Electronic Device and the Input and Output of Data

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electronic device, and in particular, to the input and output of data from the electronic device. The present invention also relates to an object that is identifiable by an electronic device having a touch screen. The object includes contact members that can engage or be positioned proximate to the touch screen. The contact members create contact points that are sensed or detected by the touch screen. The object is at least partly conductive and includes at least a first contact member and a second contact member spaced from the first contact member. The first and second contact members define the pattern of contact points. An output is generated and displayed by the touch screen when the object engages or is proximate to the touch screen and is identified.

1 . A system for identifying an object, comprising:
 an electronic device including a touch screen; and   an object including a conductive portion and having a first contact member engageable with the touch screen and a second contact member engageable with the touch screen, the first contact member spaced from the second contact member by a first distance, wherein the electronic device identifies the object when the first and second contact members engage the touch screen to form first and second contact points.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the object is a first object, and the system further comprises:
 a second object including a conductive portion and having a third contact member engageable with the touch screen and a fourth contact member engageable with the touch screen, the third contact member spaced from the fourth contact member by a second distance, the second distance differing from the first distance, wherein the electronic device identifies the second object when the third and fourth contact members engage the touch screen to form third and fourth contact points.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the electronic device identifies the first object based on the first distance between the first and second contact points and identifies the second object based on the second distance between the third and fourth contact points. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the object is one of a toy figure or a toy vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the object includes a third contact member, the third contact member creating a third contact point when the object is proximate to the touch screen, the third contact member being spaced from a line connecting the first and second contact members by a second distance, the first distance being used by the electronic device to determine a category of the object and the second distance being used by the electronic device to determine the identity of the object within the category. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the object includes a third contact member and a fourth contact member, each of the contact members being engageable with the touch screen to create a contact point detectable by the electronic device, the fourth contact member being located within the perimeter of the shape defined by the first, second, and third contact members, the electronic device is configured to use the first, second, and third contact members to identify a grid relating to the position of the object on the touch screen, and the electronic device is configured to use the location of the fourth contact member on the grid to identify the object. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the object includes a third contact member movably mounted on the object, the object being manipulatable so that the third contact member can be moved into and out of engagement with the touch screen. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the object includes an actuator coupled to the third contact member, the actuator being movable relative to the object so that movement of the actuator results in movement of the third contact member. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device generates a visual output on the touch screen based on the location and the movement of the contact points. 
     
     
         10 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device generates a first output when a pattern of contact points is sensed by the touch screen, the conductive object is a toy weapon with a coupling mechanism for receiving and coupling the electronic device to the conductive object, the first contact member engaging the touch screen when the weapon is coupled to the conductive object, the second contact member being selectively engageable with the touch screen, and a second output different from the first output is generated when the second contact member engages the touch screen. 
     
     
         11 . A toy for use with an electronic device including a touch screen, the electronic device being configured to generate an output when a pattern of contact points is sensed by the touch screen, the toy comprising:
 a conductive object including:
 a first contact member; and 
 a second contact member spaced from the first contact member, the first and second contact members defining the pattern of contact points when the contact members engage the touch screen, the output being generated by the electronic device when the object engages the touch screen and is identified. 
   
     
     
         12 . The toy of  claim 11 , wherein the conductive object includes a third contact member, and the first, second and third contact members define the pattern of contact points. 
     
     
         13 . The toy of  claim 12 , wherein the conductive object is a toy vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The toy of  claim 11 , wherein the conductive object is an action figure, the action figure including a first appendage including the first contact member and a second appendage including the second contact member. 
     
     
         15 . A method of identifying a conductive object on a touch screen of an electronic device, comprising the steps of:
 determining a pattern of engagement points on the touch screen when the conductive object is proximate to the touch screen;   determining information about the conductive object based on the engagement points; and   generating an output based on the information determined about the conductive object.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the pattern of engagement points is a first pattern of engagement points and the conductive object is a first conductive object, the method comprising the steps of:
 determining a second pattern of engagement points on the touch screen when a second conductive object is proximate to the touch screen, the second pattern of engagement points being different than the first pattern of engagement points;   determining information about the second conductive object based on the second pattern of engagement points; and   generating a second output based on the information determined about the second conductive object.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of determining a pattern of engagement points includes sensing a first point, a second point, and a third point, the electronic device using the first point, the second point, and the third point to determine the identity of the conductive object on the touch screen. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of determining a pattern of engagement points includes sensing a first point, a second point, a third point, and a fourth point, the electronic device using the first point, the second point, and the third point to determine the orientation of the conductive object on the touch screen, and the electronic device using the fourth point to determine the identity of the conductive object on the touch screen. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of generating an output includes generating feedback on the touch screen based on movement of the engagement points. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the feedback on the touch screen includes at least one of an image associated with the conductive object or additional content in an application running on the device.