Teaching and entertainment device

Claim 1

A teaching and entertainment device comprising: display means including a matrix of individually operable display cells, each of said display cells configurable into selected one of at least two image states and requiring periodic refreshing to maintain an imposed image state; a plurality of display drivers, each including a driver memory, periodically refreshing said display cells and each being coupled to and controlling a portion of said display means; information means for displaying a figure at a location on said matrix including portions of said matrix under control of two or more of said display drivers; a user operable keyboard; a first microprocessor, including first microprocessor memory means in which a predetermined coded program is stored, coupled to said first microprocessor memory means, said keyboard and said plurality of display drivers, said first microprocessor being operable in a dominant first mode, in which it periodically poles said keyboard and responds thereto in accordance with said stored program to carry forth computational and interactive teaching and entertainment activities and to alter the image upon said display means, and in a subservient second mode; a plug-in cartridge; a plug-in cartridge receiving means for receiving and making electrical connections to said plug-in cartridge; a second microprocessor, having second microprocessor memory means and housed within said plug-in cartridge, said second microprocessor being electrically compatible with said first microprocessor; means cooperating with said first microprocessor and said second microprocessor to establish a master-slave relationship between said first and second microprocessors whenever said plug-in cartridge is received by said plug-in receiving means in which said first microprocessor is switched from operation in said dominant first mode to operation in said subservient second mode and transfers system preimmenance to said second microprocessor and in which said first microprocessor polls said keyboard, presents information to said second microprocessor, and responds to commands therefrom; and clock means, coupled to said first and second microprocessors, providing a common periodic clock signal.