US20030069077A1 - Wave-actuated, spell-casting magic wand with sensory feedback - Google Patents

Abstract

When waved by a user, a magic wand transmits a binary spell code having a value referencing an object behavior to a receiver included within another object. The receiver decodes the code to produce control signals as inputs to components within the object controlling its behavior so that the object exhibits the behavior referenced by the transmitted code value. The wand also produces a sensory feedback pattern including light, sound and/or vibration) to the user to indicate that the code has been transmitted. The sensory feedback pattern is a function of the value of the transmitted code.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention[0001]
• The present invention relates in general to magic wands and in particular to a wand which apparently casts a spell on a remote object when waved and which provides sensory feedback to a user upon casting the spell.[0002]
• 2. Description of Related Art[0003]
• Magic relates to the use of supernatural forces to affect the behavior of objects of the natural world, and the magic wand has long been an important and highly regarded tool for those skilled in the art of magic. Legions of wand-wielding fairies, witches, sorcerers, sorcerer's apprentices, and other types of magicians have appeared (and disappeared) in both contemporary and ancient mythology. Magicians frequently utter incantations invoking spells intended to compel people, animals or other objects to behave in various ways. However an incantation often merely selects a spell to be cast; it neither casts (activates) the spell nor selects the object to be bound by the spell. To cast some spells, the magician must wave a magic wand, preferably in the direction of the object that is to be spell-bound. Normally it is not sufficient for the magician to merely touch, hold or point the wand; he or she must wave the wand in the proper direction and with the proper flourish.[0004]
• When a wand casts a spell, the power invested in the spell often noticeably affects the behavior of wand itself. For example the tips of some wands glow eerily when casting spells. Other wands may shake or emit strange sounds. Often wand behavior will vary with the nature or power of spell being cast. For example, stronger spells may cause a wand's tip to glow more brightly or cause the wand to shake more violently. The magician may find such “wandish” behavior helpful as a verification that the desired spell has been successfully cast with the proper intensity.[0005]
• While magic wands frequently appear in fictional worlds, attempts to introduce magic wands into the real world have met with only limited success. U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,343 issued Oct. 18, 1994, to Christopher J. Lovetere, describes a wand having a strobe lamp built into its tip. In one version of the wand, the strobe lamp flashes when the magician presses a push- button switch mounted on the body of the wand; the switch connects the strobe lamp to a flash circuit hidden inside the wand. In another version of the wand, a mercury switch within the wand connects the strobe lamp to the flash circuit when the magician tips or waves the wand. While Lovetere's wands look like magic wands and provide a type of sensory input to the magician, in neither wand does the flashing of the strobe lamp indicate the type of spell that has been cast, or even that a spell of any sort has been successfully cast. Since neither version of the wand provides any mechanism for casting magic spells, or for transmitting anything that might appear to have the effect of a magic spell, the flashing of the strobe lamp signifies nothing more than the fact that the magician has successfully pressed a push-button or activated a mercury switch.[0006]
• U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,921 issued Jul. 9, 1996 to William T. Wilkinson describes a hand-held device that apparently casts spells on a ball, causing the ball to move in various directions. The device includes a transmitter which “casts spells” in the form of electromagnetic signals conveying codes to a receiver mounted within the ball. The receiver decodes each transmission to supply control signals to motors within the ball which can cause the ball to move in various directions. While the device uses natural forces rather than supernatural forces to cast spells on the ball, the device does provide a reasonably convincing approximation of the spell-casting capability of a magic wand insofar as it causes a ball to appear to move as if by magic. However, rather than waving the transmitter like a wand to initiate code transmissions, the operator manipulates a large joy-stick forming a prominent part of the transmitting device. The joy-stick tends to detract somewhat from any illusion one might have that the device might be a magic wand one waves to cast spells. Also the device does not provide the operator with the kind of “wandish”, spell-verifying sensory feedback one might expect from a proper magic wand.[0007]
• Hand-held transmitters have been used to remotely control objects such as televisions and garage door openers, however they do so only because an operator presses a push-button on the transmitter unit and not because the operator waives the transmitter unit at the garage door or television being controlled. A remote control unit may include a light-emitting diode that flashes whenever the operator presses a button, thereby providing some sensory feedback that a code was sent. However the diode flashes in the same way regardless of the nature of the code being sent and therefore provides no feedback as to the nature of the code being sent.[0008]
• What is needed is hand-held wand that looks like a magic wand and which apparently casts a spell on an object, thereby affecting the object's behavior, as if by magic. The wand should enable the user to select the particular object to receive a spell, to select the spell to be cast on that object, and to indicate when the spell is to be cast by waving the wand. And the wand should provide wandish sensory feedback to the magician when casting a spell, the nature of which varies with the nature of the spell being cast.[0009]
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• A wand in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention includes an elongate chassis containing a transmitter for sending a code to remote objects conveyed by a signal not apparent to a human. The code includes an “object address” field addressing one or more of the objects and a “spell data” field indicating an action that object is to carry out. The signal conveying the code may, for example, be an infrared signal, a radio frequency signal, an ultrasonic signal, or any other type of magnetic or electromagnetic field. When an object receives the code it determines whether it is being addressed by the object address field and if so, the object carries out the action indicated by the spell data field.[0010]
• The wand also includes a set of user-operable push-buttons or other input devices mounted on the chassis enabling a user to send input signals to a microcontroller mounted within the chassis.[0011]
• A proximity switch mounted within the wand chassis connects a power supply to the microcontroller when a magician picks up the wand. The magician may thereafter press the push-buttons in a pattern that selects the object address and spell data fields of the code to be sent to the remote objects.[0012]
• An acceleration sensor mounted within the chassis sends a signal to the microcontroller whenever the user waves the wand with a sufficiently vigorous flourish, and the microcontroller responds to that signal by sending the most recently selected code to the transmitter. The transmitter then forwards the code to the objects.[0013]
• The wand also includes one or more sensory feedback devices mounted within the chassis and controlled by the microcontroller for generating sound, light and/or vibration signals that can be sensed by the magician. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the devices include several light-emitting diodes, a speaker and a vibrator. When the microcontroller sends a code to the transmitter in response to a wave of the wand, it activates one or more of the sensory feedback devices, thereby causing the wand to exhibit a combination of flashing, vibrating and/or sound-making to indicate that a code has been sent. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the microcontroller causes the sensory feedback devices to produce a pattern of user-detectable signals that is a function of the code being sent.[0014]
• Thus the wand resembles a magic wand in both appearance and behavior, apparently casting spells on selected remote objects when waved, and exhibiting various “wandish” behaviors such as flashing, vibrating and making noises, depending on the nature of the spells being cast,[0015]
• The claims appended to this specification particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter of the invention. However those skilled in the art will best understand both the organization and method of operation of what the applicant(s) consider to be the best mode(s) of practicing the invention, together with further advantages and objects of the invention, by reading the remaining portions of the specification in view of the accompanying drawing(s) wherein like reference characters refer to like elements.[0016]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)
• FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a magic wand in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention for casting magic spells on receptive objects,[0017]
• FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the magic wand of FIG. 1,[0018]
• FIG. 3 is a left side elevation view of the magic wand of FIG. 1,[0019]
• FIG. 4 is a right side elevation view of the magic wand of FIG. 1,[0020]
• FIG. 5 illustrates a manner in which a magician holds and waves the magic wand of FIG. 1,[0021]
• FIG. 6 illustrates in flow chart form logic carried out by the magic wand of FIG. 1,[0022]
• FIG. 7 is a sectional elevation view of the magic wand of FIG. 1,[0023]
• FIG. 8 is a sectional elevation view of the acceleration sensor switch of FIG. 7,[0024]
• FIG. 9 illustrates in block diagram form a circuit included within the magic wand of FIG. 1,[0025]
• FIG. 10 illustrates a signal receiving and processing system suitable for use in an object controlled by spells cast by the magic wand circuit of FIG. 10,[0026]
• FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a main program executed by the programmable interrupt controller of FIG. 10.[0027]
• FIG. 12 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a circuit included within the magic wand of FIG. 1, and[0028]
• FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment of a signal transmitting, receiving and processing system suitable for use in an object controlled by spells cast by the magic wand circuit of FIG. 12.[0029]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention is directed to a wave-actuated magic wand, and this specification describes one or more exemplary embodiments and/or applications of the invention considered by the applicant(s) to be the best modes of practicing the invention. Various terms used in this specification are defined as follows:[0030]
• A “spell” is an instruction which, when received by a receptive object, irresistibly compels the object to engage in the behavior referenced by the instruction.[0031]
• An object is deemed “spell-bound” while engaging in behavior compelled by a spell.[0032]
• A spell is “cast” when it is transmitted to a receptive object.[0033]
• A “magic spell” is any spell cast in a form that cannot be directly sensed by a human.[0034]
• A “magician” is a being that initiates the casting of magic spells to receptive objects.[0035]
• Wand Appearance and Behavior[0036]
• FIGS.[0037]1-4 are front, rear, left side, and right side, elevation views, respectively, of awand13 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention for casting magic spells on receptive objects.Wand13 includes anelongate chassis1 having aproximal end2 in the shape of an owl'shead3 having aleft eye4 and aright eye5. The wand'sdistal end6 is in the shape of atranslucent orb7 grasped by a set of threetalons8. A set of four push-buttons9-12 reside on the front side ofwand13 nearproximal end2.
• As illustrated in FIG. 5 a magician wields[0038]wand13 by holding it near itsproximal end2 with each of fourfingers15 contacting a separate one of push-buttons9-12.Wand13 automatically energizes when the magician holds it, and the wand verifies that it is energized by causing owl'seyes4 and5 to glow. Amagician wielding wand13 may select an object to be spell-bound by pressing one or more of push-buttons9-12 in a pattern associated with that particular object.Wand13 verifies that the magician has successfully selected an object to be spell-bound by causing owl'seyes4 and5 to alternately flash. While chanting a suitable incantation, the magician identifies a spell to be cast by again pressing one or more of push-buttons9-12 in a pattern the wand associates with that particular spell.Wand13 then confirms that the magician has successfully selected a spell by causingorb7 to begin flashing.
• At this point, with[0039]owl eyes4 and5 andorb7 flashing ominously,wand13 signifies that it is “armed” and ready to cast a spell. The magician may then signalwand13 to cast the spell upon the selected object by simply wavingwand13 with a vigorousflourish causing orb7 to travel in a sweeping arc about owl'shead3.Wand13 responds to being waved by casting the spell.
• When it casts the spell,[0040]wand13 provides sensory feedback to the magician verifying that the spell was cast. Depending on the nature of the spell being cast, the wand may vibrate, emit various sounds and/or may flash or vary the glow intensity of owl'seyes4 and5 ororb7 to verify that it has cast the spell.
• After casting the spell,[0041]wand13 returns to its armed state, with owl'sglowing eyes5 and6 andorb7 flashing to signify that the wand is ready to again cast the same spell to the same object should the magician choose to again wave the wand. The magician is therefore able to repeatedly cast the same spell to the same object simply by wavingwand13 several times in succession. To select a next spell to be cast to the same object, the magician presses push-buttons9-12 in a pattern associated with the next spell.Wand13 briefly stops and then resumes flashingorb7 to verify that the magician has successfully selected a new spell. The magician may then signalwand13 to cast the new spell by again waving the wand.
• When the magician wishes to cast a spell on another object, the magician first presses all of push-buttons[0042]9-12 at the same time to tellwand13 that the magician no longer wants to cast spells on the last-selected object.Wand13 responds by causing owl'seyes4 and5 andorb7 to stop flashing and to glow steadily to indicate that the object and spell are no longer selected. The magician may then again concurrently press one or more of push-buttons9-12 once to select the next object to be spell-bound and once more to select the spell to be cast to that object.Wand13 resumes flashingowls eyes4 and5 andorb7 to indicate that it is once again armed and ready to cast a spell. The magician may thereafter wavewand13 to cast the newly- selected spell on the newly-selected object. When the magician tires of casting spells and putswand13 away,wand13 automatically de-energizes itself and signifies that it no longer energized by stoppingowls eyes4 and5 andorb7 from glowing or flashing.
• Wand Logic[0043]
• FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the wand's decision process after the magician has initially energized the[0044]wand13 by grasping it. Atstep20,wand13 first “turns on” owl'seyes4 and5 and orb7 (i.e. makes them glow) and then waits (step22) for the magician to press one or more of push-buttons9-12, thereby selecting an object to be spell-bound. When the magician selects the object,wand13 remembers the object selected (step24) and then begins flashing owl'seyes4 and5 (step26). The wand then waits (steps28 and29) for the magician to again press one or more of push-buttons9-12, thereby to either select a spell to be cast (step28) or to de-select the currently selected object (step29).
• The four push-buttons[0045]9-12 each provide a separate bit of a four bit code as input towand13. The code has value 0000 when the magician does not press any push-button9-12. The magician selects one of 14 spells asstep28 by concurrently pressing any combination of one to three of push-buttons9-12 so that the push-buttons produce a code having a value from 0001 through 1110. The magician may de-select the last-selected object atstep29 by concurrently pressing all four buttons9-12 so that they supply a code of value 1111.
• When the magician de-selects the object at[0046]step29,wand13 returns to step20, where it causeseyes4 and5 andorb7 to glow steadily and then moves again to step22 to wait for the magician to select another object. When the magician selects a spell atstep28,wand13 remembers the spell that was selected (step32) and causesorb7 to begin flashing (step34).Wand13 then waits until the magician waves the wand (step36), presses any of push-buttons9-12 to select another spell (step37), or to de-select the currently selected object (step38).
• When the magician de-selects the object at[0047]step38,wand13 returns to step20. When the magician selects a new spell atstep37,wand13 briefly turns off orb7 (i.e. makes it stop flashing or glowing) atstep40, remembers the newly selected spell (step32), causesorb7 to begin flashing again (step34), and then returns to the wait loop of steps36-38.
• When[0048]wand13 detects atstep36 that it is being waved, it casts the spell (step41), exhibits verifying behavior (e.g. produces a pattern of light, vibration and/or sound) that is a function of the spell being cast (step42), and then returns to the wait loop of steps36-38. As may be seen from FIG. 6, having selected an object and a spell, the magician may repeatedly cast the spell to that object simply by repeatedly waving the wand. This causeswand13 to repeatedly loop throughsteps36,41 and42.
• Wand Components[0049]
• FIG. 7 is a sectional elevation view of[0050]wand13 of FIG. 1 depicting wand components mounted within its moldedhollow chassis1 including a printed circuit board (PCB49). A set of momentary switches50-53 operated by push-buttons9-12 of FIG. 1, aproximity switch54, and apower switch55 are mounted onPCB49.PCB49 also holds a pair of light-emitting diodes (LEDs)56 and58 withinchassis1 adjacent to owl'seyes4 and5 of FIG. 1. Owl'seyes4 and5 are formed from translucent plastic lenses set in apertures inchassis1 so that light fromLEDs56 and58 may shine through the owl's eyes. A pair ofLEDs62, mounted on an end ofPCB49 within the translucentplastic orb7, cause the orb to glow or flash when continuously or periodically energized.PCB49 also holds aspeaker64 for producing sounds, avibrator motor66 for shakingwand13, anacceleration switch68 for sensing when thewand13 is being waved, an infra-red transmitter70 for transmitting infrared signals to remote objects throughorb62, anoscillator71 for generating a clock signal, a programmable interrupt controller (PIC)72 for controlling wand behavior, and abattery74 for supplying power.Battery74 is accessible through abattery hatch75 on the rear of chassis1 (FIG. 2). Though not shown in FIG. 7,PCB49 also holds some resistors and a capacitor and provides microstrip traces forming signal paths between the various components mounted thereon.
• FIG. 8 is a sectional elevation view of[0051]acceleration switch68 of FIG. 7.Switch68 includes a cylindricalconductive weight76 slideably fitting within a conductivecylindrical housing78, aconductive contact80 mounted on aninsulator82 withinchassis78. Awire lead84 linked to contact80 and passing through an aperture incylinder78 is soldered to a trace on PCB49 (FIG. 7) leading to an input terminal ofPIC72.Housing78 is tied to a ground plane ofPCB49. Aspring86 normally holdsweight76 away fromcontact80, but when the magician waveswand13 by movingdistal end6 in an arc aboutproximal end2, the centripetal force applied byspring86 onweight76 is insufficient to preventweight76 from moving into contact withcontact80.Weight76 thus completes a conductive path betweenchassis78 and lead84. When the magician stop waving the wand,spring86 again pullsweight76 away fromcontact80.Switch68 is suitably mounted onPCB49 as near as possible to thedistal end6 of wand13 (FIG. 1) to maximize the angular momentum ofweight76 when the magician waveswand13 as illustrated in FIG. 5.
• FIG. 9 is a block diagram depicting the circuit formed by the various devices mounted on[0052]PCB49 of FIG. 7.PIC72 includes a set of input/output ports P1-P14 through which it communicates with various devices mounted onPCB49. Anoscillator71 connected to a pair of clock input terminals ofPIC72 provides a clock signal input toPIC72 that the PIC uses as a timing reference.
• [0053]Power switch55 and a pair of resistors R1 and R2 linkbattery74 to a power supply input terminal ofPIC72. A capacitor C1 connected between resistors R1 and R2 regulates the power supply voltage. Aproximity switch54 onchassis1 transmits a CLOSE signal pulse topower switch55 whenever it detectswand13 is moving to tellswitch55 to connectbattery74 to resistor R1, thereby supplying power toPIC72.Proximity switch54 will assert the CLOSE signal as long as the magician holdswand13.PIC72 monitors the CLOSE signal and when at any time it fails to detect that the CLOSE signal is asserted during any 30 second interval,PIC72 transmits an OPEN signal topower switch55 telling it to disconnectbattery74 from resistor R1, thereby turning off the PIC's power supply.
• Push-button switches[0054]50-53 respectively link ports P3-P6 to ground.Lead84 of acceleration switch68 (FIG. 8) is connected to port P7 while itschassis78 is grounded.PIC72 detects when any of switches50-53 or68 is closed by detecting when the corresponding port P3-P7 is grounded. Port P8 drivesvibrator motor66. A set of resistors R3-R5 link LEDs56,56, and63 to ports P9, P10 and P12, respectively, and a resistorR6 links speaker64 to port P12. Port P13 monitors the CLOSE signal and port P4 generates the OPEN signal.
• [0055]PIC72 is suitably programmed to implement the wand logic illustrated in FIG. 6 when it receives power afterswitch55 is closed. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 9,PIC72 may make owl'seyes4 and5 glow by turning onLEDs56 and58 continuously and may make them flash by turning them on and off repeatedly. When the magician presses one or more of push-buttons9-12, one or more of switches50-53 close to produce a four-bit binary code at ports P4-P6. The appearance of a code other than value “0000” (indicating no switches are closed) at ports34-P6 tellsPIC72 that the magician is selecting or de-selecting an object or selecting a spell at one ofsteps22,28,29,37 or38.PIC72 carries outstep24 by storing the 4-bit object selection code currently appearing at ports P3-P6 as an “object address” in an internal register.PIC72 carries outstep32 by storing the 4-bit spell selection code currently appearing at ports P3-P6 as “spell data” in another internal register. A “1111” code at ports P3-P6 atstep29 tellsPIC72 that the user is de-selecting the currently selected object.
• [0056]PIC72 determines when the magician is wavingwand13 atstep36 by detecting whether acceleration switch68 is currently grounding port P7.Wand13 employstransmitter70 mounted onPCB49 and connected to ports P1 and P2, to cast a spell atstep41 by encoding an 8-bit code into a infrared signal sent out to a remote object to be spell-bound. The infrared signal passes throughtranslucent orb7. Whentransmitter70 is to cast a spell,PIC72 supplies power totransmitter70 via port P1 and supplies the 8-bit code to be transmitted as binary data in serial form as input totransmitter70 via port P2. The 8-bit code includes the currently stored 4-bit object address and spell data as separate 4-bit fields.
• [0057]PIC72 includes an internal memory for storing program instructions including a set of fourteen “behavior” subroutines, one for each of the 14 possible 4-bit spell data values other than 0000 and 1111. The subroutine for each spell data values defines a sequence ofsubsteps PIC72 is to carry out atstep42 to verify that a spell was cast atstep40. Forexample PIC72 may pulse-width modulate a signal at port P12 to causespeaker64 to emit sounds such as musical tones or speech, may pulse-width modulate any of ports P10-P12 to cause any ofLEDs56,58 or62 to flash or vary their emitted light intensity, and/or may pulse width modulate port P8 to causevibrator66 to vibrate with a desired frequency. SincePIC72 executes a different subroutine for each spell data value, the wands behavior can vary with the spell being cast.
• In an alternative embodiment of the invention, where[0058]PIC72 has sufficient memory resources, a separate behavior subroutine may be provided for each possible combination of selected object and spell data so that wand behavior upon casting a spell is a function of both the select object address and spell data fields of the code being transmitted. Thus thePIC72 program would include a total of 210 separate behavior subroutines, one for each combination of the 15 possible object selection codes and 14 possible spell selection codes. The size of the memory needed to store PIC instructions specifying wand behavior limits the complexity and range of the spellverification behaviors wand13 may exhibit. For example those of skill in the art will appreciate that when a sufficiently large amount of memory is available,PIC72 can be programmed to produce complex sounds inspeaker64, including speech.
• Spell-Receptive Objects[0059]
• FIG. 10 illustrates in block diagram form an[0060]object control system90 suitable for controlling an object's behavior in response to transmissions sent bytransmitter70 of FIG. 9 and received by aninfrared receiver94. Abattery91 supplies power through aswitch92 and a network formed by resistors R7 and R8 and capacitor C2 to a power input terminal of a PIC93 (suitably similar toPIC72 of FIG. 9). Anoscillator95 supplies a reference clock signal input toPIC93.Switch92 is suitably a motion detector switch that closes when the object is moved and opens in response to a signal at port P12 thatPIC93 generates after a time of inactivity.Alterative switch92 may be manually operated or may be omitted whenPIC93 is to be energized continuously. Some PICs have a sleep mode that uses little power. Such a PIC enters the sleep mode after carrying out its spell and awakes from the sleep mode upon detection of an incoming signal fromreceiver94 via port P1.
• When[0061]receiver94 receives an infrared signal transmission from transmitter70 (FIG. 9), it extracts the 8-bit code from the transmission and transmits it in serial form toPIC93.PIC93 is programmed to look at the object address field included in the code arriving at port P1 to determine whether it references the object in which objectcontrol system90 is mounted. If not,PIC93 ignores the code and takes no further action.PIC93 stores a separate subroutine in its internal memory for each of the 14 possible values of spell data fields that may be included in the code arriving at port P1. When the object data addresses the object,PIC93 executes the subroutine associated with the accompanying spell data field. When the spell data field value corresponds to a spell that is to have no effect on the object, then the subroutine called for that spell data field value tellsPIC93 to do nothing. However if the spell data field value references a spell that is affect the behavior of the object, then the subroutine for that spell data field value tellsPIC93 to generate a desired pattern of signals at any one or more of its output ports P2-P11. These ports may be connected to devices within the object that cause it to behave in various ways. For example such devices may include speakers, motor controllers, LEDs, solenoids and the like.
• FIG. 11 illustrates a main program executed by[0062]PIC93 when turned on byswitch92.PIC93 monitors its P1 input (step96) until it receives a code fromreceiver94. It then checks the object address field of the code (step97) to determine whether the code is addressing the object in whichPIC93 resides. If not, program flow returns to step96. If the object address field is selecting the object,PIC93 executes the subroutine identified by the spell data field (step98) and then returns to step96.
• Thus a[0063]magic wand13 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention can enable a magician to cast any of up to 14 different spells on any of up to 15 different objects. The wand enables the magician to select an object to receive a spell and to select the spell to be cast, and enables the magician to then cast the selected spell by waving the wand.Wand13 also provides sensory feedback to the magician when casting a spell, the nature of which varies with the nature of the spell being cast
• Interrogation Spells[0064]
• In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the[0065]PIC93 within each object is pre-programmed to respond to transmissions containing a particular one of the 15 possible 4-bit object data values that the magician keys intoPIC72. Thuswand13 may independently cast spells to a maximum of 15 objects. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the object data field thatwand13 transmits to the objects may be much larger, for example 12 bits. That permits the wand to distinguish from among 4096 objects. However since it would be difficult for the magician to remember and key a 12-bit selection code intowand13, in the alternative embodiment of the wand, the wand's internal PIC encodes the 4-bit object data keyed in by the magician into a 12-bit object address code that is transmitted to the objects to be addressed by the 12-bit code. As described below, the wand's internal PIC includes a programmable lookup table that translates between the 4-bit input code supplied by the magician and the 12-bit object address code the wand transmits to the objects. Thus in the alternative embodiment of the invention in whichwand13 transmits a 12-bit object data, it can control up to 4096 different objects, each responding to a different object address code value. However the wand allows the magician to select from among only 15 objects at any given time without reprogramming its internal lookup table.
• FIG. 12 illustrates the circuit included in the alternative embodiment of[0066]wand13 of FIG. 1. That circuitry is generally similar to the circuit of FIG. 9 except that it includes areceiver102 in addition totransmitter70. FIG. 13 illustrates anobject control system104 topologically similar to objectcontrol system90 of FIG. 10 except thatsystem104 includes atransmitter106 in addition toreceiver94.
• In a wand/object system implemented in accordance with FIGS. 12 and 13, one of the[0067]4-bit spell codes that the magician may key in (suitably code 1110) references an “interrogation” spell. Any object that receives a transmission containing the interrogation spell code in its spell data field executes a subroutine associated with that spell code regardless of whether the 12-bit object address field of the transmission addresses that object. The interrogation subroutine tellsPIC93 to send a data stream towand13, and upon sending an interrogation spell to an object,PIC72 of FIG. 12 energies itsreceiver102 so that it can receive the data stream from the object and forward it toPIC72. Before casting an interrogation spell, the magician should ensure that only one object is able to receive the spell so only that object returns a data steam in response to the spell.
• Each object is programmed to respond to a particular value of the 12-bit object address code and the data stream an object returns to[0068]wand13 in response to the interrogation spell includes that particular 12-bit object data. When it receives the data stream,PIC72 waits for the magician to key in a 4-bit object data that the magician wants to use to select that object.PIC72 then updates its object data lookup table to relate the selected 4-bit object selection code to the object's 12-bit address data. Thereafterwand13 includes that 12-bit address data in any spell sent out after the magician has keyed in that 4-bit object data.
• When[0069]wand13 executes a behavior subroutine that is a function of the combination of object and spell, the PIC program stores several different behavior routines and includes another “behavior” lookup table relating each combination of object selection code and spell selection code to one of its stored behavior routines. In such case, the data stream an object returns towand13 in response to an interrogation code also includes data indicating which of the storedbehavior routines wand13 is to execute in response to each of the set of 15 possible spells the wand may cast on the object. When it updates its object selection code lookup table after receiving a data stream from an object,PIC72 also updates its behavior lookup table so that it thereafter executes an appropriate one of those behavior subroutines whenever sending a spell addressed to that object. Thus the interrogation spell enableswand13 not only to learn an object's address, it also enableswand13 to learn how to behave when thereafter sending any spell to that object.
• Other Alternative Embodiments[0070]
• The preferred embodiments of the invention as described herein above transmit and receive infrared signals. However those of skill in the art will appreciate that alternative embodiments of the invention may use other types of encoded signals for conveying spells between objects and wands including, for example, light frequency signals other than infrared, radio frequency and other types of electromagnetic or magnetic signals, and ultrasonic or other types of sound wave signals.[0071]
• Thus those of skill in the art will appreciate that the preferred embodiments of the invention described herein above can be adapted for employing other than infrared signaling by replacing their infrared signal transmitters and receivers with transmitters and receivers that communicate with any of those other types of signals.[0072]
• While in the preferred embodiment of the invention the magician communicates with[0073]PIC72 via a set of push-button switches50-53, those of skill in the art will appreciate that other devices could be employed to enable the magician to supply input codes toPIC72. For example push-button switches50-53 could be replaced with a set of proximity switches mounted insidechassis1 that sense the presence of each of the magician fingers onchassis1 to produce input codes toPIC72. A speech recognition system mounted in chassis may convert spoken words into PIC input codes. Motion or position sensors mounted insidechassis1 could convert wand movement patterns into input codes. Some embodiments of the wand may have no means for permitting a user to select object or spell codes. Such a wand, when energized, would always transmit a default object and spell code when waved. Such a wand without user input would be immediately armed when energized and would be able to cast only a single spell on objects identified by a single object code.
• Other versions of[0074]wand13 may include additional output devices. For example, theLEDs62 illuminatingorb7 may be implemented as several independently controlled LEDs of different color so thatorb7 can be made to glow or flash with a wide range of colors. AlsoPIC72 can be provided with external memory so that it can be programmed to provide more complex wand behavior.
• [0075]Proximity switch54 may be replaced with a motion detector that turns on the CLOSE signal when the magician moves the wand, or by any other sensor that detects when the magician is holding thewand. Power switch55 andproximity switch54 may also be replaced by a user-operable on/off switch.
• The Wand as a Controllable Object[0076]
• [0077]PIC72 may be programmed so that one of the object selection codes addresses the wand itself and so that the wand itself responds to various spells selected by the magician. In such case when the magician selects the wand itself as an object to be spell-bound, selects a spell to be cast, and then waves the wand, the wand doesn't transmit a code to another object but instead responds in some manner to that spell. For example a spell may causePIC72 to execute a subroutine in which, for a time, it produces various tones onspeaker64 when the magician closes various combinations of push-button switches50-53. Other spells may cause the wand to exhibit other behaviors, or to refrain for a time from responding to any input from the magician. When wands include receivers and are capable of interrogating objects as described above, a wand can respond to spells cast by another wand. For example, such wands may interrogate one other to learn each other's address code. Thereafter dueling magicians can battle one another for control of each other's wand or for control of other objects. Note that when one magician casts a spell on another magician's wand, the other magician's wand will be temporarily prevented from casting spells while engaging in spell-bound behavior.
• The forgoing specification and the drawings depict the best mode(s) of practicing the invention, and elements or steps of the depicted best mode(s) exemplify the elements or steps of the invention as recited in the appended claims. However the appended claims are intended to apply to any mode of practicing the invention comprising the combination of elements or steps as described in any one of the claims, including elements or steps that are functional equivalents of the example elements or steps depicted in the specification and drawings. Accordingly should any appended claim describe an element or step only in terms of its function, then it is intended that the claim's description of the element be interpreted as reading on any element or step having the described function, regardless of any structural limitations associated with any example depicted in this specification or in the drawings.[0078]

Claims (39)

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for transmitting a code via a signal when a user waves the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a chassis;

a transmitter mounted on the chassis for receiving the code as input data, and for then transmitting the code via the signal;

a first sensor mounted on the chassis for generating an indicating signal when the user waves the chassis; and

control means for providing the code as input data to the transmitter in response to the indicating signal.

2. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 1 wherein said first sensor comprises an acceleration switch that generates the indicating signal when accelerated.

3. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 1 further comprising:

input means operable by the user for providing data as input to the control means, wherein the data indicates the code the control means is to provide as input data to the transmitter in response to the indicating signal.

4. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 2 wherein the input means comprises a plurality of user-operable switches connected to the control means.

5. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 1 wherein the control means comprises a programmable controller.

6. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 1 wherein the signal is a radio-frequency signal.

7. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 1 wherein the signal is an infra-red signal.

8. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 1 wherein the signal is a magnetic signal.

9. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 1 wherein the signal is an electromagnetic signal.

10. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 1 wherein the control means operates on electrical power and wherein the apparatus further comprises

a power supply mounted on the chassis, and

sensor means mounted on the chassis for sensing when the user is holding the chassis and for linking the power supply to the control means so that the power supply supplies electrical power to the control means when the user is holding the chassis.

11. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 10 wherein the sensor means comprises a proximity switch.

12. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 10 further comprising:

sensory output means mounted on the chassis for providing sensory input to the user in response to a control signal, wherein the control means transmits the control signal to the sensory output means when the control means provides the code as input data to the transmitter in response to the indicating signal.

13. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 12 wherein the sensory output means comprises means for generating a sound in response to the control signal.

14. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 12 wherein the sensory output means comprises means for vibrating the chassis in response to the control signal.

15. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 12 wherein the sensory output means comprises means for generating light in response to the control signal.

16. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 1 wherein the code references an action to be carried out and references an object to carry out the action.

17. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 3 wherein the code references an action to be carried out and references an object to carry out the action.

18. An apparatus for enabling a user to remotely control an object, the apparatus comprising:

a wand for transmitting a code conveyed by a signal when the user waves the wand, wherein the code references an action the object is to carry out; and

a controller for receiving the signal and for causing the object to carry out the action referenced by the code conveyed via the signal.

19. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 18 wherein the wand comprises:

a chassis;

a transmitter mounted on the chassis for receiving the code as input data, and for then transmitting the code via the signal;

a sensor mounted on the chassis for generating an indicating signal when the user waves the wand; and

control means for providing the code as input data to the transmitter in response to the indicating signal.

20. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 19 wherein the sensor comprises an acceleration switch that generates the indicating signal when accelerated.

21. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 19 wherein the wand further comprises:

a plurality of switches operated by the user for providing data as input to the control means, wherein the data references the code the control means is to provide as input data to the transmitter in response to the indicating signal.

22. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 18 wherein the wand further comprises means mounted on the chassis for generating at least one of the following outputs when the wand transmits the code via the signal: sound, light, and vibration.

23. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 18 wherein the wand comprises means mounted on the chassis for generating all of the following outputs when the wand transmits the code via the signal: sound, light, and vibration.

24. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 23

wherein the code includes an object address, and

wherein the control means causes the object to carry out the action referenced by the code only when the object address references the object the control means controls.

25. An apparatus for enabling a user to control behavior of a plurality of objects remote from the user, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of object controllers, each for controlling behavior of a corresponding one of the objects, each controller being identified by a unique address, each controller responding to a first signal conveying spell data referencing an object behavior by causing the controller's corresponding object to exhibit the object behavior referenced by the spell data when the first signal also conveys that controller's identifying address; and

a wand for receiving user input selecting one of the objects and a behavior that object is to exhibit, and for thereafter responding to being waved by the user by transmitting the first signal to the objects, wherein the first signal conveys spell data referencing the behavior selected by the user input and conveys the address of the object controller controlling the behavior of the object selected by the user input.

26. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 25 wherein the first signal is any one of the following: an electromagnetic signal, a radio-frequency signal, a light signal, an infra-red signal, and a magnetic flux signal.

27. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 25 wherein the wand supplies sensory input to the user to indicate when it transmits the first signal, the sensory input including at least one of the following: sound, light, and vibration.

28. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 25 wherein a nature of the sensory input the wand supplies to the user is a function of a value of the spell data conveyed by the first signal.

29. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 28 wherein the wand supplies all of the following sensory inputs to the user when it transmits the first signal: sound, light, and vibration.

30. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 25

wherein when the spell data conveyed by the first signal is of a particular value, each object controller that receives the first signal transmits a data stream via a second signal, and

wherein the wand includes receiving means for reading the data stream conveyed by the second signal.

31. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 30 wherein the data stream conveyed by the second signal transmitted by each object controller includes the address of the object controller that transmitted the second signal.

32. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 25 wherein the wand comprises:

a chassis;

a transmitter mounted on the chassis for receiving as input the spell data and address to be conveyed by the first signal, and for then transmitting the first signal conveying the spell data and the address;

a sensor mounted on the chassis for generating an indicating signal when the user waves the chassis; and

control means for providing the spell data and address as input to the transmitter in response to the indicating signal.

33. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 32 wherein the sensor comprises an acceleration switch that generates the indicating signal when accelerated.

34. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 33 wherein the wand further comprises:

user input means mounted on the chassis and operated by the user for the supplying user input to the control means selecting said one of the objects and selecting the behavior said one of the objects is to exhibit.

35. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 34

wherein when the spell data conveyed by the first signal is of a particular value, each object controller that receives the first signal transmits a data stream to the wand via a second signal, wherein the data stream includes the address of the object controller's corresponding object,

wherein the wand includes a receiver for receiving the second signal, for reading the address included in the data steam conveyed by the second signal, and for providing the address to the wand controller, and

wherein the wand controller stores each address provided by the receiver and provides one of its stored addresses as the address input to the transmitter in response to the object selection data provided by the user input means.

36. The apparatus in accordance withclaim 35 wherein the first and second signals are any of the following types of signals: electro-magnetic signals, radio signals, light signals, infra-red signals, and magnetic flux signals.

37. In a wand including a sensor for generating an indicating signal when a user waves the wand, user input means for generating an object selection code and a spell selection code, a transmitter for transmitting a signal conveying an object address and spell data, sensory output means for generating signals that can be sensed by the user, and control means for receiving the indicating signal, the object selection code and the spell selection code and for controlling the transmitter and sensory output means, a method of operation for the control means comprising the steps of:

a. selecting the object address to be conveyed by the signal in response to the object selection code generated by the user input means;

b. selecting the spell data to be conveyed by the signal in response to the spell selection code generated by the user input means;

c. responding to the indicating signal produced by the sensor when the user waves the wand by supplying the object address selected at step a and the spell data selected at step b to the transmitter and then causing the transmitter to transmit the signal conveying the object address and spell data.

38. The method in accordance withclaim 37 further comprising the step of:

d. causing the sensory output means to provide sensory input to the user upon carrying out step c.

39. The method in accordance withclaim 38 wherein a nature of the sensory input provided to the user at step d is a function of the spell data conveyed by the signal.

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