Toymax, Inc.

Carmine Russo

Steven Allen Lebensfeld

Frank Landi

David C Kwan

David Chu Ki Kwan

Russell Javors

Harvey Goldberg

John Ping Chan

Ng Wing Kwong

A &ldquo;try me&rdquo; feature is disclosed for remotely controlled devices such as remotely controlled toys for point of sale demonstration or sampling. The disclosure describes a secondary link between the remote control device and the remotely controlled device. When the secondary link is selected or present, activation of a control on the remote control device will cause the remotely control device to react the same or similar to the way it reacts under wireless remote control, but via the secondary link. The secondary link may be configured as a disconnectable wired coupling. The remotely controlled device and the remote control device may be contained in a point of sale package or configured in a point of sale display.

Remotely controlled toy and wireless remote operable in a point of sale package

The invention disclosed herein relates to a portable, player programmable, interactive toy for a shooting game played by radiating and appropriately detecting infrared light (or other radiated energy). Player sets of the toy include at least one IR emitter, at least one IR detector, and in the preferred embodiments, at least one audio or visual device. A keypad or other input device is provided for the entry of coded information to select from preprogrammed features and functions, including game modes, both prior to the start of a game and/or during a game. The interactivity includes at least two players interacting other than by detection of a hit, i.e., detection by one player of light shot by another player. The invention provides for information transfer between players to transfer or remotely activate features and functions or to remotely control another player's equipment. Programmed circuitry is provided which may be linked with other devices via an auxiliary connector or wirelessly for different purposes.

Player programmable, interactive toy for a shooting game

The invention disclosed herein provides toy objects such as action figures, robots, vehicles, creatures, etc., with apparatus for playing a shooting game controlled by one or more human players. Each toy object includes either a energy emitter, a energy sensor, or both. The toy objects are manipulatable by the players to face the emitters and the sensors in directions to hit other objects with radiated energy or avoid being hit with radiated energy from other objects. In the preferred embodiment, the emitter radiates infrared light and the sensor detects infrared light, and are operated from a backpack movably attached to an action figure. Control of radiating and detecting infrared light is similar to the control in a currently popular 'laser' shooting games available from Toymax Inc. under the trademark 'Laser Challenge'.

Light shooting and detecting toy figures

A 'try me' feature for remotely controlled devices such as remotely controlled toys for point of sale demonstration or sampling. A secondary link is provided between the remote control device and the remotely controlled device. When the secondary link is selected or present, activation of a control on the remote control device will cause the remotely control device to react the same or similar to the way it reacts under wireless remote control, but via the secondary link. In the preferred embodiment, the secondary link includes a disconnectable wired coupling. The remotely controlled device and the remote control device may be contained in a point of sale package or configured in a point of sale display. In one embodiment, the remotely controlled device has a switch by which the secondary coupling and 'try me' operation, or normal wireless remote control operation is selected. When the devices are provided in a point of sale package, the switch is factory set to 'try me' operation, which precludes solely wireless operation in the package via the primary link.

Remotely controlled toy and wireless remote operable in a point of sale

The invention provides a toy light projector or light gun and player-worn and self-propelled toy targets which detect light emitted by a toy light gun, and a toy shooting game which includes at least one toy light gun, and at least one toy target. The game is played by a player attempting to 'hit' a target which provides a feelable output upon detecting light projected by the gun, e.g., an ejection or release of a material, object, vibration, electrical shock, etc. The output is intended to be received and felt (other than by sight or sound) by a person playing the game. In the preferred embodiments, the target squirts water or bursts a water-filled balloon when a hit is detected or after a given number of hits is detected. Audio/visual effects may also be provided in response to hits.

Interactive toy shooting game having a target with a feelable output

The invention provides a toy light projector or light gun and player-worn and self-propelled toy targets which detect light emitted by a toy light gun, and a toy shooting game which includes at least one toy light gun, and at least one toy target. The game is played by a player attempting to 'hit' a target which provides audio/visual effects upon detecting light projected by the gun. A main target contains a light detector and all of the circuitry and audio/visual components needed to play a game, and an auxiliary target may contain a light detector and only some of the components needed to play a game and be coupled to a main target to share components therein. A self-propelled target includes circuitry which provides pseudorandom (or other pre-programmed or random) motion to the target. The light gun emits a sound while it is on and ready to be fired, which can serve as a warning to an opposing player. Squeezing a trigger causes the gun to emit light with a first code, and pressing a reset button causes the gun to emit light with a second code. The circuitry in a target decodes the codes and registers and counts hits for light detected with the first code, ending the game when a given number of hits is counted. In response to light detected with the second code, the circuitry in a target resets the count of hits and starts a new game. The gun can thus remotely reset the target. The gun has a reload feature which requires that a player 'reload' the gun (press a reload button) after a given number of shots. A target may be provided with an adjustable optical system which affects the reception and/or detection of light projected from a light gun and thereby change the difficulty level of the game.

Growing community of inventors

West Islip, NY, United States of America

Carmine Russo