Drawing toy with stylus detection

Abstract

A drawing toy and associated methods and computer-readable storage devices are disclosed. The drawing toy may comprise a stylus having a tip, a drawing surface configured to produce a visual path that follows a path of the tip along the drawing surface, and a plurality of stencils, each stencil comprising a plurality of designated areas and a plurality of trace paths. A controller of the drawing toy may identify a stencil placed upon the drawing surface, determine that a particular designated area of the placed stencil is proximate the stylus tip, and generate an output signal configured to cause a user perceivable output associated with the particular designated area determined to be proximate the stylus tip.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 identifying a stencil placed upon a drawing surface of a drawing toy, wherein the stencil comprises a plurality of designated areas and a plurality of trace paths configured to be traced by a stylus of the drawing toy;   determining whether a location of the stylus corresponds to a particular designated area of the plurality of designated areas as the stylus moves along a tracing path of the plurality of tracing paths; and   generating an output signal that produces user perceivable output associated with the particular designated area in response to determining that the location of the stylus corresponds to the particular designated area of the stencil.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an identification tab of the stencil via a stencil detector of the drawing toy;   wherein said identifying comprises identifying the stencil based upon information provided on the identification tab of the stencil.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising aligning the plurality of designated areas of the stencil with a plurality of conductive pads positioned under the drawing surface of the drawing toy as a result of said receiving. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 energizing a conductive pad of the plurality of conductive pads to produce an input signal via the stylus when the stylus is proximate an energized conductive pad; and   determining that the location of the stylus corresponds to the energized conductive pad and the particular designated are aligned with the energized conductive pad in response to the input signal.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 energizing a conductive pad of a plurality of conductive pads positioned under the drawing surface of the drawing toy to produce an input signal via the stylus when the stylus is proximate an energized conductive pad; and   determining that the location of the stylus corresponds to the energized conductive pad and a particular designated area associated with the energized conductive pad in response to the input signal.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 generating a sensor signal via the stylus as the stylus traces a trace path of the stencil, wherein a magnitude of the sensor signal is dependent upon distance between an energized conductive pad and the stylus; and   producing the input signal with the stylus in response to determining that the magnitude of the sensor signal has a predetermined relationship to a threshold level.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 actuating a switch in the stylus in response to pressure applied to a tip of the stylus as the stylus traces a trace path of the stencil; and   wherein said producing is dependent upon said actuating the switch.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising driving a speaker based upon the output signal to produce audible feedback associated with the particular designated area. 
     
     
         9 . A drawing toy, comprising:
 a stylus having a tip;   a drawing surface configured to produce a visual path that follows a path of the tip along the drawing surface;   a plurality of stencils, each stencil comprising a plurality of designated areas and a plurality of trace paths;   a controller configured to identify a stencil placed upon the drawing surface, determine that a particular designated area of the placed stencil is proximate the stylus tip, and generate an output signal configured to cause a user perceivable output associated with the particular designated area determined to be proximate the stylus tip.   
     
     
         10 . The drawing toy of  claim 9 , further comprising a stencil detector configured to receive an identification tab of the stencil and generate an identification signal based on information provided on the identification tab of the stencil. 
     
     
         11 . The drawing toy of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a plurality of conductive pads positioned under the drawing surface of the drawing toy;   wherein the stencil detector is further configured to align the plurality of designated areas of the stencil with the plurality of conductive pads in response to receiving the identification tab of the stencil.   
     
     
         12 . The drawing toy of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to energize a conductive pad of the plurality of conductive pads associated with the particular designated area of the stencil;   wherein the stylus is configured to produce an input signal in response to being proximate the energized conductive pad; and   wherein the controller is configured to determine that the particular designated area of the stencil is proximate the stylus tip based on the input signal.   
     
     
         13 . The drawing toy of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a plurality of conductive pads positioned under the drawing surface of the drawing toy;   wherein the controller is configured to energize a conductive pad of the plurality of conductive pads that is proximate the particular designated area of the stencil; and   wherein the controller is configured to determine that the particular designated area of the stencil is proximate the stylus tip based on the input signal.   
     
     
         14 . The drawing toy of  claim 13 , wherein the stylus is further configured to:
 generate a sensor signal having a magnitude dependent upon distance between the energized conductive pad and the stylus; and   produce the input signal in response to the magnitude of the sensor signal having a predetermined relationship to a threshold level.   
     
     
         15 . The drawing toy of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the stylus comprises a switch configured to be actuated in response to pressure applied to a tip of the stylus as the stylus traces a trace path of the stencil; and   wherein the stylus is further configured to produce the input signal in response to actuation of the switch.   
     
     
         16 . The drawing toy of  claim 14 , further comprising a speaker configured to produce, based on the output signal, audible feedback associated with the particular designated area. 
     
     
         17 . A computer-readable storage device having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, in response to being executed by a controller, configure the controller to:
 identify a stencil placed upon a drawing surface of a drawing toy, wherein the stencil comprises a plurality of designated areas and a plurality of trace paths configured to be traced by a stylus of the drawing toy; and   generate an output signal that produces user perceivable output associated with a particular designated area of the stencil in response to the stylus being proximate the particular designated area of the stencil.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of instructions further configured the controller to:
 energize a conductive pad positioned under the drawing surface and proximate the particular designated area of the stencil; and   determine that the stylus is proximate the particular designate are of the stencil based on an input signal received from the stylus.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of instructions further configured the controller to:
 energize a conductive pad of a plurality of conductive pads positioned under the drawing surface; and   determine which conductive pad of the plurality of conductive pads the stylus is proximate based on an input signal received from the stylus and a currently energized conductive pad of the plurality of conductive pads.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a digital audio data for each designated area of the plurality of designated areas of the stencil,   wherein the plurality of instructions further configure the controller to:   retrieve the digital audio data for the particular designated area of the stencil; and   generate an output signal configured to drive a speaker and produce audible feedback provided by the retrieved digital audio data.