CONFIGURABLE INTERACTIVE TOY SYSTEM

Abstract

An interactive toy element and a toy system comprising one or more interactive toy elements is disclosed. The interactive toy element comprises an input device, an output device, a data communication device, and a processor operationally 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 response to a trigger signal received from the input device, according to a behavioural data structure. The identity configuration module is configured to receive primary behavioural data representing a primary identity; to receive secondary behavioural data representing a secondary identity different from the primary identity; to insert the primary behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring a specific identity of the interactive toy element according to the primary identity; and to insert the secondary behavioural data in the behavioural 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 and secondary behavioural identities in agreement with predefined configuration rules.

Description

[0001] The present disclosure relates to interactive toy systems, such as interactive toy construction systems.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Toy systems comprising elements, which are configured for selective and detachable assembly with each other, have been known long. Over the years, such toy system elements have evolved from being primarily simple box-shaped building blocks to include also more remarkable toy system elements, such as e.g. elements having distinct appearances, and / or a mechanical or electrical function, and / or one or more programmable processors; all as part of an endeavour to enhance the play experience.

[0003] Further known are self-contained toy system elements, which comprise a control unit and an energy source for providing energy to the control unit and to other parts of the self-contained element. Such self-contained elements may further have a function device adapted to perform a preconfigured user-perceptible function, where such a function may be one or more of e.g. a movement, a generation of an audible sound signal, a generation of a visible light signal, a generation of a tactile experience, etc.

[0004] The toy system elements, which are configured for selective and detachable assembly with each other, can be assembled to create an assembled toy model, which may exhibit complex behaviour. In particular, complex behaviour may result when the model includes several toy system elements, and further in particular, when the model includes elements with a preconfigured user-perceptible function, such as motors, lights, sound devices, etc. Such complex behaviour is desirable as an extension of the imagination of the user, but at the same time, it is desirable that the toy system is relatively easy to use.

[0005] Hence, it remains desirable to provide a toy system, where the user can combine and / or assemble toy system elements to create toy models exhibiting a resulting behaviour that can be defined in a user-friendly manner.

[0006] In particular, it is desirable that configuring a toy element or an assembled toy model does not require a high level of abstract thinking and technical insight in order to manipulate the toy system elements to arrive at a desired functional behaviour. In particular, it is desirable that a desired functional behaviour can be achieved in a user-friendly, efficient, yet flexible and reliable manner without the need for detailed knowledge of control structures, data communication, and how to connect electrical wires, conductors, etc. properly.

[0007] Moreover, it is desirable to provide an easy-to-use mechanism to alter the behaviour of a toy system element or of an existing toy model.

[0008] It is generally desirable to provide a toy system that provides enhanced educational activities and / or play activities.

[0009] It is further desirable to provide a toy system that provides a high degree of flexibility in designing different toy assemblies with a rich functionality.

[0010] Various aspects of embodiments of a toy system disclosed herein address one or more of the above needs and / or other needs that exist in the field of toy systems.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A first aspect of the invention relates to an interactive toy element, the interactive toy element comprising an input device, an output device, a data communication device, and a processor operationally connected to the input device, the output device, and the data communication device; wherein the processor comprises: an interaction module configured to control the output device to generate an output in response to a trigger signal received from the input device, according to behavioural data in a behavioural data structure of the interaction module; and an identity configuration module configured: to receive primary behavioural data representing a primary identity; to receive secondary behavioural data representing a secondary identity different from the primary identity; to insert the primary behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring a specific identity of the interactive toy element according to the primary identity; and to insert the secondary behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring a modified identity of the interactive toy element based on at least a combination of the primary and secondary identities in agreement with predefined configuration rules.

[0012] The terms "identity" or "behavioural identity" as used herein refer to a set of programmed instructions defining an interactive behaviour. An identity of the interactive toy thus defines a set of responses to received stimuli.

[0013] The programmed instructions defining the behavioural identity of the interactive toy element are configurable, thereby allowing for configuration of the interactive toy element to exhibit different behavioural identities using the identity configuration module. The identity configuration module is configured to receive behavioural data and insert the received behavioural data in a data structure representing the (behavioural) identity of the interactive toy element, thereby configuring the behavioural identity of the interactive toy element.

[0014] The interaction module of the interactive toy element controls the output device to generate output, such as user-perceptible output, in response to a stimulus received from the input device, such as a trigger signal received from the input device. The interaction module is operated according to the behavioural identity as specified by behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module. A given set of behavioural data may include e.g. specific parameters and / or specific programmed instructions for configuring the behavioural identity to exhibit specific responses to received stimuli. Different behaviours may be represented by different behavioural data in corresponding behavioural data structures. The identity configuration module may thus be operated to configure the interactive toy element to a specific identity by configuring the interaction module with different behavioural data.

[0015] A specific identity typifies a specific physical object by its responses to received stimuli. Advantageously in some embodiments, the physical objects may be classified in a tree structure with different levels of specificity. The tree structure may group objects together according to characteristic behaviours that the physical objects have in common. The behaviour of the objects groups may be filled with detail, where a level of detail for the behavioural data may depend on a classification level.

[0016] The level of detail may be reflected in the tree structure by branching a higher-level group into more specific lower-level sub-groups. Advantageously in some embodiments, lower level sub-groups inherit behavioural data (and thus features of their behaviour) from higher-level groups. By way of example, a high level may group physical objects into the three groups of vehicles, creatures, and other physical objects, and a more detailed lower level may define subgroups thereof, such as: vehicles that are ground-based, air-based, or water-based; creatures that are humanoid or beasts; and physical objects that represent a location, a machine, a tool, or a consumable.

[0017] In a simplified example, vehicles may generally respond with an engine sound if a signal indicating motion is received at the input device. However, the response from ground-based vehicles may differ from air-based vehicles depending on whether the signal indicates two-dimensional motion or three-dimensional motion.

[0018] The identity configuration module may receive the specific behavioural data from a specific behavioural data structure, the specific data structure representing a specific identity. For example, the interactive toy element may receive the specific behavioural data from a behavioural data structure on a data carrier by wireless communication with the data carrier. Specific behavioural data may thus be received from a specific behavioural data structure, the specific data structure representing a specific identity. Accordingly, the identity configuration module may receive the primary behavioural data from a primary behavioural data structure, the primary behavioural data structure representing a primary identity. The identity configuration module may thus configure the specific identity of the interactive toy element to the primary identity. Furthermore, the configuration module may also receive the secondary behavioural data from a secondary behavioural data structure, the secondary behavioural data structure representing a secondary identity different from the primary identity. The identity configuration module may then modify the identity of the interactive toy element, by inserting the secondary behavioural data in the behavioural according to pre-determined configuration rules. The configuration rules may be set to determine how to combine the behavioural features of two or more different behavioural identities received from different behavioural data structures into one modified identity of the interactive toy element. Advantageously, as further detailed below, the combination is performed using a primacy ranking of the received

[0019] Thereby, the interactive toy is provided with a generic architecture allowing for creating a large variety of different new identities from two or more different received behavioural identities applied to the interactive toy element in combination.

[0020] Advantageously in some embodiments, the interaction module comprises a modular interaction model comprising a plurality of interaction response functions, each interaction response function defining a respective response behaviour for an associated one of a plurality of pre-determined interaction events. Further advantageously, each interaction response function comprises a configurable trigger process and a configurable response process. The trigger process of a given interaction response function may receive a trigger input for the associated interaction event, and selectively process the trigger input according to a trigger logics to generate a trigger output, which is passed to the response process. The response process may receive the trigger output at the response input. Depending on the trigger received, the response process may be activated to generate a corresponding response output. The response output may include one or more of user-perceptible output and a system output that may be used e.g. by one or more other interactive toy elements. The interaction event may include events that can happen in the course of physical play directly, or may include system events that the interactive toy element can respond to. Thereby a high modularity of the behavioural identity configuration is achieved for creating a large variety of new behavioural identities from two or more different behavioural identities. Furthermore, the high modularity of the behavioural identity configuration is further enhanced by the following features. Advantageously, the behavioural data structure of the interactive toy is structured corresponding to or reflects the modular interaction model. Further advantageously, the behavioural data structures from which the primary, secondary, or any further behavioural data may be received are also structured corresponding to or reflect the modular interaction model. Further advantageously, the interaction model is generic with respect to the behavioural identities, i.e. the interaction model is independent of behavioural identities applied. The behavioural identity may then be implemented by inserting behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring one or more of the interaction response functions of the interaction model according to the behavioural identity, using the behavioural data.

[0021] Thereby, a very flexible combination of behavioural identities with modular configurability of the behavioural identity of the interactive toy element is facilitated. This is particularly useful in a toy system comprising a plurality of such interactive toy elements.

[0022] Further according to some embodiments of the interactive toy element the identity configuration module is further configured: to receive further behavioural data from one or more further behavioural data structures, each of the further behavioural data structures representing a respective further identity different from the primary and secondary behavioural identities; and to insert the further behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, wherein configuring the modified identity is further based on one or more of the respective further identities in agreement with pre-defined configuration rules. Thereby, a further modified identity of the interactive toy element may be configured, based on at least a combination of the primary, secondary, and further identities in agreement with pre-defined configuration rules. The modification of the behavioural identity may thus be extended to allow for a larger variety of different modified behavioural identities, based on a combination of at least the primary, secondary, and any further behavioural identities, thereby further increasing the flexibility and creative possibilities of a system comprising the interactive toy element.

[0023] Further according to some embodiments of the interactive toy element, the identity configuration module is further configured to determine a primacy ranking of the received behavioural data; and wherein configuring the modified identity is further based on the determined primacy ranking of the received behavioural data.

[0024] Thereby a surprisingly simple and efficient way for the modular combination of multiple behavioural identities in a modified identity of the interactive toy element is achieved.

[0025] The primacy ranking defines hierarchical relations among the received behavioural data, which may be used when determining how to combine the received behavioural data in a modified identity of the interactive toy element. For example, in case of conflict between behavioural data relating to different identities, a higher primacy ranking of a first set of behavioural data over a second set of behavioural data will lead to the first set dominating over the second set when deciding which of the behavioural data to insert in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module of the interactive toy element.

[0026] In case the primacy ranking allows for behavioural data relating to different identities at equal levels of primacy ranking, the pre-determined configuration rules may include additional arbitration rules for merging interaction responses from different behavioural identities, such as randomizing which one of two or more behavioural data at equal primacy ranking to insert into the behavioural data structure of the interactive toy element. Alternatively or in addition thereto, an arbitration rule may also be configured to ensure a change of an interactive response as compared to an interactive response already defined in the behavioural data structure of the interactive toy element. Thereby, it is ensured that a combination of behavioural identities typically results in a perceivable change in the behavioural pattern of the interactive toy element, even in the case of equal primacy ranking of at least some of the received behavioural data.

[0027] Advantageously according to some embodiments, the primacy ranking may be determined according to a sequence of configuration events, such as a sequence of interaction events, such as a sequence of receiving the behavioural data or a sequence of detecting, by the interactive toy element, data carrier elements carrying the behavioural data. Surprisingly, the inventors found that using a sequence of configuration events to determine a primacy ranking is particularly intuitive in many use cases. The creation of new behavioural identities from a modular combination of multiple identities is then highly intuitive and easy to use.

[0028] Alternatively or in addition thereto, it is conceivable that other criteria may also be used for determining the primacy ranking. For example, the primacy ranking may be also be based on pre-determined primacy ranking data comprised in, or received together with, the received behavioural data. This provides additional flexibility and allows e.g. a designer of interactive user experiences to define a hierarchy of identities beforehand and include at least some of the information determining primacy ranking already in the primary, secondary, and / or further behavioural data structures used for creating the modified identity.

[0029] A primacy ranking determination may also be based on information regarding a spatial arrangement of one or more data carrier elements with respect to the interactive toy element. For example, the spatial information may include information regarding a position and / or orientation of the data carrier element, such as placement of one or more of the data carrier elements in a proximity of the interactive toy element, or selective attachment of one or more of the data carrier elements to the interactive toy element, e.g. at different attachment locations and / or in different orientations with respect to the interactive toy element. Advantageously, the interactive toy element further comprises a sensing device adapted to determine information regarding a spatial arrangement of two or more data carrier elements with respect to the interactive toy element. Advantageously, the data carrier elements may be tag elements comprising in a behavioural data structure stored in a memory, and a data exchange interface coupled to the memory and configured for providing the behavioural data in response to an interrogation signal, as further detailed below.

[0030] This provides even further flexibility, as well as an intuitive and easy-to-use user interface for behavioural identity configuration. It further allows e.g. a designer of interactive user-experiences to reflect the primacy ranking physically in a spatial arrangement of data carriers including the behavioural data.

[0031] Further according to some embodiments, the interactive toy element is adapted to retrieve information regarding behavioural identity from an identity tag element, the identity tag element comprising a data storage device and a data exchange interface. Each identity tag element may comprise a data storage device carrying information regarding an identity and a data exchange interface adapted for wireless communication with the one or more interactive toy elements. Preferably, the data carrier element is adapted for wireless communication with the interactive toy element, e.g. by wireless nearfield communication, optical communication, or through a wireless local area network. Examples of identity tag elements comprising the received behavioural data may include wireless tags comprising a data storage device and a data exchange interface, such as RFID tags. Thereby an intuitive and tangible way to provide the data structures representing the source identities for modular identity configuration of the interactive toy element is achieved, which is easy to understand and to use, even for an inexperienced user. Further advantageously, each of the identity tag elements may be provided with a user-perceptible representation, such as a graphical representation, which is indicative of the identity stored on the identity tag.

[0032] Further according to some embodiments of the interactive toy element, the information regarding the behavioural identity comprises one or more of: a behavioural data structure representing the behavioural identity; a data item identifying a behavioural data structure representing the identity stored on a memory device in the interactive toy element; a pointer identifying a local data storage location of a behavioural data structure representing an identity; and a pointer identifying a remote data storage location of a behavioural data structure representing an identity.

[0033] This allows various different ways of providing the actual behavioural data from different data sources without sacrificing the physical representation of the behavioural data structure of the source identities, and thus keeping the identity configuration intuitive and tangible to the user.

[0034] 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 comprises one or more of: detecting a data carrier in a vicinity of the interactive toy element, such as coupled / attached to the interactive toy element and / or within a pre-determined distance thereto; detecting a pre-determined arrangement of one or more data carriers in a vicinity of the interactive toy element; detecting a change in an arrangement of one or more data carriers in a vicinity of the interactive toy element; detecting removal of one or more data carriers from the interactive toy element; detecting attachment of one or more data carriers to the interactive toy element; and detecting a predefined input signal at the 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 ones of the interactive toy elements. The input signal may be determined in any suitable manner, such as using a sensor device included in the interactive toy element, such as detecting a predefined motion gesture performed with the wireless interactive toy construction element, touch sensing, proximity sensing, colour sensing, detecting an optical signal, determining a relative pose of the interactive toy element relative to one or more further ones of the interactive toy elements, etc.

[0035] Further according to some embodiments of the interactive toy element, the behavioural data structure comprises principal interaction responses to input trigger signals and subordinate interaction responses to input trigger signals, and wherein the identity configuration module is further configured: to configure principal and subordinate interaction responses based on primary behavioural data; to configure further principal and subordinate interaction responses that are not configured based on primary behavioural data, based on secondary behavioural data; and / or to merge the configuration of subordinate interaction responses based on primary and secondary behavioural data. Thereby, primacy of the primary behavioural data over the secondary behavioural data may be implemented in a simple and efficient manner, yet allowing for flexibility and variety in creating modified behavioural identities.

[0036] Advantageously according to some embodiments, the identity configuration module is further configured to configure further principal and subordinate interaction responses that are not configured based on primary or secondary behavioural data, based on further behavioural data; and / or merging the configuration of subordinate interaction responses based at least on a combination of primary, secondary, and further behavioural data. Thereby, further primacy of the primary and secondary behavioural data over the further behavioural data may be implemented in a simple and efficient manner, yet allowing for a high flexibility and variety in creating modified behavioural identities.

[0037] Advantageously according to some embodiments, the data communication device is a wireless communication device. The wireless communication device may be any suitable device for wireless communication, such as wireless nearfield communication, personal area networking, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), local area networking, optical communication, and the like.

[0038] Furthermore, the above-mentioned advantages and effects as well as further advantages and effects of the disclosure is also achieved in an analogue manner by a toy system including one or more interactive toy elements and by a method of configuring a behavioural identity of an interactive toy element as disclosed herein.

[0039] According to a yet further aspect, a toy system is disclosed, the toy system comprising a plurality of toy elements, the plurality of toy elements comprising one or more interactive toy elements according to any one of the preceding claims.

[0040] According to a yet further aspect, a toy system is disclosed, the toy system comprising a plurality of toy elements, the plurality of toy elements comprising one or more interactive toy elements according to any one of the embodiments disclosed herein. Further according to some embodiments, the toy system further comprises a plurality of identity tag elements, each identity tag element comprising a data storage device carrying information regarding an identity and a data exchange interface adapted for communication with the one or more interactive toy elements. Preferably, the data exchange interface of the identity tag element is adapted for wireless communication with the one or more interactive toy elements, as also specified elsewhere herein. Typically, the identity tag elements are also toy elements of the toy system.

[0041] Advantageously according to some embodiments, the plurality of identity tag elements comprises 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 comprises further identity tag elements representing respective further identities different from the first and second identities.

[0042] Further, according to some embodiments, the toy system is a modular toy construction system comprising a plurality of modular toy construction elements, wherein each of the modular toy construction elements comprises coupling members for the releasable connection of the toy construction elements with each other to form a toy construction model. Thereby an improved toy construction system is provided featuring one or more interactive toy elements with a configurable behavioural identity as disclosed herein.

[0043] Further, according to some embodiments of the toy system, the interactive toy elements and the identity tag elements are toy construction elements of the modular toy construction system. Advantageously according to some embodiments, the toy elements are toy construction elements of the modular toy construction system; the interactive toy elements are toy construction elements of the modular toy construction system; and / or the identity tag elements are toy construction elements of the modular toy construction system.

[0044] By thus implementing the modular identity configuration of the present disclosure in a modular toy construction system, the abstract concept of creating a modified behavioural identity from two or more source identities is matched to the well-known physical and modular construction properties of a modular toy construction system. Thereby an interactive toy system is provided, which brings about a particularly intuitively intelligible interface for creating interactive models and constructing a behavioural identity, even to the inexperienced user.

[0045] According to a yet further aspect, a method of configuring a behavioural identity of an interactive toy element according to any one of the embodiments disclosed herein, is provided, the method comprising: receiving primary behavioural data from a primary behavioural data structure, the primary behavioural data structure representing a primary identity; receiving secondary behavioural data from a secondary behavioural data structure, the secondary behavioural data structure representing a secondary identity different from the primary identity; inserting the primary behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring a specific identity of the interactive toy element according to the primary identity; and inserting the secondary behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring a modified identity of the interactive toy element based on at least a combination of the primary and secondary identities in agreement with pre-defined configuration rules.

[0046] Further according to some embodiments, the method further comprises: receiving further behavioural data from one or more further behavioural data structures, each of the further behavioural data structures representing a respective further identity different from the primary and secondary identities; and inserting the further behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, wherein configuring the modified identity is further based on one or more of the respective further identities in agreement with pre-defined configuration rules.

[0047] Further according to some embodiments, the method further comprises: specifying, in the behavioural data structure, principal interaction responses to input trigger signals and subordinate interaction responses to input trigger signals, based on a primacy ranking of the received behavioural data.

[0048] Further according to some embodiments, the method further comprises: determining a primacy ranking of the received (such as primary, secondary, and any further) behavioural data, wherein configuring the modified identity is further based on the determined primacy ranking.

[0049] Advantageously according to some embodiments of the method, inserting the received (such as primary, secondary and any further) behavioural data into the behavioural data structure is also based on the determined primacy ranking.

[0050] Further according to some embodiments of the method, determining the primacy ranking of the received behavioural data is partly or entirely based on a sequence of events, such as a sequence of interaction events, such as a sequence of receiving the behavioural data or a sequence of detecting presence, attachment, removal, or addition of identity tag elements to a model, each identity tag element carrying a behavioural data structure representing a respective identity.

[0051] Further according to some embodiments of the method, the primary behavioural data has a higher primacy ranking than the secondary behavioural data; and inserting the primary and secondary behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module comprises: configuring principal and subordinate interaction responses based on primary behavioural data; configuring further principal and subordinate interaction responses that are not configured based on primary behavioural data, based on secondary behavioural data; and / or merging the configuration of subordinate interaction responses based at least on a combination of primary and secondary behavioural data.

[0052] Further according to some embodiments of the method, the primary behavioural data and the secondary behavioural data have a higher primacy ranking than the further behavioural data; inserting the further behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module further comprises: configuring further principal and subordinate interaction responses that are not configured based on primary or secondary behavioural data, based on further behavioural data; and / or merging the configuration of subordinate interaction responses based at least on a combination of primary, secondary, and further behavioural data.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail in connection with the appended drawings, which show in FIG. 1shows an example of an interactive toy element; FIG. 2shows a schematic block diagram of an example of an interactive toy element; FIG. 3schematically shows an embodiment of a tag element of a toy system as disclosed herein; FIG. 4schematically shows an example of a modular interaction model and implementation of different behavioural identities using the modular interaction model; FIG. 5schematically shows behavioural identity configuration of an interactive toy element in the form of a wireless interactive toy construction element; FIGs. 6-7schematically show an example of configuring a modified behavioural identity of an interactive toy element using multiple identity tag elements. FIGs. 8-9schematically show the interactive operation of the interactive toy element of FIGs. 6-7; FIG. 10shows a schematic diagram for a method for configuring an interactive toy element. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] Various aspects and embodiments of an interactive toy system comprising a plurality of interactive wireless toys will now be described with reference to toy construction elements in the form of bricks. In this particular and corresponding embodiments, the interactive toy elements are each formed as a respective wireless interactive toy construction element, which each has a housing that is generally shaped as an orthogonal polyhedron with flat side faces and having coupling members extending from its upper surface and a cavity extending into its bottom surface. However, other shapes and sizes of wireless interactive toy construction elements may be used, e.g. box-shaped or tile-shaped toy construction elements of different dimensions and with different numbers of coupling members. Moreover, while the brick-shape has proven to be particularly useful, the various aspects disclosed herein may be applied to other forms of interactive toy elements, including other forms of toy construction elements for use in play applications, educational applications, and / or the like.

[0055] FIG. 1 shows an example of an interactive toy element in the form of a wireless interactive toy construction element, generally designated 100. On the left-hand side of FIG. 1 the wireless interactive toy construction element is shown with its top surface visible and, on the right-hand side, the wireless interactive toy construction element is shown with its bottom side visible. In particular, the wireless interactive toy construction element comprises a generally box-shaped housing 101 with coupling pegs 104 extending from its top surface and with a cavity extending into the element from the bottom. The cavity is defined by sidewalls 102 and by a central, downwardly extending tube 103. The coupling pegs of another toy construction element can be received in the cavity in a frictional engagement, e.g. as disclosed in US 3 005 282. The construction elements shown in the remaining figures have this known type of coupling members in the form of cooperating pegs and cavities. However, other types of coupling members may also be used in addition to, or instead of, the pegs and cavities. The coupling pegs are arranged across the top surface in a square planar grid, i.e. defining orthogonal directions along which sequences of coupling pegs are arranged. The distance between neighbouring coupling pegs is uniform and equal in both directions. This or similar arrangements of coupling members at coupling locations defining a regular planar grid allow the toy construction elements to be interconnected in a discrete number of positions and orientations relative to each other, in particular at right angles with respect to each other. In an assembled toy construction model, the coupling members of multiple toy construction elements may thus be located on grid points of a three-dimensional grid defined relative to the toy construction model.

[0056] In some embodiments, the housing 101 of the wireless interactive toy construction element is made from plastics material, e.g. thermoplastic polymers, or from another suitable material. The housing may e.g. be made by an injection moulding process or by another suitable manufacturing process.

[0057] The wireless interactive toy construction element 100 may include a function device 105 accommodated within the housing 101 of the wireless interactive toy construction element. Generally, a function device may be any suitable device for performing a function, such as a function that provides a user-perceptible effect, such as a visible and / or audible effect. Examples of function devices may include any suitable mechanical and / or electrical device, arrangement, and / or circuitry adapted to perform one or more mechanical and / or electrical functions.

[0058] Examples of a mechanical function include driving a rotatable output shaft, windingup a string or a chain, which enables pulling an object closer to a toy module, moving a hinged part of the wireless interactive toy construction element, etc. The mechanical function may thus enable opening or closing a door, ejecting an object, rotating a turntable, moving a linear actuator, etc. Such mechanical motions can be driven by an electric motor.

[0059] Examples of an electrical function include emitting constant or blinking light, activating several lamps in a predetermined sequence, emitting audible sound such as beep, alarm, bell, siren, voice message, music, synthetic sound, natural or imitated sound simulating and / or stimulating play activities, playback of a sound, and / or other audio content, etc.

[0060] Accordingly, the function device may be selected from a motor, a light source (e.g. one or more LEDs), a sound source (e.g. a loudspeaker). The function wireless toy construction element may include more than one function device. In some embodiments the system includes different types of wireless interactive toy construction elements comprising, respectively, different types of function devices.

[0061] The wireless interactive toy construction element 100 includes a sensor system 108 comprising one or more sensors accommodated within the housing 101 of the wireless interactive toy construction element. The sensor system 108 may include one or more sensors, e.g. including the magnetic pose sensor and / or one or more other sensors, e.g. a linear or rotary encoder, a light detector, and a sound detector (e.g. a microphone), an accelerometer, and / or the like.

[0062] FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of an example of an interactive toy element formed as a wireless interactive toy construction element, generally designated 100, e.g. of the wireless interactive toy construction element shown in FIG. 1.

[0063] The wireless interactive toy construction element 100 comprises a housing 101 defining a top face, which is provided with coupling members 104, all as described above with reference to FIG.1. The wireless interactive toy construction element 100 further comprises a processing unit 209 and one or more electromagnetic coils 207, all accommodated within the housing 101. The wireless interactive toy construction element may further comprise, also accommodated within the housing 101, one or more additional sensors 108 and / or one or more function devices 105, e.g. as described in connection with the sensor system and function device of the embodiment of FIG. 1 above. The wireless interactive toy construction element 100 further comprises a rechargeable battery 210 or other rechargeable power source, and a wireless communications interface 211, also accommodated within the housing 101.

[0064] In some embodiments, the wireless interactive toy may use one or more of the electromagnetic coils 207 to perform functions related to communicating with other elements, e.g. to detect, identify and / or capture data from a wireless identity tag element. Yet further, the wireless interactive toy construction element may receive electrical energy via one or more of the electromagnetic coils 207 for charging the battery or other rechargeable power source 210, which in turn powers the processing unit 209, the function device 105 and the wireless communications interface 211.

[0065] The one or more function devices 105 may include a light source, e.g. an LED, a loudspeaker, a motor, and / or another function device operable to perform a user-perceivable function.

[0066] The one or more sensors 108 may include a light sensor, a sound sensor, a rotational encoder, an accelerometer, a gyro, and / or any other suitable sensor, e.g. as described in connection with FIG. 1.

[0067] The wireless communications interface 211 may comprise a radio-frequency transceiver and an associated antenna. In some embodiments, the wireless communications interface may comprise a Bluetooth chip or circuit or another form of radio-frequency transceiver adapted for communication via a wireless communications network, e.g. using known low-power, short-range wireless networking technology, such as Bluetooth / Bluetooth Low Energy, ZigBee, Z-Wave, or a similar wireless technology for low-power personal area data networking in compliance with a standardized protocol. The wireless communications interface 211 may be operable for two-way communication with other wireless interactive toy construction elements of the system.

[0068] The processing unit 209 may comprise one or more microcontrollers, one or more microprocessors, one or more ASICs, and / or one or more other suitable processing units, or combinations thereof. The processing unit 209 may be configured to control the functional behaviour of the wireless interactive toy construction element according to a behavioural identity as defined by behavioural data in a behavioural data structure.

[0069] The wireless interactive toy construction element may be provided, e.g. preprogrammed, with a default behavioural identity, e.g. with default executable instructions stored in a memory of the wireless interactive toy construction element and executable by the processing unit of the wireless interactive toy construction element. The default set of executable instructions may define a set of predetermined rules for reacting to external stimuli as sensed by the sensor system.

[0070] In some embodiments, the behaviour of the wireless interactive toy construction element may be programmed or configured by the user, e.g. by receiving program data and / or configuration parameters. To this end, the wireless interactive toy construction element may receive program and / or control data and / or configuration parameters from a computer, such as including one or more of a desktop computer, a tablet computer, a smartphone, a laptop computer, or another programmable computing device. Alternatively or additionally, the wireless interactive toy construction element may capture program and / or control data and / or configuration parameters from a wireless identity tag element, e.g. from an RFID tag, or from other data storage devices. For example, the wireless interactive toy construction element may be operable to read out such wireless tag or other data storage device in a contactless manner as described herein. The identity tags each represent a respective behavioural identity, and may thus comprise behavioural a behavioural in a behavioural data structure representing said identity. Data read from the tag may thus include behavioural data from the behavioural data structure representing the behavioural identity of the tag.

[0071] FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of an example of a tag element. The tag element 105 comprises a housing having a coupling member 110 for detachably attaching the tag element 105 to other toy construction elements of the toy construction system, e.g. to an attachment location of a function element. It will be appreciated that while the tag element shown in FIG. 3 has a single coupling member, a tag element may have a plurality of coupling members. For example, the tag element may be compatible with and of a similar general shape as the toy elements shown in FIGS. 1-3. The tag element further comprises a memory 109 for storing data, such as configuration data. The stored data may simply be an identifier representing a particular model behaviour. Alternatively, or additionally, the stored data may include additional information, e.g. information encoding sound data, a light sequence, a motion sequence, etc. The tag element further comprises a data exchange interface 106, such as an antenna, a capacitive interface, an inductive interface and / or the like operable to allow a tag reader to read out the stored data from the memory in a contactless manner. The parts comprising the tag element 105 and comprised in the tag element are not necessarily shown to scale.

[0072] FIG. 4 schematically shows an example of a modular interaction model and implementation of different behavioural identities using the modular interaction model.

[0073] The processor 209 of the wireless interactive toy may comprise an interaction module for controlling the interactive behaviour. The interaction module comprises a generic interaction model as already described elsewhere herein. A generic interaction model is illustrated in Fig.4 and is denoted as "Standard Set". The interaction model comprises a plurality of interaction response functions here shown as vertical columns, each column being associated with a specific interaction, here denoted, by way of example only, as Motion 2D, Motion 3D, Impacts, At Rest, Double Tap, Shake, Item Proximity, Object proximity, Ambient Audio, and Custom Slots. Each of the interaction response functions has a trigger process (here denoted as "Triggers") and a response process (here denoted as "Mechanics").

[0074] The interaction model is generic in the sense that it is independent of any specific behavioural identity. However, by inserting specific behavioural data in a behavioural data structure of the interaction module of the interactive toy element, and by configuring the interaction response functions according to the behavioural data, a specific behavioural identity may be implemented in the generic interaction model in a modular manner. Depending on the received behavioural data, the interactive toy element may thus be configured to behave, for example, as a car, alternatively as a house, alternatively as a dog, using the same generic interaction model. It may be noted that not all of the interactive response functions need to be specified in order to implement a given specific identity. For example, a house may not respond to motion input, or a car typically only moving on a surface may not require responding to the detection of three-dimensional motion.

[0075] The processor 209 of the wireless interactive toy further comprises an identity configuration module for configuring the behavioural identity. as illustrated in Fig.5, which schematically shows behavioural identity configuration of an interactive toy element in the form of a wireless interactive toy construction element combining behavioural data received from multiple different behavioural data structures on respective identity tag elements 305a, 305b, 305c, each representing a different identity.

[0076] The above-described configuration of a specific behavioural identity may thus be implemented by the identity configuration module according to primary behavioural data received from a first identity tag element 305a. The specific identity may then be modified by the identity configuration module using secondary behavioural data obtained from a second identity tag element 305b, thereby implementing a modified identity. The modified identity may be further modified using further behavioural data obtained from a third, identity tag element 305c thus implementing a further modified identity, based at least on a combination of the primary, secondary , and further behavioural data. The implementation may further be governed by a primacy ranking, determining which of the received behavioural data is applied first, and which of the received behavioural data is applied subsequently as a modification. The primacy ranking may be based, for example, on a sequence of detecting the respective identity tags in a vicinity of the interactive toy element and / or of their attachment to the interactive toy element. The identity of the first ranked identity tag may thus determine the overall identity of the interactive toy element, and thus leave the largest imprint on the combined identity, whereas the second and third ranked identities may leave gradually less significant traces in the behavioural identity. For example, the first tag may specify the specific identity of a pig, the second may specify a dragon identity, modifying the pig identity to now also respond to flying interactions (3D motion), and to produce more dangerous e.g. roaring sounds (instead of cute "piggy" sounds). The third tag may then specify further modification, which, however, only affect certain parameters of the user-perceptible output, such as modifying a frequency, pitch, or volume of a sound output, or modifying intensity and / or colour of a light output.

[0077] FIGS. 6 and 7 each shows an example of a toy assembly comprising one or more identity tag elements and an interactive toy element of a toy system. The interactive toy element 100 is shaped outwardly as a dinosaur and the identity tag elements 305a-b are shaped as flat pentagonal prisms, which might slightly resemble back plates. Alternatively, the dinosaur shape may be achieved by assembling a plurality of toy elements from a toy construction set.

[0078] The interactive toy element comprises a plurality of coupling members, two of which are shown and denoted with reference number 104. The plurality of coupling members in the function element provides five predetermined attachment locations 120-124 for an identity tag element. The identity tag elements 305a-b may comprise one or more coupling members (not shown) configured to couple with the interactive toy element at one of the five predetermined attachment locations. The function element and the tag elements may be configured such that a tag element can couple to the function element in one of two predetermined relative orientations 132, 134 at each attachment location. In FIG. 7 is shown a first tag element 305a is positioned in the first predetermined relative orientation 132 in the first attachment location 120, while a second tag element 305b is positioned in the second predetermined relative orientation 134 in the second attachment location 121. Attachment of the first tag element 305a is detected first, and primary behavioural data received therefrom is use to determine the specific identity of the interactive toy element 100, e.g. as a dinosaur with corresponding interactive response functions being specified. Subsequent attachment of the second identity tag is then detected and the secondary behavioural data received therefrom is registered as having a lower primacy ranking. The secondary behavioural data is therefore only used to modify the overall dinosaur identity. For example, if the secondary behavioural data represents a plane, the dinosaur will now also include flying responses. The specific and modified identities are each time received by the identity configuration module 600 and implemented in the interaction model 400 of the interaction module.

[0079] FIGS. 8 and 9 each shows an example of interactively operating the toy assembly of Figs. 6 and 7 in an interactive user-experience, wherein activation of a sensor device 125 generates an input signal to the interaction module, which then produces a user-perceptible output at corresponding output devices and / or a system signal being transmitted by a transceiver 130 to a further device 200 in agreement with the behavioural identity of the interactive toy element derived from the attached one or more identity tag elements.

[0080] Turning to FIG. 10 an example of a process for configuring an interactive toy element is described. The process shown in Fig. 10 comprises: at S1, receiving primary behavioural data from a primary behavioural data structure, the primary behavioural data structure representing a primary identity; at S2, receiving secondary behavioural data from a secondary behavioural data structure, the secondary behavioural data structure representing a secondary identity different from the primary identity; at S3, inserting the primary behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring a specific identity of the interactive toy element according to the primary identity; and at S4 inserting the secondary behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring a modified identity of the interactive toy element based on at least a combination of the primary and secondary identities in agreement with pre-defined configuration rules.

[0081] Furthermore, the process may further comprise: at S5, receiving further behavioural data from one or more further behavioural data structures, each of the further behavioural data structures representing a respective further identity different from the primary and secondary identities; and at S6 inserting the further behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, wherein configuring the modified identity is further based on one or more of the respective further identities in agreement with pre-defined configuration rules.

Claims

1. Interactive toy element, the interactive toy element comprising an input device, an output device, a data communication device, and a processor operationally connected to the input device, the output device, and the data communication device; wherein the processor comprises: an interaction module configured to control the output device to generate an output in response to a trigger signal received from the input device, according to behavioural data in a behavioural data structure of the interaction module; and an identity configuration module configured: - to receive primary behavioural data representing a primary identity; - to receive secondary behavioural data representing a secondary identity different from the primary identity; - to insert the primary behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring a specific identity of the interactive toy element according to the primary identity; and - to insert the secondary behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring a modified identity of the interactive toy element based on at least a combination of the primary and secondary identities in agreement with pre-defined configuration rules.

2. Interactive toy element according to claim 1, wherein the identity configuration module is further configured: - to receive further behavioural data representing a respective further behavioural identity different from the primary and secondary behavioural identities; and - to insert the further behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, wherein configuring the modified identity is further based on one or more of the respective further identities in agreement with predefined configuration rules.

3. Interactive toy element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the identity configuration module is further configured to determine a primacy ranking of the received behavioural data; and wherein configuring the modified identity is further based on the determined primacy ranking of the received behavioural data.

4. Interactive toy construction according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interactive toy element is adapted to retrieve information regarding behavioural identity from an identity tag element, the identity tag element comprising a data storage device and a data exchange interface.

5. Interactive toy element according to claim 4, wherein the information regarding the behavioural identity comprises one or more of: - a behavioural data structure representing the behavioural identity; - a data item identifying a behavioural data structure representing the identity stored on a memory device in the interactive toy element; - a pointer identifying a local data storage location of a behavioural data structure representing an identity; and - a pointer identifying a remote data storage location of a behavioural data structure representing an identity.

6. Interactive toy element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the behavioural data structure comprises principal interaction responses to input trigger signals and subordinate interaction responses to input trigger signals, and wherein the identity configuration module is further configured: - to configure principal and subordinate interaction responses based on primary behavioural data; - to configure further principal and subordinate interaction responses that are not configured based on primary behavioural data, based on secondary behavioural data; and / or - to merge the configuration of subordinate interaction responses based on primary and secondary behavioural data.

7. Interactive toy element according to claim 6, wherein the identity configuration module is further configured - to configure further principal and subordinate interaction responses that are not configured based on primary or secondary behavioural data, based on further behavioural data; and / or - merging the configuration of subordinate interaction responses based at least on a combination of primary, secondary, and further behavioural data.

8. Toy system comprising a plurality of toy elements, the plurality of toy elements comprising 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 comprising a data storage device carrying information regarding a behavioural identity and a data exchange interface adapted for communication with the one or more interactive toy elements.

9. Toy system according to claim 8, wherein the toy system is a modular toy construction system comprising a plurality of modular toy construction elements, wherein each of the modular toy construction elements comprises coupling members for the releasable connection of the toy construction elements with each other to form a toy construction model.

10. Toy system according to claim 9, wherein the interactive toy elements and the identity tag elements are toy construction elements of the modular toy construction system.

11. Method of configuring a behavioural identity of an interactive toy element according to any one of claims 1-10, the method comprising: - receiving primary behavioural data representing a primary identity; - receiving secondary behavioural data representing a secondary identity different from the primary identity; - inserting the primary behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring a specific identity of the interactive toy element according to the primary identity; and - inserting the secondary behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, thereby configuring a modified identity of the interactive toy element based on at least a combination of the primary and secondary identities in agreement with pre-defined configuration rules.

12. Method according to claim 11, the method further comprising: - receiving further behavioural data representing a respective further identity different from the primary and secondary identities; and - inserting the further behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module, wherein configuring the modified identity is further based on one or more of the respective further identities in agreement with predefined configuration rules.

13. Method according to any one of claims 11-12, the method further comprising: - specifying, in the behavioural data structure, principal interaction responses to input trigger signals and subordinate interaction responses to input trigger signals, based on a primacy ranking of the received behavioural data.

14. Method according to any one of claims 11-13, further comprising determining a primacy ranking of the received behavioural data, wherein configuring the modified identity is further based on the determined primacy ranking.

15. Method according to claim 14, wherein determining the primacy ranking of the received behavioural data is partly or entirely based on a sequence of events, such as a sequence of interaction events, such as a sequence of receiving the behavioural data or a sequence of detecting identity tag elements, each identity tag element carrying a behavioural data structure representing a respective identity.

16. Method according to any one of claims 14-15, wherein the primary behavioural data has a higher primacy ranking than the secondary behavioural data, and wherein inserting the primary and secondary behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module comprises: - configuring principal and subordinate interaction responses based on primary behavioural data; - configuring further principal and subordinate interaction responses that are not configured based on primary behavioural data, based on secondary behavioural data; and / or - merging the configuration of subordinate interaction responses based at least on a combination of primary and secondary behavioural data.

17. Method according to any one of claims 16, wherein the primary behavioural data and the secondary behavioural data have a higher primacy ranking than the further behavioural data, and wherein inserting the further behavioural data in the behavioural data structure of the interaction module further comprises: - configuring further principal and subordinate interaction responses that are not configured based on primary or secondary behavioural data, based on further behavioural data; and / or - merging the configuration of subordinate interaction responses based at least on a combination of primary, secondary, and further behavioural data.