US 8,574,024 B2Granted

Remotely controllable toy and wireless remote control unit combination

AssigneeMattel, Inc.

InventorNicholas Amireh

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Abstract

A hand held remote control unit includes a wireless signal transmitter configured to transmit a fixed frequency (tone) signal and a manually operated switch to selectively operate the transmitter to transmit the wireless tone signal. A toy has an appropriate wireless signal receiver and control circuit responsive to the tone signal that controls one or more electrically operated devices that can provide at least two different, electrically activated responses of the toy apparent to an observer. The control circuit provides a sequence of two or more different predetermined responses of the toy in response to sequential reception and loss of the tone signal, the sequence of responses being repeated after completion.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A toy combination comprising:

a wireless remote control unit including a housing sufficiently small to be hand held and at least:
an electric power supply;
a wireless signal transmitter configured to generate and transmit a continuous tone signal of a fixed frequency when powered by the power supply;
and
at least one manually operated switch having at least two states respectively operatively connecting and disconnecting the power supply with the wireless transmitter to selectively transmit the continuous tone signal of the fixed frequency;
and
a toy with at least:
an on-board power supply;
one or more electrically operated device each providing at least one of light, sound and movement of the toy apparent to an observer;
a wireless signal receiver to receive the continuous tone signal of the fixed frequency;
and
a control circuit responsive to the tone signal and operably connected with the wireless signal receiver, the on-board power supply and each of the one or more electrically operated devices and configured to control the at least one or more electrically operated devices to provide at least two different, electrically activated responses apparent to an observer, the control circuit being configured to first activate at least one of the one or more electrically operated devices in response to reception of a first occurrence of continuous tone signal from the wireless signal transmitter to provide a first one of at least two different, electrically activated responses, to continue the first activation for as long as the first occurrence of the continuous tone signal is received by the receiver, to discontinue the first activation in response to a loss of reception of the first occurrence of the continuous tone signal by the receiver, to activate at least one of the one or more electrically operated devices to provide a second electrically activated response different from the first electrically activated response in response to reception by the receiver of a second occurrence of the continuous tone signal from the remote control unit transmitter, and to thereafter discontinue the second activation in response to loss of reception of the second occurrence of the continuous tone signal.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A toy combination comprising:

a wireless remote control unit including a housing sufficiently small to be hand held and at least:
an electric power supply;
a wireless signal transmitter configured to generate and transmit a continuous tone signal of a fixed frequency when powered by the power supply;
and
at least one manually operated switch having at least two states respectively operatively connecting and disconnecting the power supply with the wireless transmitter to selectively transmit the continuous tone signal of the fixed frequency;
and
a toy with at least:
an on-board power supply;
one or more electrically operated device each providing at least one of light, sound and movement of the toy apparent to an observer;
a wireless signal receiver to receive the continuous tone signal of the fixed frequency;
and
a control circuit responsive to the tone signal and operably connected with the wireless signal receiver, the on-board power supply and each of the one or more electrically operated devices and configured to control the at least one or more electrically operated devices to provide at least two different, electrically activated responses apparent to an observer, the control circuit being configured to first activate at least one of the one or more electrically operated devices in response to reception of a first occurrence of continuous tone signal from the wireless signal transmitter to provide a first one of at least two different, electrically activated responses, to continue the first activation for as long as the first occurrence of the continuous tone signal is received by the receiver, to discontinue the first activation in response to a loss of reception of the first occurrence of the continuous tone signal by the receiver, to activate at least one of the one or more electrically operated devices to provide a second electrically activated response different from the first electrically activated response in response to reception by the receiver of a second occurrence of the continuous tone signal from the remote control unit transmitter, and to thereafter discontinue the second activation in response to loss of reception of the second occurrence of the continuous tone signal.

9 more elements