Interactive activity system having a first display screen and a second contact sensitive display screen and portable memory therefor

Abstract

An interactive dual screen activity system and portable memory therefore, the system having a first display screen, a contact sensitive second display screen on which the user may make an input to the system by causing contact with the display screen, a button apparatus not associated with a keyboard or numeric keypad through which the user may make an input to the system by actuating a button, a first input method and a second input method, the first input method being where inputs to the system are triggered off of the user causing contact with the contact-sensitive display screen and the second input method being where inputs to the system are triggered off of actuation of the button, a microprocessor-based control system causing images to be presented on the first display screen and the second display screen, and a speaker.

1 . An interactive dual screen activity system for a user, comprising: 
 a first display screen, the first display screen presenting a plurality of images to the user wherein the plurality of images are presented electronically and facilitate interaction between the user and the system;    a contact sensitive second display screen, the contact sensitive second display screen allowing the user to make an input relating to the images presented on the first display screen by causing contact with the second display screen, and the second display screen presenting a plurality of images to the user wherein the plurality of images are presented electronically and facilitate the interaction between the user and the system;    a sensing system associated with the contact sensitive nature of the second display screen, the sensing system capable of sensing an occurrence of contact with the second display screen caused by the user;    a button apparatus not associated with a keyboard or numeric keypad, the button apparatus having a button designed to be actuated by the user through which the user may make an input to the system relating to the images presented on the first display screen;    a first input method and a second input method, the first input method being where inputs to the system are triggered off of the user causing contact with the contact-sensitive display screen and the second input method being where inputs to the toy are triggered off of the user actuating the button;    software having at least a first state and a second state, wherein the software branches from the first state to the second state after the user has achieved a certain level of proficiency in the first state;    a microprocessor-based control system, the microprocessor-based control system causing the images to be presented on the first display screen and the second display screen, receiving information triggered off of the user making contact with the contact-sensitive display screen when the first input method is employed and triggered off of the user actuating the button when the interactive system when the second input method is employed, and generating output to the user in response to the received information; and    a speaker.    
   
   
       2 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor-based control system tracks the user's inputs in the first software state to determine whether the user has achieved the certain level of proficiency required to branch from the first software state to the second software state.  
   
   
       3 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 2 , wherein the microprocessor-based control system branches from the first software state to the second software state when the user's inputs indicate the user has achieved the certain level of proficiency required to branch from the first software state to the second software state.  
   
   
       4 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a data communication device allowing the system to receive data from a different location transmitted over a data transmission medium.  
   
   
       5 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 4 , wherein the different location is remotely located from the activity system.  
   
   
       6 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 4 , wherein the data received from the different location is software.  
   
   
       7 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor-based control system comprises a first microprocessor and a second microprocessor.  
   
   
       8 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 1 , wherein the images presented on the first display screen are designed to present a problem to the user about letters, words, numbers or pictures and encourage the user to cognitively respond to the images by causing contact with the second display screen when the first input method is employed and by actuating the button when the second input method is employed, the cognitive response corresponding to a letter, word, number or picture.  
   
   
       9 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 8 , wherein the microprocessor based control system indicates to the user whether or not the user has responded to the problem correctly.  
   
   
       10 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensing system is capable of sensing the lateral movement of contact across a face of the second display screen and generating information corresponding to the path of the contact across the face of the second display screen.  
   
   
       11 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a portable memory receiving device for receiving a portable memory and receiving data from the portable memory into the system for use by the microprocessor-based control system.  
   
   
       12 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 11 , further comprising a portable memory capable of being inserted into the portable memory receiving device.  
   
   
       13 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 1 , wherein the user causes contact with the contact sensitive second display screen by placing an object in contact with the contact sensitive second display screen.  
   
   
       14 . An interactive dual screen activity system for a user, comprising: 
 a first display screen, the first display screen presenting a plurality of images to the user wherein the plurality of images are presented electronically and facilitate interaction between the user and the system;    a contact sensitive second display screen, the contact sensitive second display screen allowing the user to make an input relating to the images presented on the first display screen by causing contact with the second display screen, and the second display screen presenting a plurality of images to the user wherein the plurality of images are presented electronically and facilitate the interaction between the user and the system;    a sensing system associated with the contact sensitive nature of the second display screen, the sensing system capable of sensing an occurrence of contact with the second display screen caused by the user;    a button apparatus not associated with a keyboard or numeric keypad, the button apparatus having a button designed to be actuated by the user through which the user may make an input to the system relating to the images presented on the first display screen;    a first input method and a second input method, the first input method being where inputs to the system are triggered off of the user causing contact with the contact-sensitive display screen and the second input method being where inputs to the toy are triggered off of the user actuating the button;    a microprocessor-based control system, the microprocessor-based control system causing the images to be presented on the first display screen and the second display screen, receiving information triggered off of the user making contact with the contact-sensitive display screen when the first input method is employed and triggered off of the user actuating the button when the interactive system when the second input method is employed, and generating output to the user in response to the received information;    a data communication device allowing the system to receive data from a different location transmitted over a data transmission medium for use by the microprocessor-based control system; and    a speaker.    
   
   
       15 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 14 , wherein the different location is remotely located from the activity system.  
   
   
       16 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 14 , wherein the data received from the different location is computer software.  
   
   
       17 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 14 , wherein the microprocessor-based control system comprises a first microprocessor and a second microprocessor.  
   
   
       18 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 14 , wherein the images presented on the first display screen are designed to present a problem to the user about letters, words, numbers or pictures and encourage the user to cognitively respond to the images by causing contact with the second display screen when the first input method is employed and by actuating the button when the second input method is employed, the cognitive response corresponding to a letter, word, number or picture.  
   
   
       19 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 18 , wherein the microprocessor based control system indicates to the user whether or not the user has responded to the problem correctly.  
   
   
       20 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 14 , wherein the sensing system is capable of sensing the lateral movement of contact across a face of the second display screen and generating information corresponding to the path of the contact across the face of the second display screen.  
   
   
       21 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 14 , further comprising a portable memory receiving device for receiving a portable memory and receiving data from the portable memory into the system for use by the microprocessor-based control system.  
   
   
       22 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 21 , further comprising a portable memory capable of being inserted into the portable memory receiving device.  
   
   
       23 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 14 , wherein the user causes contact with the contact sensitive second display screen by placing an object in contact with the contact sensitive second display screen.  
   
   
       24 . An interactive dual screen activity system for a user, comprising: 
 a first display screen, the first display screen presenting a plurality of images to the user wherein the plurality of images are presented electronically and facilitate interaction between the user and the system;    a contact sensitive second display screen, the contact sensitive second display screen allowing the user to make an input relating to the images presented on the first display screen by causing contact with the second display screen, and the second display screen presenting a plurality of images to the user wherein the plurality of images are presented electronically and facilitate the interaction between the user and the system;    a sensing system associated with the contact sensitive nature of the second display screen, the sensing system capable of sensing an occurrence of contact with the second display screen caused by the user;    a button apparatus not associated with a keyboard or numeric keypad, the button apparatus having a button designed to be actuated by the user through which the user may make an input to the system relating to the images presented on the first display screen;    a first input method and a second input method, the first input method being where inputs to the system are triggered off of the user causing contact with the contact-sensitive display screen and the second input method being where inputs to the toy are triggered off of the user actuating the button;    a microprocessor-based control system, the microprocessor-based control system causing the images to be presented on the first display screen and the second display screen, receiving information triggered off of the user making contact with the contact-sensitive display screen when the first input method is employed and triggered off of the user actuating the button when the interactive system when the second input method is employed, and generating output to the user in response to the received information;    a portable memory receiving device for receiving a portable memory and receiving data from the portable memory into the system for use by the microprocessor-based control system; and    a speaker.    
   
   
       25 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 24 , wherein the microprocessor-based control system comprises a first microprocessor and a second microprocessor.  
   
   
       26 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 24 , wherein the images presented on the first display screen are designed to present a problem to the user about letters, words, numbers or pictures and encourage the user to cognitively respond to the images by causing contact with the second display screen when the first input method is employed and by actuating the button when the second input method is employed, the cognitive response corresponding to a letter, word, number or picture.  
   
   
       27 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 26 , wherein the microprocessor based control system indicates to the user whether or not the user has responded to the problem correctly.  
   
   
       28 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 24 , wherein the sensing system is capable of sensing the lateral movement of contact across a face of the second display screen and generating information corresponding to the path of the contact across the face of the second display screen.  
   
   
       29 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 24 , further comprising a portable memory capable of being inserted into the portable memory receiving device.  
   
   
       30 . An interactive dual screen activity system as in  claim 24 , wherein the user causes contact with the contact sensitive second display screen by placing an object in contact with the contact sensitive second display screen.  
   
   
       31 . A portable, processor-readable memory to add software to an interactive dual screen activity system, the interactive dual screen activity system having a first display screen, a contact sensitive second display screen on which the user may make an input to the system by causing contact with the display screen, a button apparatus not associated with a keyboard or numeric keypad through which the user may make an input to the system by actuating a button, a first input method and a second input method, the first input method being where inputs to the system are triggered off of the user causing contact with the contact-sensitive display screen and the second input method being where inputs to the system are triggered off of actuation of the button, a microprocessor-based control system causing images to be presented on the first display screen and the second display screen, and a speaker, comprising: 
 a portable memory housing designed to be compatible with and inserted into a portable memory receiving device associated with the interactive dual screen activity system;    a memory medium contained in the portable memory housing; and    software embodied on the memory medium for use with the microprocessor based-control system in the activity system, the software including:    data for use by the microprocessor-based control system to generate a first plurality of images on the first display screen;    data for use by the microprocessor-based control system to generate a second plurality of images on the contact sensitive second display screen;    data for use by the microprocessor-based control system to generate output in response to the user making contact with the contact-sensitive display screen when the first input method is employed and the user actuating the button when second input method is employed; and    at least a first state and a second state, wherein the software branches from the first state to the second state after the user has achieved a certain level of proficiency in the first state.