Patents by Inventor Thomas Alan Donaldson
Thomas Alan Donaldson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20250010218Abstract: A modular toy system comprising a plurality of separate electronic toy modules, each electronic toy module comprising a function device operable to perform a user-perceptible function and a control circuit for controlling the function device; wherein at least a first electronic toy module of the plurality of electronic toy modules comprises a first control circuit, a first function device and a sensor system configured for contactless detection of respective coordinate values of at least two coordinates, each coordinate being indicative of a position or an orientation of at least a second electronic toy module of the plurality of electronic toy modules relative to the first electronic toy module; and wherein the first control circuit is configured to control operation of the first function device based on one or more of the detected coordinate values.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2024Publication date: January 9, 2025Applicant: LEGO A/SInventors: Thomas Alan DONALDSON, Mark Ross CHAMPKINS, Silviu TOMA, Robert George MILNER, Simon Mark JORDAN, Simon John TURNER, Mark Craig BRANNAN, Martin Edward BROCK
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Patent number: 12121827Abstract: A toy construction system comprising a plurality of toy construction elements including a plurality of function construction elements. The toy construction elements and the function construction elements are detachably interconnected with each other forming a toy construction model. The toy construction model comprising at least a subset of the plurality of toy construction elements; each function construction element comprising a function device adapted to perform a user-perceptible function. The toy construction system further comprises a tag construction element detachably connectable to one or more of the toy construction elements. The tag construction element and the function construction elements are configured for communication of configuration data from the tag construction element to each of the subset of function construction elements when the tag construction element is connected to a toy construction element.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2019Date of Patent: October 22, 2024Assignee: LEGO A/SInventors: Thomas Alan Donaldson, Mark Ross Champkins, Robert George Milner, Andrew James Knights
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Patent number: 12090419Abstract: A modular toy system comprising a plurality of separate electronic toy modules, each electronic toy module comprising a function device operable to perform a user-perceptible function and a control circuit for controlling the function device; wherein at least a first electronic toy module of the plurality of electronic toy modules comprises a first control circuit, a first function device and a sensor system configured for contactless detection of respective coordinate values of at least two coordinates, each coordinate being indicative of a position or an orientation of at least a second electronic toy module of the plurality of electronic toy modules relative to the first electronic toy module; and wherein the first control circuit is configured to control operation of the first function device based on one or more of the detected coordinate values.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2019Date of Patent: September 17, 2024Assignee: LEGO A/SInventors: Thomas Alan Donaldson, Mark Ross Champkins, Silviu Toma, Robert George Milner, Simon Mark Jordan, Simon John Turner, Mark Craig Brannan, Martin Edward Brock
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Patent number: 12059633Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling an ensemble of interacting toy construction models. The interacting toy construction models include toy construction elements having functional toy construction elements, the toy construction elements include coupling members configured for detachably interconnecting the toy construction elements with each other. The functional toy construction elements may perform a function in compliance with a configuration defining a functional behaviour. The method includes configuring the functional toy construction elements in the interacting toy construction models based on information on further functional toy construction elements in said interacting toy construction model to coordinate their functional behaviour in a model-behaviour; and further adapting the model-behaviour based on information on further interacting toy construction models in the ensemble.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2019Date of Patent: August 13, 2024Assignee: LEGO A/SInventors: Thomas Alan Donaldson, Robert George Milner, Rosanna Elizabeth Parrish, Simon John Turner, Martin Edward Brock, James Martin Clemoes
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Patent number: 12021394Abstract: A toy system comprising a plurality of toy construction elements, having detachably interconnecting coupling members for creating coherent spatial structures. The plurality of toy construction elements include: an energy source device comprising a housing and an energy transfer circuit therein; and energy distribution devices to provide respective external conductive loops extending outside the housing and defining a respective external energy transfer zone in a proximity of the respective external conductive loops. The energy source device is configured to be brought into operational connection with the energy distribution devices.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2019Date of Patent: June 25, 2024Assignee: LEGO A/SInventors: Andrew James Knights, Isobel Jane Ashbey, Rosanna Elizabeth Parrish, Simon Mark Jordan, Robert George Milner, Martin Edward Brock, Thomas Alan Donaldson, Mark Ross Champkins, Radost Radoslavova Kerefeyna, Rasmus Bissenbakker Kærsgaard, Yufan Wei Wang, Troels Hermann, Arun Venkatasubramanian
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Publication number: 20240082749Abstract: An interactive toy comprising a function device for performing user-perceptible, controllable functions. The interactive toy also includes a rechargeable power source and a charging circuit for contactless receipt of electrical energy and for charging the rechargeable power source when the interactive toy is positioned in a charging zone of a contactless charging device. The interactive toy is adapted to determine a charging rate at respective positions relative to the charging device and to generate a user-perceptible output indicative of the determined charging rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2023Publication date: March 14, 2024Applicant: LEGO A/SInventors: Thomas Alan DONALDSON, Mark Ross CHAMPKINS, Radost Radoslavova KEREFEYNA, Rasmus Bissenbakker KÆRSGAARD, Yufan Wei WANG, Arun VENKATASUBRAMANIAN, Simon Mark JORDAN, Andrew James KNIGHTS, Isobel Jane ASHBEY, Martin Edward BROCK, Rosanna Elizabeth PARRISH, Silviu TOMA, Robert George MILNER
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Patent number: 11857890Abstract: An interactive toy, system, and method of controlling the same. The interactive toy includes a toy housing comprising therein a function device performing user-perceptible, controllable functions; a control circuit controlling the function device; a rechargeable power source providing operating power to the function device and the control circuit; and a charging circuit for contactless receipt of electrical energy and for charging the rechargeable power source when the interactive toy is positioned in a charging zone of a contactless charging device. The control circuit receives a primary signal indicative of an interaction stimulus; a secondary signal indicative of a position of the interactive toy with respect to the charging zone; and, responsive to the primary signal, controls the function device to perform a user-perceptible function selected based on the secondary signal. The interactive toy system includes an interactive toy and a contactless charging device defining one or more charging zones.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2019Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: LEGO A/SInventors: Thomas Alan Donaldson, Mark Ross Champkins, Radost Radoslavova Kerefeyna, Rasmus Bissenbakker Kærsgaard, Yufan Wei Wang, Arun Venkatasubramanian, Simon Mark Jordan, Andrew James Knights, Isobel Jane Ashbey, Martin Edward Brock, Rosanna Elizabeth Parrish, Silviu Toma, Robert George Milner
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Patent number: 11583784Abstract: 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 sensorType: GrantFiled: December 18, 2018Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: LEGO A/SInventors: Erik Hansen, Jesper Søderberg, Thomas Alan Donaldson
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Publication number: 20220394409Abstract: Various embodiments relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and audio and speaker systems. More specifically, disclosed are an apparatus and a method for processing signals for optimizing audio, such as 3D audio, by adjusting the filtering for cross-talk cancellation based on listener position and/or orientation. In one embodiment, an apparatus is configured to include a plurality of transducers, a memory, and a processor configured to execute instructions to determine a physical characteristic of a listener relative to the origination of the multiple channels of audio, to cancel crosstalk in a spatial region coincident with the listener at a first location, to detect a change in the physical characteristic of the listener, and to adjust the cancellation of crosstalk responsive to detecting the change in the physical characteristic to establish another spatial region at a second location.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2022Publication date: December 8, 2022Inventors: James Hall, Thomas Alan Donaldson
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Publication number: 20220353483Abstract: Embodiments relate generally to electrical/electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, portable, wearable, and stationary media devices. RF transceivers and/or audio system in each media device may be used to wirelessly communicate between media devices and allow configuration and other data to be wirelessly transmitted from one media device to another media device. The proximity detection system may be configured to detect a presence of a user or multiple users and upon detecting presence, access content on a user device, and record the content while also playing back the content on the media device. One or more user devices in proximity of the media device post detection may wirelessly communicate with the media device and the media device may orchestrate handling and/or queuing of content from those devices or from a wirelessly accessible location such as the Cloud, Internet, NAS, Flash memory, or other wireless sources.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2022Publication date: November 3, 2022Inventors: Michael Edward Smith Luna, Thomas Alan Donaldson
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Patent number: 11490061Abstract: Embodiments relate generally to electrical/electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, portable, wearable, and stationary media devices. RF transceivers and/or audio system in each media device may be used to wirelessly communicate between media devices and allow configuration and other data to be wirelessly transmitted from one media device to another media device. The proximity detection system may be configured to detect a presence of a user or multiple users and upon detecting presence, access content on a user device, and record the content while also playing back the content on the media device. One or more user devices in proximity of the media device post detection may wirelessly communicate with the media device and the media device may orchestrate handling and/or queuing of content from those devices or from a wirelessly accessible location such as the Cloud, Internet, NAS, Flash memory, or other wireless sources.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2021Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Jawbone Innovations, LLCInventors: Michael Edward Smith Luna, Thomas Alan Donaldson
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Patent number: 11433302Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2018Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: LEGO A/SInventors: Erik Hansen, Jesper Søderberg, Thomas Alan Donaldson, Martin Møller Jensen
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Publication number: 20220247218Abstract: A toy system comprising a plurality of toy construction elements, having detachably interconnecting coupling members for creating coherent spatial structures. The plurality of toy construction elements include: an energy source device comprising a housing and an energy transfer circuit therein; and energy distribution devices to provide respective external conductive loops extending outside the housing and defining a respective external energy transfer zone in a proximity of the respective external conductive loops. The energy source device is configured to be brought into operational connection with the energy distribution devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2019Publication date: August 4, 2022Inventors: Andrew James KNIGHTS, Isobel Jane ASHBEY, Rosanna Elizabeth PARRISH, Simon Mark JORDAN, Robert George MILNER, Martin Edward BROCK, Thomas Alan DONALDSON, Mark Ross CHAMPKINS, Radost Radoslavova KEREFEYNA, Rasmus Bissenbakker KÆRSGAARD, Yufan Wei WANG, Troels HERMANN, Arun VENKATASUBRAMANIAN
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Patent number: 11395086Abstract: Various embodiments relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and audio and speaker systems. More specifically, disclosed are an apparatus and a method for processing signals for optimizing audio, such as 3D audio, by adjusting the filtering for cross-talk cancellation based on listener position and/or orientation. In one embodiment, an apparatus is configured to include a plurality of transducers, a memory, and a processor configured to execute instructions to determine a physical characteristic of a listener relative to the origination of the multiple channels of audio, to cancel crosstalk in a spatial region coincident with the listener at a first location, to detect a change in the physical characteristic of the listener, and to adjust the cancellation of crosstalk responsive to detecting the change in the physical characteristic to establish another spatial region at a second location.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2014Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Inventors: James Hall, Thomas Alan Donaldson
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Publication number: 20220161151Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling an ensemble of interacting toy construction models. The interacting toy construction models include toy construction elements having functional toy construction elements, the toy construction elements include coupling members configured for detachably interconnecting the toy construction elements with each other. The functional toy construction elements may perform a function in compliance with a configuration defining a functional behaviour. The method includes configuring the functional toy construction elements in the interacting toy construction models based on information on further functional toy construction elements in said interacting toy construction model to coordinate their functional behaviour in a model-behaviour; and further adapting the model-behaviour based on information on further interacting toy construction models in the ensemble.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2019Publication date: May 26, 2022Inventors: Thomas Alan DONALDSON, Robert George MILNER, Rosanna Elizabeth PARRISH, Simon John TURNER, Martin Edward BROCK, James Martin CLEMOES
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Publication number: 20220143524Abstract: An interactive toy, system, and method of controlling the same. The interactive toy includes a toy housing comprising therein a function device performing user-perceptible, controllable functions; a control circuit controlling the function device; a rechargeable power source providing operating power to the function device and the control circuit; and a charging circuit for contactless receipt of electrical energy and for charging the rechargeable power source when the interactive toy is positioned in a charging zone of a contactless charging device. The control circuit receives a primary signal indicative of an interaction stimulus; a secondary signal indicative of a position of the interactive toy with respect to the charging zone; and, responsive to the primary signal, controls the function device to perform a user-perceptible function selected based on the secondary signal. The interactive toy system includes an interactive toy and a contactless charging device defining one or more charging zones.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2019Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Thomas Alan DONALDSON, Mark Ross CHAMPKINS, Radost Radoslavova KEREFEYNA, Rasmus Bissenbakker KÆRSGAARD, Yufan Wei WANG, Arun VENKATASUBRAMANIAN, Simon Mark JORDAN, Andrew James KNIGHTS, Isobel Jane ASHBEY, Martin Edward BROCK, Rosanna Elizabeth PARRISH, Silviu TOMA, Robert George MILNER
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Publication number: 20220118376Abstract: A toy construction system comprising a plurality of toy construction elements including a plurality of function construction elements. The toy construction elements and the function construction elements are detachably interconnected with each other forming a toy construction model. The toy construction model comprising at least a subset of the plurality of toy construction elements; each function construction element comprising a function device adapted to perform a user-perceptible function. The toy construction system further comprises a tag construction element detachably connectable to one or more of the toy construction elements. The tag construction element and the function construction elements are configured for communication of configuration data from the tag construction element to each of the subset of function construction elements when the tag construction element is connected to a toy construction element.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2019Publication date: April 21, 2022Inventors: Thomas Alan DONALDSON, Mark Ross CHAMPKINS, Robert George MILNER, Andrew James KNIGHTS
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Publication number: 20220118375Abstract: A modular toy system comprising a plurality of separate electronic toy modules, each electronic toy module comprising a function device operable to perform a user-perceptible function and a control circuit for controlling the function device; wherein at least a first electronic toy module of the plurality of electronic toy modules comprises a first control circuit, a first function device and a sensor system configured for contactless detection of respective coordinate values of at least two coordinates, each coordinate being indicative of a position or an orientation of at least a second electronic toy module of the plurality of electronic toy modules relative to the first electronic toy module; and wherein the first control circuit is configured to control operation of the first function device based on one or more of the detected coordinate values.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2019Publication date: April 21, 2022Inventors: Thomas Alan DONALDSON, Mark Ross CHAMPKINS, Silviu TOMA, Robert George MILNER, Simon Mark JORDAN, Simon John TURNER, Mark Craig BRANNAN, Martin Edward BROCK
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Publication number: 20220116723Abstract: Various embodiments relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and audio and speaker systems. More specifically, disclosed are an apparatus and a method for processing signals for optimizing audio, such as 3D audio, by adjusting the filtering for cross-talk cancellation based on listener position and/or orientation. In one embodiment, an apparatus is configured to include a plurality of transducers, a memory, and a processor configured to execute instructions to determine a physical characteristic of a listener relative to the origination of the multiple channels of audio, to cancel crosstalk in a spatial region coincident with the listener at a first location, to detect a change in the physical characteristic of the listener, and to adjust the cancellation of crosstalk responsive to detecting the change in the physical characteristic to establish another spatial region at a second location.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2021Publication date: April 14, 2022Inventors: James Hall, Thomas Alan Donaldson
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Publication number: 20220021859Abstract: Embodiments relate generally to electrical/electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, portable, wearable, and stationary media devices. RF transceivers and/or audio system in each media device may be used to wirelessly communicate between media devices and allow configuration and other data to be wirelessly transmitted from one media device to another media device. The proximity detection system may be configured to detect a presence of a user or multiple users and upon detecting presence, access content on a user device, and record the content while also playing back the content on the media device. One or more user devices in proximity of the media device post detection may wirelessly communicate with the media device and the media device may orchestrate handling and/or queuing of content from those devices or from a wirelessly accessible location such as the Cloud, Internet, NAS, Flash memory, or other wireless sources.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2021Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: Michael Edward Smith Luna, Thomas Alan Donaldson