Near field communication antenna system for a playset

Number: 11239899
Published: 2022-02-01
Filed: 2019-12-13
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Nocon; Nathan D., Rosenthal; Janice K., Baumbach; Elliott H., Goslin; Michael P., Gibson; Hunter J., Yeung; Jason A.
CPC: A63H3/52; A63H30/04; H04B5/70; H04B5/75; H04B5/77; H04B7/0608; H04B7/15507
Verdict: Medium Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

NFC antenna hardware for interactive toy playset.

Abstract

A playset comprises a near field communication extending system. The near field communication extending comprises a main antenna and a plurality of extending antennas. The main antenna is positioned at a first location of the playset and configured to wirelessly communicate to a near field communication device of a mobile device. The plurality of extending antennas is positioned at a plurality of different locations in an interior of the playset. Each of the plurality of extending antennas is connectable to the main antenna via a plurality of connection elements. The playset further comprises an antenna switching mechanism coupled to the plurality of extending antennas via a plurality of connection elements. The antenna switching mechanism is configured to switchably couple the main antenna with each of the plurality of extending antennas.

Background

BACKGROUND (1) Playsets having interactive features provide a user with an enhanced user experience. For example, playsets may include video and/or and sound playback features that may be triggered based on a user's actions. A user may insert an object (e.g., a play piece or game piece) within a playset and the playset may initiate video playback and/or sound playback in response. In current implementations, the antenna systems of playsets have limited communication distances. Accordingly, to interact with objects in different rooms of a playset, a user is required to move a mobile device from room to room, positioning the mobile device proximate to each object. Thus, the user experience of such playsets is reduced. (2) Thus, there is a need for improved near field communication antenna system for communicating with a playset. SUMMARY (3) In one embodiment, a near field communication extending system for a playset comprises a main antenna and a plurality of extending antennas. The main antenna is positioned at a first location of the playset and configured to wirelessly communicate to a near field communication device of a mobile device. The plurality of extending antennas is positioned at a plurality of different locations within the playset. The near field communication extending system further comprising an antenna switching mechanism coupled to the plurality of extending antennas via a plurality of connection elements. The antenna switching mechanism is configured to swit

Claims

1. A near field communication extending system for a playset, comprising: a first near field communication device comprising a main antenna positioned at a first location of the playset and configured to wirelessly couple to an antenna of a second near field communication device, wherein the second near field communication device is independent from the playset; a plurality of extending antennas positioned at a plurality of different locations within the playset; and an antenna switching mechanism coupled to the main antenna and to the plurality of extending antennas via a plurality of connection elements, wherein the antenna switching mechanism is configured to switchably couple the main antenna with each of the plurality of extending antennas. || 13. A playset, comprising: a near field communication extending system comprising: a first near field communication device comprising a main antenna positioned at a first location of the playset and configured to wirelessly communicate to an antenna of a second near field communication device, wherein the second near field communication device is independent from the playset; a plurality of extending antennas positioned at a plurality of different locations in an interior of the playset; and an antenna switching mechanism coupled to the main antenna and to the plurality of extending antennas via a plurality of connection elements, wherein the antenna switching mechanism is configured to switchably couple the main antenna with each of the plurality of extending antennas.