| Toy that reacts in response to information from a motion sensor -> Monitor Keywords |
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Toy that reacts in response to information from a motion sensorRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Toys, Rolling Or Tumbling (e.g., Wheeled), Wheeled VehicleToy that reacts in response to information from a motion sensor description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060094331, Toy that reacts in response to information from a motion sensor. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND [0001] Toys that are responsive to their environments can often serve to entertain a child. For example, a toy car may have a switch on the front or rear that causes the toy car to change directions when an obstacle is encountered. [0002] Motion sensors are utilized in devices such as optical mice used to input information to a computing system. Optical sensors have been used in robots for detecting motion and for adjusting the propulsion mechanisms of the robots. [0003] In one type of optical mouse, the optical mouse uses photodetectors arranged as an image array of pixels to image the spatial features of generally any micro textured or micro detailed work surface located below the optical mouse. Photodetector responses are digitized and stored as a frame into memory. Motion produces successive frames of translated patterns of pixel information. The successive frames are compared by cross-correlation to ascertain the direction and amount of movement. For more information on this type of optical mouse, see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,882 B1. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a toy includes a motion sensor and an output device. The motion sensor optically detects motion of the toy with respect to an underlying surface. The output device receives information from the motion sensor and generates output signals based on the information from the motion sensor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0005] FIG. 1 is a simplified underside view of a toy in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [0006] FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of optical motion sensor circuitry used to control generation of output signals in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [0007] FIG. 3 is a simplified flowchart illustrating sound generation for a toy in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT [0008] FIG. 1 is a simplified view of the underside of a toy 10. For example toy 10 is a toy car or some other type of toy that utilizes motion. A wheel 11, a wheel 12, a wheel 13 and a wheel 14 of toy 10 are used to roll toy 10 along an underlying surface. Wheels 11 through 14 are illustrative as more or fewer wheels may be used. Alternatively, wheels may be eliminated and one or more low friction surfaces on the bottom of toy 10 may be used to make contact with the underlying surface. [0009] Within an orifice 15 is shown an illuminator 17 and an image array 16. For example, various optics, as necessary or desirable, are included within illuminator 17 and/or image array 16. For example, illuminator 17 is implemented using a light emitting diode (LED), an infrared (IR) LED, or a laser. In cases where it is anticipated that in normal use ambient light is sufficient for image array to detect navigable features of an underlying surface without additional illumination, illuminator 17 can be omitted. [0010] FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of an optical motion sensing system. Image array 16 is implemented, for example, using a 32 by 32 array of photodetectors. Alternatively, image array 16 can be implemented using other technology and/or other array sizes can be used. [0011] An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 21 receives analog signals from image array 16 and converts the signals to digital data. For example, the interface between image array 16 and ADC 21 is a serial interface. Alternatively, the interface between image array 16 and ADC 21 is a parallel interface. [0012] An automatic gain control (AGC) 22 evaluates digital data received from ADC 21 and controls shutter speed and gain adjust within image array 16. This is done, for example, to prevent saturation or underexposure of images captured by image array 16. [0013] A navigation engine 24 evaluates the digital data from ADC 21 and performs a series of correlations to estimate the direction and magnitude of motion most likely to account for the difference between images taken at different times. Navigation engine 24 then determines a delta x (.DELTA.X) value to be placed on an output 28 and determines a delta y (.DELTA.Y) value to be placed on an output 29. For example, .DELTA.Y represents movement in the forward or reverse direction of the toy and .DELTA.X represents sideways motion of the toy. In a preferred embodiment, .DELTA.X and .DELTA.Y are absolute values, indicating only amount of movement. In other embodiments of the invention, .DELTA.X and .DELTA.Y can be either positive or negative. In this case, a positive .DELTA.Y indicates forward motion, a negative .DELTA.Y indicates motion in a reverse direction, a positive .DELTA.X indicates motion toward one side, and a negative .DELTA.X indicates motion towards another side. [0014] Navigation engine 24 also generates a quality signal 27 that indicates the quality of the image detected by image array 16. For example, quality signal 27 represents an estimation of the likelihood that the .DELTA.X and .DELTA.Y values represent the true motion of the toy with respect to an underlying surface. For example, this likelihood is based on the number of navigable features detected by image array 16. Alternatively, other methodology may be used to determine the quality of the image detected by image array 16. See, for example, ways quality is determined in U.S. Pat. No. 6,433,780. [0015] Typically, when quality signal 27 indicates the likelihood that the .DELTA.X and .DELTA.Y values do not represent the true motion of the toy with respect to an underlying surface, this indicates that the surface underlying image array 16 is out of focus. For example, if a lens or lenses for image array 16 is/are selected so that an underlying surface very near image array 16 is in focus, quality signal 27 will indicate unacceptable quality when a "lift-off" has occurred. Lift-off indicates that image array 16 has been removed away from an underlying surface, or that the current underlying surface does not have sufficient detectable features to allow motion to be detected. This is useful, for example, for a toy car where a "lift-off" triggers a crash sound. [0016] On the other hand, if a lens or lenses for image array 16 is/are selected so that an underlying surface far (e.g., 1 or 2 meters) from image array 16 is in focus, quality signal 27 will indicate unacceptable quality when a "set down" has occurred. This is useful, for example, for a flying toy, such as toy plane, where a "set down" triggers a crash sound. Alternative to use of a lens or lenses, image array 16 can rely on pinholes or other means to obtained desired focus of photodetectors within the image array. Also, when an underlying surface far (e.g., 1 or 2 meters) from image array 16 is in focus, use of an illuminator such as illuminator 17 may not be effective. In this case, no illuminator is used, but instead ambient light is used by image array 16. [0017] Quality signal 27 is, for example, a binary signal indicating whether quality is acceptable or not acceptable. Alternatively, quality signal 27 is a numeric value indicating level of quality. [0018] Existing optical mice include functionality identical or similar to image array 16, ADC 21, AGC 22 and navigation engine 24. For further information on how this standard functionality or similar functionality of optical mice are implemented, see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,139, U.S. Pat. No. 5,578,813, U.S. Pat. No. 5,786,804 and/or U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,882 B1. For an example of the detection of lift-off see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,433,780 B1. [0019] An output device 25 receives .DELTA.X on output 28 and .DELTA.Y on output 29, and based on the values of .DELTA.X and .DELTA.Y generates an output appropriate to the toy. For example, if the toy is a car, plane or other transportation vehicle, the action may be generation of various sound effects appropriate to the vehicle. Alternatively, if the toy is a toy animal, the values of .DELTA.X and .DELTA.Y can determine the frequency of some movement of the animal or sound made by the animal. For a toy bird, for example, the values of .DELTA.X and .DELTA.Y can determine the rate at which wings are made to flap, and so on. [0020] For example, FIG. 3 is a simplified flowchart illustrating sounds generated for a toy car. In a block 30, the toy is turned on or some other event triggers start of the output signal generation process. Continue reading about Toy that reacts in response to information from a motion sensor... Full patent description for Toy that reacts in response to information from a motion sensor Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Toy that reacts in response to information from a motion sensor patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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