Patent Application
20140273716
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to smart toys and more particularly to a perceived opacity smart device toy with a special type of cover.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the advent of physically small handheld devices such as smartphones and tablets, considerable computing power can be carried in the hand or pocket. In particular, smartphones and tablets can download, or be loaded, with numerous different applications (APPS). The use of a smartphones, tablets and other smart devices as toys or entertainment devices has gained popularity.
Because smartphones and tablets come equipped with numerous physical features and sensors such as accelerometers, GPS, and touch sensitive screens, and because smartphone and tablet platforms provide interfaces for APPS to access these features, it would be very advantageous to have a toy, educational doll or plush that contained a smartphone or tablet with one or more special applications (APPS) and a unique system that catches and maintains a child's attention while allowing them to learn by interacting with and manipulating the device's touch screen, microphone, tilt switch, accelerometer and vibrating motor. This type of toy or doll can help children learn numbers, letters, colors, words and the like through their play. The child could also be able to play simple games with the figure as directed by the device.
The present invention relates to a perceived opacity smart toy that uses a special cover that is partially opaque. The interactive toy uses a capacitive or other touch-screen display equipped mobile device that is housed behind a material that appears opaque until the screen on the device is illuminated. This illumination allows an image on the screen to be seen through the opaque appearing material. The perceived opacity is created by placing a very fine mesh such as a scrim-like material, or a one way mirror, in front of the screen. When the screen is not illuminated, the ambient light of the room reflects off the front surface of the material and appears opaque. When the device's screen is illuminated, the image projected on the screen shines through the scrim making it visible. The scrim is typically made of a material that is thin enough to allow the capacitance of the operator to be read or sensed when the translucent material covering its surface is touched.
Another embodiment is an interactive doll or other shape that displays a smartphone through its partially opaque t-shirt or garment (via an internal pocket) which allows a child to learn and interact by means of the device's touch screen, microphone, tilt switch, accelerometer and vibrating motor. The toy can be supplied with an APP that would be loaded onto the device. Various letters, images, words, etc. would appear through the shirt and prompt various responses of touching, tilting, and speaking to signal a correct answer. The toy can then laugh and vibrate in response before prompting for more play.
Attention is now directed to several drawings that illustrate features of the present invention:
Several drawings and illustrations have been presented to aid in understanding the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited to what is shown in the figures.
The present invention relates to perceived opacity smart toy that uses a special cover or screen that is partially opaque. The interactive toy uses a capacitive touch-screen display equipped mobile device that is housed behind a material that appears opaque until the screen on the device is illuminated. A capacitive touch screen is preferred as opposed to a resistive or SAW touch technology because the present invention requires the screen to work at a slightly increased distance from the glass. The touch screen must be able to sense the finger or hand through the semi-opaque material. While a capacitive touch screen is preferred, any screen that can sense the presence of a finger through a scrim or cover is within the scope of the present invention. Also, any semi-opaque material that will allow a touch screen to respond is within the scope of the present invention.
The partially opaque material acts as an optical screen and can be made from very fine mesh or a scrim-like material. Scrims are used extensively in theater for a variety of special effects. These are sometimes called “sharkstooth scrim”. Any thin screen or screen-like structure is within the scope of the present invention. Scrims generally have a rectangular weave tighter than the size of the openings in a window screen. The screen 2 must be thin enough that when it is close to the smart device screen, the illuminated image on the smart device can be seen through it. As stated, the screen 2 must also allow the capacitive touch-screen on the smart device to function when the child touches the surface. The image on the surface of the screen thus takes on a phantom-like appearance immediately capturing the attention of the child. The scrim material or screen provides enough incident visible light scattering and reflection to make it appear opaque, but enough absorption so that reflected incident light from a dark LCD behind it is not visible. The scrim material is thin and porous so that it has high transmissivity. The loss of LCD contrast due to the absorption in the scrim material must be low enough for the display to still be readable. The scrim typically is non-conductive, and pressed against the touch screen glass. This maintains enough capacitive coupling from a finger to the touch screen to allow the screen to detect a touch.
The smartphone 1 can be supplied with a custom APP that allows the child to manipulate the tilt switch, accelerometers and/or other sensors that might be found in the smartphone. In particular, the child can speak to the APP which can occur through the smartphone's microphone. The phone can then respond to the child using its speaker. The APP can cause the sounds of laughter and turn a figure to respond to touching by the child such as tickling. The APP can cause various letters, images and words to appear to prompt various responses from the child such as rotating, tilting and speaking to signal a correct answer as well as vibrating and making various noises or by playing music. The APP can be supplied with the screen for use with various commercially available smartphone and smart device platforms, or it can be downloaded from the Internet.
The screen depicted in
The toy of the present invention can engage a child and be educational by presenting letters or words and asking for responses. Various replies can be given for correct or wrong answers. The toy can also laugh and/or vibrate in response before prompting for more play. A plush doll also servers to protect the smartphone or smart device.
One or more APPs can be written for use with the present invention using the ANDROID™ platform or the iPhone™ platform using software design platforms (SDKs) and application interfaces (API) known in the art. APPs can also be written in HTML5 and other languages for any type of smart device. These APPs can be wirelessly downloaded as is well-known in the art. As previously described, the APPs can be tailored for particular age ranges, particular educational or learning goals and for different embodiments of the invention such as with dolls, bags, mittens, bed sheets pajamas with pockets or any other use where a smart device can be placed behind a semi-opaque cover.
Several descriptions and illustrations have been given to aid in understanding the present invention. One with skill in the art will realize that numerous changes and variations can be made without departing from the spirit of the device. Each of these changes and variations is within the scope of the present invention.
