Electronic drawing toy

Abstract

An electronic drawing toy is disclosed for drawing and gaming applications used with a video monitor, wherein a complexity of the toy is minimized to facilitate use by young children.

1 . An electronic drawing toy comprising: 
 a main body adapted to be connected to a video monitor;    a processor disposed in said main body for generating video signals, audio signals, and application data to produce an image on the monitor;    a first input device disposed on said main body for controlling movement of a cursor on the video monitor; and    a second input device disposed on said main body and positionable in a first position and a second position.    
   
   
       2 . The toy according to  claim 1 , further comprising means disposed in said main body for causing the image on the monitor to be erased upon shaking of the toy by a user.  
   
   
       3 . The toy according to  claim 1 , further comprising means disposed in said main body for causing the image on the monitor to be erased upon inverting and shaking of the toy by a user.  
   
   
       4 . The toy according to  claim 3 , wherein said means for causing the image on the monitor to be erased upon shaking of the toy by the user is a switch.  
   
   
       5 . The toy according to  claim 4 , wherein the switch is a ball switch.  
   
   
       6 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein said first input device is a four-way operater positioned over a switch pad.  
   
   
       7 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein said second input device is a two-position switch pad.  
   
   
       8 . The toy in  claim 1 , wherein said processor generates the video signal, the video signal causing a menu area and an active window to be displayed on the monitor.  
   
   
       9 . The toy in  claim 7 , wherein the menu area includes a first plurality of icons generally aligned on the video display for accessing respective imaging functions to be carried out in an active window.  
   
   
       10 . The toy in  claim 9 , wherein the imaging functions comprise at least one of an Objects and Backgrounds mode, a Connect the Dots mode, a Trace a Picture mode, and a Free Draw mode.  
   
   
       11 . The toy in  claim 10 , wherein the cursor is a crosshair for the at least one of the Connect the Dots, the Trace a Picture, and the Free Draw modes and the cursor becomes a game object as selected by the user from the Objects and Backgrounds submenu area for the Objects and Backgrounds mode.  
   
   
       12 . The toy in  claim 11 , wherein the game object is one of a snow shovel, a lawn mower, an airplane, a sand tool, a ice scraper, a piece of chalk, or a leaf blower.  
   
   
       13 . The toy in  claim 12 , wherein said first input device is utilized to maneuver the cursor over one of a plurality of icons and said second input device is manipulated to select one of the plurality of icons.  
   
   
       14 . The toy in  claim 13 , wherein when the cursor is positioned over one of the plurality of icons on the menu area, one of the plurality of icons is highlighted.  
   
   
       15 . The toy in  claim 14 , wherein selection of one of the plurality of icons in the menu area generates a submenu area having a second plurality of icons.  
   
   
       16 . The toy in  claim 15 , wherein said first input device is utilized to maneuver the cursor over a desired icon from the second plurality of icons and the second input device is manipulated to select the desired icon.  
   
   
       17 . The toy in  claim 1 , wherein said first input device and said second input device are positioned for manipulation by a corresponding thumb of the user.  
   
   
       18 . An electronic drawing toy comprising: 
 a main body adapted to be connected to a video monitor;    a processor disposed in said main body for generating video signals, audio signals, and application data to produce an image on the monitor;    a first input device disposed on said main body for controlling movement of a cursor on the video monitor;    a second input device disposed on said main body and positionable in a first position and a second position; and    a switch disposed in said main body for causing the image on the monitor to be erased upon inverting and shaking of the toy by a user.    
   
   
       19 . The toy of  claim 18 , wherein said first input device is a four-way operater positioned over a switch pad and said second input device is a two-position switch pad.  
   
   
       20 . An electronic toy comprising: 
 a main body adapted to be connected to a video monitor;    a processor disposed in said main body for generating video signals, audio signals, and application data to produce an image on the monitor;    a first input device disposed on said main body for controlling movement of a cursor on the video monitor, wherein said first input device comprising a four-way operator positioned over a switch pad;    a second input device disposed on said main body and positionable in a first position and a second position, wherein said second input device comprising a two-position switch pad; and    a switch disposed in said main body for causing the image on the monitor to be erased upon shaking of the toy by a user.