Abstract: A toy system, the toy system comprising a data processing system and one or more toys, the plurality of toys including at least one reference toy having a visual appearance recognisable by the data processing system in a captured image of a real-world scene including said at least one reference toy, the data processing system comprising an image capturing device, a processing unit, and a display, wherein the data processing system has stored thereon information associated with the at least one reference toy, the information including at least one predetermined reference position defined relative to the at least one reference toy; and wherein the data processing is configured to: capture a sequence of images of a real-world scene, the real-world scene including said at least one reference toy; process the captured images to detect and recognize said at least one reference toy within the real-world scene; retrieve the at least one predetermined reference position from the stored information associated with the

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of creating a virtual game environment. The method comprises: selecting one or more physical objects according to pre-determined physical properties; providing a physical model of the game environment/scene using the selected physical objects; scanning the physical model to obtain a digital three dimensional representation of the physical model including information on the pre-determined physical properties; converting the digital three-dimensional representation of the physical model into a virtual toy construction model made up of virtual toy construction elements; and defining game-controlling elements in the virtual toy construction model using information on the pre-determined physical properties, thereby creating the virtual game environment/scene. The invention further relates to an interactive game system including an implementation of the method.

Abstract: A toy system for use in a social play experience. The toy system has a plurality of toy construction elements and a data processing system configured to store a hierarchical task structure. The task structure defines dependencies between a plurality of tasks, a subset of which include construction of respective toy construction assemblies. The data processing system is configured to select one or more tasks and assign to respective play participants. The selection and/or assignment of the one tasks is based at least in part on the dependencies between the plurality of tasks. The data processing system is configured to present, to each play participant to whom a task has been assigned, the corresponding assigned task and receive user-input indicative of a completion of the respective assigned tasks, and repeat until a play completion trigger is fulfilled.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for creating an encoder-decoder system for embedding information in a decorative label. The method includes defining a family of encoder functions and a family of decoder functions. Each encoder function of the family of encoder functions configured to encode information as a respective modification of a decorative label. Each decoder function of the family of decoder functions configured to decode an image of a modified decorative label into respective decoded information. The method includes applying an iterative optimization process to determine an optimized encoder-decoder pair. The optimized encoder-decoder air includes an optimized encoder function and an optimized decoder function. The optimized encoder function is selected by the iterative optimization process from the family of encoder functions and the optimized decoder function is selected by the iterative optimization process from the family of decoder functions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of creating a virtual game environment. The method comprises: selecting one or more physical objects according to pre-determined physical properties; providing a physical model of the game environment/scene using the selected physical objects; scanning the physical model to obtain a digital three dimensional representation of the physical model including information on the pre-determined physical properties; converting the digital three-dimensional representation of the physical model into a virtual toy construction model made up of virtual toy construction elements; and defining game-controlling elements in the virtual toy construction model using information on the pre-determined physical properties, thereby creating the virtual game environment/scene. The invention further relates to an interactive game system including an implementation of the method.

Abstract: A toy system including a plurality of toy construction elements, an image capturing device, and a processor, wherein the image capturing device is operable to capture one or more images of a toy construction model constructed from the toy construction elements. The processor is configured to execute a digital game configured to cause the processor to provide a digital play experience. The processor is configured to receive an unlock code and unlock virtual objects for use in the digital play experience. The virtual objects are associated with toy construction elements. The processor is configured to receive images captured by the image capturing device, recognize one or more toy construction elements within the images, and provide a digital play experience involving the unlocked virtual. Objects.

Abstract: A play system, comprising: one or more toys comprising one or more electrically conductive parts, the one or more conductive parts defining a spatial pattern, the one or more toys having a physical configuration that is modifiable by a user, the spatial pattern being dependent on the physical configuration of the one or more toys, the one or more toys including a first toy; a magnetic field generating device arranged to generate a magnetic field for inducing an eddy current in one or more of the electrically conductive parts; a sensor configured to detect the induced eddy current; and a data processor; wherein the first toy and at least one of the magnetic field generating device and the sensor are movable relative to each other; wherein the sensor is configured to detect the induced eddy current during relative movement between the first toy and at least one of the magnetic field generating device and the sensor, and wherein the data processor is configured to: receive sensor data from the sensor, the sensor

Abstract: The invention relates to a toy system including a plurality of toy construction elements, an image capturing device and a processor. The image capturing device is operable to capture one or more images of a toy construction model constructed from the toy construction elements. The processor is configured to: execute a digital game having computer executable code causing the processor to provide a digital play experience; receive an unlock code indicative of one or more virtual objects; unlock the one or more virtual objects for use in the digital play experience, each virtual object being associated with one of the respective toy construction elements or with a respective toy construction model; receive one or more images captured by said image capturing device; recognize one or more toy construction elements and/or toy construction models within the one or more images; provide a digital play experience involving said first unlocked virtual object.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of creating a virtual game environment. The method comprises: selecting one or more physical objects according to pre-determined physical properties; providing a physical model of the game environment/scene using the selected physical objects; scanning the physical model to obtain a digital three dimensional representation of the physical model including information on the pre-determined physical properties; converting the digital three-dimensional representation of the physical model into a virtual toy construction model made up of virtual toy construction elements; and defining game-controlling elements in the virtual toy construction model using information on the pre-determined physical properties, thereby creating the virtual game environment/scene. The invention further relates to an interactive game system including an implementation of the method.

Abstract: An interactive play apparatus comprising: an input device configured to receive an input from a user, one or more communications interfaces, and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: detect one or more electronic devices; for each detected electronic device, determine one or more capabilities of said electronic device; receive one or more inputs via the input device; determine one or more user-perceptible play actions based at least in part on the received one or more inputs; translate the determined one or more play actions into one or more instructions operable to cause one or more of the detected electronic devices to perform one or more functions that at least approximate the determined one or more play actions; wherein the translation is based at least in part on the detected one or more capabilities of the respective detected electronic devices; cause the one or more of the detected electronic devices to perform said one or more functions.

Abstract: A toy system, the toy system comprising a data processing system and one or more toys, the plurality of toys including at least one reference toy having a visual appearance recognisable by the data processing system in a captured image of a real-world scene including said at least one reference toy, the data processing system comprising an image capturing device, a processing unit, and a display, wherein the data processing system has stored thereon information associated with the at least one reference toy, the information including at least one predetermined reference position defined relative to the at least one reference toy; and wherein the data processing is configured to: capture a sequence of images of a real-world scene, the real-world scene including said at least one reference toy; process the captured images to detect and recognize said at least one reference toy within the real-world scene; retrieve the at least one predetermined reference position from the stored information associated with the

Abstract: A modular toy construction system, comprising: a plurality of interactive toy construction elements, each interactive toy construction element comprising a sensor and/or a function device, the function device operable to perform a user-perceivable function; each interactive toy construction element further comprising a first communications circuit configured to wirelessly communicate signals and to wirelessly harvest energy for operating the function device and/or the sensor.

Abstract: An interactive play apparatus comprising: an input device configured to receive an input from a user, one or more communications interfaces, and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: detect one or more electronic devices; for each detected electronic device, determine one or more capabilities of said electronic device; receive one or more inputs via the input device; determine one or more user-perceptible play actions based at least in part on the received one or more inputs; translate the determined one or more play actions into one or more instructions operable to cause one or more of the detected electronic devices to perform one or more functions that at least approximate the determined one or more play actions; wherein the translation is based at least in part on the detected one or more capabilities of the respective detected electronic devices; cause the one or more of the detected electronic devices to perform said one or more functions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a toy system including a plurality of toy construction elements, an image capturing device and a processor. The image capturing device is operable to capture one or more images of a toy construction model constructed from the toy construction elements. The processor is configured to: execute a digital game having computer executable code causing the processor to provide a digital play experience; receive an unlock code indicative of one or more virtual objects; unlock the one or more virtual objects for use in the digital play experience, each virtual object being associated with one of the respective toy construction elements or with a respective toy construction model; receive one or more images captured by said image capturing device; recognize one or more toy construction elements and/or toy construction models within the one or more images; provide a digital play experience involving said first unlocked virtual object.

Abstract: A play system, comprising: one or more toys comprising one or more electrically conductive parts, the one or more conductive parts defining a spatial pattern, the one or more toys having a physical configuration that is modifiable by a user, the spatial pattern being dependent on the physical configuration of the one or more toys, the one or more toys including a first toy; a magnetic field generating device arranged to generate a magnetic field for inducing an eddy current in one or more of the electrically conductive parts; a sensor configured to detect the induced eddy current; and a data processor; wherein the first toy and at least one of the magnetic field generating device and the sensor are movable relative to each other; wherein the sensor is configured to detect the induced eddy current during relative movement between the first toy and at least one of the magnetic field generating device and the sensor, and wherein the data processor is configured to: receive sensor data from the sensor, the sensor

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for recognizing a plurality of real-world toy construction elements of a toy construction system assembled to form a real-world toy construction model, each real-world toy construction element comprising coupling members for detachably connecting the real-world toy construction element with one or more other real-world toy construction elements of the toy construction system so as to form the real-world toy construction model; wherein the method comprises: receiving at least one captured image of the real world toy construction model; processing the at least one captured image so as to at least preliminarily recognise at least a first real-world toy construction element in the at least one captured image as a first known real-world toy construction element from stored digital representations of a plurality of known real-world toy construction elements of the toy construction system, each digital representation comprising connectivity information indicative of how the correspondin

Abstract: A toy construction system comprising: a plurality of toy construction elements, each comprising one or more coupling members configured for releasably interconnecting the toy construction elements with each other; an image capturing device operable to capture one or more images of a toy construction model constructed from one or more of said toy construction elements; and a processor configured to extract a two-dimensional view of the toy construction model from the captured image; to create a virtual object in a virtual environment; and to create a three-dimensional graphical representation of the virtual object from the extracted two-dimensional view, wherein the created three-dimensional representation has a first view, seen along a first direction, defined by the extracted two-dimensional view, and a size along the first direction determined from a size of the extracted two-dimensional view.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for recognizing a plurality of real-world toy construction elements of a toy construction system assembled to form a real-world toy construction model, each real-world toy construction element comprising coupling members for detachably connecting the real-world toy construction element with one or more other real-world toy construction elements of the toy construction system so as to form the real-world toy construction model; wherein the method comprises: receiving at least one captured image of the real world toy construction model; processing the at least one captured image so as to at least preliminarily recognise at least a first real-world toy construction element in the at least one captured image as a first known real-world toy construction element from stored digital representations of a plurality of known real-world toy construction elements of the toy construction system, each digital representation comprising connectivity information indicative of how the correspondin

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of creating a virtual game environment. The method comprises: selecting one or more physical objects according to pre-determined physical properties; providing a physical model of the game environment/scene using the selected physical objects; scanning the physical model to obtain a digital three dimensional representation of the physical model including information on the pre-determined physical properties; converting the digital three-dimensional representation of the physical model into a virtual toy construction model made up of virtual toy construction elements; and defining game-controlling elements in the virtual toy construction model using information on the pre-determined physical properties, thereby creating the virtual game environment/scene. The invention further relates to an interactive game system including an implementation of the method.

Abstract: A toy construction system comprising: a plurality of toy construction elements, each comprising one or more coupling members configured for releasably interconnecting the toy construction elements with each other; an image capturing device operable to capture one or more images of a toy construction model constructed from one or more of said toy construction elements; and a processor configured to extract a two-dimensional view of the toy construction model from the captured image; to create a virtual object in a virtual environment; and to create a three-dimensional graphical representation of the virtual object from the extracted two-dimensional view, wherein the created three-dimensional representation has a first view, seen along a first direction, defined by the extracted two-dimensional view, and a size along the first direction determined from a size of the extracted two-dimensional view.