Sanders Associates Limited

Marvin Glass & Associates

Smith Engineering

Western Publishing Company, Inc.

Ralph H Baer

Howard J Morrison

Leonard D Cope

Donald K Fletchic

Jeffrey D Breslow

Jay Smith, Iii

Kenneth J Curran

Albert G Keller

Philip E Orbanes

Anson Isaacson

Thomas J Mortimer

Oliver D Holt

David Allen

Apparatus for use in conjunction with a book containing intermixed text and symbols, includes a randomly accessible sound storage-and-playback memory having addressable storage locations, and a plurality of actuatable selectors, each selector being associated with a respective symbol corresponding to a symbol in the book. A switch selects between a recording mode of operation and a playback mode of operation. A microprocessor controls recording at respective addressable storage locations in the memory respective sounds produced by the user, the recording means being active during the selected recording mode of operation. The microprocessor controls the playback from the memory of a respective recorded sound, the playback means being actuated by the microprocessor upon actuation of a respective one of the selectors during the selected playback mode of operation.

Interactive audio-visual work

Apparatus for use in conjunction with a book containing intermixed text and symbols, includes a randomly accessible sound storage-and-playback memory having addressable storage locations, and a plurality of actuatable selectors, each selector being associated with a respective symbol corresponding to a symbol in the book. A switch selects between a recording mode of operation and a playback mode of operation. A microprocessor controls recording at respective addressable storage locations in the memory respective sounds produced by the user, the recorder being active during the selected recording mode of operation. The microprocessor controls the playback from the memory of a respective recorded sound, the playback means being actuated by the microprocessor upon actuation of a respective one of the selectors during the selected playback mode of operation.

Audio signals and digital commands are encoded into a standard raster format television signal recorded on a casette for play by a home video cassette unit. The audio signals are encoded in the displayable video as modulated carrier pulses separated by return to median intervals with the audio waveforms being tapered near discontinuities. The digital commands are recorded as binary level pulses, one such pulse occupying substantially an entire video line to permit accurate decoding.

Encoding of audio and digital signals in a video signal

An animated figure, e.g. a doll, having the capability of moving its eyebrow, eyelids, eyes and mouth in conjunction with an audio reproducer, i.e. speaker, in its interior is electrically connected to a control box. The control box, which may be powered by household A.C. or by batteries, is connected to the audio and video outputs of a conventional videocassette recorder, (VCR). The VCR is connected to a conventional television set or television monitor. A videocassette recording having a video/audio story line recorded thereon, also contains control data in the video track for animating the dolls moveable parts, as well as routing selected portions of the audio track to the doll's speaker. A preferred video encoding scheme is utilized to embed the control data in the video signal by raising selected horizontal line periods to a new, white level. The illusion created to the human viewer is that of the doll having an animated conversation with characters on the television monitor. An interactive input device may also be connected to the control box. A human viewer can influence the actions and spoken words of the doll, as well as the action and language on the TV monitor, by manipulation of the interactive input device. The illusion created is that the human is now an active participant with the animated doll in the story unfolding on the television monitor. Various alternate system's configurations are presented.

Video based instructional and entertainment system using animated figure

A system providing user interaction with a video display provided to a standard television set by a home video cassette unit employing a standard video cassette having a video signal recorded thereon, the video signal having four or more audio channels and digital commands encoded therein, the system including apparatus for generating and moving a cursor on the television screen and a digital processor responsive to commands encoded on the cassette, to the cursor position and/or to viewer selections to control the video displayed and the audio output by the television receiver.

Interactive video apparatus with audio and video branching

An optical decoder to permit differentiating between at least two flashing spots displayed on a cathode ray tube screen is provided by a photosensor and an electrical circuit which is responsive to the absence of flashes during a flashing sequence which is different for the two spots and not distinguishable by the naked eye.

Optical decoder

A video disc program branching system comprising multiple programs frequency multiplexed on a video disc and co-located substantially in the same portion of the disc wherein branching is achieved by designating specific ones of said multiple programs through frequency band selection.

Video disc program branching system

A video recorder and playback system adapted to provide the viewer with selectable views of the action in progress. During recording, a plurality of cameras simultaneously record the action in progress on addressable subtracks of a multi-track loop recording medium such as a laser disk or magnetic surfaced disk. At playback time, the playback and display portion of the system is adapted to read from the same subtract on sequential tracks beginning at a selected starting point. Means are provided for the viewer to change on demand the one of the subtracks being read whereby the view can be instantaneously changed by selecting the one of the subtracks containing the desired view.

Selectable view video record/playback system

A user interface device for interfacing with a microprocessor driving a video display. The device is particularly adapted for the use of small children in interfacing with a microprocessor operating to drive a video game or a personal computer. The device comprises a hand puppet adapted to be worn on the user's hand. Pressure-sensitive switches, a light pen, a motion detector, and a speaker are included within the puppet's head and body to allow input by the user through the devices within the puppet and output by the microprocessor at the puppet over the speaker.

Microprocessor interface device

Apparatus for discriminating at a distance between one or more colored symbols displayed on the screen of a television receiver from a plurality of other symbols of different colors includes a colored filter which corresponds to the color of the symbol which is to be discriminated.

Electro-optical sensor for color television games and training systems

Simulated shooting at displayed images on the screen of a television receiver using an untethered, simulated gun provides indication on the screen of where the gun was pointed at the time of trigger pull. This is achieved by flashing the screen white subsequent a trigger pull in order that a photosensor within the gun will be responsive to short segments of horizontal raster lines such that by counting vertical lines and time intervals with respect to vertical and horizontal synchronization pulses, respectively, identification of where on the screen the gun was pointing is achieved, permitting a symbol to be displayed upon the screen at that location.

Television precision target shooting apparatus and method

Video images derived from a video recording medium (such as a video disc or tape) using a video playback unit are displayed on the screen of a cathode ray tube display simultaneously with video images generated from a microprocessor-controlled video game. The video game permits a user to manually control the position of some of the generated video images displayed. Signals in the horizontal interval portion of each field from the video playback unit are related to the video images in the pictorial portion of each such field and identify certain characteristics of the video images such as the location of the video images. This information is used in such a manner that the video images from the video playback unit can interact with the video images from the video game.

Interactive video playback system

An interactive game of a strategy nature employing a digital processor includes a keyboard to preselect the successive directional movements of one or more of the simulated player symbols prior to the start of the game and/or supplement this preprogrammed game action with real-time control over further game action during the playing of the game.

Interactive game and control therefor

Apparatus and methods are disclosed herein for use in conjunction with raster scan video displays, including standard monochrome and color television receivers, for the generation, display and manipulation of images upon the screen of a display for the purpose of playing games or for the purpose of drawing pictures. In addition to the generation of signals which, when supplied to the video display, cause the display of moveable and immoveable game playing indicia such as walls, players, and balls to play a variety of typical games such as tennis, handball, billiards, and the like, in a manner well known in the art, other indicia are displayed on the display screen in response to commands from the game operator which are defined by the operator as to shape, location, color and other attributes and are, furthermore, endorsed with interactive characteristics.

Manually programmable video gaming system

Synchronization of a source of computer controlled video to another video source is achieved by providing clock pulses for the source of computer controlled video at some multiple of the horizontal synchronization frequency of the other video source to obtain frequency coherence and by detecting phase incoherence between the signals from the two sources and in response thereto causing the clock pulses to cease for a predetermined period to allow the source of computer controlled video to 'slip' sync to obtain phase coherence.

Growing community of inventors

Manchester, NH, United States of America

Ralph H Baer