Patent · US Expired

Interactive toy

US6149490A · kind A · utility

213Cited by
44References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 15, 1998
Grant dateNov 21, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 15, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA63H2200/00
  • WIPO fieldFurniture, games
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A very compact interactive toy is provided that provides highly life-like and intelligent seeming interaction with the user thereof. The toy can take the form of a small animal-like creature having a variety of moving body parts that have very precisely controlled and coordinated movements thereof so as to provide the toy with life-like mannerisms. The toy utilizes sensors for detecting sensory inputs which dictate the movements of the body parts in response to the sensed inputs. The sensors also allow several of the toys to interact with each other. The body parts are driven for movement by a single motor which is relatively small in terms of its power requirements given the large number of different movements that it powers. In addition, the motor is reversible so that the body parts can be moved in a non-cyclic life-like manner. For space conservation, a cam operating mechanism is provided that is very compact with the cam mechanisms for the parts all operated off of a single small control shaft of the cam operating mechanism, e.g. approximately one inch in length, driven for rotation by the single, low power motor.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.