Wave-actuated, spell-casting magic wand with sensory feedback

Abstract

When waved by a user, a magic wand transmits a binary spell code having a value referencing an object behavior to a receiver included within another object. The receiver decodes the code to produce control signals as inputs to components within the object controlling its behavior so that the object exhibits the behavior referenced by the transmitted code value. The wand also produces a sensory feedback pattern including light, sound and/or vibration) to the user to indicate that the code has been transmitted. The sensory feedback pattern is a function of the value of the transmitted code.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for transmitting a code via a signal when a user waves the apparatus, the apparatus comprising: 
 a chassis;    a transmitter mounted on the chassis for receiving the code as input data, and for then transmitting the code via the signal;    a first sensor mounted on the chassis for generating an indicating signal when the user waves the chassis; and    control means for providing the code as input data to the transmitter in response to the indicating signal.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said first sensor comprises an acceleration switch that generates the indicating signal when accelerated.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising: 
 input means operable by the user for providing data as input to the control means, wherein the data indicates the code the control means is to provide as input data to the transmitter in response to the indicating signal.  
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the input means comprises a plurality of user-operable switches connected to the control means.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the control means comprises a programmable controller.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the signal is a radio-frequency signal.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the signal is an infra-red signal.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the signal is a magnetic signal.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the signal is an electromagnetic signal.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the control means operates on electrical power and wherein the apparatus further comprises 
 a power supply mounted on the chassis, and  
 sensor means mounted on the chassis for sensing when the user is holding the chassis and for linking the power supply to the control means so that the power supply supplies electrical power to the control means when the user is holding the chassis.  
 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the sensor means comprises a proximity switch.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 10  further comprising: 
 sensory output means mounted on the chassis for providing sensory input to the user in response to a control signal, wherein the control means transmits the control signal to the sensory output means when the control means provides the code as input data to the transmitter in response to the indicating signal.  
 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 12  wherein the sensory output means comprises means for generating a sound in response to the control signal.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 12  wherein the sensory output means comprises means for vibrating the chassis in response to the control signal.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 12  wherein the sensory output means comprises means for generating light in response to the control signal.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the code references an action to be carried out and references an object to carry out the action.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 3  wherein the code references an action to be carried out and references an object to carry out the action.  
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for enabling a user to remotely control an object, the apparatus comprising: 
 a wand for transmitting a code conveyed by a signal when the user waves the wand, wherein the code references an action the object is to carry out; and    a controller for receiving the signal and for causing the object to carry out the action referenced by the code conveyed via the signal.    
     
     
         19 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 18  wherein the wand comprises: 
 a chassis;  
 a transmitter mounted on the chassis for receiving the code as input data, and for then transmitting the code via the signal;  
 a sensor mounted on the chassis for generating an indicating signal when the user waves the wand; and  
 control means for providing the code as input data to the transmitter in response to the indicating signal.  
 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 19  wherein the sensor comprises an acceleration switch that generates the indicating signal when accelerated.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 19  wherein the wand further comprises: 
 a plurality of switches operated by the user for providing data as input to the control means, wherein the data references the code the control means is to provide as input data to the transmitter in response to the indicating signal.  
 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 18  wherein the wand further comprises means mounted on the chassis for generating at least one of the following outputs when the wand transmits the code via the signal: sound, light, and vibration.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 18  wherein the wand comprises means mounted on the chassis for generating all of the following outputs when the wand transmits the code via the signal: sound, light, and vibration.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 23   wherein the code includes an object address, and    wherein the control means causes the object to carry out the action referenced by the code only when the object address references the object the control means controls.    
     
     
         25 . An apparatus for enabling a user to control behavior of a plurality of objects remote from the user, the apparatus comprising: 
 a plurality of object controllers, each for controlling behavior of a corresponding one of the objects, each controller being identified by a unique address, each controller responding to a first signal conveying spell data referencing an object behavior by causing the controller's corresponding object to exhibit the object behavior referenced by the spell data when the first signal also conveys that controller's identifying address; and    a wand for receiving user input selecting one of the objects and a behavior that object is to exhibit, and for thereafter responding to being waved by the user by transmitting the first signal to the objects, wherein the first signal conveys spell data referencing the behavior selected by the user input and conveys the address of the object controller controlling the behavior of the object selected by the user input.    
     
     
         26 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 25  wherein the first signal is any one of the following: an electromagnetic signal, a radio-frequency signal, a light signal, an infra-red signal, and a magnetic flux signal.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 25  wherein the wand supplies sensory input to the user to indicate when it transmits the first signal, the sensory input including at least one of the following: sound, light, and vibration.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 25  wherein a nature of the sensory input the wand supplies to the user is a function of a value of the spell data conveyed by the first signal.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 28  wherein the wand supplies all of the following sensory inputs to the user when it transmits the first signal: sound, light, and vibration.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 25   wherein when the spell data conveyed by the first signal is of a particular value, each object controller that receives the first signal transmits a data stream via a second signal, and    wherein the wand includes receiving means for reading the data stream conveyed by the second signal.    
     
     
         31 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 30  wherein the data stream conveyed by the second signal transmitted by each object controller includes the address of the object controller that transmitted the second signal.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 25  wherein the wand comprises: 
 a chassis;  
 a transmitter mounted on the chassis for receiving as input the spell data and address to be conveyed by the first signal, and for then transmitting the first signal conveying the spell data and the address;  
 a sensor mounted on the chassis for generating an indicating signal when the user waves the chassis; and  
 control means for providing the spell data and address as input to the transmitter in response to the indicating signal.  
 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 32  wherein the sensor comprises an acceleration switch that generates the indicating signal when accelerated.  
     
     
         34 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 33  wherein the wand further comprises: 
 user input means mounted on the chassis and operated by the user for the supplying user input to the control means selecting said one of the objects and selecting the behavior said one of the objects is to exhibit.  
 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 34   wherein when the spell data conveyed by the first signal is of a particular value, each object controller that receives the first signal transmits a data stream to the wand via a second signal, wherein the data stream includes the address of the object controller's corresponding object,    wherein the wand includes a receiver for receiving the second signal, for reading the address included in the data steam conveyed by the second signal, and for providing the address to the wand controller, and    wherein the wand controller stores each address provided by the receiver and provides one of its stored addresses as the address input to the transmitter in response to the object selection data provided by the user input means.    
     
     
         36 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 35  wherein the first and second signals are any of the following types of signals: electro-magnetic signals, radio signals, light signals, infra-red signals, and magnetic flux signals.  
     
     
         37 . In a wand including a sensor for generating an indicating signal when a user waves the wand, user input means for generating an object selection code and a spell selection code, a transmitter for transmitting a signal conveying an object address and spell data, sensory output means for generating signals that can be sensed by the user, and control means for receiving the indicating signal, the object selection code and the spell selection code and for controlling the transmitter and sensory output means, a method of operation for the control means comprising the steps of: 
 a. selecting the object address to be conveyed by the signal in response to the object selection code generated by the user input means;    b. selecting the spell data to be conveyed by the signal in response to the spell selection code generated by the user input means;    c. responding to the indicating signal produced by the sensor when the user waves the wand by supplying the object address selected at step a and the spell data selected at step b to the transmitter and then causing the transmitter to transmit the signal conveying the object address and spell data.    
     
     
         38 . The method in accordance with  claim 37  further comprising the step of: 
 d. causing the sensory output means to provide sensory input to the user upon carrying out step c.  
 
     
     
         39 . The method in accordance with  claim 38  wherein a nature of the sensory input provided to the user at step d is a function of the spell data conveyed by the signal.