Patents Assigned to Mattel
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Publication number: 20080113321Abstract: An interactive learning system has a book, electronic memory, and system electronics. The book has at least one selectable object with a tactile feature. The electronic memory has stored therein data associated with the tactile feature. The system electronics comprises a selection sensor configured to detect the selection of the at least one selectable object, an audio signal generator, and a processor operatively coupled to the electronic memory, the sensor and the audio signal generator. Selection of the tactile feature causes the audio signal generator to produce an audible signal based on the data associated with the tactile feature.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2005Publication date: May 15, 2008Applicant: MATTEL, INC.Inventors: Miriam Kelley, Brian Aiken, Marcia Ganes, Aaron Hinklin, Justin Petit, Christopher D. Cimerman, Scott H. McIlvain
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Publication number: 20080111413Abstract: The child receiving device of the present invention includes a seat, seat suspensions arms for supporting the seat portion, and a support frame for supporting the seat suspension arms and the seat above a supporting surface. Two front seat suspension arms are pivotally connected at their lower ends to opposite front ends of the seat and two rear seat suspension arms are pivotally connected at their lower ends to opposite rear ends of the seat. The support frame includes a suspension guide, the upper ends of the front and rear seat suspension arms being pivotally connected to the suspension guide. The suspension guide includes a slot along which the upper ends of the front seat suspension arms may be moved toward and away from the upper ends of the rear seat suspension arms.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2007Publication date: May 15, 2008Applicant: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Brendan John Boyle, Alexander Coriano, James Adam Skaates, Michelle Sau Kuen Lee, Eric Kenji Toyofuku, Kara Krumpe, Judy May Lee
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Publication number: 20080114819Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention embeds image data within a multimedia file including audio information in a manner providing storage capacity tailored to the size of the image. Thus, the resulting file structure for audio content is tailored to incorporate image data, where the image data is an integral part of the file structure. In addition, embedded image data is synchronized with audio information to enable display of the images at specific instances of an audio presentation. Synchronization data is further integrated in the multimedia file, where audio, image and synchronization data are bound together in the same file and format. This allows the file to have any sufficient size and to display and synchronize all desired images with an audio presentation.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2007Publication date: May 15, 2008Applicant: MATTEL, INC.Inventors: Peter T. vom Scheidt, Lin Shih Chieh, Wu Heng-Chang, Liou Yi-Jr
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Patent number: 7371148Abstract: In one example, the disclosure includes a playset. The playset may include a middle section having a movable front face; a first side section coupled to one side of said middle section, said first side section having a movable front face; a second side section coupled to another side of said middle section, said second side section having a movable front face; and an input receiving device, where upon receiving an input, each of said movable faces of the middle, first side, and second side sections move to reveal internal units of said middle, first side, and second side sections.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2004Date of Patent: May 13, 2008Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Jon C. Marine, Debbie Glassberg
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Publication number: 20080108276Abstract: An articulated walking device, configured for movement across a surface, includes a frame and a plurality of leg assemblies movably engaged with the frame. Each leg assembly includes a leg member configured to rotate with respect to the frame about first and second axes at least generally transverse to one another. A drive mechanism operatively engaged with the plurality of leg assemblies actuates each of the leg members in like, predetermined, repeatable cycles of movement. The leg members are out of phase with one another, such that sufficient leg members are always supporting the toy device in an upright manner and immediately adjoining leg members do not move together in parallel.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2006Publication date: May 8, 2008Applicant: MATTEL, INC.Inventors: William Willett, Vladimir Leonov
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Patent number: 7367863Abstract: A toy vehicle with a rotatable light display. The toy vehicle includes a housing defined by outer walls surrounding a hollow interior and at least substantially forming a toy vehicle body. The housing has a plurality of openings through the outer walls. At least translucent panels are coupled to the housing and aligned with the plurality of openings. A motor is mounted within the hollow interior. A light source is within the hollow interior. A rotatable member is drivingly connected to the motor in the interior so as to be rotated by operation of the motor. The rotatable member is positioned with respect to the light source so as to direct at least one beam of light emitted from the light source about the hollow interior and sequentially and cyclically through the plurality of openings and aligned translucent panels.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2005Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Mary Ellen Fosbenner, Anthony P. Monzo, Robert Jude Henry
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Publication number: 20080096463Abstract: Disclosed herein is an activity play set including an upper cabinet portion telescopically movable with respect to a lower cabinet portion. The play set is reconfigurable between a collapsed, lower configuration and an extended, higher configuration. A latch mechanism secures the upper cabinet portion in position relative to the lower cabinet portion. The latch mechanism is fixed to the lower cabinet portion and includes outwardly-biased slide members. As the upper cabinet portion and lower cabinet portion slide relative to each other, the outwardly-biased slide member ends contact and slide along slide walls of the upper cabinet portion. Furthermore, the slide walls of the upper cabinet portion include lock openings to receive the slide member ends. To release the latch mechanism to permit the upper cabinet portion to slide relative to the lower cabinet portion, the slide members are compressed inward to retract the slide member ends from the lock openings in the slide walls.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2006Publication date: April 24, 2008Applicant: MATTEL, INC.Inventors: Mark A. Wojtkiewicz, James G. Brumagin
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Patent number: 7361073Abstract: A toy may include a housing, an electromagnetic-field sensor, an output, a controller, and/or a source of an electromagnetic field. The housing may be adapted to be supported on a support surface. In some examples, the housing may support the field sensor in a fixed orientation or position relative to the support surface. In some examples, the field sensor may be adapted to produce a signal having a magnitude representative of a change in a field passing through the sensor. In some examples the output may have a changeable sensible output. The controller may be adapted to operate the output to have different outputs for different magnitudes of the signal. The source of the field may be moveable by a user relative to the sensor to expose the sensor to a field that changes according to the movements of the source by the user.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2005Date of Patent: April 22, 2008Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Raymond J. Martin, Darin Barri
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Publication number: 20080090489Abstract: A toy doll assembly includes a toy doll and a separate tethered remote control unit electrically connected to the toy doll only by a two conductor cord. An electronic control unit is located within the toy doll, the electronic control unit including a signal generator for generating output signals and a controller for receiving the output signals and controlling at least two actions of the doll by detecting predetermined period variations in the received output signals, a first action being enabled upon the detection of a first predetermined period variation in the output signals and a second action being enabled upon the detection of a second predetermined period variation in the output signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2007Publication date: April 17, 2008Applicant: MATTEL, INC.Inventor: Alexander Baytman
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Publication number: 20080090669Abstract: A ride-on activity device is disclosed, wherein the device includes a seat, a base and a connector for movably connecting the seat relative to the base. The connection between the seat and the base allows multiple degrees of freedom such that the seat is capable of bouncing and rotating relative to the base. The connection between the seat and the connector includes a rotation safety mechanism that allows rotation at the connection when the seat is occupied by a user and prevents rotation at the connection when the seat is unoccupied. Furthermore, the connector includes a resilient member that allows the seat to bounce vertically relative to the base.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 13, 2006Publication date: April 17, 2008Applicant: MATTEL, INC.Inventors: Robert Sonner, Patrick Ritossa
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Publication number: 20080070475Abstract: The toy vehicle includes a chassis, a body, a parallelogram extension assembly, and an actuation assembly. The parallelogram extension assembly moveably couples the body to the chassis such that the body can move forward in a substantially arc-shaped path from a position substantially above the chassis to a relatively forward position. The actuation assembly is mechanically coupled to the parallelogram extension assembly and is configured to cause the parallelogram extension assembly to move the body forward by activating the actuation assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2007Publication date: March 20, 2008Applicant: Mattel, Inc.Inventor: Keith Alan Hippely
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Publication number: 20080070472Abstract: A toy vehicle system. The toy vehicle system includes a vehicle having a least one wheel. The vehicle is configured to generate at least one play effect via an effect apparatus of the vehicle responsive to spinning of the at least one wheel. The toy vehicle system includes a launch platform including a wheel spinning mechanism and a launch mechanism. The launch mechanism is configured to propel the vehicle from the launch platform in response to a launch event, and the wheel spinning mechanism configured to spin the at least one wheel of the vehicle prior to the launch event, thereby causing the vehicle to generate the play effect prior to being propelled from the launch platform.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2007Publication date: March 20, 2008Applicant: Mattel, Inc.Inventor: Fraser Campbell
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Publication number: 20080066560Abstract: A speed measuring device with an output generating system is disclosed. The output generating system can generate visual outputs and/or audible outputs in response to a detected flow of air. The device includes a coupling component that allows the device to be wearable by a user.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2007Publication date: March 20, 2008Applicant: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Glenn Yu, Christopher Purcell, Eric Ostendorff, Steven Moran
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Publication number: 20080057827Abstract: A toy with repositionable portions is disclosed. The toy may be stylized as a toy figure that may include a leg section and a torso section. The leg section includes legs pivotally coupled to a pelvic section. The pelvic section may also include an upward-extending connection post. The torso section, furthermore, may include a body cylinder that connects to the connection post. The body cylinder includes a series of resilient tabs that slidingly engage the post, securing the sections together while permitting the rotation of the torso section about the post. With this configuration, the toy figure possesses multiple degrees of motion, being adapted to move in bending and twisting motions.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2007Publication date: March 6, 2008Applicant: MATTEL, INC.Inventors: James G. Brumagin, Dafna Mor
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Publication number: 20080057828Abstract: A play set comprises master and slave toy vehicles and a stationary base unit. The master toy vehicle includes a radio frequency (RF) receiver to be controlled by a manually operated RF remote control unit and an infrared (IR) transmitter configured to broadcast an IR tracking signal. The slave toy vehicle includes a directional receiver to detect the source of the IR tracking signal and an on-board, self-directing control circuit coupled to the at least one directional receiver to control the slave toy vehicle to chase the master toy vehicle. The base unit includes a platform with a game controller and one or more targets mounted so as to move when struck by the master toy vehicle. The game controller and one or both of the toy vehicles are configured for one way or two way wireless communication between the game controller and toy vehicles(s). The game controller is configured to initiate and control one or more modes of game play through the targets or communication with the toy vehicles.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2007Publication date: March 6, 2008Applicant: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: David Bowen, Kenlip Ong, Nicholas Amireh, Joseph Moll
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Patent number: 7338374Abstract: An adjustable control apparatus for a video game pad that enables a user to adjust the tension of the apparatus to enhance the comfort and control of the apparatus and the video game pad. The assembly of the control apparatus includes a positioning member or stick which is nested inside a housing. The assembly also includes a clutch member and a tension member assembled between the stick and housing. The positioning member and housing are connected or otherwise held together using a support member such as a C-ring. The C-ring fits into a groove on the shaft of the stick. A flexible member is positioned between the stick and the housing. Additionally, a signal transfer member is connected to or assembled to a circuit board such as a PC board to transfer electrical signals or the like from the control apparatus to the circuit board.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2004Date of Patent: March 4, 2008Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Michael Hammond, Lee Wing Hang
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Patent number: 7337479Abstract: A foldable infant playard with a reconfigurable entertainment device capable of attachment at two separate points. The first position is suspended from a support arm originated from an upper corner of the infant playard. The entertainment device can also be mounted in a second position on a side wall of the infant playard. The side walls of the foldable infant playard of the present invention are formed from an improved printed mesh material.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2005Date of Patent: March 4, 2008Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventor: Maarten Van Huystee
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Patent number: 7331857Abstract: A gaming system for use with a media player and one or more output devices, where the media player is configured to receive user signals, to read and execute information from a game medium, and to present portions of the information on the one or more output devices. The gaming system includes a first remote unit configured to transmit signals corresponding to a first user and a second remote unit configured to transmit signals corresponding to a second user. The gaming system also includes a game medium having information readable by the media player that, when executed, causes the media player to produce a game having a plurality of scenes. Each scene causes the media player to selectively respond to the reception of user signals.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2005Date of Patent: February 19, 2008Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventor: Peter MacIver
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Patent number: 7328941Abstract: An infant support includes a seat and an upright portion that extends from the seat. A tray has a first member, a second member, and a third member. The first member of the tray is configured to be removably coupled to the upright portion. Additionally, the second member of the tray is configured to be removably coupled between the first member and the third member.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2004Date of Patent: February 12, 2008Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Ronald M. Asbach, Maarten Van Huystee
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Patent number: D566788Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2007Date of Patent: April 15, 2008Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventor: Kevin Pasko