The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 18, 2022
Filed:
Apr. 15, 2020
Mattel, Inc., El Segundo, CA (US);
Timothy Lynn Kelliher, Alameda, CA (US);
Christopher D. Cimerman, Clarence Center, NY (US);
Gerry Cody, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Stephen C. Hallaian, Long Beach, CA (US);
Adam Miller, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Jebraeil Samo, Rowland Heights, CA (US);
Mattel, Inc., El Segundo, CA (US);
Abstract
A toy vehicle track system of the present application includes electrical connections between the track pieces that allow a central hub, referred to herein as a 'portal piece,' to communicate with any track pieces included in the track system. In order to ensure that the portal piece can quickly and accurately identify track configurations that are built, the toy vehicle track system implements a communications protocol that supports communications between any two pieces of track. Based on these communications, the portal piece can determine an orientation, a track type, and a position of any track pieces attached, whether directly or indirectly, to the portal piece. The portal piece can then transmit this information to an electronic device executing an application associated with the track system to allow for digital play on a digital version of the track configuration (among other digital play modes).