Toy and companion avatar on portable electronic device

Abstract

A toy and software application accessory extends the distinguishing play experience of a particular toy to a digital play experience on personal digital assistant, personal navigation device, or other electronic device like an iPod or iphone with an accelerometer, speaker, and a touch-sensitive display screen. The software application accessory creates a digital play experience or video game on the electronic device that presents avatars, dialog, and backgrounds that convincingly accessorize the physical toy. Wireless connectivity to a PC and the Internet allows the toy or the electronic device to download updates, modifications, and enhancements to its basic program. New personalities can be downloaded that change the toy play experience, and extend the play life of the toy by introducing new and creative play experiences. A personality accessory kit includes the new personalities, clothes, props, and other matching accessories.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to toys, and in particular to toys with two-way wireless communications with personal portable electronic devices like iPODs and iPHONEs that are able to display a companion avatar of the toy and to return touch screen and accelerometer measurements back to the toy for action.[0003]2. Description of the Prior Art[0004]Toys can be far more interesting to play with if they are able to interact with children and adults. One key to enabling interaction is to equip a toy with sensors that can detect when and how the toy is being touched. A touch on the toys hand, if a doll, can be interpreted differently than pressure applied to the foot. A touch on the head of a toy dog could be sensed and interpreted as a pat, and an appropriate response of the toy dog would be to wag its tail.[0005]Mass produced products like toys are highly sensitive to component costs. So a practical electronics package and...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]Briefly, a toy and software application accessory embodiment of the present invention extends the play experience of a physical toy to a digital play experience on personal digital assistant, personal navigation device, or other electronic device like an iPod or iPhone with an accelerometer, speaker, and a touch-sensitive display screen. The software application accessory creates a digital play experience or video game on the electronic device that presents avatars, dialog, and backgrounds that convincingly accessorize the physical toy. Wireless connectivity to a PC and the Internet allows the toy or the electronic device to download updates, modifications, and enhancements to its basic program. New personalities can be downloaded that change the toy play experience, and extend the play life of the toy by introducing new and creative play experiences. A personality accessory kit includes the new personalities, clothes, props, and other matching accessories.

Problems solved by technology

Mass produced products like toys are highly sensitive to component costs.

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