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US008545335B2

(12) Umted States Patent

(10) Patent N0.:

Fie ener et a].


(54)

US 8,545,335 B2

45 Date of Patent:

TOY WITH MEMORY AND USE PORTS


.

(75) Inventors

Oct. 1 a 2013

7,061,200 B2

6/2006 Iribe

7,089,083 B2

8/2006 Yokoo

7,219,064 B2

5/2007

?gelnlgr l?ag?ehead NI?

7,568,964 B2 *

8/2009 GanZ ........................... .. 446/175

7,945,547 B2 *
8,023,253 B1 *

5/2011
9/2011

(
)
1 6 _ a"_
mstman, were
MA (US); Danlel Rlchard Armstrong,

Marblehead, MA (US); William Paul

Liteplo, Cambridge, MA (US); Chris

8,033,901 B2 *

2002/0061702 A1

Nakakita

Terashima et a1. .
Arboleda ......... ..

..... .. 707/705
.. 361/679.02

10/2011 Wood .............................. .. 463/1

5/2002 Dim

(Continued)
(73) Ass1gnee: Tool, Inc., Marblehead, MA (US)
(*)

Notice:

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this

GB

2434228 A : 7/2007

patent is extended or adjusted under 35

GB

2470409 A

U30 1540)) by 1416 days(21)

11/2010

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Appl, No; 12/210,308

GB 2,434,228 A, Thomas Steven Hulbert, Pub. date Jul. 18, 2007, 38

pages.*
(22)

Filed:

Sep. 15, 2008

(65)

GB 2,470,409 A, Couchman et al., Pub. date Nov. 24, 2010*

Prior Publication Data

Primary Examiner * Dmitry Suhol

Us

ASS/Sid!
(74) Attorney,
Examiner
Agent,
ior
Alex
Firm * Sand
Rada,
& Sebolt

Related US. Application Data


.

(57)

ABSTRACT

(60) Prov1s1onal application No. 60/972,635, ?led on Sep.


14, 2007'

A system and method for a toy With memory (?ash memory)

(51)

storage capabilities and a method for the toy to connect to


other like toys and to a computer and he internet for online

Int. Cl.

A63F 9/24
(52)

(58)

(2006.01)

virtual play and simulation. Connection to a computer system

US. Cl.

alloWs the user the ability connect to the internet and register

USPC ............... .. 463/43; 463/40; 463/42; 446/175;

the toy allowing the user access to interact With a virtual

446/484

activities and scenarios including a virtual computer image


and animation of the toy connected to a computer Which is

Field of Classi?cation Search


USPC ,,,, ,, 463/40i45; 446/175, 484; 7106124313

connected to the Internet. User may also purchase or Win a

See application ?le for complete search history,

USB (Universal Serial Bus) node or dongle With codes that


attach to the USB connection on the toy to alloW access to

(56)

References Cited
US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
5,746,602 A
6,773,344 B1

5/1998 Kikinis
8/2004 Gabai

special rooms and events in the virtual World on the website.


The status of the game is saved back to the memory storage in

the toy.
25 Claims, 24 Drawing Sheets

US 8,545,335 B2
Page 2
(56)

References Cited
U'S' PATENT D_OCUMENTS

2003/0124954 A1

2003/0191560 A1
2005/0157668 A1*

7/2003

Llu

10/2003 YokoO
7/2005

Sivan .......................... .. 370/312

2006/0100018 A1
2006/0273909 A1

5/2006 GanZ
12/2006 Heiman

2007/0015435 A1

l/2007 Goudie

2007/0072511 A1

3/2007 Zernovizky

2007/0128978 A1 *

6/2007

2007/0159779 A1

7/2007 Chang

Nishino et a1. .............. .. 446/484

2007/0198694 A1 *

8/2007 Nishino et a1. .............. .. 709/224

2008/0172498 A1*

7/2008

2008/0172545 A1*

7/2008 Boucard

2009/0029768 A1*

1/2009

* cited by examiner

Boucard ....................... .. 710/16

711/221

Ganz ............................. .. 463/29

US. Patent

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43

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0C392.1

|_ |I
5Un20i1 =Cmx

210|5% 5m
Fig: 6

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Sheet 7 0f 24

Physical USB link Established between Toy and

Computer

Computer recognizes device as USB mass storage

Computer recognizes USB device identity

Computer runs auto launch routine located on


mass storage

device in the Toy

Auto launch initiates browser software and


connects user to

speci?ed internet location

First time

lnternet URL confirms Toy registration to allow

registration

entry to site

Enter site

User created content creation and activities

User content and progress storage on data server


As well as storage back to mass storage device in

Toy.

Fig: 7

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.E
w
mw

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Characteristics of Toy 1

Sheet 10 0f 24

""""""""""""""""

Characteristics of Toy 2

Connection to Computer

Combined characteristics of Toy 1 and 2

Advanced game play


in virtual environment as linked

Toys with combined characteristics

Fig: 10

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