Toy Play Set with Multiple Modes and a Housing for a Portable Electronic Device

Abstract

A toy play set with multiple modes and a housing for a touchscreen portable electronic device includes a support structure, a first movable portion defining a housing configured to receive a portable electronic device, and a second movable portion. The first and second movable portions are rotatably coupled to the support structure and movable between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the first movable portion is in an upright orientation and in the second configuration the first movable portion is in a flat orientation. The portable electronic device is configured to provide different game modes depending at least upon the orientation of the first movable portion and the detection of certain toy objects thereon.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toy play set comprising:
 a support structure;   a first movable portion, the first movable portion defining a housing configured to receive a portable electronic device; and   a second movable portion, the first and second movable portions being movably coupled to the support structure and movable between a first configuration and a second configuration, the first movable portion being in an upright orientation in the first configuration and a flat orientation in the second configuration and the portable electronic device being configured to provide different game modes depending at least upon the orientation of the first movable portion.   
     
     
         2 . The toy play set of  claim 1 , wherein the second movable portion is in a flat orientation in both the first configuration and the second configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The toy play set of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second movable portions are rotatable between the flat orientation and the upright orientation with respect to the support structure. 
     
     
         4 . The toy play set of  claim 1 , wherein the second movable portion further comprises:
 controls electronically coupled to the portable electronic device.   
     
     
         5 . The toy play set of  claim 4 , wherein the controls comprise:
 at least one of a movement sensing assembly or buttons.   
     
     
         6 . The toy play set of  claim 1 , wherein the game mode provided by the portable electronic device is further dependent upon the detected presence of a certain character or object. 
     
     
         7 . The toy play set of  claim 6 , wherein the toy play set is operable in at least a first game mode or a second game mode when in the first configuration and a third or fourth game mode when in the second configuration, wherein the first and second game modes are only accessible when the portable electronic device is electronically coupled to the playset. 
     
     
         8 . The toy play set of  claim 7 , wherein the second movable portion further comprises:
 controls electronically coupled to the portable electronic device and the second game mode is played via the controls.   
     
     
         9 . The toy play set of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first, second, third and fourth games modes includes character-specific sub modes, each of the sub modes being initiated upon detection of a character. 
     
     
         10 . The toy play set of  claim 7 , wherein the support structure includes a theme and the portable electronic device displays interactive images that match the theme of the support structure when in the first and third game modes. 
     
     
         11 . The toy play set of  claim 10 , wherein the support structure includes a castle theme. 
     
     
         12 . The toy play set of  claim 1 , wherein the first movable portion comprises:
 a top; and   a bottom, the top and bottom forming a housing for receiving the portable electronic device therebetween and the top and the bottom being selectively coupleable along at least one of their edges in order to selectively secure the portable electronic device within the housing.   
     
     
         13 . The toy play set of  claim 12 , wherein the first movable portion further comprises:
 at least two actuators, the top and bottom only being decoupleable along at least one of their edges when more than one of the at least two actuators are actuated simultaneously.   
     
     
         14 . A toy play set comprising:
 a support structure configured to rest atop a support surface and including at least one feature configured to receive a toy accessory; and   a housing configured to removably receive a portable electronic device, the housing being movably coupled to the support structure and movable with respect to the support structure between a flat orientation and an upright orientation.   
     
     
         15 . The toy play set of  claim 14 , wherein the support structure and housing include a theme and the portable electronic device is configured to display images or games which match the theme when the portable electronic device is received within the housing. 
     
     
         16 . The toy play set of  claim 14 , wherein the portable electronic device is configured to provide at least a first play mode in the flat orientation and at least a second play mode in the upright orientation, the first play mode being different from the second play mode. 
     
     
         17 . The toy play set of  claim 14 , wherein the housing is a first movable portion and the toy play set further comprises:
 a second movable portion, the second movable portion also being movably coupled to the support structure, the second movable portion including controls to allow a user to interact with the portable electronic device.   
     
     
         18 . A housing for a portable electronic device comprising:
 a top including at least two lateral edges;   a bottom hingedly coupled to the top at a first lateral edge and removably securable to the top via a locking mechanism at a second lateral edge, the top and bottom being configured to receive the portable electronic device therebetween;   at least two actuators, wherein more than one of the at least two actuators must be actuated simultaneously in order to release the locking mechanism and decouple the second lateral edge of the bottom from the top; and   a hinge coupled to a toy play set, wherein the hinge allows the housing for the portable electronic device to be rotatably coupled to the toy play set along the first lateral edge so that the housing is rotatable between a flat orientation and an upright orientation.   
     
     
         19 . The housing of  claim 18 , wherein the housing is configured to be electronically coupled to the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is received therein. 
     
     
         20 . The housing of  claim 18 , wherein the top further comprises:
 a cover biased in a first position, the first position aligning the cover to cover a home button of a portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is oriented in a first direction within the housing, wherein the cover is selectively retractable to a second position which reveals the home button; and   a slot being alignable with the home button in order to expose the home button when the portable electronic device is oriented in a second direction within the housing.