmitted to the controlled model vehicle by means of radio communications. The model vehicle is equipped with a speaker that emits the received sounds.
The disclosures of all publications mentioned in the specification and of the publications cited therein are hereby incorporated by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide improved interlocking toy elements and computerized interlocking toys.
There is thus provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a programmable assembly toy including a multiplicity of toy elements which may be joined together to define a player selectable structure including a plurality of controllable toy elements which may be associated by a player with the selectable structure, and a player programmable control system for controlling the operation of the plurality of controllable toy elements.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the programmable toy also includes a toy application generator useful with the player programmable control system for enabling a player to program the player programmable control system.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the toy application generator provides multiple levels of programming ease so as to be suitable for use by players of different ages and skill levels.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the multiplicity of toy elements includes interlocking building blocks.
Also provided, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, is an assembly toy including a multiplicity of interlocking bricks, and a stand configured to interlock with an individual one of the multiplicity of interlocking bricks, and at least one model figure fixedly mounted on the stand.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the model figure includes a human model figure or an animal model figure. The model figure may be rigid and preferably is not configured to interlock with the interlocking bricks.
Also provided, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, is an assembleable toy house including a multiplicity of interlocking bricks for building a structure of a house, a plurality of stands each configured to interlock with an individual one of the multiplicity of interlocking bricks, and a plurality of interior household item models fixedly mounted on the plurality of stands respectively.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of interior household item models includes at least one of the following group: an article of furniture, a household appliance.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each interior household item model is not configured to interlock with the interlocking bricks.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the player programmable control system is wirelessly associated with at least one of the multiplicity of toy elements.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the player programmable control system includes a computer, and wherein the multiplicity of toy elements includes a first toy element having a radio transceiver/controller, and a second toy element associated by wire with the computer and including a radio transceiver operative to provide radio communication between the computer and the first toy element, and a controller operative to control the second toy element.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the player programmable control system includes a computer, a computer radio interface communicating commands to the player selectable structure, a sound board device having at least one audio channel and transmitting commands from the computer to the computer radio interface over the at least one audio channel.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the at least one audio channel also comprises an audio channel from the computer radio interface to the sound board device over which digital information arriving from the player selectable structure is transmitted to the computer.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the multiplicity of toy elements comprise at least one microphone and the control system comprises a speech recognition unit operative to recognize speech sensed by the at least one microphone and a speech-driven operation controller for controlling the operation of the plurality of controllable toy elements at least partly in accordance with contents of said speech.
Also provided, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, is a toy control method comprising providing a multiplicity of toy elements joinable to define a player selectable structure including a plurality of controllable toy elements, programming a computer to control the operation of the plurality of controllable toy elements; and using the computer, once programmed, to control the operation of the plurality of controllable toy elements.
Further provided, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, is a method for manufacturing asse
Gabai Jacob
Gabai Oz
Sandlerman Nimrod
Abelman ,Frayne & Schwab
Creator Ltd.
Muir D. Neal
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