Interactive toy

Abstract

This invention relates to an interactive toy that simulates communication with a user and among other similar toys. The interactive toy interacts with the user and other similar toys. The interaction may be an auditory interaction, a physical interaction, an animated facial interaction, or other suitable interaction. The interactive toy includes a distinct personality interchangeable with a different distinct personality. The interactive toy includes a base module having a speaker, a microphone and a screen positioned within the base module. The interactive toy receives communications from the user and/or other like interactive toys and generates audible communications and/or displays graphics on the screen, which are responsive to the user and/or other like interactive toys. The interactive toy may further include lower and/or upper accessories removably attachable to the base module and creating an appearance of a human, an animal, a machine, a robot, a mythical creature, a cartoon character, a fish, or other simulateable character.

1 . An interactive toy comprising:
 a base module;   a speaker positioned within the base module and generating one or more audible speech patterns that are responsive to a user and additional like interactive toys;   a microphone positioned within the base module and receiving communications from the user and the additional like interactive toys; and   a screen positioned within the base module and displaying responsive graphics to the user and the additional like interactive toys.   
   
   
       2 . The interactive toy of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more input controls positioned within the base module. 
   
   
       3 . The interactive toy of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more input controls comprise an on/off switch and a motion sensor. 
   
   
       4 . The interactive toy of  claim 1 , wherein the screen displays an animated face. 
   
   
       5 . The interactive toy of  claim 4 , wherein movement of the animated face is synchronized with the one or more audible speech patterns generated by the interactive toy. 
   
   
       6 . The interactive toy of  claim 1 , wherein the interactive toy interacts with at least one additional like interactive toy or at least one user. 
   
   
       7 . The interactive toy of  claim 6 , wherein interaction between the interactive toy and at least one additional like interactive toy or the at least one user is an auditory interaction, a physical interaction, an animated facial interaction, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       8 . A collection of interactive toys comprising a plurality of interactive toys of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       9 . A collection of interactive toys of  claim 7 , comprising at least one master interactive toy, wherein the master interactive toy dominates interaction among the collection of interactive toys. 
   
   
       10 . The collection of interactive toys of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one master interactive toy dominates interaction among the collection of interactive toys by at least one of a higher frequency of communications, a higher volume of communication, a greater degree of animation, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       11 . The collection of interactive toys of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one master interactive toy dominates interaction among the collection of interactive toys by at least one of prompting one or more other like interactive toys to broadcast a communication, selecting one or more other like interactive toys to participate in an interaction, commanding one or more other like interactive toys to perform an action, assigning unique electronic identifiers to slave interactive toys, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       12 . A collection of interactive toys of  claim 9 , comprising at least one slave interactive toy, wherein the slave interactive toy receives and responds to communications from the master interactive toy or the user. 
   
   
       13 . A collection of interactive toys of  claim 8 , wherein each interactive toy comprises a distinct personality. 
   
   
       14 . The interactive toy of  claim 8 , wherein each interactive toy comprises a unique electronic identifier. 
   
   
       15 . The interactive toy of  claim 1 , wherein the interactive toy accepts a communication from additional like interactive toy or the user and broadcasts a responsive communication. 
   
   
       16 . The interactive toy of  claim 1 , wherein the interactive toy prioritizes a communication received from a user over communications received from other like interactive toys. 
   
   
       17 . The interactive toy of  claim 1 , wherein the interactive toy prioritizes a communication received from a master interactive toy over communications received from slave interactive toys, and further prioritizes a communication received from a user over communications received from a master interactive toy and communications received from slave interactive toys. 
   
   
       18 . The interactive toy of  claim 15 , wherein the communication is a ping message. 
   
   
       19 . An interactive toy comprising:
 a base module;   a speaker positioned within the base module and generating one or more audible speech patterns that are responsive to a user and additional like interactive toys;   a microphone positioned within the base module and receiving communications from the user and the additional like interactive toys;   a screen positioned within the base module and displaying responsive graphics to the user and the additional like interactive toys; and   at least one programmed mode of operation.   
   
   
       20 . The interactive toy of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one programmed mode of operation is a power-on mode, a sleep mode, a power-off mode, a chat mode, a master check mode, a slave chat mode, an attention getting mode, a “let's chat” mode, a voice command mode, a “play a game” mode, an “entertain me” mode, a “you decide” mode, or a combination thereof.