TOYS WITH A TRACK ADAPTOR AND SHELLS FOR A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE
A universal track adaptor system having a shell including a portable device receiving surface arranged for receiving and detachably holding a portable electronic device, said shell further including a track facing surface, a plurality of track receiving guides which can be adapted to interface with a plurality of different sized tracks, as permitted by a specific range of motion.
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The present application is a continuation-in-part application to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/601,977, entitled “SHELL FOR A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH A TRACK ADAPTOR” filed Aug. 31, 2012 and which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to toys and track adaptors for interfacing toys with tracks or track like mechanisms of various sizes found in any play environment, and a shell for a portable electronic device with an integrated track adaptor capable of adapting a portable electronic device into a toy that can be used on tracks of various sizes.
2. Description of Related Art
Many children, even a toddler like one of the inventors, are capable of creating fantasy worlds and entertaining themselves by taking a toy (like a train) and using their imagination to weave in other elements available in their immediate environment, and their imagination. For example, a child may take a toy train and the track from a sliding door, and make believe the train wheels fit and interface along the track of the sliding door. Similarly, the child may run the toy train along a metal stair banister, etc. It would be unusual for the wheel configuration of the toy train to match some element of the available environment, although play would be enhanced if this were the case.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA universal track adaptor system having a shell including a portable electronic device receiving surface arranged for receiving and detachably holding a portable electronic device, the shell further including a track facing surface, a plurality of wheels including a first wheel and a second wheel, a first track adaptor rotatably coupling the first wheel and the second wheel to the track facing surface. The first track adaptor has a specific range of motion and an adaptive mechanism operable to adjust a specific width between the first wheel and the second wheel through the specific range of motion. In this way the first wheel and the second wheel can be adapted to interface with a plurality of different sized tracks, as permitted by the specific range of motion.
These and other objects, features and characteristics of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the following detailed description in conjunction with the appended claims and drawings, all of which form a part of this specification. In the drawings:
The present invention contemplates a variety of systems, devices, methods and paradigms for engaging with a play environment, as well as more utilitarian functionalities including effective mechanisms for making use of portable electronic devices.
As will be appreciated, in some embodiments, the shell 110 is designed to provide protection, perhaps by absorbing mechanical energy, to the portable electronic device 50 when properly utilized. The design of the shell 110 in
The embodiment of
A display screen 52 of the portable electronic device 50 shows a train 54 or other suitable image to enhance play with the system 100.
As will be appreciated, a variety of combinations of control devices and/or adaptive mechanisms could be utilized to accomplish the desired effect of adjusting the width between wheels in pairs. The separate pairs of wheels could adjust separation width independently (e.g., each pair has an independent adjustment mechanism). In some cases, only one wheel pair, or even one wheel may be adjustable. As will be appreciated, the adjustment mechanism could adjust wheels in many degrees of motion, so disposition of the wheels could extend further or close in with regards to the shell 110, or change orientation, and/or a combination of all degrees of motion, in some embodiments. In another embodiment, the wheels are permanently fixed in an extended position, or perhaps removable to allow for more convenient use of the shell with respect to operation of the portable electronic device 50.
Returning to
Alternatively, wheels may substantially hold in place, being moved by the mechanism 130/124, otherwise locked, so no “manual” locking system is necessary. In another embodiment, the adjusting mechanism is simply built in and the adjustment is made by directly manipulating the wheels, e.g., the child can push the wheels together and likewise pull them apart. In this case there may or may not be a locking mechanism. It could be that when locked the wheel separation width is not adjustable, and when unlocked, the wheels are loose and readily adjustable. A clamp or other suitable device can accomplish this purpose.
At 954, activity involves adjusting the system to engage with some rail-like element found in the immediate play environment, and interfacing the system with that rail-like element. At 956, the software application is executed and the child can play with the toy, attached to a rail-like device, with suitable feedback and controls provided by the electronic device.
The receiving guides 1004 can be of fixed or set width, or can be movable to expand or shrink as desired to mate with the rail. Any suitable mechanism for enabling motion or operation of each guide 1004 is acceptable. The receiving guides 1004 can also be of fixed distance with respect to one another, or can be movable individually or together to likewise adapt to the available rails.
Any of the above embodiments can include sensors for sensing the environment, and/or electronics for interfacing with another electronic device, for controlling mechanical or electrical operation or feedback devices, or transmitting information, or such.
In addition to the above mentioned examples, various other modifications and alterations of the invention may be made without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure is not to be considered as limiting and the appended claims are to be interpreted as encompassing the true spirit and the entire scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A universal track adaptor system, said universal track adaptor system comprising:
- a shell including a portable device receiving surface arranged for receiving and detachably securing a portable electronic device, said shell further including a track facing surface; and
- at least one receiving guide suitable for engaging with a rail, track or other available device, the at least one receiving guide integrated in, coupled or adapted to the track facing surface.
2. A universal track adaptor system as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one receiving guide is one of a pair of linear receiving guides.
3. A universal track adaptor system as recited in claim 2, further comprising a first mechanism for adjusting relative width separating the linear receiving guides.
4. A universal track adaptor system as recited in claim 3, further comprising second and/or third mechanisms for adjusting size of each of the pair of linear receiving guides.
5. A universal track adaptor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising
- at least one sensor;
- electronics for coupling the at least one sensor to the portable electronic device; and
- a feedback mechanism for providing at least one of audio, video or haptic feedback, in response to the at least one sensor and/or the portable electronic device.
6. A universal track adaptor system as recited in claim 5, wherein the at least one sensor is an accelerometer.
7. A universal track adaptor system for interfacing a toy with a plurality of different sized tracks, said universal track adaptor system comprising:
- a base including a toy receiving surface arranged for receiving and detachably holding said toy, said base further including a track facing surface;
- a plurality of track receiving guides integrated into the track facing surface;
- one or more size adjusting mechanisms for adjusting a size and/or shape of each of the plurality of track receiving guides; and
- one or more location adjusting mechanisms for adjusting positions of the plurality of track receiving guides relative to each other.
8. A toy train with integral track adaptor system comprising:
- a train module;
- a base coupled to the train module, said base further including a track facing surface;
- a plurality of track receiving guides integrated into the track facing surface;
- one or more size adjusting mechanisms for adjusting a size and/or shape of each of the plurality of track receiving guides; and
- one or more location adjusting mechanisms for adjusting positions of the plurality of track receiving guides relative to each other.
9. A method for interfacing a toy with a plurality of different sized tracks, the method comprising:
- coupling said toy to a base via a toy receiving surface arranged for receiving and detachably holding said toy
- coupling a track facing surface of said base to a track via a plurality of track receiving guides integrated into the track facing surface;
- adjusting a size and/or shape of each of the plurality of track receiving guides, and adjusting positions of the plurality of track receiving guides relative to each other, such that said toy is engaged with the track via the base.
10. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:
- sensing motion of said toy; and
- providing feedback based on said motion.
11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said toy is embodied on a portable computing device with a display screen as an application executing on the portable computing device.
12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said sensing is accomplished via one or more sensors present on said portable computing device.
13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said feedback is provided via said portable computing device.
14. A universal track adaptor system characterized in that the system includes a portable device receiving surface arranged for receiving and detachably holding a portable electronic device, said system further including a track facing surface having a plurality of track receiving guides which can be adapted to interface with a plurality of different sized and/or shaped tracks or track equivalents.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 15, 2013
Publication Date: Mar 6, 2014
Applicant: GuessWhat, LLC (Palo Alto, CA)
Inventors: Birgit Coleman (Menlo Park, CA), Lukas Coleman (Menlo Park, CA), Brain R. Coleman (Menlo Park, CA)
Application Number: 13/842,327
International Classification: A63H 19/22 (20060101); A63H 19/16 (20060101);