Entertainment System Including Performative Figurines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020246714-A1
Application number	US-201916266966-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 4, 2019
Priority date	Feb 4, 2019
Publication date	Aug 6, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An entertainment system includes multiple figurines configured for wireless communication, and a control device having a hardware processor, a system memory storing a control application, and a transceiver. The hardware processor executes the control application to detect each of the figurines via the transceiver and to identify a predetermined entertainment for performance by two or more of the figurines. The hardware processor further executes the control application to transmit control signals to the two or more figurines via the transceiver, wherein a first control signal instructs a first of the two or more figurines to perform a first portion of the predetermined entertainment, and a second control signal instructs a second of the two or more figurines to perform a second portion of the predetermined entertainment. The two or more of the figurines are configured to perform the predetermined entertainment according to the control signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An entertainment system comprising:
a plurality of figurines configured for wireless communication; a control device including a hardware processor, a system memory storing a control application, and a transceiver configured for wireless communication with one or more of the plurality of figurines; the hardware processor configured to execute the control application to:
detect each of the plurality of figurines via the transceiver;
identify a predetermined entertainment for performance by two or more of the plurality of figurines; and
transmit control signals to the two or more of the plurality of figurines via the transceiver, wherein a first control signal of the control signals instructs a first figurine of the two or more of the plurality of figurines to perform a first portion of the predetermined entertainment, and a second control signal of the control signals instructs a second figurine of the two or more of the plurality of figurines to perform a second portion of the predetermined entertainment;
wherein the two or more of the plurality of figurines are configured to perform the predetermined entertainment according to the control signals.

2 . The entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of figurines includes a plurality of lights, and wherein the predetermined entertainment comprises a light show performed by the two or more of the plurality of figurines.

3 . The entertainment system of claim 2 , wherein the control device further comprises a speaker, and wherein the light show is synchronized to audio output by the speaker of the control device.

4 . The entertainment system of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of figurines comprises a speaker, and wherein the light show is synchronized to audio output by respective speakers of the two or more of the plurality of figurines.

5 . The entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of figurines portrays one of a movie character, a television character, and a theme park character.

6 . The entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein the control device comprises one of a smartphone, a smartwatch, and a tablet computer.

7 . The entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined performance is identified based on the plurality of figurines detected by the control device.

8 . The entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to transmit the control signals to the two or more of the plurality of figurines via a first wireless network, and wherein the two or more of the plurality of figurines are configured to retransmit the control signals to others of the plurality of figurines via a second wireless network.

9 . The entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein the control device and the one or more of the plurality of figurines are configured to be in wireless communication via a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) network.

10 . The entertainment system of claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to transmit the control signals to the two or more of the plurality of figurines via advertising packets, without having a dedicated wireless network connection to the two or more of the plurality of figurines.

11 . A method for use by an entertainment system including a plurality of figurines configured for wireless communication, and a control device having a hardware processor, a system memory storing a control application, and a transceiver configured for wireless communication with one or more of the plurality of figurines, the method comprising:
detecting, using the hardware processor and the control application, each of the plurality of figurines via the transceiver; identifying, using the hardware processor and the control application, a predetermined entertainment for performance by two or more of the plurality of figurines; transmitting, using the hardware processor and the control application, control signals to the two or more of the plurality of figurines via the transceiver, wherein a first control signal of the control signals instructs a first figurine of the two or more of the plurality of figurines to perform a first portion of the predetermined entertainment, and a second control signal of the control signals instructs a second figurine of the two or more of the plurality of figurines to perform a second portion of the predetermined entertainment; and performing, by the two or more of the plurality of figurines, the predetermined entertainment according to the control signals.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of figurines includes a plurality of lights, and wherein the predetermined entertainment comprises a light show performed by the two or more of the plurality of figurines.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the control device further comprises a speaker, and wherein the light show is synchronized to audio output by the speaker of the control device.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of figurines comprises a speaker, and wherein the light show is synchronized to audio output by respective speakers of the two or more of the plurality of figurines.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of figurines portrays one of a movie character, a television character, and a theme park character.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the control device comprises one of a smartphone, a smartwatch, and a tablet computer.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined performance is identified based on the plurality of figurines detected by the control device.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the control device is configured to transmit the control signals to the two or more of the plurality of figurines via a first wireless network, and wherein the two or more of the plurality of figurines are configured to retransmit the control signals to others of the plurality of figurines via a second wireless network.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the control device and the one or more of the plurality of figurines are configured to be in wireless communication via a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) network.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the control device is configured to transmit the control signals to the two or more of the plurality of figurines via advertising packets, without having a dedicated wireless network connection to the two or more of the plurality of figurines.

21 . A figurine configured to perform a predetermined entertainment, the figurine comprising:
a hardware processor, a system memory storing a client application, and a wireless transceiver; the hardware processor configured to execute the client application to:
broadcast a self-identification data using the wireless transceiver;
receive control signals from a control device via the wireless transceiver, wherein a first control signal of the control signals instructs the figurine to perform a first portion of the predetermined entertainment; and
cause the figurine to perform the first portion of the predetermined entertainment according to the first control signal.

22 . The figurine of claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of lights, wherein the first portion of the predetermined entertainment comprises a light show performed by the figurine.

23 . The figurine of claim 22 , further comprising a speaker, wherein the light show is synchronized to audio output by the speaker.

Assignees

• Disney Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Rosenthal Janice
• Nocon Nathan
• Thornton Stephen A
• Goslin Michael P
• Panec Timothy

Classifications

• A63H2200/00

  Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls · CPC title

• A63H3/28 Primary

  Arrangements of sound-producing means in dolls; Means in dolls for producing sounds · CPC title

• A63H33/22

  Optical, colour, or shadow toys ({puzzles with optical elements A63F9/0613}; kaleidoscopes G02B27/08) · CPC title

• A63H3/006

  provided with electrical lighting (electrical lighting F21) · CPC title

• A63H5/00

  Musical or noise- producing devices for additional toy effects other than acoustical (musical tops A63H1/28; {sound-producing dolls A63H3/28; musical toy vehicles A63H17/268; acoustical vehicle-signalling devices A63H17/32; whistling toy locomotive arrangements A63H19/14}; music, sound or noise production in general G10) · CPC title