Configurable interactive toy system

Abstract

An interactive toy element and a toy system comprising one or more interactive toy elements are disclosed. The interactive toy element comprises an input device, an output device, a data communication device, and a processor operably connected to the input device, the output device, and the data communication device. The processor comprises an interaction module and an identity configuration module. The interaction module is configured to control the output device to generate an output in accordance with a behavior data structure in response to a trigger signal received from the input device. The identity configuration module is configured to receive primary behavior data representing a primary identity, receive secondary behavior data representing a secondary identity different from the primary identity, insert the primary behavior data into the behavior data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring a specific identity of the interactive toy element in accordance with the primary identity, and insert the secondary behavior data into the behavior data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring a modified specific identity of the interactive toy element based on at least a combination of the primary behavior identity and the secondary behavior identity in accordance with a predetermined configuration rule.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to interactive toy systems, such as interactive toy building systems. Background Technology

[0002] Toy systems comprising components configured to be selectively and detachably assembled with each other have long been known. Over the years, such toy system components have evolved from primarily simple box-shaped building blocks to include more compelling toy system components, such as those with unique appearances, and / or those with mechanical or electrical functions, and / or those with one or more programmable processors; all of these are part of efforts to enhance the play experience.

[0003] Also known are self-contained toy system elements, which include a control unit and an energy source for supplying power to the control unit and other components of the self-contained element. Such self-contained elements may also have functional devices adapted to perform pre-configured user-perceptible functions, wherein such functions may be one or more of the following: movement, generating audible sound signals, generating visible light signals, generating tactile experiences, etc.

[0004] Toy system components configured to be selectively and detachably assembled can be assembled to create modular toy models that can exhibit complex behaviors. In particular, complex behaviors can arise when the model includes several toy system components, and more specifically, when the model includes components with pre-configured, user-perceptible functions (e.g., motors, lights, sound devices, etc.). Such complex behavior is desirable as an extension of the user's imagination, but at the same time, it is expected that the toy system will be relatively easy to use.

[0005] Therefore, it is still desirable to provide a toy system in which users can combine and / or assemble toy system components to create a toy model that exhibits outcome behavior that can be defined in a user-friendly manner.

[0006] Specifically, it is desired that configuring toy components or assembling toy models does not require a high degree of abstract thinking or technical insight to manipulate the toy system components to achieve the desired functional behavior. In particular, it is desired that the desired functional behavior can be achieved in a user-friendly, efficient, flexible, and reliable manner, without requiring detailed knowledge of control structures, data communication, and how to correctly connect wires and conductors.

[0007] In addition, it is desirable to provide an easy-to-use mechanism to change the behavior of toy system components or existing toy models.

[0008] Overall, the goal is to provide a toy system that offers enhanced educational and / or play activities.

[0009] It is also desirable to provide a toy system that offers a high degree of flexibility in designing different toy components with a wide range of functions.

[0010] The various aspects of the toy system embodiments disclosed herein address one or more of the aforementioned needs and / or other needs existing in the field of toy systems. Summary of the Invention

[0011] A first aspect of the present invention relates to an interactive toy element, the interactive toy element including an input device, an output device, a data communication device, and a processor operatively connected to the input device, the output device, and the data communication device; wherein the processor includes: an interaction module configured to control the output device to generate an output based on behavior data in a behavior data structure of the interaction module in response to a trigger signal received from the input device; and an identity configuration module configured to: receive primary behavior data representing a primary identity; receive secondary behavior data representing a secondary identity different from the primary identity; insert the primary behavior data into the behavior data structure of the interaction module to configure a specific identity of the interactive toy element based on the primary identity; and insert the secondary behavior data into the behavior data structure of the interaction module to configure a modified identity of the interactive toy element based on a predetermined configuration rule, at least based on a combination of the primary identity and the secondary identity.

[0012] As used herein, the term "identity" or "behavioral identity" refers to a set of programming instructions that define interactive behavior. Therefore, the identity of an interactive toy defines a set of responses to received stimuli.

[0013] The programming instructions for defining the behavioral identities of interactive toy elements are configurable, allowing the identity configuration module to be used to configure interactive toy elements to exhibit different behavioral identities. The identity configuration module is configured to receive behavioral data and insert the received behavioral data into a data structure representing the (behavioral) identity of the interactive toy element, thereby configuring the behavioral identity of the interactive toy element.

[0014] The interaction module of an interactive toy element responds to stimuli received from an input device (e.g., a trigger signal received from the input device) and controls an output device to generate an output, such as a user-perceptible output. The interaction module operates according to a behavioral identity specified by behavioral data in the interaction module's behavioral data structure. A given set of behavioral data may include specific parameters and / or specific programming instructions, for example, to configure the behavioral identity to exhibit a specific response to the received stimuli. Different behaviors can be represented by different behavioral data in corresponding behavioral data structures. Therefore, an identity configuration module can be operated to configure the interactive toy element as a specific identity by configuring the interaction module using different behavioral data.

[0015] A specific identity characterizes a particular physical object through its response to received stimuli. Advantageously, in some embodiments, physical objects can be categorized in a tree structure with varying degrees of specificity. The tree structure can group objects together based on shared behavioral characteristics. The behavior of object groups can be populated with details, where the level of detail of the behavioral data can depend on the classification level. The level of detail can be reflected in the tree structure by branching higher-level groups into more specific lower-level subgroups. Advantageously, in some embodiments, lower-level subgroups inherit behavioral data (and therefore their behavioral characteristics) from higher-level groups. For example, a higher level can group physical objects into three groups: vehicles, living beings, and other physical objects, while a more detailed lower level can define its subgroups, such as: ground vehicles, air vehicles, or water vehicles; humanoid or animal beings; and physical objects representing locations, machines, tools, or consumables.

[0016] In a simplified example, a vehicle might typically respond with an engine sound if a signal indicating motion is received at the input device. However, the response from a ground vehicle can differ from that from an air vehicle, depending on whether the signal indicates two-dimensional or three-dimensional motion.

[0017] The identity configuration module can receive specific behavioral data from a specific behavioral data structure, which represents a specific identity. For example, an interactive toy element can receive specific behavioral data from a behavioral data structure on a data carrier via wireless communication. Therefore, specific behavioral data can be received from a specific behavioral data structure, which represents a specific identity. Accordingly, the identity configuration module can receive primary behavioral data from a primary behavioral data structure, which represents a primary identity. The identity configuration module can thus configure the specific identity of the interactive toy element as a primary identity. Furthermore, the configuration module can also receive secondary behavioral data from a secondary behavioral data structure, which represents a secondary identity different from the primary identity. The identity configuration module can then modify the identity of the interactive toy element by inserting the secondary behavioral data into the behavioral data structure according to predetermined configuration rules. The configuration rules can be set to determine how behavioral features of two or more different behavioral identities received from different behavioral data structures can be combined into a modified identity for the interactive toy element. Advantageously, as further detailed below, this combination is performed using a priority ordering of the received identities.

[0018] Thus, interactive toys are given a universal architecture that allows for the creation of a large number of different new identities based on the combination of two or more different received behavioral identities applied to interactive toy elements.

[0019] Advantageously, in some embodiments, the interaction module includes a modular interaction model comprising multiple interaction response functions, each defining a corresponding response behavior for one of a plurality of predetermined interaction events. Further advantageously, each interaction response function includes a configurable triggering process and a configurable response process. The triggering process of a given interaction response function can receive a trigger input of an associated interaction event and selectively process the trigger input according to triggering logic to generate a trigger output, which is passed to the response process. The response process can receive the trigger output at the response input. Based on the received trigger, the response process can be activated to generate a corresponding response output. The response output can include one or more of a user-perceived output and a system output, which can be used, for example, by one or more other interactive toy elements. Interaction events can include events that can occur directly during physical play, or can include system events that the interactive toy elements can respond to. Thus, a high degree of modularity in behavior identity configuration is achieved to create a large number of new behavior identities from two or more different behavior identities. Furthermore, the high modularity of behavior identity configuration is further enhanced by the following feature: Advantageously, the behavior data structure of the interactive toy is constructed to correspond to or reflect the modular interaction model. Furthermore advantageously, the behavior data structure from which primary behavior data, secondary behavior data, or any further behavior data can be received is also constructed to correspond to or reflect the modular interaction model. Further advantageously, the interaction model is generic relative to the behavior identity, i.e., the interaction model is independent of the applied behavior identity. Behavior identities can then be implemented by inserting behavior data into the behavior data structure of the interaction module, thereby using the behavior data to configure one or more interactive response functions of the interaction model according to the behavior identity.

[0020] This facilitates a highly flexible combination of behavioral identities and the modular configurability of the behavioral identities of interactive toy elements. This is particularly useful in toy systems that include multiple such interactive toy elements.

[0021] Furthermore, according to some embodiments of the interactive toy element, the identity configuration module is also configured to: receive further behavior data from one or more further behavior data structures, each of which represents a corresponding further identity different from the primary behavior identity and the secondary behavior identity; and insert the further behavior data into the behavior data structure of the interaction module, wherein configuring the modified identity is also based on one or more identities among the corresponding further identities according to predetermined configuration rules. Thus, the further modified identity of the interactive toy element can be configured according to predetermined configuration rules, based on at least a combination of the primary identity, secondary identity, and further identities. Therefore, the modification of behavior identities can be extended to allow for a wider variety of different modified behavior identities based on at least a combination of the primary behavior identity, secondary behavior identity, and any further behavior identity, thereby further enhancing the flexibility and creative possibilities of systems including interactive toy elements.

[0022] Furthermore, according to some embodiments of the interactive toy element, the identity configuration module is also configured to determine the priority order of the received behavioral data; and wherein the configured modified identity is also based on the determined priority order of the received behavioral data.

[0023] This enables a surprisingly simple and efficient way to modularly combine multiple behavioral identities in the modified identities of interactive toy elements.

[0024] Priority ranking defines the hierarchical relationship between received behavioral data, which can be used when determining how to combine the received behavioral data into a modified identity for an interactive toy element. For example, in the event of a conflict between behavioral data associated with different identities, a higher priority ranking of the first set of behavioral data over the second set will result in the first set taking precedence over the second set when deciding which behavioral data to insert into the behavioral data structure of the interactive module of the interactive toy element.

[0025] Where prioritization allows behavioral data associated with different identities to be at the same priority level, the predefined configuration rules can include additional arbitration rules for merging interaction responses from different behavioral identities, such as randomizing which of two or more behavioral data at the same priority level will be inserted into the behavioral data structure of the interactive toy element. Alternatively or additionally, the arbitration rules can also be configured to ensure changes in interaction responses relative to those already defined in the behavioral data structure of the interactive toy element. This ensures that combinations of behavioral identities generally result in a perceptible change in the behavioral pattern of the interactive toy element, even when at least some of the received behavioral data has the same priority level.

[0026] Advantageously, according to some embodiments, priority ordering can be determined based on the order of configuration events (e.g., the order of interaction events, such as the order of receiving behavioral data, or the order in which interactive toy elements detect data carrier elements carrying behavioral data). Surprisingly, the inventors have found that using the order of configuration events to determine priority ordering is particularly intuitive in many use cases. Then, creating new behavioral identities from modular combinations of multiple identities is highly intuitive and easy to use.

[0027] Alternatively or additionally, other criteria can be envisioned for use in determining priority ranking. For example, priority ranking could also be based on predetermined priority ranking data included in or received with the received behavioral data. This provides additional flexibility and allows, for example, designers of interactive user experiences to predefine the hierarchy of identities and include at least part of the information used to determine priority ranking in the primary behavioral data, secondary behavioral data, and / or further behavioral data structures used to create the modified identity.

[0028] Prioritization can also be based on information about the spatial arrangement of one or more data carrier elements relative to the interactive toy element. For example, spatial information may include information about the location and / or orientation of the data carrier elements, such as placing one or more data carrier elements near the interactive toy element, or selectively attaching one or more data carrier elements to the interactive toy element, such as at different attachment locations and / or different orientations relative to the interactive toy element. Advantageously, the interactive toy element also includes sensing devices adapted to determine information about the spatial arrangement of two or more data carrier elements relative to the interactive toy element. Advantageously, the data carrier elements may be tag elements comprising behavioral data structures stored in memory, and a data exchange interface coupled to the memory and configured to provide behavioral data in response to an interrogation signal, as further detailed below.

[0029] This provides even greater flexibility, along with an intuitive and easy-to-use user interface for configuring behavioral identities. It also allows designers of interactive user experiences, for example, to physically reflect prioritization in the spatial arrangement of data carriers that include behavioral data.

[0030] Furthermore, according to some embodiments, interactive toy elements are adapted to retrieve information about behavioral identities from identity tag elements, which include data storage devices and data exchange interfaces. Each identity tag element may include a data storage device carrying information about the identity, and a data exchange interface adapted to wirelessly communicate with one or more interactive toy elements. Preferably, the data carrier element is adapted to wirelessly communicate with the interactive toy elements, for example, via wireless near-field communication, optical communication, or via a wireless local area network. Examples of identity tag elements including received behavioral data may include wireless tags, which include data storage devices and data exchange interfaces, such as RFID tags. This provides an intuitive and tangible way to provide a data structure representing the source identity for modular identity configurations of interactive toy elements, which is easy to understand and use even for inexperienced users. Further advantageously, each identity tag element may be provided with a user-perceptible representation, such as a graphical representation, indicating the identity stored on the identity tag.

[0031] Furthermore, according to some embodiments of the interactive toy element, information regarding behavioral identity includes one or more of the following: a behavioral data structure representing the behavioral identity; a data item representing the behavioral data structure stored on a storage device in the interactive toy element; a pointer to a local data storage location representing the behavioral data structure; and a pointer to a remote data storage location representing the behavioral data structure.

[0032] This allows for a variety of different ways of providing actual behavioral data from different data sources without sacrificing the physical representation of the behavioral data structure of the source identity, and thus keeping the identity configuration intuitive and tangible to the user.

[0033] Advantageously, according to some embodiments of the interactive toy element, the processor is configured to operate the identity configuration module in response to a configuration trigger event. Advantageously, according to some embodiments of the interactive toy element, the configuration trigger event includes one or more of the following: detecting data carriers near the interactive toy element, such as data carriers coupled / attached to the interactive toy element and / or within a predetermined distance therefrom; detecting a predetermined arrangement of one or more data carriers near the interactive toy element; detecting a change in the arrangement of one or more data carriers near the interactive toy element; detecting the removal of one or more data carriers from the interactive toy element; detecting the attachment of one or more data carriers to the interactive toy element; and detecting a predetermined input signal at an input device. The input signal may include one or more of a user interaction signal and an interaction signal received from one or more further interactive toy elements within the interactive toy element. The input signal may be determined in any suitable manner, for example using sensor devices included in the interactive toy element, such as detecting a predetermined motion gesture performed using a wireless interactive toy building element, touch sensing, proximity sensing, color sensing, detecting light signals, determining the relative posture of the interactive toy element with respect to one or more further interactive toy elements within the interactive toy element, etc.

[0034] Furthermore, according to some embodiments of interactive toy elements, the behavior data structure includes primary and secondary interaction responses to input trigger signals, and the identity configuration module is further configured to: configure primary and secondary interaction responses based on primary behavior data; configure further primary and secondary interaction responses not configured based on primary behavior data based on secondary behavior data; and / or merge the configurations of secondary interaction responses based on primary and secondary behavior data. This allows for a simple and efficient implementation of the priority of primary behavior data over secondary behavior data, while allowing flexibility and diversity when creating modified behavior identities.

[0035] Advantageously, according to some embodiments, the identity configuration module is also configured to: configure further primary and secondary interaction responses that are not configured based on primary or secondary interaction data, based on further behavioral data; and / or merge the configuration of secondary interaction responses based at least on a combination of primary, secondary, and further behavioral data. This allows for a simple and efficient implementation of the further priority of primary and secondary behavioral data over further behavioral data, while allowing for a high degree of flexibility and diversity in creating modified behavioral identities.

[0036] Advantageously, according to some embodiments, the data communication device is a wireless communication device. The wireless communication device can be any suitable device for wireless communication (e.g., wireless near-field communication, personal area networks (such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)), local area networks, optical communication, etc.).

[0037] Furthermore, the aforementioned advantages and effects of this disclosure, as well as further advantages and effects, are also achieved in a similar manner through toy systems comprising one or more interactive toy elements as disclosed herein, and through methods for configuring the behavioral identities of the interactive toy elements.

[0038] According to yet another aspect, a toy system is disclosed that includes a plurality of toy elements, the plurality of toy elements including one or more interactive toy elements according to any one of the preceding claims.

[0039] According to another aspect, a toy system is disclosed that includes a plurality of toy elements, including one or more interactive toy elements according to any embodiment disclosed herein. Furthermore, according to some embodiments, the toy system also includes a plurality of identity tag elements, each identity tag element including a data storage device carrying information about its identity, and a data exchange interface adapted to communicate with one or more interactive toy elements. Preferably, the data exchange interface of the identity tag element is adapted to wirelessly communicate with one or more interactive toy elements, as also described elsewhere herein. Typically, the identity tag element is also a toy element of the toy system.

[0040] Advantageously, according to some embodiments, the plurality of identity tag elements includes a first identity tag element representing a first identity and a second identity tag element representing a second identity different from the first identity. Advantageously, according to some embodiments, the plurality of identity tag elements further includes a further identity tag element representing a corresponding further identity different from the first and second identities.

[0041] Furthermore, according to some embodiments, the toy system is a modular toy building system comprising a plurality of modular toy building elements, wherein each modular toy building element includes a connecting member for releasably connecting the toy building elements to each other to form a toy building model. Thus, an improved toy building system is provided, characterized by one or more interactive toy elements having configurable behavioral identities as disclosed herein.

[0042] Furthermore, according to some embodiments of the toy system, interactive toy elements and identification tag elements are toy building elements of a modular toy building system. Advantageously, according to some embodiments, toy elements are toy building elements of a modular toy building system; interactive toy elements are toy building elements of a modular toy building system; and / or identification tag elements are toy building elements of a modular toy building system.

[0043] By implementing the modular identity configuration of this disclosure in a modular toy building system, an abstract concept of modified behavioral identities can be created from two or more source identities, thus matching the well-known physical and modular construction characteristics of modular toy building systems. This provides an interactive toy system that offers a particularly intuitive and easy-to-understand interface for creating interactive models and constructing behavioral identities, even for inexperienced users.

[0044] According to another aspect, a method for configuring the behavioral identity of an interactive toy element according to any embodiment disclosed herein is provided, the method comprising: receiving primary behavioral data from a primary behavioral data structure representing a primary identity; receiving secondary behavioral data from a secondary behavioral data structure representing a secondary identity different from the primary identity; inserting the primary behavioral data into a behavioral data structure of an interaction module to configure a specific identity of the interactive toy element based on the primary identity; and inserting the secondary behavioral data into the behavioral data structure of the interaction module to configure a modified identity of the interactive toy element based on a predetermined configuration rule, at least based on a combination of the primary identity and the secondary identity.

[0045] Furthermore, according to some embodiments, the method further includes: receiving further behavior data from one or more further behavior data structures, each of which represents a corresponding further identity different from the primary identity and the secondary identity; and inserting the further behavior data into the behavior data structure of the interaction module, wherein a modified identity is configured based on one or more of the corresponding further identities according to predetermined configuration rules.

[0046] In addition, according to some embodiments, the method further includes: specifying primary interactive responses and secondary interactive responses to input trigger signals in the behavioral data structure based on the priority order of the received behavioral data.

[0047] In addition, according to some embodiments, the method further includes: determining a priority order of the received (e.g., primary, secondary, and any further) behavioral data, wherein a modified identity is configured based on the determined priority order.

[0048] Advantageously, according to some embodiments of the method, the received behavioral data (e.g., primary, secondary, and any further) is also inserted into the behavioral data structure based on a determined priority order.

[0049] Furthermore, according to some embodiments of the method, the priority ordering of the received behavioral data is determined partly or entirely based on the event order, such as the order of interaction events, the order in which behavioral data is received, or the order in which identity tag elements are detected on the model, each identity tag element carrying a behavioral data structure representing the corresponding identity.

[0050] Furthermore, according to some embodiments of the method, primary behavioral data has a higher priority ranking than secondary behavioral data; and inserting primary and secondary behavioral data into the behavioral data structure of the interaction module includes: configuring primary and secondary interactive responses based on primary behavioral data; configuring further primary and secondary interactive responses that are not configured based on primary behavioral data based on secondary behavioral data; and / or merging the configuration of secondary interactive responses based at least on a combination of primary and secondary behavioral data.

[0051] Furthermore, according to some embodiments of the method, primary behavioral data and secondary behavioral data have a higher priority than further behavioral data; inserting further behavioral data into the behavioral data structure of the interaction module also includes: configuring further primary and secondary interactive responses that are not configured based on primary or secondary behavioral data based on the further behavioral data; and / or merging the configuration of secondary interactive responses based at least on a combination of primary behavioral data, secondary behavioral data, and further behavioral data. Attached Figure Description

[0052] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 An example of an interactive toy element is shown; Figure 2 A schematic block diagram showing an example of an interactive toy element; Figure 3 An embodiment of a labeling element for a toy system as disclosed herein is illustrated schematically; Figure 4 The modular interaction model is illustrated schematically, along with examples of using this modular interaction model to implement different behavioral identities. Figure 5 The behavioral identity configuration of interactive toy elements in the form of wireless interactive toy building blocks is illustrated schematically. Figures 6 to 7 An example illustrating the modified behavioral identity of an interactive toy element using multiple identity tag elements is shown. Figures 8 to 9 schematically shown Figures 6 to 7 Interactive operation of interactive toy components; Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a method for configuring interactive toy elements is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0053] Various aspects and embodiments of an interactive toy system comprising multiple interactive wireless toys will now be described with reference to toy building elements in the form of building blocks. In this particular embodiment and corresponding embodiments, each interactive toy element is formed as a corresponding wireless interactive toy building element, each having a housing that is typically shaped as an orthogonal polyhedron with flat sides and having connecting members extending from its top surface and cavities extending inward from its bottom surface. However, wireless interactive toy building elements of other shapes and sizes can be used, such as box-shaped or sheet-shaped toy building elements of different sizes and different numbers of connecting members. Furthermore, while the block shape has proven particularly useful, the various aspects disclosed herein can be applied to other forms of interactive toy elements, including other forms of toy building elements for game applications, educational applications, etc.

[0054] Figure 1 An example of an interactive toy element in the form of a wireless interactive toy building block is shown, generally labeled 100. Figure 1 On the left, the wireless interactive toy building element is shown with its top surface visible, while on the right, it is shown with its bottom surface visible. Specifically, the wireless interactive toy building element includes a generally box-shaped housing 101 having connecting protrusions 104 extending from its top surface and a cavity extending into the element from the bottom. This cavity is defined by sidewalls 102 and a central, downwardly extending tube 103. Connecting protrusions of another toy building element can be received in the cavity in a frictionally engaged manner, as disclosed, for example, in US 3,005,282. The building elements shown in the remaining figures have this known type of connecting member in the form of mating protrusions and cavities. However, other types of connecting members may be used in addition to or in place of protrusions and cavities. The connecting protrusions are arranged in a square planar grid on the top surface, defining the orthogonal direction along which the series of connecting protrusions are arranged. The distance between adjacent connecting protrusions is uniform and equal in both directions. This arrangement of connecting members, or similar arrangements, at the connection points of a defined regular planar mesh allows toy building elements to be interconnected in discrete numbers of positions and orientations relative to each other (particularly perpendicular to each other). In an assembled toy building model, the connecting members of multiple toy building elements can therefore be located at mesh points relative to the three-dimensional mesh defined by the toy building model.

[0055] In some embodiments, the housing 101 of the wireless interactive toy building element is made of a plastic material (e.g., a thermoplastic polymer) or another suitable material. The housing may be made, for example, by injection molding or another suitable manufacturing process.

[0056] The wireless interactive toy building element 100 may include a functional device 105 housed within a housing 101 of the wireless interactive toy building element. Typically, the functional device can be any suitable means for performing a function, such as providing user-perceptible effects, like visual and / or auditory effects. Examples of functional devices may include any suitable mechanical and / or electrical equipment, devices, and / or circuits adapted to perform one or more mechanical and / or electrical functions.

[0057] Examples of mechanical functions include driving a rotatable output shaft, winding a rope or chain to pull an object closer to a toy module, and moving the hinged parts of a wireless interactive toy building block. Therefore, mechanical functions can enable opening or closing doors, ejecting objects, rotating turntables, and moving linear actuators. This mechanical movement can be driven by an electric motor.

[0058] Examples of electrical functions include emitting continuous or flashing light, activating several lights in a predetermined sequence, emitting audible sounds such as buzzing, alarms, ringing, sirens, voice messages, music, synthesized sounds, simulated and / or natural or mimicked sounds that stimulate game activity, sound playback, and / or other audio content.

[0059] Therefore, the functional device can be selected from motors, light sources (such as one or more LEDs), and sound sources (such as speakers). A functional wireless toy building element can include more than one functional device. In some embodiments, the system includes different types of wireless interactive toy building elements, each including different types of functional devices.

[0060] The wireless interactive toy building block 100 includes a sensor system 108, which includes one or more sensors housed within a housing 101 of the wireless interactive toy building block. The sensor system 108 may include one or more sensors, such as magnetic attitude sensors and / or one or more other sensors, such as linear encoders or rotary encoders, light detectors and sound detectors (e.g., microphones), accelerometers, etc.

[0061] Figure 2 Interactive toy elements (e.g., wireless interactive toy building blocks) are shown. Figure 1 The schematic block diagram of an example of a wireless interactive toy building element is shown, generally labeled 100.

[0062] The wireless interactive toy building element 100 includes a housing 101 defining a top surface, on which a connecting member 104 is disposed, as described above. Figure 1 The wireless interactive toy building element 100 also includes a processing unit 209 and one or more electromagnetic coils 207, all housed within the housing 101. The wireless interactive toy building element may also include one or more additional sensors 108 and / or one or more functional devices 105, also housed within the housing 101, such as those described above. Figure 1 The sensor system and functional devices described in the embodiments. The wireless interactive toy building element 100 also includes a rechargeable battery 210 or other rechargeable power source, and a wireless communication interface 211, which are also housed within the housing 101.

[0063] In some embodiments, the wireless interactive toy may use one or more electromagnetic coils 207 to perform functions related to communication with other components, such as detecting, identifying, and / or capturing data from wireless identification tag components. Furthermore, the wireless interactive toy's building elements may receive electrical energy via one or more electromagnetic coils 207 to charge a battery or other rechargeable power source 210, which in turn powers the processing unit 209, the functional devices 105, and the wireless communication interface 211.

[0064] One or more functional devices 105 may include a light source (e.g., an LED), a speaker, a motor, and / or another functional device operable to perform a user-perceived function.

[0065] One or more sensors 108 may include light sensors, sound sensors, rotary encoders, accelerometers, gyroscopes and / or any other suitable sensors, such as those used in combination. Figure 1 As mentioned above.

[0066] The wireless communication interface 211 may include a radio frequency transceiver and an associated antenna. In some embodiments, the wireless communication interface may include a Bluetooth chip or circuitry, or another form of radio frequency transceiver adapted for communication via a wireless communication network, such as using known low-power, short-range wireless network technologies, such as Bluetooth / Bluetooth Low Energy, ZigBee, Z-Wave, or similar wireless technologies conforming to standardized protocols for low-power personal area data networks. The wireless communication interface 211 is operable for bidirectional communication with other wireless interactive toy building blocks of the system.

[0067] Processing unit 209 may include one or more microcontrollers, one or more microprocessors, one or more ASICs, and / or one or more other suitable processing units or combinations thereof. Processing unit 209 may be configured to control the functional behavior of wireless interactive toy building elements based on behavioral identities defined by behavioral data in a behavioral data structure.

[0068] Wireless interactive toy building elements can be configured with (e.g., pre-programmed) default behavioral identities, such as default executable instructions stored in the memory of the wireless interactive toy building element and executable by the processing unit of the wireless interactive toy building element. The default executable instruction set can define a set of predetermined rules for responding to external stimuli sensed by the sensor system.

[0069] In some embodiments, the behavior of the wireless interactive toy building element can be programmed or configured by a user, for example, by receiving program data and / or configuration parameters. For this purpose, the wireless interactive toy building element can receive program and / or control data and / or configuration parameters from a computer, such as one or more of a desktop computer, tablet computer, smartphone, laptop computer, or other programmable computing device. Alternatively or additionally, the wireless interactive toy building element can capture program and / or control data and / or configuration parameters from a wireless identification tag element (e.g., from an RFID tag) or from other data storage devices. For example, the wireless interactive toy building element is operable to read such a wireless tag or other data storage device in a contactless manner as described herein. Each identification tag represents a corresponding behavioral identity, and therefore behavioral data can be included in a behavioral data structure representing that identity. Thus, data read from a tag can include behavioral data from a behavioral data structure representing the behavioral identity of the tag.

[0070] Figure 3 A schematic block diagram illustrating an example of a label element is shown. Label element 105 includes a housing having a coupling member 110 for detachably attaching label element 105 to other toy building elements of the toy building system, such as attachment locations to functional elements. It should be understood that, although... Figure 3 The label element shown has a single connecting member, but a label element can have multiple connecting members. For example, the label element can be coupled with... Figures 1 to 3The toy components shown are compatible and have a similar general shape. The tag element also includes a memory 109 for storing data, such as configuration data. The stored data may simply be an identifier representing the behavior of a particular model. Alternatively or additionally, the stored data may include additional information, such as information encoding sound data, light sequences, motion sequences, etc. The tag element also includes a data exchange interface 106, such as an antenna, capacitive interface, inductive interface, etc., operable to allow a tag reader to read the stored data from the memory in a contactless manner. Components including tag element 105 and components included in the tag element are not necessarily shown to scale.

[0071] Figure 4 The diagram illustrates a modular interaction model and examples of using this modular interaction model to implement different behavioral identities.

[0072] The processor 209 of the wireless interactive toy may include an interaction module for controlling interactive behavior. The interaction module includes a general interaction model as described elsewhere herein. The general interaction model is... Figure 4 The interaction model is shown in the diagram and is referred to as the "standard set". It comprises multiple interaction response functions, shown here as vertical columns, each associated with a specific interaction, exemplified here only as "2D Motion", "3D Motion", "Impact", "Station", "Double-click", "Shake", "Object Approach", "Ambient Audio", and "Custom Slot". Each interaction response function has a triggering process (referred to here as a "trigger") and a response process (referred to here as a "mechanism").

[0073] The interaction model is generic, meaning it is independent of any specific behavioral identity. However, by inserting specific behavioral data into the behavioral data structure of the interaction module of an interactive toy element, and configuring interactive response functions based on the behavioral data, specific behavioral identities can be implemented in a modular way within a generic interaction model. Based on the received behavioral data, the interactive toy element can therefore be configured to behave as, for example, a car, a house, or a dog using the same generic interaction model. It can be noted that not all interactive response functions need to be specified to achieve a given specific identity. For example, a house may not respond to motion input, or a car, which typically only moves on a surface, may not need to respond to the detection of 3D motion.

[0074] The processor 209 of the wireless interactive toy also includes an identity configuration module for configuring behavioral identities, such as Figure 5As shown, it schematically illustrates the behavioral identity configuration of an interactive toy element in the form of a wireless interactive toy building block, which combines behavioral data received from multiple different behavioral data structures on corresponding identity tag elements 305a, 305b, and 305c, each identity tag element representing a different identity.

[0075] The configuration of the aforementioned specific behavioral identity can therefore be implemented by the identity configuration module based on the primary behavioral data received from the first identity tag element 305a. Then, the identity configuration module can modify the specific identity using secondary behavioral data obtained from the second identity tag element 305b, thereby implementing the modified identity. The modified identity can be further modified using further behavioral data obtained from the third identity tag element 305c, thus implementing a further modified identity based at least on a combination of primary behavioral data, secondary behavioral data, and further behavioral data. This implementation can also be controlled by priority ordering, which determines which of the received behavioral data is applied first, and which is applied subsequently as a modification. Priority ordering can, for example, be based on the order in which the corresponding identity tag is detected near the interactive toy element and / or attached to the interactive toy element. Therefore, the identity of the first-ranked identity tag can determine the overall identity of the interactive toy element and thus leave the largest imprint on the combined identity, while the identities ranked second and third can leave gradually less noticeable traces in the behavioral identities. For example, the first label could specify the pig's identity, the second label could specify the dragon's identity, modifying the pig's identity to now also respond to flight interactions (3D motion) and produce a more dangerous (e.g., roaring) sound (instead of a cute "piggy" sound). Then, the third label could specify further modifications; however, it only affects certain parameters of the user-perceptible output, such as modifying the frequency, pitch, or volume of the sound output, or modifying the intensity and / or color of the light output.

[0076] Figure 6 and Figure 7 Examples of toy components are shown, each comprising one or more identification tag elements and interactive toy elements from a toy system. Interactive toy element 100 is shaped like a dinosaur, and identification tag elements 305a-305b are shaped like flattened pentagonal prisms, possibly somewhat resembling a backplate. Alternatively, the dinosaur shape can be achieved by assembling multiple toy elements from a toy building kit.

[0077] The interactive toy element includes multiple connecting members, two of which are shown and indicated by reference numeral 104. The multiple connecting members in the functional element provide five predetermined attachment positions 120-124 for the identification tag element. Identification tag elements 305a-305b may include one or more connecting members (not shown) configured to attach to the interactive toy element at one of the five predetermined attachment positions. The functional element and the tag element can be configured such that the tag element can attach to the functional element at each attachment position in one of two predetermined relative orientations 132, 134. Figure 7 The diagram shows a first tag element 305a positioned at a first attachment position 120 with a first predetermined relative orientation 132, and a second tag element 305b positioned at a second attachment position 121 with a second predetermined relative orientation 134. The attachment of the first tag element 305a is detected first, and the specific identity of the interactive toy element 100, such as a dinosaur, is determined using primary behavioral data received from it, and a corresponding interactive response function is assigned. Subsequently, the attachment of the second identity tag is detected, and secondary behavioral data received from it is recorded as having a lower priority order. Therefore, the secondary behavioral data is only used to modify the overall dinosaur identity. For example, if the secondary behavioral data represents an airplane, the dinosaur will now also include a flight response. The specific identity and the modified identity are received each time by the identity configuration module 600 and implemented in the interaction model 400 of the interaction module.

[0078] Figure 8 and Figure 9 Each demonstrates interactive operations in an interactive user experience. Figure 6 and Figure 7 An example of a toy component, wherein activation of sensor device 125 generates an input signal to an interaction module, which then generates user-perceptible outputs at corresponding output devices and / or system signals transmitted by transceiver 130 to another device 200 based on the behavioral identity of the interactive toy component derived from one or more attached identity tag elements.

[0079] Go to Figure 10 This describes an example of the process for configuring interactive toy components. Figure 10 The process shown includes: - In S1, receive master behavior data from the master behavior data structure, which represents the master identity; - In S2, receive secondary action data from a secondary action data structure, which represents a secondary identity that is different from the primary identity; - In S3, the master behavior data is inserted into the behavior data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring the specific identity of the interactive toy element according to the master identity; and - In S4, the secondary behavior data is inserted into the behavior data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring the modified identity of the interactive toy element according to a predetermined configuration rule, at least based on the combination of the primary identity and the secondary identity.

[0080] In addition, the process may also include: - In S5, further action data is received from one or more further action data structures, each of which represents a corresponding further identity different from the primary and secondary identities; and - In S6, further behavioral data is inserted into the behavioral data structure of the interaction module, wherein the modified identity is configured based on one or more corresponding further identities according to predetermined configuration rules.

Claims

1. An interactive toy element, the interactive toy element comprising an input device, an output device, a data communication device, and a processor operatively connected to the input device, the output device, and the data communication device; The processor mentioned above includes: An interaction module, configured to control the output device to generate output based on behavioral data in the behavioral data structure of the interaction module, in response to a trigger signal received from the input device; and The identity configuration module is configured as follows: - Receive master action data representing the master's identity; - Receive secondary behavioral data representing a secondary identity that is different from the primary identity; - Insert the main behavior data into the behavior data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring the specific identity of the interactive toy element according to the main identity; and - Insert the secondary behavior data into the behavior data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring the modified identity of the interactive toy element according to predetermined configuration rules, at least based on the combination of the primary identity and the secondary identity.

2. The interactive toy element according to claim 1, wherein, The identity configuration module is further configured as follows: - Receive further behavioral data representing a corresponding further behavioral identity different from the primary behavioral identity and the secondary behavioral identity; and - Insert the further behavioral data into the behavioral data structure of the interaction module, wherein the modified identity is configured based on one or more identities from the corresponding further identities according to a predetermined configuration rule.

3. The interactive toy element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The identity configuration module is further configured to determine the priority order of the received behavioral data; and the modified identity is configured to be based on the determined priority order of the received behavioral data.

4. The interactive toy element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The interactive toy element is adapted to retrieve information about behavioral identity from an identity tag element, which includes a data storage device and a data exchange interface.

5. The interactive toy element according to claim 4, wherein, The information regarding behavioral identity includes one or more of the following: - A behavioral data structure representing the identity of the behavior; - A data item representing an identity behavioral data structure stored on a storage device within the interactive toy element; - A pointer to the local data storage location of the behavioral data structure that identifies the identity; and - A pointer to the remote data storage location of the behavioral data structure that identifies the user's identity.

6. The interactive toy element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The behavioral data structure includes primary interactive responses to input trigger signals and secondary interactive responses to input trigger signals, and the identity configuration module is further configured to: - Configure primary and secondary interaction responses based on primary behavior data; - Configure further primary and secondary interaction responses based on secondary behavior data that were not configured based on primary behavior data; and / or - Based on primary and secondary behavior data, merge the configuration of secondary interaction responses.

7. The interactive toy element according to claim 6, wherein, The identity configuration module is further configured as follows: - Configure further primary and secondary interaction responses based on further behavioral data that were not configured based on primary or secondary behavioral data; and / or - The configuration of secondary interaction responses is merged based on at least a combination of primary behavior data, secondary behavior data, and further behavior data.

8. A toy system comprising a plurality of toy elements, the plurality of toy elements including one or more interactive toy elements according to any one of the preceding claims, the toy system further comprising a plurality of identity tag elements, each identity tag element including a data storage device carrying information about behavioral identity and a data exchange interface adapted to communicate with the one or more interactive toy elements.

9. The toy system according to claim 8, wherein, The toy system is a modular toy building system, which includes multiple modular toy building elements, wherein each modular toy building element includes a connecting member for releasably connecting the toy building elements to each other to form a toy building model.

10. The toy system according to claim 9, wherein, The interactive toy element and the identity tag element are toy building elements of the modular toy building system.

11. A method for configuring the behavioral identity of an interactive toy element according to any one of claims 1 to 10, the method comprising: - Receive master action data representing the master's identity; - Receive secondary behavioral data representing a secondary identity that is different from the primary identity; - Insert the main behavior data into the behavior data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring the specific identity of the interactive toy element according to the main identity; and - Insert the secondary behavior data into the behavior data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring the modified identity of the interactive toy element according to predetermined configuration rules, at least based on the combination of the primary identity and the secondary identity.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: - Receive further behavioral data representing a corresponding further identity different from the primary identity and the secondary identity; and - Insert the further behavioral data into the behavioral data structure of the interaction module, wherein the modified identity is configured based on one or more of the corresponding further identities according to a predetermined configuration rule.

13. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 12, further comprising: - Based on the priority order of the received behavioral data, the primary interactive response and the secondary interactive response to the input trigger signal are specified in the behavioral data structure.

14. The method of any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising determining a priority order of the received behavioral data, wherein configuring the modified identity is also based on the determined priority order.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, The priority ordering of received behavioral data is determined partly or entirely based on event sequences, such as sequences of interaction events, sequences of receiving the behavioral data, or sequences of detecting identity tag elements, each identity tag element carrying a behavioral data structure representing the corresponding identity.

16. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 15, wherein, The primary behavior data has a higher priority than the secondary behavior data, and inserting the primary behavior data and the secondary behavior data into the behavior data structure of the interaction module includes: - Configure primary and secondary interaction responses based on primary behavior data; - Based on secondary behavior data, configure further primary and secondary interaction responses that were not configured based on primary behavior data; and / or - Based at least on a combination of primary and secondary behavioral data, merge the configuration of secondary interactive responses.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein, The primary behavior data and the secondary behavior data have a higher priority than the further behavior data, and inserting the further behavior data into the behavior data structure of the interaction module further includes: - Configure further primary and secondary interaction responses based on further behavioral data that were not configured based on primary or secondary behavioral data; and / or - The configuration of secondary interaction responses is merged based on at least a combination of primary behavior data, secondary behavior data, and further behavior data.

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