Toy

Abstract

A toy, characterised in that it comprises in combination a user control, an independent moving part, and an independent piece which has to be found, in which the independent piece which has to be found has means for emitting at least one wireless signal, and the independent moving part comprises means for receiving commands from the user's control, means for receiving a signal or signals originating from the piece which has to be found, means for movement, means for seeking the origin of the said signal or signals from the piece which has to be found, means for directing the moving part to the place from which the signals originate, and means for picking up the piece which has to be found and bringing it to the user.

1 . A toy comprising 
 a user control,    an independent moving part, and    an independent piece which has to be found,    in which    the independent piece which has to be found has means for emitting at least one wireless signal, and    the independent moving part comprises:    means for receiving commands from the user's control,    means for receiving a signal or signals originating from the piece which has to be found,    means for movement,    means for seeking the origin of the said signal or signals from the piece which has to be found,    means for directing the moving part to the place from which the signals originate, and    means for picking up the piece which has to be found and bringing it to the user.    
   
   
       2 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the means for seeking the origin of the signal and the means for directing a moving part towards the place from which the signals proceed and the means for picking up the piece which has to be found and bringing it to the user have decision making means independent of the user's control.  
   
   
       3 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the independent piece which has to be found has at least one infrared emitter, and the independent moving part has at least one infrared receiver capable of capturing the signal originating from the independent piece which has to be found.  
   
   
       4 . The toy according to  claim 3 , wherein the infrared receiver is capable of capturing a signal originating from a direction perpendicular to the frontal plane of the receiver.  
   
   
       5 . The toy according to  claim 3 , wherein the receiver has a pass band filter to filter out infrared signals whose frequency does not coincide with that of the emitter.  
   
   
       6 . The toy according to  claim 3 , wherein the independent piece has a plurality of infrared emitters.  
   
   
       7 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the piece which has to be found is in the form of a ball.  
   
   
       8 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the user's control is a remote control.  
   
   
       9 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the independent moving part has the external shape of an animal.  
   
   
       10 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the said movement means comprise a system of two wheels, each having an independent motor, and an idling wheel or pivot, so that the moving part can rotate 360° around the said pivot.  
   
   
       11 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the movement means comprise a system for controlling the speed and movement of the moving part.  
   
   
       12 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the said speed and movement control system comprises at least one optical encoder.  
   
   
       13 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the means for seeking the origin of the signal or signals from the piece which has to be found comprise an electronic control device.  
   
   
       14 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the means for seeking the origin of the signal or signals from the piece which has to be found comprise means so that the moving part can rotate 360° about an axis until it encounters the said signal or signals.  
   
   
       15 . The toy according to  claim 1 , further comprising sensors to detect obstacles.  
   
   
       16 . The toy according to  claim 15 , further comprising an electronic control means to vary movement so as not to collide with an object detected by the sensors for detecting obstacles.  
   
   
       17 . The toy according to  claim 15 , wherein the sensors to detect obstacles are infrared sensors.  
   
   
       18 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the means for picking up the piece which has to be found comprise further comprises a concavity.  
   
   
       19 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the means for picking up the piece which has to be found further comprises means for capturing the piece which has to be found.  
   
   
       20 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the moving part further comprises a sensor system for detecting a piece which has to be found located in the means to pick up the piece which has to be found.  
   
   
       21 . The toy according to  claim 1 , wherein the moving part further comprises a control device which controls and coordinates its parts.  
   
   
       22 . The toy according to  claim 21 , wherein the control device further comprises at least one integrated circuit, a microcontroller and an electronic memory device with instructions for operating the microcontroller.  
   
   
       23 . The toy according to  claim 21 , wherein the control device further comprises means so that the toy carries out the following operations in succession and independently: 
 seeking the signal from the piece which has to be found,    moving to the piece which has to be found,    capturing the piece which has to be found,    bringing the piece which has to be found to the user.    
   
   
       24 . The toy according to  claim 23 , wherein the control device further comprises means for holding the moving part at rest after it captures the piece which has to be found until it receives a command from the user's control.