Method and apparatus for interactive play

Abstract

An interactive toy object apparatus having a toy body that includes a plurality of object body portions, an object control circuit secured to the body that includes an object processor, an object memory device, and one or more object transceivers, a plurality of object inputs and object outputs secured to one or more of the object body portions and in communication with the object control circuit; and a first control program stored in the object memory device and operable by the object processor, wherein the interactive object is capable of communicating with a controller, via the one or more object transceivers, to receive or transmit at least one of commands, inputs, and outputs, therebetween.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An interactive toy object apparatus comprising:
 a toy body that includes a plurality of object body portions;   an object control circuit secured to the body that includes an object processor, an object memory device, and one or more object transceivers;   a plurality of object inputs and object outputs secured to one or more of the object body portions and in communication with the object control circuit; and   a first control program stored in the object memory device and operable by the object processor, wherein the interactive object is capable of communicating with a controller, via the one or more object transceivers, to receive or transmit at least one of commands, inputs, and outputs, therebetween.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of object inputs include a first tactile sensor secured to a first object body portion and a second tactile sensor secured to a second body portion, and wherein the plurality of object outputs include a speaker. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the toy body is a stuffed animal comprising at least in part of a cloth material and a stuffing material. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of object inputs include a microphone for receiving a voice prompt, and wherein the first control program is configured to respond to the voice prompt by activating one or more of the plurality of object outputs to provide an annunciation of at least one of sound, motion, or light. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of object outputs includes the speaker and one or more lights. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of object inputs includes a gyroscope for sensing a position change of the toy body from a first position to an inverted second position, wherein the first control program is configured to activate one or more of the plurality of object outputs to provide an annunciation of at least one of sound, motion, or light upon sensing the toy body moving from the first position to the inverted second position. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of object inputs includes an accelerometer for sensing a position change of the toy body from a first position to a second position, wherein the first control program is configured to activate one or more of the plurality of object outputs to provide an annunciation of at least one of sound, motion, or light upon sensing the toy body moving from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more transceivers are configured to receive wireless programming instructions, and wherein the programming instructions include the assignment of one or more of the plurality of object inputs to one or more of the object outputs. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more transceivers are configured to receive wireless instructions, and wherein the instructions include the assignment of one or more of the plurality of object inputs to one or more of the object outputs, such that activation of one or more of the plurality of object inputs activates associated object outputs to provide at least one of sound, motion, or light. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein once the instructions are received, the object outputs respond to the associated object inputs without further instructions being received by the transceivers. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the toy body includes a pair of arms, a pair of legs, and a chest, wherein the arms and chest each include an object input and an object output. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more transceivers are paired with a controller using a wireless connection, and the controller includes a display screen that displays an avatar of the toy body. 
     
     
         13 . A method of interactive play with a toy comprising:
 providing a toy object that includes a toy body and an object control circuit secured to the body that includes an object processor, an object memory device, and at least one communication device;   activate one of a plurality of object inputs secured to one of a plurality of object body portions forming the toy body; and   play an audio track stored in the object memory device via one or more object outputs secured to one or more of the body portions, wherein the audio track is assignable to be activated by one or more of the object inputs.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the toy body is a stuffed animal comprising at least in part of a cloth material and a stuffing material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the audio track is assignable via a controller capable of communicating with the communication device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the audio track is chosen from a plurality of audio tracks that are stored in a controller memory of the controller. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further including displaying an avatar image of the toy body on the controller, wherein the body portions of the toy body displayed in the avatar image are selectable on the controller for assignment to one of the audio tracks. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further including activating one or more object outputs associated with the body portion during the assignment of a selected audio track. 
     
     
         19 . A method of interactive play with a toy comprising:
 providing a controller having a display screen, a controller processor, a controller memory, and a wireless controller transceiver, wherein the controller is configured to communicate with a toy object via the controller transceiver; and   displaying on the display screen a plurality of selections that include one or more of selecting an audio track from a library of audio tracks in the controller memory, downloading an audio track for storage in the controller memory, and recording an audio track for storage in the controller memory.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further including
 selecting one of the audio tracks stored in the library of the controller memory and communicating the audio track to the toy object via the controller receiver;   receiving the communicated audio track at the toy object;   storing the communicated audio track in an object memory of the toy object; and   playing the audio track via a speaker secured to the toy object upon receipt of an activation of an object input situated on a body portion of the toy object.