A modular toy construction system with interactive toy construction elements

Abstract

A modular toy construction system, comprising: a plurality of interactive toy construction elements, each interactive toy construction element comprising a sensor and/or a function device, the function device operable to perform a user-perceivable function; each interactive toy construction element further comprising a first communications circuit configured to wirelessly communicate signals and to wirelessly harvest energy for operating the function device and/or the sensor.

1 . A modular toy construction system, comprising a plurality of interactive toy construction elements, each interactive toy construction element comprising a sensor and/or a function device, the function device operable to perform a user-perceivable function; each interactive toy construction element further comprising a first communications circuit configured to wirelessly communicate signals and to wirelessly harvest energy for operating the function device and/or the sensor;
 the toy construction system further comprising at least one control toy construction element comprising a processing circuit and a second communications circuit; the second communications circuit being configured to communicate with one or more of the plurality of interactive toy construction elements;   wherein the control toy construction element and a set of one or more of the interactive toy construction elements are configured to form a network of communicating nodes and wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine a network topology of said network;   wherein the control toy construction element is configured to detect, when the control toy construction element and said set of interactive toy construction elements are directly or indirectly interconnected with each other so as to form a toy construction model, a physical topology of said set of interactive toy construction elements in said toy construction model, from the determined network topology;   and wherein   the processing circuit is configured to control the interactive toy construction elements of the toy construction model so as to provide a desired model behaviour, based on the detected physical topology.   
     
     
         2 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the modular toy construction system is configured to impose structural rules for physically interconnecting the toy construction elements of the toy construction system; and wherein the processing circuit is further configured to detect the physical topology using the structural rules. 
     
     
         3 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first communications circuit is configured for contactless, ultra-short-range communication, and for contactless energy transfer. 
     
     
         4 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one control toy construction element comprises a rechargeable energy storage device. 
     
     
         5 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive sensor data from one or more of the interactive toy construction elements and to generate control signals for controlling the user-perceivable function of one or more of the interactive toy construction elements. 
     
     
         6 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second communications circuit is further configured to wirelessly transfer energy to said one or more interactive toy construction elements. 
     
     
         7 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second communications circuits are configured for contactless, ultra-short-range communication, and for contactless energy transfer. 
     
     
         8 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control toy construction element comprises an energy receiving circuit for wirelessly receiving energy and for charging the energy storage device. 
     
     
         9 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control toy construction element is configured to detect a presence of one or more other control toy construction elements in a vicinity of the control toy construction element. 
     
     
         10 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control toy construction element is configured to receive and store one or more program instructions for controlling a behaviour of the control toy construction element. 
     
     
         11 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control toy construction elements include a processing unit operable to infer one or more user-selected functions from one or more sensor inputs received by an interactive toy construction element communicatively coupled to the at least one control toy construction element. 
     
     
         12 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control construction element includes a third communications circuit operable for short-range, wireless communications. 
     
     
         13 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 12 , wherein the third communications circuit is configured to establish wireless communications with one or more remote electronic devices. 
     
     
         14 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 13 , comprising the remote electronic device; wherein the remote electronic device is configured to communicate with one or more control toy construction elements of the same or of different separate toy construction models. 
     
     
         15 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 14 , wherein the remote electronic device is configured to receive information from the control construction element about one or more interactive toy construction elements coupled to the control toy construction element. 
     
     
         16 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 14 , wherein the remote electronic device is configured to control operation of the control construction element and/or of one or more interactive toy construction elements coupled to the control toy construction element. 
     
     
         17 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of interactive toy construction elements is a passive interactive toy construction element without own energy storage device. 
     
     
         18 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of interactive toy construction elements comprises an energy storage device. 
     
     
         19 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interactive toy construction elements includes:
 at least a first interactive toy construction element comprising a first type of function device;   at least a second interactive toy construction element comprising a second type of function device, different from the first type of function device.   
     
     
         20 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interactive toy construction elements includes:
 at least a first interactive toy construction element comprising a first type of sensor;   at least a second interactive toy construction element comprising a second type of sensor, different from the first type of sensor.   
     
     
         21 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the interactive toy construction elements comprises a function device and sensor; wherein the function device is configured to perform a user-perceivable function, the user-perceivable function being perceivable as a first physical quantity; and wherein the sensor is operable to sense said first physical quantity. 
     
     
         22 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the interactive toy construction elements comprises a motor and an encoder. 
     
     
         23 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the interactive toy construction elements comprises a light source and a light detector. 
     
     
         24 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the interactive toy construction elements comprises a sound source and a sound detector. 
     
     
         25 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the interactive toy construction elements are configured such that their respective function devices interact with each other to perform a combined function when the interactive toy construction elements are interconnected with each other in a predetermined manner. 
     
     
         26 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , comprising one or more electronic figurines, wherein the electronic figurine comprises a rechargeable energy storage device, a processing unit and a communications circuit operable for short-range wireless communications. 
     
     
         27 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 26 , wherein the communications circuit of the electronic figurine is operable for short-range wireless communications with one or more of the interactive toy construction elements and/or with one or more control toy construction elements. 
     
     
         28 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 26 , wherein the electronic figurine includes coupling members for detachably attaching the electronic figurine to other toy construction elements of the toy construction system. 
     
     
         29 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 26 , wherein the electronic figurine further comprises one or more function devices, in particular a motor and/or a light source and/or a sound source. 
     
     
         30 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 26 , wherein the electronic figurine further comprises one or more sensors, in particular an encoder and/or a light sensor and/or a sound sensor and/or an accelerometer. 
     
     
         31 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the interactive toy construction elements comprises coupling members for detachably attaching the interactive toy construction element to other toy construction elements of the toy construction system. 
     
     
         32 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , comprising an electronic toy having an image capturing device and being configured to capture one or more images of a play scene including one or more interactive toy construction elements and/or control toy construction elements. 
     
     
         33 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 32 , wherein the electronic toy is configured to process the captured one or more images so as to detect one or more aspects of the play scene. 
     
     
         34 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 33 , wherein the electronic toy is configured to play digital content responsive to the detected one or more aspects of the play scene. 
     
     
         35 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 33 , wherein the electronic toy comprises a communications circuit operable for short-range wireless communications with one or more of the interactive toy construction elements and/or with one or more control construction elements. 
     
     
         36 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 35 , wherein the electronic toy is configured to send control signals to one or more interactive toy construction elements and/or control toy construction elements included in the play scene. 
     
     
         37 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 36 , wherein the electronic toy is configured to send control signals to one or more interactive toy construction elements and/or control toy construction elements included in the play scene responsive to the detected one or more aspects of the play scene. 
     
     
         38 . A modular toy construction system according  claim 1 , wherein each interactive toy construction element includes a single function device and/or a single sensor. 
     
     
         39 . A modular toy construction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the function device of at least one interactive toy construction element is chosen from: a motor, a light source, and a sound source.