US2014323013A1PendingUtilityA1

Emotional control methods and apparatus

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Assignee: CHILDRENS MEDICAL CENTERPriority: Oct 4, 2011Filed: Oct 4, 2012Published: Oct 30, 2014
Est. expiryOct 4, 2031(~5.2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Joseph Gonzalez-HeydrichJason M. KahnPeter DucharmeAlexander Rotenberg
G09B 19/00A63H 30/02A63H 29/22A61B 5/02405A63F 2250/26A63H 33/04A61B 5/0024A63H 2200/00A61B 5/02055A61B 5/6896A63F 2300/1012A63H 17/00A61B 5/02438A63H 30/04A61B 5/0533A61B 5/165A63F 2250/265A63H 30/00A61B 5/021A61B 5/369
47
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

A system including at least one monitor and a toy is disclosed. The at least one monitor may be communicatively coupled to at least one sensor configured to measure at least one physical parameter of an operator. The at least one monitor receives at least one measurement from the at least one sensor indicative of the at least one physical parameter of the operator. The at least one monitor may determine whether the operator is in an elevated emotional state based, at least in part, on the at least one measurement. The toy may be capable of being operated by at least one operator and may comprise a control system in communication with the at least one monitor. The control system may be configured to affect at least one behavior of the toy to cause the toy to be more difficult to use when the monitor indicates that the operator is in an elevated emotional state.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a toy capable of being manipulated and/or interacted with by an operator;   at least one monitor communicatively coupled to at least one sensor configured to measure at least one physical parameter of the operator, the at least one monitor configured to receive at least one measurement from the at least one sensor indicative of the at least one physical parameter of the operator, and to determine whether the operator is in an elevated emotional state based, at least in part, on the at least one measurement; and   a control system in communication with the at least one monitor, the control system configured to affect at least one behavior of the toy to cause the toy to be more difficult to use when the monitor indicates that the operator is in an elevated emotional state.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the toy comprises a remote controlled vehicle, and wherein the control system is configured to affect at least one of speed, acceleration and steering of the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the toy comprises a construction surface, and wherein the control system is configured to vibrate the construction surface when the at least one measurement is determined to meet the predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the toy further comprises at least one of building material to construct a structure on the construction surface and a game to be played on the construction surface. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the toy comprises building material, and wherein the control system is configured to affect at least one behavior by at least one of vibrating the building material and affecting the magnetism of the building material. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the building material includes blocks. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one monitor and the control system form an integrated component. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one monitor and the control system form separate components. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises the at least one sensor, and wherein the at least one sensor and the at least one monitor form an integrated component. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises the at least one sensor, and wherein the at least one sensor and the at least one monitor form separate components. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor measures at least one of heart rate, blood pressure, electroencephalogram (EEG) information, pupil dilation, temperature, galvanic skin response, perspiration and breathing, and wherein the monitor is configured to determine whether the at least one measurement meets a predetermined criteria to evaluate whether the user is in an elevated emotional state, and wherein the control system is configured to affect the at least one behavior of the toy when the at least one measurement is determined to meet the predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . At least on computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on at least one processor, perform a method for controlling a toy capable of being manipulated and/or interacted with by an operator, the method comprising:
 receiving at least one measurement from at least one sensor configured to measure at least one physical parameter of the operator, the at least one measurement indicative of the at least one physical parameter;   determining whether the operator is in an elevated emotional state based, at least in part, on the at least one measurement; and   affecting at least one behavior of the toy to cause the toy to be more difficult to use when it is determined that the operator is in an elevated emotional state.   
     
     
         15 . The at least one computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the toy comprises a remote controlled vehicle, and wherein affecting at least one behavior comprises affecting at least one of speed, acceleration and steering of the vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The at least one computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the toy comprises building material, and wherein affecting at least one behavior comprises affecting at least one behavior by at least one of vibrating or shaking the building material and affecting the magnetism of the building material. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The at least one computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein receiving at least one measurement comprises receiving at least one measurement indicative of at least one of heart rate, blood pressure, electroencephalogram (EEG) information, pupil dilation, temperature, galvanic skin response, perspiration and breathing, and wherein determining whether the operator is in an elevated emotional state includes determining whether the at least one measurement meets a predetermined criteria indicative of the operator's emotional state, and wherein affecting the at least one behavior of the toy is performed when the at least one measurement is determined to meet the predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method for controlling a toy capable of being manipulated and/or interacted with by an operator, the method comprising:
 receiving at least one measurement from at least one sensor configured to measure at least one physical parameter of the operator, the at least one measurement indicative of the at least one physical parameter;   determining whether the operator is in an elevated emotional state based, at least in part, on the at least one measurement; and   affecting at least one behavior of the toy to cause the toy to be more difficult to use when it is determined that the operator is in an elevated emotional state.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the toy comprises a remote controlled vehicle, and wherein affecting at least one behavior comprises affecting at least one of speed, acceleration and steering of the vehicle. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the toy comprises a construction surface, and wherein affecting at least one behavior comprises vibrating or shaking the construction surface when the at least one measurement is determined to meet the predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the toy further comprises at least one of building material to construct a structure on the construction surface and a game to be played on the construction surface. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein receiving at least one measurement comprises receiving at least one measurement indicative of at least one of heart rate, blood pressure, electroencephalogram (EEG) information, pupil dilation, temperature, galvanic skin response, perspiration and breathing, and wherein determining whether the operator is in an elevated emotional state includes determining whether the at least one measurement meets a predetermined criteria indicative of the operator's emotional state, and wherein affecting the at least one behavior of the toy is performed when the at least one measurement is determined to meet the predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled)

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