Toy bank and online method thereof

1. A toy bank system that comprises:

a. a toy or toy housing;

b. a money bank that includes:

i. a storage compartment;

ii. one or more unidirectional slots for receiving coins, dollar bills, or both, disposed on an outer surface of the money bank, wherein the slot communicates with the storage compartment;

iii. a compartment door at the storage compartment;

iv. a processor, wherein the processor calculates an amount of coins, dollar bills, or both in the storage compartment;

v. a display to indicate the amount of coins, dollar bills, or both in the money bank;

c. a gaming environment that is distinct from the money bank, wherein the gaming environment comprises an online server and a program for calculating points;

d. a computer interface in communication with the money bank, wherein the computer interface communicates information about the amount of coins, dollar bills or both in the storage compartment to the gaming environment,

wherein the program retrieves the amount of coins, dollar bills or both from the storage compartment communicated by said computer interface as a factor in calculation of points for use in the gaming environment, wherein the program also awards points based on saving or investing habits in the gaming environment, wherein the points can change independently from and do not affect the amount of coins, dollar bills, or both in the toy bank, and wherein the program uses points and not the amount of coins, dollar bills, or both in the gaming environment.

2. The toy bank system of claim 1 , further including a money counter, coupled to the slot, for determining the value of the coin or the bill.

3. The toy bank system of claim 2 , wherein the money counter is mechanical or digital.

4. The toy bank system of claim 2 , wherein the money counter has a sensor that measures the diameter of the coin.

5. The toy bank system of claim 2 , wherein the money counter includes a scanner to identify the value of the coin or bill.

6. The toy bank system of claim 1 , wherein the compartment door has a lock for receiving a key, wherein, when unlocked, one can remove the coins, dollar bills, or both.

7. The toy bank system of claim 6 , wherein the money bank includes a mechanism for resetting or revising the total amount after removal of one or more coins, dollar bills, or both.

8. A toy bank system that comprises:

a. a toy;

b. a money bank integrated with the toy, wherein the money bank comprises:

i. a storage compartment;

ii. one or more unidirectional slots for receiving coins, dollar bills, or both, disposed on an outer surface of the money bank, wherein the slot communicates with the storage compartment;

iii. a compartment door at the storage compartment;

iv. a money counter coupled with the unidirectional slot;

v. a processor, in communication with the money counter, wherein the processor calculates an amount of coins, dollar bills, or both; and

vi. a display to indicate the amount of coins, dollar bills, or both in the money bank;

c. a gaming environment that is distinct from the money bank, wherein the gaming environment comprises an online server and a program for calculating points;

d. a computer interface in communication with the money bank, wherein the computer interface communicates information about the amount of coins, dollar bills or both in the storage compartment to the gaming environment,

wherein the program retrieves the amount of coins, dollar bills or both from the storage compartment communicated by said computer interface as a factor in calculation of points for use in the gaming environment, wherein the program also awards points based on saving or investing habits in the gaming environment, wherein the points can change independently from and do not affect the amount of coins, dollar bills, or both in the toy bank, and wherein the program uses points and not the amount of coins, dollar bills, or both in the gaming environment.

9. The toy bank system of claim 8 , wherein the storage compartment is detachable.

10. A toy bank system that comprises:

a. a toy having:

i. a detachable unit; and

ii. a base unit that removably receives the detachable unit;

b. a money bank integrated with the detachable unit, wherein the money bank comprises:

i. a storage compartment;

ii. one or more unidirectional slots for receiving said coins, dollar bills, or both, wherein the slot communicates with the storage compartment;

iii. a compartment door at the storage compartment;

iv. a money counter coupled with the unidirectional slot;

v. a processor, in communication with the money counter, wherein the processor calculates an amount of coins, dollar bills, or both; and

vi. a display to indicate the amount of coins, dollar bills, or both in the money bank;

c. a gaming environment that is distinct from the money bank, wherein the gaming environment comprises an online server and a program for calculating points;

d. a computer interface in communication with the money bank, wherein the computer interface communicates information about the amount of coins, dollar bills or both in the storage compartment to the gaming environment,

wherein the program retrieves the amount of coins, dollar bills or both from the storage compartment communicated by said computer interface as a factor in calculation of points for use in the gaming environment, wherein the program also awards points based on saving or investing habits in the gaming environment, wherein the points can change independently from and do not affect the amount of coins, dollar bills, or both in the toy bank, and wherein the program uses points and not the amount of coins, dollar bills, or both in the gaming environment.

11. The toy bank system of claim 10 , further including a money counter, coupled to the slot, for determining the value of the coin or the bill.

12. The toy bank system of claim 11 , wherein the money counter is mechanical or digital.

13. The toy bank system of claim 11 , wherein the money counter has a sensor that measures the diameter of the coin.

14. The toy bank system of claim 11 , wherein the money counter includes a scanner to identify the value of the coin or bill.

15. The toy bank system of claim 10 , wherein the compartment door has a lock for receiving a key, wherein, when unlocked, one can remove the coins, dollar bills, or both.

16. The toy bank system of claim 15 , wherein the money bank includes a mechanism for resetting or revising the total amount after removal of one or more coins, dollar bills, or both.

17. A method of using a toy bank system, wherein the toy bank system comprises: a toy or toy housing; a money bank that includes a storage compartment, one or more unidirectional slots for receiving coins, dollar bills, or both, a money counter, coupled to the unidirectional slot, for determining the value of the coin or the bill, a compartment door at the storage compartment, a display to indicate the amount of coins, dollar bills, or both in the money bank; and a processor, wherein the processor, in communication with the money counter, calculates an amount of coins, dollar bills, or both; a gaming environment that is distinct from the money bank, wherein the gaming environment comprises an online server and a program for calculating points; and a computer interface in communication with the money bank; wherein the method comprises the steps of:

a. inserting one or more coins, dollar bills, or both into the unidirectional slot;

b. identifying the money value of the coin, dollar bill, or both with the money counter coupled to the unidirectional slot;

c. calculating an amount of coins, dollar bills, or both with the processor, in communication with the money counter, to thereby obtain a total amount; and

d. downloading the total amount to a computer using the computer interface in communication with the money bank, wherein the computer interface communicates information about the total amount in the storage compartment to the gaming environment, wherein the program retrieves the total amount of coins, dollar bills or both from the storage compartment communicated by said computer interface as a factor in calculation of points for use in the gaming environment, wherein the program also awards points based on saving or investing habits in the gaming environment, wherein the points can change independently from and do not affect the amount of coins, dollar bills, or both in the toy bank, and wherein the program uses points and not the amount of coins, dollar bills, or both in the gaming environment.

18. The method of claim 17 , further includes displaying the total amount.

19. The method of claim 18 , further includes unlocking a lock on the money bank and removing one or more coins, dollar bills or both.

20. The method of claim 19 , further including resetting or revising the total amount based on the coins, dollar bills or both removed.