Apparatus and methods for providing interactive entertainment

A toy wand for use in an interactive play environment, the toy wand comprising:

• an elongated housing having distal and proximal ends and an axis extending therethrough;
• a first tilt sensor and a second tilt sensor substantially enclosed within said elongated housing, each of said first and second tilt sensors being arranged in substantially opposing orientations such that at least one of said first and second tilt sensors is an off state whenever said elongated housing is in a substantially static position and such that one or more particular motions of said elongated housing causes or enables both of said first and second tilt sensors to be in an on state at least momentarily during a duration of said one or more particular motions;
• a wireless transceiver located proximate said distal end of said elongated housing;
• a memory that stores a unique identifier;
• and
• a microprocessor electrically coupled to said first and second tilt sensors and to said wireless transceiver, said microprocessor being configured to instruct said wireless transceiver to transmit a first wireless signal in response to said one or more particular motions of said elongated housing, said first wireless signal further comprising data indicative of said unique identifier.

A motion-sensitive input device for use in an interactive play environment comprising a live-action game, a computer game, a video game or a home gaming console, the input device comprising:

• a base component comprising an elongated body having distal and proximal ends, said elongated body substantially enclosing an internal cavity positioned along an axis extending through said distal and proximal ends, said base component further comprising:
• a first arrangement of one or more sensors disposed within said internal cavity of said elongated body, said first arrangement of one or more sensors being arranged so as to generate a first input signal responsive to at least a first motion of said elongated body,
• a memory configured to store:
• (i) a unique identification associated with the input device, and (ii) selected information identifying or describing certain powers, abilities or attributes associated with a user of said input device and/or an imaginary character created by the user of said input device,
• an internal transmitter electrically coupled to said first arrangement of sensors, said internal transmitter being configured to transmit a first wireless signal containing information based at least in part on said first motion of said elongated body to one or more external receiver devices to activate or control one or more play effects, said first wireless signal further comprising data indicative of said unique identification, and
• an internal receiver capable of wireless communication with one or more external transmitter devices, said internal receiver being configured to receive from said one or more external transmitter devices a data signal containing information relevant to a game played by the user of said input device and/or information relevant to the imaginary character created by the user;
• and
• at least one auxiliary component configured and adapted to modularly attach to said base component, said at least one auxiliary component comprising a second arrangement of one or more sensors, said second arrangement of one or more sensors being arranged so as to generate a second input signal responsive to at least a second motion of said at least one auxiliary component, wherein said second motion is different than said first motion and said second input signal is different than said first input signal, and wherein said internal transmitter is further configured to transmit a second wireless signal containing information based at least in part on said first and second motions when said at least one auxiliary component is assembled with said base component,
• wherein said base component is further sized, configured and adapted to enable the user to hold and manipulate said base component by moving, shaking, twisting, waving or pointing said base component in a particular manner to control or activate said one or more play effects, and wherein said base component is further configured and adapted to modularly attach to the at least one auxiliary component for thereby allowing a user to selectively create a modified input device having enhanced powers, abilities or aesthetics.

A motion-sensitive wand for selectively controlling or activating one or more desired effects, said wand comprising:

• an elongated body having a substantially tubular shape and distal and proximal ends, said elongated body substantially enclosing an internal cavity positioned along a central axis extending through said distal and proximal ends;
• an arrangement of one or more sensors disposed within said internal cavity of said elongated body, said arrangement of one or more sensors being configured and arranged to generate a first input signal responsive to at least a first motion or orientation of said elongated body and a second input signal responsive to at least a second motion or orientation of said elongated body, wherein said first motion or orientation is different than said second motion or orientation, and wherein at least one of said first or second motions or orientations comprises axial rotation or angular orientation of said elongated body relative to said central axis of said elongated body;
• a microprocessor electrically coupled to said arrangement of one or more sensors, said microprocessor being configured to receive said first and second input signals and to provide an output signal based at least in part on said first or second input signals;
• a programmable memory electrically coupled to said microprocessor to store certain information relevant to one or more desired effects;
• an internal transmitter located within said elongated housing and electrically coupled to said microprocessor, said internal transmitter being configured to receive said output signal from said microprocessor and to transmit a wireless command signal to one or more external receivers for activating or controlling said one or more desired effects, said wireless command signal containing information based at least in part on (i) said first or second motions or orientations of said elongated body and (ii) said information stored in said programmable memory relevant to said one or more desired effects;
• and
• an internal receiver capable of wireless communication with one or more external transmitters, said internal receiver being configured to receive from said one or more external transmitters a data signal containing information relevant to said one or more desired effects,
• wherein said wand is sized, configured and adapted to enable a user thereof to hold and manipulate said wand by moving, shaking, twisting, waving or pointing said wand in a particular manner to control or activate said one or more desired effects, and wherein said wand is further adapted to be programmed by the user to selectively respond to multiple unique wand manipulations and/or combinations of wand manipulations to selectively control or activate said one or more desired effects.

A toy wand for use in an interactive play environment, the toy wand comprising:

• an elongated body having a substantially tubular shape and distal and proximal ends, said elongated body substantially enclosing an internal cavity positioned along an axis extending through said distal and proximal ends;
• a first tilt sensor and a second tilt sensor disposed within said internal cavity of said elongated body, said first and second tilt sensors being arranged such that at least one of said first and second tilt sensors is in an inactive state when said elongated body is in a substantially static position and such that a first motion of said elongated body causes each of said first and second tilt sensors to be in an active state;
• a memory configured to store a unique identification associated with the toy wand;
• a lookup table that associates a plurality of values with a plurality of lengths of time;
• a transmitter electrically coupled to said first and second tilt sensors and to said memory and located proximate to said distal end of said elongated housing, said transmitter being configured to transmit a first wireless signal in response to said first motion of said elongated body to one or more reader devices to activate one or more play effects, said first wireless signal further comprising data indicative of said unique identification;
• and
• a microprocessor electrically coupled between said transmitter and said first and second tilt sensors, said microprocessor being configured to detect the states of said first and second tilt sensors and, in response to said detection, control transmissions by said transmitter, wherein said microprocessor is further configured to determine a period of time during which said first and second tilt sensors are both in an active state, and wherein said microprocessor causes said transmitter to transmit a specific value in said first wireless signal indicative of a length of said period of time during which said first and second tilt sensors are both in an active state, and wherein said microprocessor is configured to access said lookup table to determine said specific value for said first wireless signal.

A toy wand for use in an interactive play environment, the toy wand comprising:

• an elongated body having a substantially tubular shape and distal and proximal ends, said elongated body substantially enclosing an internal cavity positioned along an axis extending through said distal and proximal ends;
• a first tilt sensor and a second tilt sensor disposed within said internal cavity of said elongated body, said first and second tilt sensors being arranged such that at least one of said first and second tilt sensors is in an inactive state when said elongated body is in a substantially static position and such that a first motion of said elongated body causes each of said first and second tilt sensors to be in an active state;
• a third sensor different than said first and second tilt sensors and configured to detect a second motion of said elongated body, wherein said second motion is different than said first motion;
• a memory configured to store a unique identification associated with the toy wand;
• and
• a transmitter electrically coupled to said first and second tilt sensors and to said memory and located proximate to said distal end of said elongated housing, said transmitter being configured to transmit a first wireless signal in response to said first motion of said elongated body to one or more reader devices to activate one or more play effects, said first wireless signal further comprising data indicative of said unique identification, and wherein said transmitter is configured to transmit a second wireless signal in response to said second motion, wherein said second wireless signal is different than said first wireless signal.