WO2000045910A2

WO2000045910A2 - Toy responsive to sensed resistance

Info

Publication number: WO2000045910A2
Application number: PCT/US2000/002877
Authority: WO
Inventors: Steven Lebensfeld; Frank Landi; David Chu Ki Kwan
Original assignee: Toymax Inc.
Priority date: 1999-02-05
Filing date: 2000-02-04
Publication date: 2000-08-10
Also published as: AU3482100A; HK1029485A2; WO2000045910A3

Abstract

The educational toy (10) includes a moving object (14-19) which triggers control functions in response to an association of the moving objects, which may be animals and their habitats or geographic, to a location (28) detected by sensing a resistance (32) which is coupled into a sensing circuit (36) by contact of the movable object (30) with the location (34). Thus, one or more movable objects and one or more locations fixed with respect to at least one of the movable objects cooperate to test or detect resistance values associated either with a movable object or a fixed location, and the toy provides an appropriate output or response (44, 54) for each resistance value detected.

Description

TOY RESPONSIVE TO SENSED RESISTANCE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention disclosed herein relates to toys, games, educational aids, novelty items and the like, referred to herein as "toys", which test various associations or control selected functions in response to various associations. More particularly, the invention relates to making the associations by detecting resistance values to test or detect associations.

For pre-schoolers, toys in the prior art may use associations which, for example, may be animals and their habitats. For older children, the association may be geographic, e.g., the location of geographic points on a map. The toy may include a moving object which triggers control functions in response to an association of the moving object to a location. For example, the moving object may be a vehicle which automatically turns, stops, reverses, etc. when it reaches each of a number of predetermined locations, or causes another object to be controlled in some fashion when the movable object reaches a predetermined location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention disclosed herein to provide toys which test or make associations, or detect associations to provide a speech message or to control an object, and which are simple and are inexpensive to manufacture, particularly for use in a variety of toys, games, educational aids, novelty items, and the like.

A toy, game, educational aid, novelty item and the like, i.e., as indicated above and referred to herein as a "toy", includes one or more movable objects and one or more locations fixed with respect to at least one of the movable objects which cooperate to test or detect resistance values associated either with a movable object or a fixed location. The toy can provide an appropriate output or response for each resistance value detected. Resistance values can be associated and sensed (determined, detected, measured, etc.) in two general ways, as follows:

(1) resistance values are associated with movable objects and the toy senses a resistance value by contact of a movable object (e.g., an association or game piece, or a stylus (or pointer), or a mobile toy or object) with a fixed location (point on a surface of a board or three-dimensional object, or a point in a path of possible travel of the mobile object), in response to which the toy provides an output appropriate for the resistance value sensed; (2) resistance values are associated with fixed locations and the toy senses a resistance value by contact of a movable object with a fixed location, in response to which the toy provides an output appropriate to the resistance value sensed; and

(3) a combination of (1) and (2).

Examples of toys implementing each variation include but are not limited to the following.

1. Resistance Values in the Movable Object

Here a number of movable objects are provided, each having a given resistance value, and one or more fixed locations having contacts coupled to an electrical circuit or circuits. The toy detects the resistance value in a movable object when the resistance in the movable object is coupled into the electrical circuit via the contacts at the fixed location.

(a) Animal and Habitat Association Learning Aid

A board is provided with contacts at given locations. Graphics depicting a habitat (river, tree, ocean) are associated with the board (printed on the board or an overlay for the board) while permitting access to the contacts for the electrical circuit. Animal figures (rhino, monkey, whale) are provided, each having a different resistance. The learning aid asks "where do rhinos live?" A right answer is provided when the rhino figure is placed in the river to couple the rhino resistance at the river (fixed location) to the electrical circuit.

(b) Spelling Aid

The spelling aid has receptacles at a number of fixed locations (e.g., four for pre-schoolers) for receiving letters of the alphabet, with each letter having a unique resistance associated therewith. The spelling aid asks the user to spell "bird"? A right answer is provided when the letters "b" "i" "r" "d" are placed in the four receptacles and their resistance values detected by the electrical circuit.

(2) Resistance Values at Fixed Locations In order for the toy to detect or sense a resistance at a fixed location, electronics can be provided (a) in the movable object or (b) coupled (by wire or wirelessly) to the fixed location.

(a) Electronics in movable object: the movable object (e.g., a train, car, pointer or stylus, or pen) has a circuit into which the resistance at a fixed location is coupled when the movable object is at the fixed location. The resistance can have two terminals and the movable object can have two terminals connected to an electrical circuit. When the contacts in the movable object and at the fixed location are contacted, the resistance at the fixed location is connected in the electrical circuit which then detects the resistance value. The movable object makes an association, or controls a function or functions of a device or devices on board the movable object, or the movable object can couple a signal to another unit (e.g., a base unit or a separate device to be controlled) which signal is used to control one or more functions.

(b) Electronics in a unit having the fixed locations: a unit such as a book or game board or map (flat or spherical) has fixed locations at which resistances are positioned, and a sensing circuit for sensing the resistances. The resistances are not connected in the sensing circuit and require contact by a movable object (e.g., a stylus or pointer) to connect a resistance into the electrical circuit.

Here, the movable object need not include any active components, and can be as simple as two terminals electrically connected together in a short circuit where the short circuit completes a path on the sensing circuit to couple the selected resistance therein, or a set of contacts coupled in a sensing circuit. The short circuit acts as a switch to couple a resistance at a fixed location into the sensing circuit, and the set of contacts simply connect the resistance in the circuit. The unit may include one or more devices (speaker, lights, LCD, motor) whose function(s) are controlled in response to detection of unique resistance values, (bl) Train with electronics in the train

The movable object can be a train running on a track with the resistances positioned along the track. When the train passes a resistance, the movable and stationary contacts touch and a circuit in the train senses the resistance value and outputs a signal which can control some operation or function of the train, an accessory for the train or a function unrelated to the train. Some examples of sensed resistance values and functions are given in the table below. More than one location can be provided with a resistance of the same value so that the same function can be performed at different locations along the track (e.g., sounding the train's whistle), as demonstrated in Table 1.

Table 1

The resistance values may be made electronically programmable and controllable at any location so that the value at a given location can be changed electronically to cause the train to perform another function. For example, resistance value "i" can be selectively programmed in to cause the train to slow down and a track switch to be thrown only when desired.

(b2) Car with electronics in car

A resistance value of "x" slightly ahead of a stop sign when sensed by the car causes the car to stop at the stop sign. A resistance value of "y" at the stop sign causes the car to turn right at the stop sign. A resistance value of "z" at another intersection causes the car to turn left; etc. Electronically controlling the resistance value at the stop sign or intersection can cause the car to turn in a different direction, etc.

(b3) Teddy bear with electronics in teddy bear

A pointer completes the circuit in the teddy bear for resistances at fixed locations on the teddy bear to cause voice messages or body movements. For example, touching a resistance in the bear's tummy causes the bear to say "I'm hungry" and to cause the teddy bear to rub his hand on his tummy.

(b4) Teddy bear with electronics in pointer (or other accessory)

The pointer connects resistances into a circuit in the pointer which causes the pointer to give certain audio-visual responses.

(b5) Game or learning aid with electronics in the game

The game poses questions the answers to which are at fixed locations on the game (e.g., animal pictures or geography). Touching the pointer at the right location in response to a given question causes a "right" response to be sounded while not touching at all or touching the wrong location causes another response to be sounded. In a geography learning aid, the resistances at the fixed locations can be associated with a globe of the world (or a flat map).

(b6) Game or learning aid with electronics in the pointer

Same as with electronics in the game, except now the audio and/or visual messages come from the pointer.

(c) Variations

Some variations are:

(cl) the same resistance values may be used for different functions using scaling similar to the way electronic multi-meters measure voltages in different ranges. For example, sensing a resistance value of 100 kΩ on page 1 of a book triggers one function while sensing the same value on page 2 triggers another function. The book has a switch or other device to detect the number of the page. (c2) A response is provided after certain resistance values are sensed in a given sequence, which can be required to take place within a given time. The required sequence can be sensing the last right answer in a sequence of right answers to indicate a "game over" status. (c3) The response the toy provides to a sensed resistance value can be audio, lighting LEDs, movement (moving the entire toy such as a car, or moving part of the toy such as an arm or eye of a doll), a printed or graphic message on a display device such as an LCD, and combinations of these responses.

(c4) The controlled devices can be anywhere, and can be coupled to the sensing circuit wirelessly or by wire.

(c5) Toys which include a pointing device or pen can be tethered (wired) to the rest of the toy so that the toy itself can house the electronics and controlled devices and functions.

(c6) Two fixed locations can be provided, one for inputting "true" and one for inputting "false" in response to questions.

(c7) The resistance can be provided by discrete resistance components or by conductive (resistive) traces or ink, and the ink can be colored to provide graphics.

(c8) A keyboard or key pad can be made using a pointer and a fixed location and unique resistance for each desired character. (c9) In one game mode, the toy provides a speech message in the form of a questions, such as "where is Alaska", and the toy provides different speech messages for correct and incorrect associations.

In another game mode, detecting a resistance value without an association cause the toy to provide a speech message, for example, "You pointed to Alaska". In the electrical circuits employed in such toys and their various embodiments, three ways to detect resistance are: (1) comparators which compare a voltage determined by the sensed resistance with reference voltages;

(2) an oscillator whose frequency is determined by the value of the sensed resistance, and a counter which counts pulses from the oscillator over a given time; and

(3) an analog-to-digital converter and a decoder or processor.

The electrical circuit preferably includes or is implemented by a programmed processor which performs the resistance determination and controls playing and/or displaying speech messages, controls game mode, etc. Numerous example embodiments may implement these electrical circuits and toy configurations described herein. In one embodiment, the invention provides an educational toy which comprises a base unit; an electrical circuit associated with the base unit having first electrical contacts fixed relative to the base unit to which second electrical contacts which are movable relative to the base unit can be removably coupled; a plurality of images each defining an entity such as a person, place or thing associated with the base unit; at least one movable element having the second electrical contacts; an output device such as a speaker and/or a visual display coupled to the electrical circuit; and a plurality of electrical resistances each having a different resistance value couplable to the first electrical contacts by the second electrical contacts. The electrical circuit comprises a programmed processor including or having memory coupled thereto in which are stored signals defining a plurality of output messages such as speech messages and an association of resistance values or resistance value ranges, speech messages and images.

The processor is programmed to perform the following functions: play and/or display a speech message in response to an input command; determine whether a resistance of the plurality of resistances, which is coupled by the second electrical contacts to the first electrical contacts after the speech message is played and/or displayed, corresponds in value to the value or range associated with the speech message and the image; play and/or display a first speech message if the value of the resistance coupled to the first electrical contacts is the same as the first resistance value or range; and play and/or display a second speech message if the value of the resistance coupled to the first electrical contacts is not the same as the first resistance value or range.

In one embodiment, the images may be removably associated with the base unit, and means are provided for determining what image or images are associated with the base unit, e.g., push button input selection, optical coding in the image(s) detected by the base unit, etc. A plurality of movable pieces may be provided that are related in appearance and/or configuration to at least one image, and each piece may carry one of the electrical resistances. In this embodiment, a plurality of first contacts may be provided, each associated with a different image on the base unit, and a selection circuit, e.g., a multiplexor or matrix, provided to selectively couple each first contacts to the electrical circuit.

In another embodiment, a single movable piece may be provided carrying the movable contacts, with each of the plurality of resistances being fixed to the base unit associated with a different image, and the movable contacts being coupled to the electrical circuit. More than one game mode may be provided. In one game mode, the toy provides prompts played by the speaker and/or displayed by the display to which a player responds by changing an input which the toy determines is the expected input or not. This mode may be referred to as a "quiz" mode. In a second mode of play, a player changes an input and the toy provides a speech message corresponding to the changed input which is played by the speaker and/or displayed by the display. This mode may be referred to as an "explore" mode. Another educational toy may be comprised as described above, but may have inputs other than contacts for coupling resistances. The toy responds to changes of one or more inputs as described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings which are meant to be exemplary and not limiting. The description herein, including the appended claims, identifies various details by specific names for convenience. These names are intended to be generic in their application while differentiating between the various details. Like or associated references in the different figures refer to like or corresponding parts. In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top view of one embodiment of an educational game which incorporates the invention disclosed herein;

Fig. 2 is a top view similar to the one depicted in Fig. 1, except that an image has been placed in the active area of the toy and a game piece representing a giraffe has been removed from its storage location in the border of the toy and placed in the active area of the toy;

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the active area of the toy depicted in Fig. 2 with the game piece separated therefrom; Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the game piece depicted in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of circuit in the toy depicted in Fig. 1 ; Fig. 6 is an elevation view of another embodiment of an educational game which incorporates the invention disclosed herein; and

Fig. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram of circuit in the toy depicted in Fig. 6. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Fig. 1 depicts an educational toy 10 for pre-schoolers which includes a base unit 11 having a border storage area 12 in which game pieces 14-19 representing various animals are stored in receptacles 20 and an active area 22. As shown in Fig. 2, an image sheet 24 may be placed on the active area 22 and retained thereon by two prongs 26 at one side edge of the active area which are received in holes in the image sheet. Referring to Fig. 1, at least one pair of holes 28 is provided therein through which two prongs or contacts 30 (Fig. 3) in a game piece 14-19 may be received to couple a game piece to the electrical circuit 36 shown in Fig. 5. Each game piece 14-19 includes therein a resistance 32 (Figs. 3-4) connected between a set of contacts 30. A contact 34 (Fig. 5) coupled in the circuit 36 is positioned in each hole 28 (Fig. 3). The response of the circuit 36 is dependent upon the value of the resistor 34 coupled in the circuit 36 by the contacts 30 and the contacts 28. The circuit 36 includes an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 40, a programmed processor 42, a speaker 44 and a drive circuit 46 for the speaker 44. The processor 42 includes sound generating circuitry and processing circuitry. The circuit 36 also includes an on-off switch 48 which couples a battery 50 into the circuit, and a reset switch 52. The circuit 36 may also include a display device 54 (e.g., LCD) and input switches or buttons 58. One example of game play and operation is as follows. Programs for effecting such game play and operation are known to those of skill in the art. After turning the toy 10 on, the toy initializes, announces the game and prompts for an image sheet 24. The toy 10 then asks a question which would require a child to remove an animal game piece 14-19 from the border 12, and insert it into the active area 22, as shown in Fig. 3. For example, the toy may request "Find the giraffe and put the giraffe in the trees". If the correct piece 18 is inserted, the toy may say "That's right, you put the giraffe in the trees". If a piece other than piece 18 is inserted, the toy may say "You selected the monkey, not the giraffe. Now select the giraffe."

Each receptacle 20 (Fig. 2) may also have a pair of contacts 37 coupled in circuit 36 which receive (through respective holes) the prongs 30 of the piece retained in the respective receptacle 20. The circuit 36 may be programmed to detect which piece 14-19 is removed, or the pieces that remain in the receptacles 20 in the border area 12. With that capability, the toy may comment when a child removes a piece from a receptacle. For example, the toy 10 may sound and/or display the speech message "That's right, you selected the giraffe" when a child removes the giraffe piece 18 in response to the appropriate prompt. Circuitry for coupling the contacts in the receptacles 20 to the processor 42 so that the processor can provide the game play described above is known in the art; for example, additional receptacle contacts 56 may be connected to the processor 42 and receive the contacts 30 of all of the game pieces 14-19 in their respective receptacles 20. The processor 42 need only determine the presence or absence of a game piece in a receptacle, rather than its resistance value.

In addition to playing messages on the speaker 44, the toy 10 may also (or in lieu of) display the messages (and/or graphics appropriate with game play, etc.) on a display device 54. Display devices such as LCDs are known in the art, as is the manner of connecting them and their operation in circuit 36.

The circuit 36 may have more than one set of contacts, referenced by 34a in Fig. 5 accessible through holes 28a (Fig. 1) in the active area 22. Each set of contacts 34a may be directly coupled to the A/D 40, but this would require multiple inputs. Circuitry 59 controlled by the processor 42 may be provided for selectively coupling the additional contacts 34a to the A/D 42. Such circuitry 59 may comprise, for example, a multiplexor or matrix. The additional contacts allow more than one piece 14-19 to be coupled to the circuit 36, and permit additional variety in messages and game play. The image sheet in this embodiment comprises a plurality of images, one for each set of contacts 34a.

The circuit 36 operates as follows. A resistance divider circuit 60 is coupled to the sample input of A/D voltage and to contacts 34. Thus, a different voltage value is provided to the A/D sampling input for each different value of resistance.

The A/D provides a digital input to the processor 42 related to the analog voltage across contacts 34 in the voltage divider circuit 60.

In the embodiment represented in Figs. 1-5, the resistances 32 are associated with the movable animal pieces 14-19. In the embodiment represented in Figs. 6 and 7, a toy 10a is provided having a base unit 1 la in which the resistances 32 are fixed. A plurality of sets of contacts 34b are provided in selected locations in the base unit 11a, each connected to a resistance 32 of different value. For example, the base unit 1 la may represent a globe, and the image sheet 22a may have representations of countries. A stylus 66 having contacts or prongs 30a is coupled to the voltage divider circuit 60 (Fig. 7) of the circuit 36a in place of the contacts 34 in the embodiment depicted in Fig. 5. The contacts 30a of the stylus are inserted into holes 28 in the base unit 1 la to contact the contacts 34b connected to the resistances 32. Game play and operation is essentially as described for the embodiment of Figs. 1-5, except the speech and/or display message relate to geography. An LED 68 (Figs. 6 and 7) located on the stylus 66 or elsewhere may be coupled to the processor 42 which illuminates the LED 68 whenever the processor 42 reads a resistance value.

Either or both toys 10, 10a may have input switches or buttons 58 (Figs. 1-3,

5 and 7) by which information may be entered into the toy. These switches 58 may be located in specific parts of the toy and convey positional information when activated. They may form a keypad by which coded information may be entered.

They may also be used to enter game mode information, etc. One game mode has been described above in which the toy prompts for a response and then comments on the game piece inserted in response to the prompt (Figs. 1-5) or the placement of the stylus in response to the response (Figs. 6-7). This mode may be referred to as the Quiz Mode. In another unprompted mode, a child may place a game piece 14-19 on the active area of the base unit 11 with the prongs 30a in the holes 28, and the toy will then comment, such as "you placed the giraffe near the trees" or "the elephant you placed near the trees should be place on the plains". With respect to the toy 10a shown in Figs. 6 and 7, an unprompted placement of the stylus in Brazil may cause the toy to output the speech message "You have pointed to Brazil". This mode may be referred to as the Explore Mode. As indicated above, a game mode may be selected using input switches 58. Alternatively, the toy may default to the Explore mode if no activity has occurred for a predetermined time.

The specific embodiment illustrated in the drawings was chosen to show at least one preferred or best mode of the present invention, and not to limit the invention to the illustrated embodiment. Also, while the invention has been described and illustrated in connection with preferred embodiments, many variations and modifications, as will be apparent to those of skill in the art, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, contact arrangement other than prongs received in holes may be used. Applications which require contact of a removable object into a circuit are in widespread use and are well known, for example, portable telephones and test probes. One arrangement may employ concentric contact discs insulated from each other. Other arrangements may use conventional plug/jack arrangements. The invention as set forth in the appended claims is thus not limited to the precise details of construction set forth above as such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An educational toy comprising: a base unit; an electrical circuit associated with the base unit having first electrical contacts fixed relative to the base unit to which second electrical contacts which are movable relative to the base unit can be removably coupled; a plurality of images each defining an entity associated with the base unit; at least one movable element having the second electrical contacts; an output device coupled to the electrical circuit; a plurality of electrical resistances each having a different resistance value couplable to the first electrical contacts by the second electrical contacts; the electrical circuit comprising a programmed processor coupled to a memory in which are stored: signals defining a plurality of output messages; and an association of resistance values with output messages and images; the processor being programmed to perform the following functions: output a first output message in response to an input command; determine whether a resistance of the plurality of resistances which is coupled by the second electrical contacts to the first electrical contacts after the output message is output corresponds in value to the resistance value associated with the output message; output a second output message if the value of the resistance coupled to the first electrical contacts is the same as the first resistance value; and output a third output message if the value of the resistance coupled to the first electrical contacts is not the same as the first resistance value.

2. The toy of claim 1 further comprising: means for determining what image is associated with the base unit; and wherein the images are removably associated with the base unit.

3. The toy of claim 1 comprising a plurality of movable pieces related in appearance to at least one image, one of the electrical resistances being carried by each of the pieces.

4. The toy of claim 3 comprising a plurality of first contacts each associated with a different image on the base unit, and an selection circuit selectively coupling each of the first electrical contacts to the electrical circuit.

5. The toy of claim 4 wherein the selection circuit is a multiplexor.

6. The toy of claim 1 comprising a single movable piece carrying the movable contacts, and wherein each of the plurality of resistances is fixed to the base unit associated with a different image, the movable contacts being coupled to the electrical circuit.

7. An educational toy comprising: a base unit; an electrical circuit associated with the base unit having a plurality of first electrical contacts fixed relative to the base unit to which second electrical contacts which are movable relative to the base unit can be removably coupled; a plurality of images each defining an entity associated with the base unit; a plurality of members each defining an entity and having a second electrical contacts coupled to an electrical resistance having a value which is different for each member; an output device coupled to the electrical circuit; the electrical circuit comprising a programmed processor coupled to a memory in which are stored: signals defining a plurality of output messages; and an association of resistance values with output messages and images; the processor being programmed to perform the following functions: output a first output message in response to an input command; determine whether a resistance of the plurality of resistances which is coupled by the second electrical contacts to the first electrical contacts after the output message is output corresponds in value to the resistance value associated with the output message; output a second output message if the value of the resistance coupled to the first electrical contacts is the same as the first resistance value; and output a third output message if the value of the resistance coupled to the first electrical contacts is not the same as the first resistance value.

8. An educational toy comprising: a base unit; an electrical circuit associated with the base unit having a plurality of first electrical contacts fixed relative to the base unit to which second electrical contacts which are movable relative to the base unit can be removably coupled; a plurality of images each defining an entity associated with the base unit; a plurality of resistances fixed to the base unit each coupled to a first contacts and having a different resistance value; a movable element including the second contacts and coupling the second contacts to the electrical circuit; the movable element coupling a resistance fixed in the base unit to the electrical circuit when the second electrical contacts of the movable element are coupled to a first electrical contacts to which that resistance is coupled; an output device coupled to the electrical circuit; the electrical circuit comprising a programmed processor coupled to a memory in which are stored: signals defining a plurality of output messages; and an association of resistance values with the output messages and images; the processor being programmed to perform the following functions: output a first message in response to an input command; determine whether a resistance of the plurality of resistances which is coupled by the movable element to the electrical contacts after the output message is output corresponds in value to the resistance value associated with the output message; output a second output message if the value of the resistance coupled by the movable element is the same as the first resistance; and output a third message if the value of the resistance coupled by the movable element is not the same as the first resistance value.

9. An educational toy comprising: a base unit; an electrical circuit associated with the base unit having a plurality of inputs fixed relative to the base unit; a plurality of images each defining an entity associated with the base unit; an output device coupled to the electrical circuit; the electrical circuit comprising a programmed processor coupled to a memory in which are stored: signals defining a plurality of output messages; and an association of inputs with the output messages and images; the processor being programmed to perform the following functions: output a first output message in response to an input command; determine what input to the circuit has changed after the output message is output and whether that changed input corresponds to the input associated with the output message; outputting a second output message if the changed input is the same as the input associated with the output message; and outputting a third second speech message if the changed input is not the same as the input associated with output message.

10. The toy of claim 9 wherein the inputs comprises electrical contacts which removably couple a selected one of a plurality of resistances to the circuit, the memory storing an association of resistance values with the output message, and the processor being programmed to determine whether a resistance of the plurality of resistances which is coupled by the electrical contacts to the electrical circuit after the output message is output in response to the input command corresponds in value to the resistance value associated with the output message and the image.

11. An educational toy comprising: a base unit; an electrical circuit associated with the base unit having a plurality of inputs fixed relative to the base unit; a plurality of images each defining an entity associated with the base unit; an output device coupled to the electrical circuit; the electrical circuit comprising a programmed processor coupled to a memory in which are stored: signals defining a plurality of output messages; and an association of inputs with output messages and images; the processor being programmed to perform in a first modes of game play in which the programmed processor provides prompts output by the output device to which a player responds by changing an input which the processor determines is the expected input or not, and in a second mode of play in which a player changes an input and the processor provides an output message corresponding to the changed input which is output by the output device.

12. The toy of claim 11 wherein the inputs comprises electrical contacts which removably couple a selected one of a plurality of resistances to the circuit, the memory storing an association of resistance values, output messages and images, and the processor being programmed to determine which resistance of the plurality of resistances is coupled by the electrical contacts to the electrical circuit.

13. An educational device comprising: an electrical circuit having first electrical contacts relative to which second electrical can be removably coupled; a plurality of images each defining an entity being of a type selected from a person, place or thing for educational purposes; at least one movable element having the second electrical contacts; an output device coupled to the electrical circuit for outputting messages to the user; a plurality of electrical resistances each having a different resistance value couplable to the first electrical contacts by the second electrical contacts; the electrical circuit including: a memory for storing: signals defining a plurality of output messages; and an association of each resistance value with a corresponding output message and a corresponding image from the plurality of images; and a programmed processor for performing the following functions: output a first output message in response to an input command; determine whether a resistance of the plurality of resistances which is coupled by the second electrical contacts to the first electrical contacts after the output message is output corresponds in value to the value associated with the output message and the image; output a second output message if the value of the resistance coupled to the first electrical contacts is the same as the first resistance value; and output a third output message if the value of the resistance coupled to the first electrical contacts is not the same as the first resistance value.

14. The educational device of claim 13, wherein the output device is a speaker, and the first, second, and third output messages are audio messages simulating speech.

15. The educational device of claim 13, wherein the output device is a display, and the first, second, and third output messages are visual messages including text.

16. The educational device of claim 13 further comprising: means for determining what images are in assigned predetermined locations; and wherein each image is removably associated with a respective predetermined location.

17. The educational device of claim 13 comprising a plurality of movable pieces related in appearance to at least one image, one of the electrical resistances being carried by each of the pieces.

18. The educational device of claim 17 comprising a plurality of first contacts each associated with a different image, and an selection circuit selectively coupling each first contacts to the electrical circuit.

19. The educational device of claim 13 wherein the selection circuit is a multiplexor.

20. The educational device of claim 15 comprising a single movable piece carrying the movable contacts, and wherein each of the plurality of resistances is fixed to a predetermined location associated with a different image, the movable contacts being coupled to the electrical circuit.