Patent Application
20080015064
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of exemplary embodiments thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Although the present invention system and method can be adapted for use in any type of molded toy ball, the present invention is particularly well suited for use with high-bounce balls. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiment shows a high-bounce ball. The use of the high-bounce ball is merely exemplary and is intended to represent the best mode contemplated for the invention. The use of a high-bounce ball, however, should not be considered a limitation on the use of the present invention in other ball types.
Referring to
A semi-spherical relief 16 is formed in the center of both ball halves 12, 14. Accordingly, it will be understood that when the two ball halves 12, 14 are placed together, the semi-spherical reliefs 16 combine to form a central spherical cavity 20.
Each semi-spherical relief 16 has a maximum diameter D2 that is no more than half as large as the exterior diameter D1 of the ball halves 12, 14. In this manner, it can be assured that a thick layer of polymer material surrounds the central spherical cavity 20 throughout the toy ball assembly 10.
Two open channels 22, 24 extend into the toy ball assembly 10 and communicate with the central spherical cavity 20. The two open channels 22, 24 are defined by half channel reliefs 26, 28 that are disposed on the opposite ball halves 12, 14. The two open channels 22, 24 both have a maximum diameter that is less than ten percent of the exterior diameter D1 of the toy ball assembly 10. The use of small open channels 22, 24 is important in maintaining the bounce characteristics of the overall toy ball assembly 10. By having narrow open channels 22, 24, the open channels 22, 24 do not significantly detract from the bounce characteristics of the toy ball assembly 10 when the toy ball assembly 10 is impacted at or near one of the open channels 22, 24. Bounce efficiency decreases by only a couple of percentage points, which is usually unperceivable by the user.
An electronics module 29 is provided. The electronics module 29 is defined by a protective casing 30. The protective casing 30 is spherical in shape and fills the central spherical cavity 20 in the center of the toy ball assembly 10. The protective casing 30 is made of a hard plastic. Accordingly, any deformation created in the toy ball assembly 10 from an impact does not propagate through the protective casing 30.
A circuit board 32 is disposed inside the protective casing 30. The circuit board 32 contains a small speaker 34, an activation switch 36, batteries 38, an impact sensor 40 and at least once microchip 42 containing a computational processor and an audio signal memory. The protective casing 30 defines openings 43, 44 that enable the speaker 34 and the activation switch 36 to protrude outside of the confines of the protective casing 30.
Referring to
Similarly, the activation switch 36 aligns with one of the open channels 22 in the toy ball assembly 10. This enables the activation switch 36 to be pressed by a user by using a pen tip or similar object. The activation switch 36 remains deep enough inside the open channel 24 that it is never effected by impact deformations.
The impact sensor 40 can be an accelerometer, a vibration sensor, or even a sound sensor. The impact sensor detects large changes in acceleration, vibration, and/or sound that occur when the toy ball assembly 10 impacts a hard surface. Depending upon the nature of the impact sensor 40 selected, the impact sensor 40 may not only detects the occurrence of an impact, but may detect the severity of the impact. Thus, the impact sensor 40 may provide an analog signal that is proportional to the magnitude of the impact. For example, if the toy ball assembly 10 is dropped, it may experience a change in acceleration of 1-2 G's on impact. If the toy ball assembly 10 is thrown against a hard object, much higher impact forces will be detected.
The computational processor embedded in one of the microchips 42 receives signals from the impact sensor 40. The computational processor runs algorithms using the signal data received from the impact sensor 40. Three primary subroutines are run by the circuitry of the computational processor. The first subroutine utilizes a simple counting algorithm.
Referring to
If the signal from the impact sensor 40 surpasses the preset threshold, the impact signal is counted. See Block 54. The computational processor 50 then recalls an audio signal from a preprogrammed audio signal memory 53, which is a read only memory (ROM). The audio signal recalled corresponds to the count. See Block 58. The audio signal is then sent to the speaker 34 where the audio signal is broadcast. See Block 59. In this manner, the toy ball assembly 10 will count and broadcast the number of times it has been bounced. Thus, a child bouncing the toy ball assembly 10 will hear the words “one”, “two”, “three”, etc.
The selection of the counting mode subroutine and the resetting of the counting mode subroutine is done by selectively pressing the activation switch 36.
The second subroutine run by the computational processor contains a height calculation algorithm. Referring to
If the impact sensor 40 is capable of sensing the magnitude of an impact, then the computational processor 50 reads the signal from the impact sensor 40 in order to determine the impact magnitude. See Block 60. The intensity of the impact is then used with the known ball bounce characteristics to calculate how high the toy ball assembly 10 will bounce after experiencing that impact. See Block 62.
If the impact sensor 40 is an unsophisticated sensor that can just detect the occurrence of an impact, then the computational processor 50 calculated the time that elapses in between impacts. The time in between impact corresponds directly to the time the toy ball assembly 10 is in flight. Knowing the flight time for the toy ball assembly 10, an estimate of the height achieved by the toy ball assembly can easily be calculated.
Once the height of the toy ball assembly 10 has been calculated, the computational processor 50 then recalls an audio signal from the audio signal memory 53 corresponding to the calculated height. See Block 66. The audio signal is then broadcast for the child to hear. See Block 67. Consequently, a child who throws the toy ball assembly 10 against the ground may hear “one hundred feet” broadcast from the ball. The value broadcast is a calculated value for the bounce height of the toy ball assembly 10.
In
Again, the selection of the height calculation subroutine or speed calculation subroutine is done by the selective engagement of the activation switch 36.
The last subroutine run by the computational processor 50 contains a novelty algorithm. Referring to
Depending upon which of the subroutines is selected, there is a time delay in the broadcasting of the audio signal. If the toy ball assembly 10 is counting out loud, a short delay of perhaps 0.5 to 1.0 seconds may be used. For the other applications, the toy ball assembly 10 may be in flight for a few seconds after bouncing. The audio signal is therefore delayed by a few seconds to ensure that a child can catch the toy ball assembly 10 and hear the words that are being broadcast. It will be understood that the words and/or phrases to be broadcast are a matter of design choice.
Referring now back to
Referring back to
It will be understood that the embodiment of the present invention that is illustrated is merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art can make many variations to the shown embodiment. For instance, the size of the electronics module, the size of the ball, the material of the ball, and the position of the open conduits can all be varied from what is described and illustrated. All such variations, modifications and alternate embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as set forth by the claims.
