Information processing system, toy, and information processing device

Abstract

An information processing system 1 comprises a plurality of toys 10 which can be touched by a user's hand or stepped on by a user's foot, and an information processing device 20. Each toy 10 comprises a sensor unit 54 that detects user contact, a light emission unit 56 that is capable of emitting light, and a communication unit 52 that transmits a detection value from the sensor unit 54 to the information processing device 20. The information processing device 20 comprises a communication unit 32 that receives the detection value from the sensor unit 54, and a control unit 30 that controls the light emission of the light emission unit 56 in each toy 10 on the basis of the received detection value from the sensor unit 54.

Description

Information processing system, toy and information processing device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a toy that a user can play with by touching it with their hands or stepping on it with their feet.

[0002] In recent years, the widespread use of information devices such as smartphones and tablets has made their use by children common. Prolonged use of information devices by children not only increases the risk of vision loss, but can also lead to a decline in physical strength due to lack of exercise.

[0003] It is known that exercise strengthens children's muscles and bones and also has a positive effect on their mental health. In order to maintain children's health, it is desirable to create an environment where children can exercise while having fun. Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a technology related to a toy, which is a device that users can play with by touching it with their hands or stepping on it with their feet.

[0004] An information processing system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a plurality of toys that can be touched by a user with their hands or stepped on with their feet, and an information processing device. The toys include a sensor unit that detects contact by the user, a light-emitting unit that can emit light, and a first communication unit that transmits detection values ​​from the sensor unit to the information processing device. The information processing device includes a second communication unit that receives detection values ​​from the sensor unit, and a control unit that controls light emission of the light-emitting unit in the toys based on the received detection values ​​from the sensor unit.

[0005] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a toy that can be touched by a user with a hand or stepped on with a foot, the toy including a communication unit that acquires a game program from an external device, a control unit that executes the acquired game program, a sensor unit that detects contact by the user, and a light-emitting unit that can emit light, and the control unit controls the light emission of the light-emitting unit based on a value detected by the sensor unit.

[0006] According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an information processing device communicatively connected to a toy that can be touched by a user with a hand or stepped on with a foot, the toy having a sensor unit and a light-emitting unit, the information processing device including a communication unit that receives a detection value from the sensor unit, and a control unit that controls light emission from the light-emitting unit based on the received detection value from the sensor unit.

[0007] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of a toy. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an information processing system. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing functional blocks of an information processing device and a toy. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of parts in the internal space of a toy. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a game list displayed on a display. (a) and (b) are diagrams showing a state in which a plurality of toys are placed on a floor surface. (a) and (b) are diagrams showing a state in which a plurality of toys are placed on a floor surface. (a) and (b) are diagrams showing a state in which a plurality of toys are placed on a floor surface. (a) and (b) are diagrams showing a state in which a plurality of toys are arranged in a circle on the floor surface. (a) and (b) are diagrams showing a state in which a plurality of toys are placed randomly on the floor surface. (a) is a diagram showing a user with toys attached. (b) is a diagram showing a user kicking a ball towards a toy. (c) is a diagram showing an example of a hanger for hanging a toy. (c) is a diagram showing an example of a connecting part inserted into a toy. (d) is a diagram showing an example of a mat for arranging a plurality of toys. (e) is a diagram showing an example of a cone to be placed over a toy.

[0008] FIG. 1 shows an example of the appearance of a toy 10 according to an embodiment. The toy 10 is a circular electronic device configured to be touchable by a child user with their hands or stomped on with their feet, and has a substantially flat shape so that any desired location can be easily touched with their hands or stomped on with their feet. The top surface of the toy 10 does not need to be completely flat, and may have some curvature. To make the toy 10 portable for children, it is preferable that the weight of the toy 10 be approximately 400 to 700 grams and the diameter be approximately 25 to 30 cm.

[0009] The toy 10 of the embodiment includes a bottom plate member that forms the bottom surface of the toy 10, and a lid that is engaged with the bottom plate member and forms the top and side surfaces of the toy 10, with an internal space being formed between the bottom plate member and the lid. Electronic components such as a processor, various sensors, a microcomputer, a memory, multiple light emitters, and a speaker are arranged in the internal space, and each electronic component is supplied with power from a built-in battery.

[0010] The multiple light-emitting elements are arranged inside the outer periphery of the toy, on concentric circles around the outer periphery of the toy. The lid, which forms the top and side surfaces of the toy 10, is made of a transparent or translucent material that allows light emitted from the light-emitting elements to pass through to the outside. The lid may be made of a resin material that diffuses the light emitted from the light-emitting elements, and may be subjected to a surface treatment such as a textured finish for diffusing the light. A speaker is disposed in the center of the internal space, and multiple sound emission holes are formed in the central region of the lid to emit sound from the speaker to the outside. When a user touches the toy 10, the toy 10 can light up the light-emitting elements or output sound from the speaker to notify the user that they have touched it.

[0011] Although toy 10 is intended for use primarily by children, it may also be used by parents and children to play together. For this reason, toy 10 is preferably configured so that it will not break even if an adult hits it with their hand or jumps on it. For example, it is preferable that the lid be flexible and have a structure that dissipates the impact force when a strong impact is applied so that the lid will not break.

[0012] 2 shows the configuration of an information processing system equipped with toys. The information processing system 1 includes a plurality of toys 10, which are devices, and an information processing device 20 having a display 40. The toys 10 and the information processing device 20 are communicatively connected to each other and have the function of transmitting and receiving necessary information and / or data. The toys 10 and the information processing device 20 are preferably connected wirelessly, but may also be connected by wire using a cable or the like. Note that in the information processing system 1, the toys 10 do not communicate with each other.

[0013] In the embodiment, the information processing device 20 functions as a control tower in the information processing system 1, executes a game program, and controls the progress of a game played using one or more toys 10. The information processing device 20 may be a portable information device such as a smartphone or a tablet, a laptop or desktop personal computer, or a portable or console game device.

[0014] 3 shows functional blocks of the information processing device and the toy. The toy 10 includes a processing unit 50 and a communication unit 52, and the processing unit 50 includes a sensor unit 54, a light-emitting unit 56, a speaker 58, and a control unit 70. The sensor unit 54 includes multiple sensors that detect contact by the user. The sensors may be pressure sensors that detect pressure applied vertically to the top surface of the toy 10. The sensor unit 54 includes multiple pressure sensors that are arranged at equal intervals around the circumference.

[0015] The light-emitting unit 56 has a plurality of light-emitting bodies capable of emitting light. The light-emitting unit 56 has a plurality of LEDs arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction at positions equidistant from the center, and lights up the side surface of the toy 10 and its vicinity. The plurality of LEDs can each be lit in an independent color, and lighting is controlled according to a lighting instruction supplied from the information processing device 20. Note that, as will be described later, the lighting of the plurality of LEDs may be controlled according to a lighting instruction supplied from the control unit 70. The light-emitting unit 56 may be a tape LED in which a plurality of LEDs are arranged at equal intervals on a long insulating tape.

[0016] FIG. 4 shows an example of the layout of electronic components inside the toy. In this example, the sensor unit 54 includes a first pressure sensor 54a, a second pressure sensor 54b, a third pressure sensor 54c, and a fourth pressure sensor 54d, which are arranged at 90-degree intervals around the circumference, with each sensor being the same distance from the center point. Each pressure sensor detects the pressure applied by the user to the top surface of the toy 10. By arranging the four pressure sensors in this manner, the top surface of the toy 10 can be divided into four regions: a first region 60a, a second region 60b, a third region 60c, and a fourth region 60d. Each region has a fan shape with the same central angle (90 degrees), and the pressure sensors in each region are arranged on a line that passes through the center point (the apex of the fan) and divides each region in half.

[0017] Therefore, when the first region 60a is pressed by the user, the pressure detected by the first pressure sensor 54a is the highest compared to the pressure detected by the other pressure sensors. Similarly, when the second region 60b is pressed by the user, the pressure detected by the second pressure sensor 54b is the highest compared to the pressure detected by the other pressure sensors. When the third region 60c is pressed by the user, the pressure detected by the third pressure sensor 54c is the highest compared to the pressure detected by the other pressure sensors. When the fourth region 60d is pressed by the user, the pressure detected by the fourth pressure sensor 54d is the highest compared to the pressure detected by the other pressure sensors. By arranging multiple pressure sensors at equal intervals in the circumferential direction in this manner, the sensor unit 54 can identify the region pressed by the user. When the user presses multiple regions simultaneously, the sensor unit 54 may be able to identify the multiple regions pressed simultaneously. The communication unit 52 transmits the detection values ​​detected by each pressure sensor to the information processing device 20 at a predetermined sampling period.

[0018] The multiple light emitters in the light emitter 56 are arranged at positions a predetermined distance from the center point so as to surround the multiple pressure sensors. The number of light emitters may be several tens to several hundreds. The more light emitters that can be independently lit, the more various light emission patterns the light emitter 56 can generate. The lighting of the multiple light emitters is controlled according to light emission instructions supplied from the information processing device 20 or the control unit 70.

[0019] The speaker 58 is disposed in the central region of the interior space, and outputs sound in accordance with a sound output instruction supplied from the information processing device 20 or the control unit 70. The speaker 58 may output the results of the game, for example, as sound.

[0020] The toy 10 has an identification number (toy ID) for uniquely identifying itself. When the power is turned on and the toy 10 becomes active, it connects to the information processing device 20 so as to be able to communicate with the information processing device 20 and notifies the information processing device 20 of its own toy ID. The information processing device 20 acquires the toy IDs from all toys 10 in the vicinity that are in an active state, and identifies the toys 10 that can be used in the game. The information processing device 20 may periodically poll the toys 10 that have acquired the toy ID to check whether they are maintaining an active state.

[0021] The information processing device 20 includes a control unit 30, a communication unit 32, a display 40, and a speaker 42, and the control unit 30 has an application control unit 34, a light emission control unit 36, and a sound control unit 38.

[0022] The functionality of the components in the information processing device 20 may be implemented in circuitry or processing circuitry, including general-purpose processors, application-specific processors, integrated circuits, ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), a CPU (a Central Processing Unit), conventional circuits, and / or combinations thereof, configured or programmed to perform the functions described herein. A processor is considered to be circuitry or processing circuitry including transistors and other circuits. A processor may also be a programmed processor that executes a program stored in a memory.

[0023] In this specification, a circuit, unit, or means is hardware that is programmed to realize or performs the described functions, which may be any hardware disclosed herein or any hardware known to be programmed to realize or perform the described functions.

[0024] If the hardware is a processor that is considered to be a type of circuitry, the circuitry, means, or unit may be a combination of hardware and software used to configure the hardware and / or processor.

[0025] In the information processing system 1 of the embodiment, various games are provided that the user can play by moving their body. When the user wants to start a game, the user operates the information processing device 20 to display a game list on the display 40.

[0026] 5 shows an example of a game list displayed on the display 40. When the user selects a game from the game list, the application control unit 34 starts the game program of the selected game, and the sound control unit 38 outputs information necessary for preparing for the game from the speaker 42 to notify the user.

[0027] The user prepares the required number of toys 10 in accordance with the audio instructions output from the speaker 42, and places the multiple toys 10 on a support surface such as the floor or ground of a room so that they are in the instructed positional relationship. The toys 10 may also be placed on a support surface such as a table or stand. The number of toys 10 required and the relative positions of the multiple toys 10 vary depending on the game. For example, while some games require the multiple toys 10 to be arranged in a straight line, there are also games in which the relative positions of the multiple toys 10 are not limited (they may be arranged randomly). Furthermore, there may be games in which the toys 10 are attached to the user's body and move with the user, rather than being placed on a support surface, or games in which the toys are hung from a tree, wall, or the like and used as a target. Several games will be described below.

[0028] (Example 1: Color Pattern Guessing Game) When the color pattern guessing game is selected from the game list, the application control unit 34 starts a program for the color pattern guessing game. The color pattern guessing game is a game in which two users compete against each other, and each player must be the first to find a toy 10 that presents the same color pattern as the color pattern presented by the host toy 10.

[0029] The color pattern guessing game uses five toys 10, with one toy 10 being used as a host that presents a color pattern combining multiple colors. The remaining four toys 10 also present color patterns combining multiple colors, but only one toy 10 presents a color pattern identical to the color pattern presented by the host, and the other three toys 10 present color patterns different from the color pattern presented by the host. In this game, the condition for victory is to find the toy 10 that presents the same color pattern as the host before the opponent. Note that the difficulty of the game can be increased by using six or more toys 10, and the difficulty can be decreased by using four or fewer toys 10. The application control unit 34 progresses the color pattern guessing game based on the detection values ​​of the sensor unit 54 transmitted from the toys 10.

[0030] The sound control unit 38 outputs necessary preparation information by sound from the speaker 42 before the start of the game. In the following, it is assumed that five toys 10 are prepared on a placement surface such as the floor or the ground. FIG. 6( a) shows a state in which five toys 10 are placed randomly on the floor. In this example, toys 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, and 10e are placed. The information processing device 20 has already acquired a toy ID from each toy and recognizes that toys 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, and 10e are in an active state.

[0031] (Step 1-1) When the speaker 42 outputs a voice message saying, "Press and hold the top surface to determine the host," the user presses and holds the top surface of any one of the five toys 10a to 10e. In the toy 10 that has been pressed and held, the sensor unit 54 detects the pressure applied when the user presses and holds the top surface, and the communication unit 52 transmits the detection value of the sensor unit 54 together with its own toy ID to the information processing device 20. In this example, the user presses and holds the top surface of the toy 10a, and the communication unit 52 of the toy 10a transmits the detection value (sensor value) of the sensor unit 54 together with its own toy ID (ID_A) to the information processing device 20. In the information processing device 20, when the communication unit 32 receives the sensor value and toy ID (ID_A) of the toy 10a, the application control unit 34 recognizes the toy 10a as the host.

[0032] (Step 1-2) Next, when a voice message saying "Please press the top surface of the first terminal" is output from the speaker 42, the user presses the top surface of any one of the remaining four toys 10b to 10e. In this case, the user presses the top surface of the toy 10b, and the communication unit 52 of the toy 10b transmits the detection value (sensor value) of the sensor unit 54 together with its own toy ID (ID_B) to the information processing device 20. In the information processing device 20, when the communication unit 32 receives the sensor value and toy ID (ID_B) of the toy 10b, the application control unit 34 recognizes the toy 10b as the first terminal.

[0033] Next, when the speaker 42 outputs a voice message saying, "Please press the top surface of the second terminal," the user presses the top surface of any one of the remaining three toys 10c to 10e. In this case, the user presses the top surface of toy 10c, and the communication unit 52 of toy 10c transmits the sensor value together with its own toy ID (ID_C) to the information processing device 20. This causes the application control unit 34 to recognize toy 10c as the second terminal. This preparation process is repeated two more times, and the application control unit 34 recognizes toy 10d as the third terminal and toy 10e as the fourth terminal.

[0034] (Step 1-3) When the application control unit 34 recognizes the four terminals, the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​generates light-emitting instructions for lighting the light-emitting units 56 of the four terminals in two colors, and the communication unit 32 transmits the light-emitting instructions to the four toys 10b to 10e. For example, the light-emitting instructions may be instructions to light the light-emitting elements arranged in the first area 60a and the second area 60b in "red" and light the light-emitting elements arranged in the third area 60c and the fourth area 60d in "blue." When the communication unit 52 receives the light-emitting instructions in the toys 10b to 10e, the light-emitting units 56 emit light based on the light-emitting instructions.

[0035] Then, the sound control unit 38 outputs a voice message from the speaker 42 saying, "Please align the orientation of the four terminals so that red or blue is displayed in front of the players. When you are ready, press the top surface of the host." The two users competing align the orientation of the four toys 10b to 10e so that red or blue is displayed in front of each user.

[0036] FIG. 6( b) shows a state in which the orientations of the four toys 10b to 10e are aligned. In this example, the areas lit in red are directed toward user A, and the areas lit in blue are directed toward user B. Therefore, user A is on the "red team," and user B is on the "blue team." In this example, the areas lit in red are the first region 60a and the second region 60b, and the areas lit in blue are the third region 60c and the fourth region 60d. Therefore, the first region 60a and the second region 60b are located on user A's side, and the third region 60c and the fourth region 60d are located on user B's side. When the top surface of the host toy 10a is pressed with the orientations of the toys 10b to 10e aligned in this way, the application control unit 34 recognizes that preparations are complete and starts the color pattern guessing game.

[0037] (Step 1-4) First, the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​transmits a light-emitting instruction to the host toy 10a to light up the light-emitting unit 56 in a color pattern that combines multiple colors. This light-emitting instruction may be an instruction to light up the light-emitting elements arranged in the first region 60a in "yellow," the light-emitting elements arranged in the second region 60b in "green," the light-emitting elements arranged in the third region 60c in "red," and the light-emitting elements arranged in the fourth region 60d in "blue." When the communication unit 52 of the toy 10a receives the light-emitting instruction, the light-emitting unit 56 emits light based on the light-emitting instruction. In this game, the toy 10a first lights up in the instructed color pattern, and users A and B check the color pattern presented by the toy 10a.

[0038] Then, the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​transmits a light-emitting instruction to each of the toys 10b to 10e to cause the light-emitting unit 56 to light up in a color pattern that combines multiple colors. When the communication unit 52 of each of the toys 10b to 10e receives the light-emitting instruction, the light-emitting unit 56 emits light based on the light-emitting instruction.

[0039] 7A shows five toys 10a to 10e lit up. Users A and B search for toys 10b to 10e that are lit up with the same color scheme as toy 10a. Here, toy 10c is emitting light based on a light-emitting instruction to light the light-emitting elements arranged in the first region 60a in "red," the light-emitting elements arranged in the second region 60b in "blue," the light-emitting elements arranged in the third region 60c in "yellow," and the light-emitting elements arranged in the fourth region 60d in "green." The lighting color scheme of toy 10c matches the lighting color scheme of toy 10a.

[0040] 7B shows a state in which user B has stepped on toy 10c with his / her foot. When user B determines that the lighting color pattern of toy 10c matches the lighting color pattern of host toy 10a, user B steps on the front area of ​​toy 10c, i.e., third area 60c and / or fourth area 60d. In toy 10c, communication unit 52 transmits sensor values ​​detected by sensor unit 54 to information processing device 20. The transmitted sensor values ​​include the detection values ​​of first pressure sensor 54a, second pressure sensor 54b, third pressure sensor 54c, and fourth pressure sensor 54d. Because user B is stepping on third area 60c and / or fourth area 60d with his / her foot, the pressure indicated by the detection values ​​of third pressure sensor 54c and fourth pressure sensor 54d is higher than the pressure indicated by the detection values ​​of first pressure sensor 54a and second pressure sensor 54b. Therefore, the application control unit 34 in the information processing device 20 recognizes from the comparison result of the detection values ​​of each pressure sensor that the user of the blue team has touched the toy 10c, and determines that the blue team has won the game.

[0041] When the application control unit 34 recognizes that the blue team has won, the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​generates a light-emitting instruction to light up the light-emitting elements of the four toys 10b to 10e in blue, and the communication unit 32 transmits the light-emitting instruction to the four toys 10b to 10e. As a result, the light-emitting units 56 of the toys 10b to 10e light up in blue, informing users A and B that the blue team has won. In this way, the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​controls the light emission of the light-emitting units 56 of the toys 10b to 10e based on the detection value of the sensor unit 54 of the toy 10c. For example, if both users A and B step on the toy 10c with their feet at almost the same time, the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​can make it clear that user B is the winner by lighting up the light-emitting units 56 of the toys 10b to 10e in blue.

[0042] At this time, the sound control unit 38 may generate sound data relating to the result of the color pattern guessing game and output the sound from the speaker 42. For example, the speaker 42 may output a sound saying, "The blue team wins." The sound control unit 38 may also cause the communication unit 32 to transmit sound data relating to the preparation, progress, and result of the color pattern guessing game to at least one of the toys 10a to 10e. In the toy 10, the communication unit 52 may receive the sound data, and the speaker 58 may output a sound based on the sound data to inform the user of the preparation, progress, and result of the game.

[0043] When the tug-of-war game is selected from the game list, the application control unit 34 starts a program for the tug-of-war game. The tug-of-war game is a game in which two users compete against each other, and the user who hits the toy 10 the most times wins.

[0044] The tug-of-war game uses five toys 10. The five toys 10 are lined up in a row and are lit in a default color (e.g., yellow) before the game starts. Two users stand in positions where they can step on the toys 10 placed at different ends, and upon receiving a signal to start the game, they repeatedly hit the toys 10 with their feet. Depending on the number of times a player steps on a toy 10, the light color of the toy 10 closest to them changes to their team's color (red or blue), and the player who changes the light color of the toy in the middle to their team's color wins. Note that a victory condition may also be to step on more toys 10 than their opponent within a predetermined time.

[0045] (Step 2-1) When the speaker 42 outputs a voice saying, "Please line up the five terminals in a row. Then, press the top surface of the middle terminal to select it as the host," the user lines up the five toys 10 in a row and presses the top surface of the middle toy 10.

[0046] 8(a) shows a state in which five toys 10 are placed in a line on the floor. In this example, toys 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, and 10e are arranged in this order from left to right. When a user presses the top surface of the middle toy 10c, the communication unit 52 of the toy 10c transmits the detection value (sensor value) of the sensor unit 54 together with its own toy ID (ID_C) to the information processing device 20. When the communication unit 32 of the information processing device 20 receives the sensor value and toy ID (ID_C) of the toy 10c, the application control unit 34 recognizes the toy 10c as the host.

[0047] (Step 2-2) Next, when the speaker 42 outputs a voice message saying, "Please press the top surface of the first terminal from the end," the user presses the top surface of the toy 10a, and the communication unit 52 of the toy 10a transmits the sensor value together with its own toy ID (ID_A) to the information processing device 20. In the information processing device 20, when the communication unit 32 receives the sensor value and toy ID (ID_A) of the toy 10a, the application control unit 34 recognizes the toy 10a as the first terminal from the end.

[0048] Next, when the speaker 42 outputs a voice message saying, "Please press the top surface of the second terminal from the end," the user presses the top surface of the toy 10b, and the communication unit 52 of the toy 10b transmits the sensor value together with its own toy ID (ID_B) to the information processing device 20. As a result, the application control unit 34 recognizes the toy 10b as the second terminal from the end.

[0049] Next, when the speaker 42 outputs a voice message saying, "Skip the host and press the top surface of the fourth terminal from the end," the user presses the top surface of the toy 10d, and the communication unit 52 of the toy 10d transmits the sensor value together with its own toy ID (ID_D) to the information processing device 20. As a result, the application control unit 34 recognizes the toy 10d as the fourth terminal from the end.

[0050] Next, when the speaker 42 outputs a voice message saying, "Please press the top surface of the fifth terminal from the end," the user presses the top surface of the toy 10e, and the communication unit 52 of the toy 10e transmits the sensor value together with its own toy ID (ID_E) to the information processing device 20. As a result, the application control unit 34 recognizes the toy 10e as the fifth terminal from the end.

[0051] When the application control unit 34 recognizes all of the toys 10a to 10e, the light emission control unit 36 ​​generates a light emission instruction to light up the light emitters of all of the toys 10a to 10e in a predetermined color (for example, yellow), and the communication unit 32 transmits the light emission instruction to all of the toys 10a to 10e. As a result, all of the toys 10a to 10e lined up in a row light up in yellow.

[0052] (Step 2-3) After all the toys 10a to 10e are lit in yellow, the sound control unit 38 outputs a voice signaling the start of the game from the speaker 42. The sound control unit 38 may count down "3, 2, 1" and then output a voice message saying "Tug of war begins" from the speaker 42.

[0053] After a signal to start the tug-of-war, user A repeatedly hits toy 10a with his foot, and user B also repeatedly hits toy 10e with his foot. FIG. 8( b ) shows a scene during the tug-of-war game. Detection values ​​from the sensor units 54 of toy 10a and toy 10e are transmitted to the information processing device 20 at predetermined intervals, and the application control unit 34 counts the number of contacts with toy 10a and toy 10e based on fluctuations in the detection values ​​from the sensor units 54. In the tug-of-war game, pushing (stepping) and releasing toy 10 counts as one contact, so if toy 10 is continuously stepped on, the number of contacts does not increase. The communication unit 52 of toy 10a transmits the detection value from the sensor unit 54 to the information processing device 20 together with the toy ID (ID_A) of toy 10a, and the communication unit 52 of toy 10e transmits the detection value from the sensor unit 54 to the information processing device 20 together with the toy ID (ID_E) of toy 10e. The application control unit 34 derives the number of times that user A has touched (stepped on and released) toy 10a based on the sensor value transmitted from toy 10a, and derives the number of times that user B has touched (stepped on and released) toy 10e based on the sensor value transmitted from toy 10e.

[0054] The light-emitting control unit 36 ​​changes the lighting color of the light-emitting unit 56 of the toy 10 in accordance with the number of times that the user A touches the toy 10a. When the number of times that the user A touches the toy 10a reaches (Na_1) times (for example, 20 times), the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​changes the lighting color of the light-emitting unit 56 of the toy 10a from yellow to red. When the number of times that the user A touches the toy reaches (Na_2) times (for example, 50 times), the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​changes the lighting color of the light-emitting unit 56 of the toy 10b from yellow to red. Furthermore, when the number of times that the user A touches the toy reaches (Na_3) times (for example, 100 times), the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​changes the lighting color of the light-emitting unit 56 of the toy 10c from yellow to red. In this way, the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​changes the lighting color to red from the toy 10a in front toward the toy 10c as the number of times that the user A touches the toy 10a increases.

[0055] Similarly, the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​changes the lighting color of the light-emitting unit 56 of the toy 10 in accordance with the number of times that user B touches the toy 10e. When the number of times that user B touches the toy 10e reaches (Nb_1) times (for example, 20 times), the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​changes the lighting color of the light-emitting unit 56 of the toy 10e from yellow to blue. When the number of times that user B touches the toy reaches (Nb_2) times (for example, 50 times), the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​changes the lighting color of the light-emitting unit 56 of the toy 10d from yellow to blue. Furthermore, when the number of times that user B touches the toy reaches (Nb_3) times (for example, 100 times), the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​changes the lighting color of the light-emitting unit 56 of the toy 10c from yellow to blue. In this way, the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​changes the lighting color to blue from the toy 10e in front toward the toy 10c as the number of times that user B touches the toy 10e increases.

[0056] In the tug-of-war game, the winner is the user who changes the illumination color of the host toy 10c to his / her own color. Therefore, under the above-mentioned color change conditions, the winner is the user who first steps on the toy 10 100 times. Note that if user A is a parent and user B is a child, the color change conditions may be set so that Na_3>Nb_3 as a handicap.

[0057] When the application control unit 34 recognizes that the red team has won, the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​generates a light-emitting instruction to light up the light-emitting bodies in the five toys 10a to 10e in red, and the communication unit 32 transmits the light-emitting instruction to the five toys 10a to 10e. As a result, the light-emitting units 56 in the toys 10a to 10e light up in red, informing users A and B that the red team has won.

[0058] At this time, the sound control unit 38 may generate sound data relating to the result of the tug-of-war game and output the sound from the speaker 42. For example, the speaker 42 may output a sound saying, "Team red wins." The sound control unit 38 may also cause the communication unit 32 to transmit the sound data relating to the result of the tug-of-war game to at least one of the toys 10a to 10e. In the toy 10, the communication unit 52 may receive the sound data, and the speaker 58 may output a sound based on the sound data to notify the user of the result of the game.

[0059] In this way, in the tug-of-war game, the light emission control unit 36 ​​generates a light emission instruction that specifies the lighting color of the light emitting unit 56 according to the number of contacts derived from the detection value of the sensor unit 54. In the above example, the tug-of-war game was played using five toys 10, but it is also possible to play a rapid-fire game using only the toys 10 that each user steps on.

[0060] In the rapid-fire game, when user A reaches (Na_1) times (e.g., 20 times) the number of contacts, the light-emission control unit 36 ​​changes the illumination color of the light-emitting unit 56 of toy 10a from yellow to green, when the number of contacts reaches (Na_2) times (e.g., 50 times), the light-emission control unit 36 ​​changes the illumination color of the light-emitting unit 56 of toy 10a from green to purple, and when the number of contacts reaches (Na_3) times (e.g., 100 times), the light-emission control unit 36 ​​changes the illumination color of the light-emitting unit 56 of toy 10a from purple to red. In this way, in the rapid-fire game, the light-emission control unit 36 ​​controls the illumination of the light-emitting unit 56 of one toy 10, and changes the illumination color of the light-emitting unit 56 depending on the number of contacts.

[0061] (Example 3: Jumping Game) When a jumping game is selected from the game list, the application control unit 34 starts a jumping game program. The jumping game is a game played by one or more users, in which the users ride on one of the toys 10 and jump when the toy 10 lights up, while trying not to step on the shining toy 10.

[0062] FIG. 9 shows a state in which multiple toys 10 are arranged in a circle on the floor. The light-emitting control unit 36 ​​grasps the relative positions of the multiple toys 10 and controls the light emission of the toys 10 in accordance with this relative positions. In the jumping game, the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​grasps the arrangement order of the multiple toys 10 and lights them up one by one in the order they are arranged. The user is riding on one toy 10a and acts to avoid contact with the lit toy 10a. Therefore, when it is time for the toy 10a to light up, the user jumps to avoid contact with the lit toy 10a. In this way, in the jumping game, the light-emitting control unit 36 ​​controls the light emission of the light-emitting units 56 of the toys 10 that should not be touched so that the user can recognize the toys 10 that should not be touched. Note that the user may move from the toy 10a to another toy 10 that is not lit up to avoid contact with the lit toy 10a.

[0063] The light emission control unit 36 ​​may simultaneously light up multiple toys 10 or change the lighting cycle. For example, if the user continues to avoid contact with the lit toys 10 and the game time becomes longer, the light emission control unit 36 ​​may light up multiple toys 10 or shorten the lighting cycle to increase the difficulty of the game.

[0064] (Example 4: Color-catching game) When the color-catching game is selected from the game list, the application control unit 34 starts the color-catching game program. In the color-catching game, multiple toys 10 arranged randomly are lit up in various colors, and the user is instructed by the information processing device 20 which color to find, and then touches the toy 10 that is lit up in the instructed color. When the user touches a toy 10, the information processing device 20 instructs a different color, and the user touches the toy 10 that is lit up in the instructed different color. This is repeated within a time limit, and the number of times the user can touch is calculated. Multiple users can take turns playing the color-catching game, competing to see who can touch the most.

[0065] FIG. 10 shows a state in which multiple toys 10 are placed randomly on the floor. Each toy 10 is lit in a color specified by the light-emission control unit 36. When the sound control unit 38 outputs a voice message from the speaker 42 saying, "Please touch the red device," the user finds and touches the toy 10 that is lit in red. There may be multiple toys 10 that are lit in red. Next, the light-emission control unit 36 ​​changes the color of all toys 10, and then the sound control unit 38 outputs a voice message from the speaker 42 saying, "Please touch the blue device," and the user finds and touches the toy 10 that is lit in blue. This is repeated within a time limit, and the application control unit 34 counts the number of times the user touches the toy 10.

[0066] The above is a description of a simple color-picking game, but the application control unit 34 may generate a quiz about colors, and the sound control unit 38 may ask the quiz from the speaker 42. For example, when the sound control unit 38 outputs a voice message from the speaker 42 saying, "What color do you get when you mix red and blue?", the user touches the toy 10 that is lit purple, which is the answer to the quiz. If the toy 10 is not touched within a predetermined time after the quiz is asked, the sound control unit 38 may output a voice message from the speaker 42 saying, "It's the color of grapes." as a hint.

[0067] (Example 5: Whack-a-Mole Game) When the Whack-a-Mole game is selected from the game list, the application control unit 34 starts a program for the Whack-a-Mole game. In the Whack-a-Mole game, multiple toys 10 are randomly placed, and the user touches a lit toy 10. The light-emission control unit 36 ​​controls the light emission of the light-emitting unit 56 of the toy 10 that the user is to touch so that the user can recognize it. For example, the light-emission control unit 36 ​​generates a light-emission instruction to light up the light-emitting unit 56 of the toy 10 that the user is to touch in red, and transmits the light-emission instruction to the toy 10. When the user touches the toy 10 that is lit in red, the application control unit 34 adds points.

[0068] At this time, the light-emission control unit 36 ​​may control the light emission of the light-emitting unit 56 of the toy 10 that the user must not touch. For example, the light-emission control unit 36 ​​generates a light-emission instruction to light up the light-emitting unit 56 of the toy 10 that the user must not touch in a color close to red (for example, pink), and transmits the instruction to the toy 10. If the user touches the toy 10 that lights up in pink, mistaking it for red, the application control unit 34 deducts points. By lighting up the toys 10 in confusing colors in this way, the whack-a-mole game can be made more enjoyable.

[0069] (Example 6: Tag Game) When the Tag game is selected from the game list, the application control unit 34 starts the Tag game program. The Tag game is played by multiple users, and each user wears two toys 10 on the front and back of their body. In the Tag game, a user is initially designated as the Oni, and the Oni toy 10 lights up in red, and the toys 10 of the remaining users light up in blue.

[0070] 11 shows a user wearing the toy 10. In the tag game, the toy 10 is attached to both the back and the ventral sides of the user. However, the toy 10 may be attached to either the back or the ventral sides of the user.

[0071] The light-emitting control unit 36 ​​specifies the lighting color of the light-emitting unit 56 of the toy 10 attached to each user in order to classify the multiple users. The light-emitting control unit 36 ​​generates a light-emitting instruction to light the light-emitting unit 56 of the toy 10 attached to the user who will be the Oni (hereinafter simply referred to as the "Oni") in red, and generates a light-emitting instruction to light the light-emitting unit 56 of the toys 10 attached to the other users (hereinafter referred to as the "players") in blue. Therefore, the toy 10 attached to the Oni lights up in red, while the toy 10 attached to the player lights up in blue. By color-coding in this manner, the players can tell who is the Oni.

[0072] When the Oni touches the player's toy 10, the detection value of the sensor unit 54 of the toy 10 is transmitted to the information processing device 20 together with the toy ID. The application control unit 34 identifies the player based on the toy ID and changes the player to the Oni. Therefore, the number of Oni increases in the tag game. The game ends when all players become Oni within the time limit.

[0073] (Example 7: Target Game) When a target game is selected from the game list, the application control unit 34 starts a program for the target game. In the target game, the toy 10 is placed at a position away from the user, and points are awarded when the user hits the toy 10 with a ball.

[0074] 12 shows a state in which a user kicks a ball towards the toy 10. In this example, the user is trying to hit the toy 10 by kicking the ball, but in another example, the user may throw the ball and aim it at the toy 10. When the ball hits the toy 10, the detection value of the sensor unit 54 of the toy 10 is transmitted to the information processing device 20 together with the toy ID. When the application control unit 34 determines from the change in the sensor value that the ball has hit the toy 10, it adds points.

[0075] 13 shows an example of a hanger 80 for hanging the toy 10. The hanger 80 has a circular opening for fixing the toy 10, and the toy 10 is fixed to the hanger 80 by fitting the side of the toy 10 into the opening. By hanging the hanger 80 from a hook on a tree or wall, the user can place the toy 10 in a desired location and enjoy a target shooting game.

[0076] In this way, the toy 10 may be used in various ways together with accessories such as the hanger 80. Some example accessories are shown below. FIG. 14 shows a connecting part 86 that is inserted into the toy 10. A socket for inserting the connecting part 86 is provided on the side of the toy 10, and the connecting part 86 is attached to the socket. By attaching the connecting part 86, the toy 10 can be hung from a hook on the wall, and may be used in place of the hanger 80 in a target shooting game. Note that the toy 10 may also be used as a clock by lighting up LEDs according to the time while hung on a hook on the wall.

[0077] 15 shows a mat 82 for arranging multiple toys 10. This mat 82 is an accessory for accurately lining up nine toys 10 in fixed positions, and can be used for dancing games, etc.

[0078] 16 shows a cone 84 that is placed over the toy 10. The cone 84 is an accessory that emits light from its surface when the toy 10 is turned on, and is made of a light-guiding material. The surface emission of the cone 84 allows the user to see the lighting color of the toy 10 from a distance. For example, when playing a game using the toy 10 outdoors, using the cone 84 can expand the play area.

[0079] The present disclosure has been described above based on a number of embodiments. These embodiments are merely examples, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible in the combination of the respective components and processing processes, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present disclosure. In the embodiments, a toy 10 that a user can play with by touching it with their hands or stepping on it with their feet has been described, but the toy 10 may be one aspect of an electronic device.

[0080] In the embodiment, the light emission control unit 36 ​​generates a light emission instruction that specifies the lighting color of the light emitting unit 56 according to the number of contacts derived from the detection value of the sensor unit 54, but it may also generate a light emission instruction that specifies the lighting color of the light emitting unit 56 according to the contact time derived from the detection value of the sensor unit 54.

[0081] In the embodiment, the information processing device 20 functions as a control tower and controls the light emission of the light-emitting units 56 of the multiple toys 10 to manage the progress of the game. In a modified example, the control unit 70 of the toy 10 may manage the progress of the game. For example, one toy 10 may function as a host, and the control unit 70 of that toy 10 may control the light emission of the light-emitting units 56 of the multiple toys 10 to manage the progress of the game. In this case, the toy 10 serving as the host may be communicably connected to the other toys 10 and may have functions equivalent to the control unit 30 of the information processing device 20 of the embodiment.

[0082] The toy 10 may have a function of downloading a game program from the information processing device 20 and executing the game by itself. In this case, since the toy 10 executes the game by itself, it does not need to have a function of communicating with other toys 10. In the toy 10, the communication unit 52 downloads and acquires a game program for a rapid-fire game, for example, from the information processing device 20, and the control unit 70 executes the acquired game program for the rapid-fire game. The communication unit 52 may also download and acquire the game program from an external server device.

[0083] The control unit 70 counts the number of times the user has touched the toy based on the detection value of the sensor unit 54 and controls the light emission of the light-emitting unit 56. Specifically, the control unit 70, in accordance with the game program, changes the illumination color of the light-emitting unit 56 from yellow to green when the number of times the user has touched the toy reaches (Na_1) times (e.g., 20 times), changes the illumination color of the light-emitting unit 56 from green to purple when the number of times the user has touched the toy reaches (Na_2) times (e.g., 50 times), and changes the illumination color of the light-emitting unit 56 from purple to red when the number of times the user has touched the toy reaches (Na_3) times (e.g., 100 times). The control unit 70 measures the time from the start of the game until the illumination color turns red and notifies the user of the measured time. By having multiple users take turns playing the rapid-press game and competing to see who can see who can hit the toy the fastest until the illumination color turns red, it is possible to realize a rapid-press game using the toy 10 alone.

[0084] The present disclosure may include the following aspects. [Item 1] An information processing system including a plurality of toys that a user can touch with their hands or step on with their feet, and an information processing device, wherein the toys include: a sensor unit that detects contact by the user; a light-emitting unit that can emit light; and a first communication device that transmits a detection value of the sensor unit to the information processing device, and the information processing device includes: a second communication device that receives the detection value of the sensor unit; and a circuit configured to control light emission of the light-emitting unit in the toy based on the received detection value of the sensor unit. [Item 2] The information processing system according to item 1, wherein in the information processing device, the circuit generates a light-emitting instruction that specifies a lighting color of the light-emitting unit according to a contact duration or a contact count derived from the detection value of the sensor unit, and the second communication device transmits the light-emitting instruction to the toy, and in the toy, the first communication device receives the light-emitting instruction, and the light-emitting unit emits light based on the light-emitting instruction. [Item 3] The information processing system according to item 1, wherein the plurality of toys are placed on a placing surface such as a floor or the ground, and the circuit controls the light emission of the light-emitting units of the toys that the user should touch. [Item 4] The information processing system according to item 1, wherein the plurality of toys are placed on a placing surface so as to be in a predetermined positional relationship, and the circuit controls the light emission of the plurality of toys in accordance with the predetermined positional relationship. [Item 5] The information processing system according to item 1, wherein the plurality of toys are placed on a placing surface such as a floor or the ground, and the circuit controls the light emission of the light-emitting units of the toys that the user should not touch. [Item 6] The information processing system according to item 1, wherein the plurality of toys are attached to the dorsal and / or ventral sides of the plurality of users, respectively, and the circuit specifies the lighting color of the light-emitting units of the toys attached to each user in order to classify the plurality of users.[Item 7] The information processing system according to Item 1, wherein the toy includes a speaker capable of outputting sound, and in the information processing device, the circuit runs an application based on a detection value of the sensor unit and generates sound data related to the execution result, and the second communication device transmits the sound data to the toy, and in the toy, the first communication device receives the sound data, and the speaker outputs sound based on the sound data to notify the user of the execution result of the application. [Item 8] A toy that can be touched by a hand or stepped on with a foot by a user, the toy including a sensor unit that detects contact by the user, a light-emitting unit that can emit light, and a circuit configured to: externally acquire a game program, execute the acquired game program, and control light emission of the light-emitting unit based on the detection value of the sensor unit. [Item 9] An information processing device that is communicatively connected to a toy that can be touched by a user's hand or stepped on with a foot, the toy having a sensor unit and a light-emitting unit, the information processing device comprising: a communication device that receives a detection value from the sensor unit; and a circuit configured to: control the light emission of the light-emitting unit in the toy based on the received detection value from the sensor unit.

[0085] The present disclosure can be used in the field of toys used in games.

[0086] 1...information processing system, 10...toy, 20...information processing device, 30...control unit, 32...communication unit, 34...application control unit, 36...light-emitting control unit, 38...sound control unit, 40...display, 42...speaker, 50...processing unit, 52...communication unit, 54...sensor unit, 54a...first pressure sensor, 54b...second pressure sensor, 54c...third pressure sensor, 54d...fourth pressure sensor, 56...light-emitting unit, 58...speaker, 70...control unit, 80...hanger, 82...mat, 84...cone, 86...connecting part.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising a plurality of toys that a user can touch with their hands or step on with their feet, and an information processing device, wherein the toys comprise: a sensor unit that detects contact by the user; a light-emitting unit that can emit light; and a first communication unit that transmits the detection value of the sensor unit to the information processing device, and the information processing device comprises: a second communication unit that receives the detection value of the sensor unit; and a control unit that controls the light emission of the light-emitting unit in the toys based on the detection value received from the sensor unit.

2. The information processing system described in claim 1, characterized in that in the information processing device, the control unit generates a light-emitting instruction that specifies the lighting color of the light-emitting unit depending on the contact time or number of contacts derived from the detection value of the sensor unit, the second communication unit transmits the light-emitting instruction to the toy, and in the toy, the first communication unit receives the light-emitting instruction, and the light-emitting unit emits light based on the light-emitting instruction.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of toys are placed on a support surface such as a floor or the ground, and the control unit controls the illumination of the light-emitting unit in the toy that the user should touch.

4. The information processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of toys are placed on a placement surface so as to have a predetermined positional relationship, and the control unit controls the light emission of the plurality of toys in accordance with the predetermined positional relationship.

5. The information processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of toys are placed on a support surface such as a floor or the ground, and the control unit controls the illumination of the light-emitting units in the toys that the user must not touch.

6. The information processing system described in claim 1, characterized in that the multiple toys are attached to the back and / or ventral sides of multiple users, respectively, and the control unit specifies the lighting color of the light-emitting unit of the toy attached to each user in order to classify the multiple users.

7. The information processing system described in claim 1, characterized in that: the toy is equipped with a speaker capable of outputting sound; in the information processing device, the control unit runs an application based on the detection value of the sensor unit and generates sound data related to the execution result; the second communication unit transmits the sound data to the toy; and in the toy, the first communication unit receives the sound data; and the speaker outputs sound based on the sound data to notify the user of the execution result of the application.

8. A toy that can be touched by a user with a hand or stepped on with a foot, comprising: a communication unit that acquires a game program from an external device; a control unit that executes the acquired game program; a sensor unit that detects contact by the user; and a light-emitting unit that can emit light, wherein the control unit controls the light emission of the light-emitting unit based on the detection value of the sensor unit.

9. An information processing device that is communicatively connected to a toy that can be touched by a user with a hand or stepped on with a foot, the toy having a sensor unit and a light-emitting unit, the information processing device comprising: a communication unit that receives the detection value of the sensor unit; and a control unit that controls the light emission of the light-emitting unit based on the received detection value of the sensor unit.

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