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Interactive doll

Interactive doll description/claims

This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/884,840 filed on Jan. 12, 2007, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to dolls. More specifically, the present invention relates to dolls with electronics that provide for human interaction when playing with the doll.

2. Background of the Related Art

Dolls provide enjoyment for boys and girls. The Baby Needs Me doll from Kenner included a watch for the user of a baby doll. When the user pressed the button on the watch, it beeped and showed what the baby doll needed. The user was then to play along, and then provide the baby doll what it needed (e.g., a diaper change, a bottle, etc.). However, the interaction was merely prompted and whether it was performed or not was without consequence and realistic interaction.

It has become popular to include electronics and other parts in dolls that provide or mimic interaction between the doll and a boy or girl playing with the doll. Perhaps the most popular example of such an interactive doll was the Tickle Me Elmo doll. The popular Toddler Tabitha doll from MGA Entertainment had voice interaction, feeding and crawling/walking. The user needed to follow voice cues for the doll, and the user needed to be relatively older than an infant.

But it can be expensive or difficult to provide realistic interaction in dolls. Other more simple methods of interaction would be desirable. The interaction with simple games, such as Tamagotchi, is simple and simulates the nurturing and development of a simulated character. However, Tamagotchi games are encased in pocket sized plastic cases, similar to handheld LCD games, and so do not directly represent or mimic the baby doll or other character being nurtured.

The preferred embodiments of the invention are in the form of a doll as an interactive baby character with a display screen located on the chest. The display screen preferably is depicted as the heart of the baby. The doll includes multiple sensors for light, sound, and basic buttons for interaction. The doll may also include sensors which sense when objects come into contact with the baby doll.

The game play consists of the display screen displaying a desired input action on the display screen heart of the baby doll, and the user providing the displayed input. If the user fails to provide the desired input within a short amount of time, the doll will respond. For example, the doll will cry and then eventually go to sleep. The doll interacts with several matched accessories, such as a bottle, rattle, and blanket.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a baby doll with an integrated display depicted as a heart according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing the display screen and nearby buttons of the baby doll in the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cutaway view showing the location of sensors of the baby doll in the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4A-4K are exemplary images depicted actions to be taken with the baby doll that may be displayed on the display screen in the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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