US20070128975A1

US20070128975A1 - Sonar enabled audio and visual seeker toy

Info

Publication number: US20070128975A1
Application number: US11/293,765
Authority: US
Inventors: Spiro Dimitriou; Andria Abolins
Original assignee: Merlin Group International Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Merlin Group International Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2005-12-01
Filing date: 2005-12-01
Publication date: 2007-06-07

Abstract

The sonar enabled seeker toy system includes a first and second toy element. The first toy element includes a transmitter generating sub-audible sounds. The second toy unit which is separate, distinct and portable with respect to the first toy unit, includes a receiver. The receiver includes a sub-audible sound detector, a plurality of lights indicating the presence of any detected sub-audible sound and also indicating the signal strength of the received or acquired sub-audible sound signal. In an enhanced system, the receiver or seeker toy unit includes an audio announcer which audibly announces the presence of a high signal strength acquired signal detected by the sub-audible sound detector.

Description

The present invention relates to a sonar enabled audio and visual seeker toy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Children often play a game, sometimes called “hide and seek”, wherein one child hides and another designated child searches for the hidden player. In one version of the game, the designated “seeker” child calls out a certain phrase and the “hidden” child or children must audibly respond.
It would be beneficial and fun to provide a toy system which permits the person playing the “seeker” game to search out or seek a designated toy unit. The hidden toy unit must respond to inquiries by the seeking toy unit.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sonar enabled audio and visual seeker toy system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a first and a second toy element which are separate and distinct and wherein one of the toy elements carries a sub-audible sound generator and the other toy element carries a receiver.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a seeker toy system wherein the receiver both audibly and visually indicates to the game player that the seeking toy unit is approaching the hidden toy unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objects and advantages of the present invention can be found in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a toy system including first and second toy elements;
FIGS. 2A and 2B respectively illustrate block functional diagrams of the transmitter and receiver units;
FIGS. 3A and 3B diagrammatically illustrate electrical schematics of one embodiment of the sonar enabled seeker toy system; and
FIGS. 4A and 4B diagrammatically illustrate electric schematics of a transmitter and receiver of another embodiment of the seeker toy system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to a sonar enabled seeker toy system with primarily visual outputs. An enhanced version includes both visual and audio outputs based on acquired signal strength.
FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates the toy system including a first toy element 10 having a sub-audible sound generator or a transmitter TXR and a second toy element 12 which includes a receiver RCR to detect the sub-audible sounds. Other structural configurations of the first and second toy elements 10, 12 can be employed rather than the illustrated wand 12 RCR and animal 10 TXR. Typically, toy unit 10 is hidden and toy unit 12 is used to seek out or find unit 10.
FIG. 2A shows a functional block diagram of the transmitter circuitry for the first or hidden toy element 10. In a preferred embodiment, the system includes battery 14, switch SW2, oscillator OSC 16, and a transmitter TXR 18 operating at preferably 40 kHz. LED 101 (light emitting diode LED) indicates when switch SW2 closes. TXR 18 generates sub-audible sounds (sonar signals). Other frequencies could be utilized but it is important that TXR 18 generate sub-audible sounds which are ultimately detected by the receiver diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 2B.
FIG. 2B shows the components, in a general functional block form, of the receiver located in seeker toy element 12 of FIG. 1. In a preferred embodiment, the receiver, as well as the transmitter, is powered by a battery. The receiver battery 20 is controlled ON-OFF by switch SW1. LED 5 indicates to the player holding receiver toy element 12 whether the power switch SW1 is opened or closed. Power is supplied to the remainder of the circuitry in the receiver as is known by person of ordinary skills in the art.
Similar numerals designate similar items throughout all the figures. The prime components of the receiver in seeker toy element 12 include a sub-audio sound detector or microphone 22, signal conditioning circuitry, generally designated as circuit elements 24 in FIG. 2B, an integrated circuit or a plurality of discrete level sensing components 26, which determine the signal strength of the acquired or sensed signal obtained by microphone 22, and a plurality of lights 28 which indicate to the game player that any type of sub-audible sound is detected by mic 22 and further which indicate the signal strength of the acquired signal by stepwise activation of a series of lights or LEDs. Optionally, a vibrator or speaker unit 29 may be included to indicate, to the seeker game player, that seeker unit 12 is very close to the hidden, sought after first toy unit 10.
Signal conditioning circuitry 24 is closely associated with and designed to operate with the type of signal generated by mic 22 as well as the type of lights 28 which are activated ON based upon the presence and the strength of the acquired signal. Therefore, if other types of lights, other than LEDs, are utilized, a different signal conditioning circuitry 24 would be incorporated in receiver unit. Also, the signal conditioning circuitry 30 for the integrated circuit or discrete components or multi-level comparator 26, generating ON signals for the signal strength lights LED 1-2 to LED 1-5, are uniquely matched for each other. Therefore, different signal conditioning circuitry 30 would be utilized for an integrated circuit as compared as discrete comparators. Persons of ordinary skill in the art understand the matching and complementary nature of the signal conditioning circuits 24, 30 with the items being driven or processed 28, 26.
The output from mic 22 is fed to a first amplifier AMP1, and then a second amplifier AMP2. The output from amplifier 2 is fed to amplifier AMP3 as well as diode pump A. The output from diode pump A is supplied to a zener diode or LED zener diode limiter 31. Limiter 31 controls voltage or current to the multi-level sensing circuit. The output of limiter 31 is supplied to either an integrated circuit which is a bar graph LED driver or to a plurality of discrete circuit components which effectively determines multiple levels of acquired signal strength in a comparator circuit system. In other words, functional element 26 is either an integrated circuit which is a bar graph LED driver or a plurality of comparators. A microprocessor may be used for digital level sensing. In any event, the outputs of multi-level comparator unit 26, generally designated as output 27, provide an indication of signal strength supplied to the electrical elements coupled thereto. Therefore, LED or light 1-2 (level 2) is turned ON upon acquisition of a fairly low level sub-audible sound detected by mic 22. LED 1-3 is activated ON when the signal strength is higher; LED 1-4 is activated in the presence of even greater acquired signal and LED 1-5 is illuminated upon detection of a very high acquired sub-audible sound by mic 22. Unit 29 is either a vibrator or an audible announcer or speaker which signals the presence of extraordinarily high acquired signals. Further, the output of vibrator as well as the audible speaker increases upon greater acquired signal strength. As an example, if an audible speaker is used as element 29, the output of the audible speaker is demonstrably higher when the seeker receiver unit 12 is very close to the transmitting hidden toy unit 10. In one embodiment, the supplemental short distance indicator (vibrator or speaker 29) is connected to the high level signal acquisition light LED 1-5. In another embodiment, the speaker 29 is directly coupled to the multiple level comparator circuit 26.
The output of AMP2 is also connected to AMP 3. The output of AMP3 is connected to a diode pump B. Diode pump B is coupled to an LED driver and the LED driver output is connected to LED 1-1 (level 1) light. Upon the acquisition of any sub-audible sound by mic 22, LED 1-1 is activated ON. Therefore, the game player holding receiver toy element 12 is provided with some visual indication of any type of acquired sub-audible sound by mic 22 if LED 1-1 is activated ON. The LED driver is coupled to the other LED lights LED 1-2, LED 1-3, LED 1-4 and LED 1-5 in order to drive those lights. The precise mechanism and use of signal conditioning circuit 24 and supplemental signal conditioning circuit 30 is dependent upon the voltages and current required to drive the lights LED 1-1 through LED 1-5 as well as the type of circuitry used to determine signal strength, that is, multi-level comparator circuit 26.

The following Light Code Table shows the relationship of various LEDs shown in all the figures. As stated earlier, similar numerals designate similar items throughout all the figures.



Light Code Table

LED

4	RCR system ON-OFF
LED 1A	Same
LED
101	TXR system ON-OFF
LED 1-1	All signal levels detected
LED 1	Same
LED
2A	Same
LED 1-2	Low signal level detected
LED 2	Same
LED
3A	Same
LED
6	Same (flashing LED making vibrator ON intermit)
LED 1-3	Mid signal level detected
LED 3	Same
LED
4A	Same
LED 1-4	High signal level detected
LED 4	Same
LED
5A	Same
LED
5	Very high signal level detected
LED 1-5	Same
LED
2 flash	same
LED3 flash	same
LED
4 flash	same
Vibrator ON steady	same

FIGS. 3A and 3B respectively illustrate electrical schematics of one embodiment of the present invention for the transmitter and the receiver respectively. In FIG. 3A, the transmitter includes a sound generator or transducer or transmitter TRANS generating a sub-audible sound at 40 kHz. This transmitter TRANS is powered by oscillator 16 which is an integrated circuit manufactured by Fairchild Semi-conductor under the I.C. code NE555. This integrated circuit oscillator is powered by a battery 14. Switch SW2 controls the transmitter circuit ON-OFF. LED 101 goes ON when switch SW2 is closed. The resistors R104, R103, R101, R102 and capacitors C101 and C102 either condition the circuit or adjust the voltage and/or current levels (oscillation frequency) for the LED 101 and/or the oscillator 16.
The receiver circuit is shown in FIG. 3B. Switch SW1 turns ON-OFF the circuit. The player holding the receiver toy 12 is informed that the receiver is ON by LED 5. The sub-audible sonar sound detector is shown as MIC 22. The first amplifier includes transistor Q1 and resistors R1 and R2. Resistor R16 coupled to LED 5 is used to control the current and/or voltage to the LED. Coupling capacitor C1 transfers the signal from AMP1 to AMP2. AMP2 includes resistors R4 and R3 as well as transistor Q2. The output of AMP2 is applied to capacitor C2 which is part of diode pump A. Diodes D1, D2 and capacitor C4 is also part of diode pump A. The output of amplifier 2 is also applied via capacitor C3 to the input of AMP3. AMP3 includes resistors R6 and R5 as well as transistor Q3. The output from AMP3 is applied to a diode pump B in particular capacitor C5. Diode pump B includes diodes D4 and D3 as well as capacitor C6 and resistor R7. The output of diode pump B is applied to LED driver configured as transistor Q4. The LED driver controls the voltage and/or current to a series of LEDs, LED1, LED2, LED3 and LED4 which provide an indication of increasing signal strength of the sub-audible signal acquired by mic 22.
The output of diode pump A is applied to a LED zener diode limiter ZD. This output is applied to an integrated circuit IC1 which is, in one embodiment, a National Semi-conductor integrated circuit LM 3914 which is a dot/bar display driver. Resistors R11 and R14 and R15 as well as capacitor C8 adjust and further condition the signal applied to integrated circuit IC1 which is the dot/bar display driver. As noted in the Light Code Table set forth above, LED 1 is activated ON in the presence of any detected sub-audible signal due to its direct connection with the AMP2. LED 2, LED 3, LED 4, are activated ON dependent upon the greater signal strength of the acquired sonar signal.
When the signal is particularly strong, LED 2, LED 3 and LED 4 will flash, (special feature of the LM 3914) and the highest output form the IC will turn the vibrator ON permanently. Transistor Q6 is the driver of the vibrator. When the searcher receiver is very close to the hidden toy element, the vibrator is at it's strongest. However, at a low signal level, the lowest output form the IC will activate LED 6 (flashing LED) which in turn will activate the vibrator intermittently. This indicates to the searcher, with a tactile, gentle vibration, that the search object is slightly closer.
Operationally, the transmitter and particularly the oscillator circuit 16 (NE-555 integrated circuit) is set to oscillate at 40 kHz which drives the transducer TRANS at 40 kHz. Therefore, a sub-audible 40 kHz sound wave is generated by the transmitter which sonar signal is detected by seeker toy unit 12. The receiver has a sensitive three stage 40 kHz signal amplifier (AMP1, AMP2, AMP3) that amplifies the signal from the 40 kHz microphone 22. The last stage of this three stage amplifier drives the first LED, LED1, to indicate if any sub-audible sound is present or detectible by the mic 22. From the second stage of the amplifier, the signal fed through a diode pump into the multi-level comparator or bar graph generator circuit LM-3914. A standard LED is used as a 1.8 v zener diode ZD to set the correct level on the input to the integrated circuit LM-3914. This integrated circuit has 10 LED outputs. The higher the signal on the input, the more LEDs are driven to light up or turn ON from the output of IC1. Four outputs are used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3B. Three outputs are linked to three LEDs (LED2, LED3, LED4) and one is linked to vibrator 29 and to a flashing LED 6 which serves as interrupter to the vibrator which gives intermittency at low signal levels.
FIGS. 4A and 4B show a different electrical schematic and show the current working embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4A, oscillator integrated circuit 16 drives the transducer TRANS which operates at 40 kHz. Switch SW2 turns the circuit ON or OFF and controls the power supplied by battery 14. Resistors R33A, R31A, R30A, and capacitors C10A and C11A condition the signal applied to integrated circuit 16 and establish the 40 Hertz vibration for the sound generator transducer.
FIG. 4B diagrammatically shows an electrical schematic for the receiver. Switch SW1 turns the circuit ON or OFF. Mic 22 operates as a sub-audible sound detector and the output for the mic is supplied to amplifier AMP1, amplifier AMP2 and amplifier AMP3. LED 1A is illuminated when SW1 is closed. Resistor R1A sets the voltage and/or current level for the LED. AMP1 includes resistors R2A, R3A and transistor Q1A. A coupling capacitors C1A sends the output from AMP1 to AMP2. AMP2 includes resistors R5A, R4A and transistor Q2A. The output from AMP2 is supplied to AMP3 via capacitor C5A. AMP3 includes resistor R21A, R20A and transistor Q8A. A diode pump A includes capacitor C4A and C6A as well as diode D9A and D8A. The output from the diode pump A is supplied via resistors R22A, C6A and R38A to a transistor Q3A. LED2A is illuminated when transistor Q3A is activated. Resistor R8A sets the voltage and/or current for LED2A. Therefore, upon any detection of any sub-audible sound, light LED2A is activated ON.
The output of the second stage of the amplifier AMP2 is applied via a coupling capacitor C2A to a diode pump B. Diode pump B includes diode D2A and diode D1A and capacitor C3A. Resistor R6A sets the voltage and/or current for the output of the diode pump B. The output pin or port 40 is coupled to the input ports shown for the various comparators in the circuitry of FIG. 4B. Therefore, the output port 40 is applied to the input port of comparators U1A, U1B, U1C and U1D. As is known to persons with ordinary art in the art, these four comparators are mounted typically on a single integrated circuit. In general, the output of each of these comparators determines whether the acquired signal, acquired and amplified from mic 22, reaches certain predetermined levels and, if those levels are reached or exceeded, the comparators go high (or low) thereby activating the LEDs associated therewith. Therefore, various LED signal level lights are activated ON based upon comparators U1C, U1B and U1A being activated ON for LED3A, LED4A and LED5A, respectively. The resistors and transistors and diode associated with those LEDs condition the output signal from the comparators and drive the LED to a light emitting state. Therefore, with respect to LED5A, resistor R11A and diode D6A and transistor Q6A activates LED5A when comparator U1A detects the preset level of acquired signal.
When the acquired signal has a very signal strength, comparator U1D is activated and this signal level detection causes transistor Q7A to be turned ON (after being conditioned by diode D3A and resistor R7A), and the result causes speaker 29 to be activated to audibly announce the close presence of seeker toy 12 with respect to hidden toy 10.
The claims appended hereto are meant to cover modifications and changes within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sonar enabled seeker toy system comprising:

a distinct and separable transmitter unit encased in a first toy element which is the subject of a searching game;

said transmitter unit including a power supply and a sound generator emitting sub-audible sounds;

a distinct and separable receiver unit encased in a second toy element which is the implement employed in said searching game to find said first toy element;

said receiver unit including a microphone enabled to detect said sub-audible sounds and generating a signal based thereon;

said microphone coupled to one or more amplifiers to amplify said signal and generate an enhanced signal;

a first light coupled to said one or more amplifiers and activated in the presence of said enhanced signal;

a multi-level comparator coupled to said one or more amplifiers and generating multiple outputs based upon a signal strength of said enhanced signal; and

a plurality of signal strength lights coupled to said multi-level comparator and activated in the presence of respective ones of said multiple outputs thereby indicating relative strength of said sub-audible sounds detected by said microphone.

2. A sonar enabled seeker toy system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said multi-level comparator in said receiver includes a high signal strength output signal and said receiver includes an audio announcer coupled to said multi-level comparator and activated in the presence of said high signal strength output signal.

3. A sonar enabled seeker toy system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said multi-level comparator generates said multiple outputs based upon increasing signal strength of said enhanced signal wherein increasing signal strength activates an increasing number of said plurality of signal strength lights.

4. A sonar enabled seeker toy system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transmitter includes battery power and said receiver includes battery power.

5. A sonar enabled seeker toy system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said multi-level comparator generates said multiple outputs based upon increasing signal strength of said enhanced signal wherein increasing signal strength activates an increasing number of said plurality of signal strength lights.

6. A sonar enabled seeker toy system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said transmitter includes battery power and said receiver includes battery power.

7. A sub-audible, sound enabled seeker toy system comprising:

a first toy element within which is retained a transmitter unit and which is the subject of a search and seek game;

said transmitter including a sound generator emitting sub-audible sounds;

a second toy element which is separate, distinct and portable with respect to said first toy element, said second toy element including a receiver unit therein;

said receiver unit including a sub-audible sound detector which generates an acquisition signal based thereon;

a first light coupled to said detector and activated ON in the presence of said acquisition signal;

a multi-level comparator coupled to said detector and generating multiple outputs based upon a signal strength of said acquisition signal; and

a plurality of signal strength lights coupled to said multi-level comparator and activated ON based upon the respective presence of said multiple outputs thereby indicating relative strength of said sub-audible sound.

8. A seeker toy system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said multi-level comparator in said receiver includes a high signal strength output signal and said receiver includes an audio announcer coupled to said multi-level comparator and activated in the presence of said high signal strength output signal.

9. A seeker toy system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said multi-level comparator generates said multiple outputs based upon increasing signal strength of said enhanced signal wherein increasing signal strength activates an increasing number of said plurality of signal strength lights.

10. A seeker toy system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said transmitter includes battery power and said receiver includes battery power.

11. A seeker toy system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said multi-level comparator generates said multiple outputs based upon increasing signal strength of said enhanced signal wherein increasing signal strength activates an increasing number of said plurality of signal strength lights.

12. A seeker toy system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said transmitter includes battery power and said receiver includes battery power.