US20140187320A1 - Systems and methods for communication - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for using a toy for communicating with a client terminal. The method comprises encoding at least one interacting information as at least one flickering control instruction and using a toy element having a light emitting unit for emitting light according to the at least one flickering control instruction, thereby transmitting the interacting information to a client terminal. The client terminal is configured for capturing the emitted light using an image capturing device and decoding the at least one interacting information therefrom.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS)
• This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/920,465, filed Sep. 1, 2010, which is a National Phase Patent Application of International Application Number PCT/IL2009/000275, filed on Mar. 11, 2009, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/064,542, filed Mar. 11, 2008, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein in their entirety.
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to toys and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to toys communication, such as a communication between a toy and a client terminal.
• Children's toys in the form of traditional dolls, puppets, stuffed animals and the like have been around for centuries and are an enduring favorite among children—particularly among toddler-age children. A doll, stuffed animal or another similar toy can provide a much-needed imaginary friend, a pet or a playmate for a child who occasionally gets lonely or bored and also can be used as learning aids. For example, such playmate toys can also help a child to express himself or herself and to learn basic social skills that foster personality development and overall social adjustment.
• During the last years interactive toys which designed to communicate with the child and/or with other toys have been developed. Such interactive toy, which may be in the form of a stuffed-animal, a doll or an action figure and may include a wireless communication/identification unit for communicating with toys in the proximity thereof.
• Examples for interactive toys are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,773,322; 6,773,344; 6,290,566; 6,206,745; 6,022,273; 6,075,195 and 5,752,280 to Gabai et al. They are further described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,066,781 to Weston, U.S. Pat. No. 7,217,192 to Nishiyama, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,131,887 to Hornsby et al.
• These interactive toys may be connected, via a designated wireless link, such as Wi-Fi connection or infrared (IR) connection, or via a network connection, such as local area network (LAN) connection, to a computing device, such as a home computer, with respective wireless abilities, an Interactive Television (TV) set-top box or a wireless router which provides Internet connectivity for the toy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method for using a toy for communicating with a client terminal. The method comprises a) encoding at least one interacting information as at least one flickering control instruction and b) using a toy element having a light emitting unit for emitting light according to the at least one flickering control instruction, thereby transmitting the interacting information to a client terminal. The client terminal is configured for capturing the emitted light using an image capturing device and decoding the at least one interacting information therefrom.
• Optionally, the toy element having a structure indicative of the at least one interacting information.
• More optionally, the toy is a member of a group consisting of a plurality of toys, each the toys being indicative of different interacting information.
• Optionally, the method further comprises reading a unique machine-readable representation of the interacting information from a label before the a).
• More optionally, the client terminal is a personal computer, the interacting information comprises a member selected from a group consisting of: a basic operation, an operating system operation, and a preprogrammed operation, the client terminal is configured for executing the member after the b).
• According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method for using a reading device for communicating with an appliance. The method comprises a) using the reading device for reading a unique machine-readable representation associated with an appliance function and a visible indication associated with the function, b) encoding at least one instruction indicative of the appliance function, and c) wirelessly transmitting the at least one instruction to the appliance, thereby instructing the appliance to execute the appliance function.
• Optionally, the at least one instruction is a flickering control instruction, the transmitting comprising emitting light according to the flickering control instruction.
• Optionally, the appliance is selected from a group consisting of a personal computer (PC), a television (TV), a digital versatile disc (DVD), a compact disk (CD), a set-top box, a game console, a media center console, a mobile telephone, a heater, an air conditioner, a garage door, and a kitchen appliance.
• Optionally, the wirelessly transmitting emulates a remote control transmission.
• Optionally, the visible indication is a graphic icon depicting the function.
• Optionally, the method further comprises presenting a challenge to a user before the a), wherein the appliance function is directing the appliance to present a reaction to the challenge.
• Optionally, the reading comprises reading the unique machine-readable representation from a menu comprising a plurality of machine-readable representations associated with a plurality of appliance functions.
• Optionally, the plurality of machine-readable representations associated with keys of a keyboard, the instructing comprises typing respective the keys
• Optionally, the appliance is at least one of a television, a cellular phone and a set top box, the appliance function is selected from a group consisting of: changing a television channel, turning on the television, turning off the television, increasing the volume of the television, playing in an interactive gaming session, and participating in an interactive learning session.
• Optionally, the appliance is a player of a media comprising a plurality of tagged segments; the appliance function is selecting a tagged segment to be played by the player.
• According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a toy for communicating with a client terminal. The toy comprises a body, a user interface configured for allowing a user to select at least one interacting information, a memory configured for hosting at least one flickering control instruction associated with the at least one interacting information, and a light emitting unit configured for instructing a client terminal having an image capturing device by emitting light according to the at least one flickering control instruction toward the image capturing device.
• Optionally, the body is a structure selected from a group consisting of a stuffed-animal doll, a human-like doll, a toy shaped doll, and an action figure doll.
• Optionally, the user interface comprises a voice recording unit configured intercepting an audio signal representing the interacting information.
• Optionally, the user interface is a sensing unit configured for reading a machine-readable representation of the interacting information from the label.
• Optionally, the image capturing device is a webcam.
• More optionally, the client terminal is connected to a remote server via a computer server, the client terminal being configured for forwarding the instructions to the client terminal.
• According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a game kit for allowing a player to use a toy for communicating with a client terminal. The game kit comprises a toy communication module configured for execution on a client terminal associated with an image capturing device and at least one toy element configured for emitting at least one sequence of lights indicative of at least one interacting information toward the image capturing device. The toy element and the toy communication module are configured to allow a user to establish an interactive session with the client terminal.
• Optionally, the client terminal is configured for establishing the interactive session between a network node and the user via a computer network.
• Optionally, the image capturing device is a webcam.
• Optionally, the at least one toy element comprises a plurality of toy elements each having a body structure indicative of respective the at least one interacting information.
• According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a method for transmitting playing information from a first toy to a second toy. The method comprises allowing a physical contact between the first and second toys, vibrating the first toy according to playing information, detecting the vibrations by using the second toy, and obtaining the playing information from the detected vibrations.
• Optionally, the method further comprises vibrating the second toy according to the detected vibrations.
• Optionally, the obtaining comprises forwarding the detected vibrations to a client terminal, further comprising using the client terminal for reacting to the playing information.
• Optionally, the physical contact is established via a mediating element, wherein the vibrating comprises vibrating the mediating element by vibrating the first toy, the detecting comprises detecting the physical contact vibrations.
• Unless otherwise defined, all technical and/or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the present invention, exemplary methods and/or materials are described below. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and are not intended to be necessarily limiting.
• Implementation of the method and/or system of embodiments of the present invention can involve performing or completing selected tasks manually, automatically, or a combination thereof. Moreover, according to actual instrumentation and equipment of embodiments of the method and/or system of the present invention, several selected tasks could be implemented by hardware, by software or by firmware or by a combination thereof using an operating system.
• For example, hardware for performing selected tasks according to embodiments of the present invention could be implemented as a chip or a circuit. As software, selected tasks according to embodiments of the present invention could be implemented as a plurality of software instructions being executed by a computer using any suitable operating system. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, one or more tasks according to exemplary embodiments of method and/or system as described herein are performed by a data processor, such as a computing platform for executing a plurality of instructions. Optionally, the data processor includes a volatile memory for storing instructions and/or data and/or a non-volatile storage, for example, a magnetic hard-disk and/or removable media, for storing instructions and/or data. Optionally, a network connection is provided as well. A display and/or a user input device such as a keyboard or mouse are optionally provided as well.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Some embodiments of the present invention are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, the description taken with the drawings makes apparent to those skilled in the art how embodiments of the present invention may be practiced.
• In the drawings:
• FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary toy that communicates with an exemplary client terminal which is connected to an exemplary image capturing device, according to some embodiments of the present invention;
• FIG. 2 is a flowchart of functions which are performed by the toy and the client terminal ofFIG. 1 during a playing and/or learning session, according to some embodiments of the present invention;
• FIG. 3 depicts a schematic illustration of a toy for communicating with a client terminal computer, according to some embodiments of the present invention;
• FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a toy that wirelessly communicates with a television set, according to some embodiments of the present invention;
• FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a reader device for wirelessly communicating with a television set, according to some embodiments of the present invention; and
• FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating three toys that communicate by vibrating, according to some embodiments of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to toys and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to toys communication, such as a communication between a toy and a client terminal.
• The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, provides a toy for communicating with a client terminal, such as a personal computer, which is connected to an image capturing device, such as a webcam. The toy encodes interacting information as flickering control instructions and signals, using a light emitting unit, such as a light emitting diode (LED), the interacting information to the client terminal, either directly or via a network. As used herein interacting information means one or more operational instructions, operating system (OS) instructions, playing information, such as a selection, a move, a question, an answer, and a learning reaction.
• The client terminal captures the emitted light as an input, using an image capturing device, such as a webcam, and decodes the interacting information therefrom. Optionally, the decoded interacting information is used for animating a figure which is displayed on the screen of the client terminal. Optionally, the client terminal is connected to a network node, such as a remote server, and the decoded interacting information is forwarded thereto. In such an embodiment, the toy allows the user to communicate online with an application that is managed by the network node and/or with an application that is installed on a remote computer, such as a computer which is operated by a parent of the user.
• The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, provides a system for using a toy with a reading element, for example as described in Provisional Patent Application Nos. 60/906,228 filed on Mar. 12, 2007 and 60/906,227 filed on Mar. 12, 2007, which are incorporated herein by reference, to control a client terminal, such as a television (TV), a digital versatile disc (DVD) player, a compact disk (CD) player, a set-top box, a game console, a media center console and a mobile telephone. For example, toys may be used for reading labels, optionally from a user friendly menu, which are indicative to a certain function of the client terminal, for example a certain TV channel or a certain TV set function, and the toy transmits respective information to the client terminal, optionally using a transmitting element that is similar to the transmitting element of the remote control thereof. In such an embodiment, the toy with the reading element may have an Infrared (IR) element that imitates the operation of a remote control.
• In some embodiments of the present invention, the toy with the reading element is used for operating basic operations in a personal computer, such as open a Microsoft Explorer™, open a Microsoft Messenger™, shutdown the personal computer, etc. The toy may be configured by a user for operating certain operation, such as connect to a specific contact via an Instant Message (IM) program and browse to a favorite website. In such an embodiment, the communication may be via a webcam that is connected to the personal computer, optionally as outlined above and described below.
• The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, provides a method for transmitting playing information among toys. The method is used for allowing a communication between toys which are positioned in a physical contact and/or a physical proximity. First, one of the toys vibrates according to certain playing information, for example information that is inputted by a user. Then, the vibrations are detected by one or more other toys that obtain the playing information from the detected vibrations. Such a method allows the emulation of a communication session between toys. One toy vibrates and the other reacts and so on and so forth, as further described below.
• Reference is now made toFIG. 1, which is anexemplary toy system100 according to some embodiments of the present invention. Thesystem100 includes one or more toys, for example as shown at104. Optionally, the one or more toys are designed as an enduring, traditional form of stuffed animals, such as ateddy bear104, a doll, a dog, or as molded plastic toys, such as a toy robot, a toy statue, an action figure or a like. Thetoy104 comprises a signaling unit that is designed to encode interacting information and to signal the encoded interacting information via a light emitting unit, such as a LED, optionally as described below.
• TheSystem100 also includes aclient terminal114 such as a personal computer (PC), a workstation, a laptop. Thetoy104 communicates with theclient terminal114 by light signaling. Theclient terminal114 is connected to an image capturing device110, such as a WEB-camera112 that captures the light that is emitted by thetoys104. Optionally, theclient terminal114 is a mobile phone and the image capturing device110 is an integrated camera, such as a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)—based and/or charge coupled device (CCD) based camera.
• Optionally, theclient terminal114 hosts atoy communication module121 which is designed for decoding the interacting information from the intercepted singling. Optionally, theclient terminal114 networks, via acomputer network119, the captured blinking and/or the decoded interacting information to atoy communication module122 that is installed on one or more remote network nodes such asremote servers116 with adatabase118. As the communication between thetoy104 and theclient terminal114 may be performed using a common webcam or a common mobile phone camera the user does not have to connect a designated hardware to theclient terminal114. Thetoy104 and an application that may be installed on theclient terminal114 or accessed via thecomputer network119 optionally allows the user to establish an interactive game session and/or a learning session.
• It should be noted that as thetoy104 is used for sending instructions to applications which are installed and/or accessed by client terminals with relatively high computational power, such as personal computers and/or server, an interactive session with graphics, voice and/or other multimedia functions may be established without requiring the utilization of a toy with strong computational abilities. In such an embodiment, the computational power of thetoy104 may be relatively low as the computation of most of the playing and/or learning session that is established using thetoy104 and theclient terminal114 are performed by theclient terminal114.
• Optionally, thetoy104 comprises a microphone that is connected to an audio processing module for allowing thetoy104 to receive instructions from theclient terminal114. In such an embodiment, thetoy104 and theclient terminal114 may establish an interactive playing session in which thetoy104 may react to voice instructions which are received from theclient terminal114. Optionally, the audio processing module is connected a memory that hosts a plurality of records, each associated with a certain interacting information. In use, the client terminal encodes interacting information in an audio track, audible or inaudible to a human user, and plays it. The audio processing module records an analog signal that represents the played segment and decodes the interacting information therein. In such an example, the analog audio signal may be forwarded to an audio processor module that converts the analog signal to a digital signal for processing. After processing, the digital signal is matched with the records in the storage and used for triggering a reaction of the toy, for example a set of blinking, as described below, an activation of rotating and/or actuating units etc. Because this method of employing audio processor module requires multiple conversions between analog and digital formats, thereby increasing complexity, cost, and power consumption of such a toy, the personal computer may encode simple and/or short audio signals. Optionally, the communication between the toy103 and theclient terminal114 allows thetoy104 to use the processor of theclient terminal114 for performing computational tasks. In such an embodiment, the toy103 may encode computational instructions which are performed by the processor of theclient terminal114.
• Reference is now also made toFIG. 2, which is aflowchart400 depicting the functions which are performed by thetoy104 and theclient terminal114 during an exemplary playing and/or learning session, according to some embodiments of the present invention. A user, such as a child, may interact with thetoy104. Optionally, thetoy104 has user interface (UI), such as a keypad or a joystick, that allows the user to instruct thetoy104 or any other receiving unit, such as a microphone, optionally as described above.
• Accordingly, as shown at401,402 thetoy104 may initiates a learning and/or playing session with theclient terminal114 by encoding and blinking respective interacting information. As further described above, theclient terminal114 captures the interactinginformation403, decodes the interacting information therefrom404, and react with a respective action, for example by running a software, animating a figure on its display, playing a video clip, playing an audio clip, etc.
• Optionally, theclient terminal114 provides instructions and/or guidance to the user. As described above, thetoy104 uses optionally has limited computing power. Accordingly, the need to protect processors and/or memory from misuse by the user in such atoy104 may be reduced. Also, the power used by thetoy104 can be reduced, prolonging battery life of thetoy104.
• According to some embodiments of the present invention, thetoy104 may help a user with reading and/or learning. Optionally, thetoy104 has a UI that allows the user to select a label with literal and/or pictorial symbols from labels (not shown) which are attached to thetoy104 and push or pull such labels. In such an embodiment, thetoy104 encodes interacting information corresponds with the selected label as at least one flickering control instruction and activates one or more of thelight emitting units120 for emitting light that represents the encoded interacting information towardclient terminal114. Now, theclient terminal114 communicates with thetoy104, so that thetoy104 may output the name of a symbol and/or a name of an animal or a plant, etc. In this sense, thetoy104 may appear to be useful to a child's learning. In that case, a display (not shown) may also be incorporated intotoys104 to present the user with the words being read by thetoy104. Therefore, thetoy104 may aid in the learning process of the user by teaching the user to read and/or learn new information and/or ability.
• According to some embodiments of the present invention, thetoy104 may be capable of holding intelligent conversation with the user by using the computing power of client terminal. In that case, the user may talk and thetoy104 captures the speech, encodes it, optionally using the aforementioned audio processing module, and transmits it by blinking toclient terminal114. Theclient terminal114 then plays a media file and/or animation that response to user. Thus, if the user asks a question, thetoy104 may cause the client terminal to respond with a related answer. Optionally, theclient terminal114 adjusts the playing session according to the user answers and/or response time.
• In another example, thetoy104 may facilitate translation of words spoken by a user. For example, a user may speak to thetoy104, which captures the speech and communicates the captured speech to theclient terminal114, optionally as described above.
• According to some embodiments of the present invention, the user say the words “Thank you” totoy104 that captures the phrase and communicates the captured phrase toclient terminal114 that parses it and identifies a translation thereto. Theclient terminal114 may communicate the translation back to the toy, andtoy104 may output the translations by, for example, responding with “Danke” means “thank you” in German.
• Optionally, theclient terminal114 is designed to identify different toys. In such an embodiment, the user is provided with a kit that includes a plurality of toys, each having a different blinking pattern. In such a manner, thetoy communication module121 that is installed on theclient terminal114 and/or on a remote server, as described above, may react according to the toy which is presented thereto. For example, the user receives a kit of toys, each shaped as a different animal and thetoy communication module121 reacts in a manner reflects the animal that the blinking thereof is captured by theimage capturing device112. Optionally, theimage capturing device112 captures a sequence of images of a number of blinking toys. As different toys may have different blinking patterns the decoding of such an image may be used for identifying a combination of toys. For example, the user presents theimage capturing device112 with a number of toys simultaneously, such as a lion toy and a sheep toy, and the image capturing device may simultaneously capture the a combination of blinking and decode it, and play a respective media file, for example of an animation of a lion that interacts with a sheep. Optionally, the relative location of the blinking in the captured images is identified. In such a manner, thetoy communication module121 may react according to the positioning of the toys, for example according to the order thereof. For example, the user may hold a toy having a body that is shaped as a dog and a toy having a body which is shaped as a bone and thetoy communication module121 may play a media file of barking and/or of wailing according to the distance between them.
• According to some embodiments of the present invention, thetoy communication module121 may include an image processing sub-module for recognition of faces, objects, colors, numbers, and the like. Optionally, thetoy communication module121 may be configured to identify the face of the user in the captured image. Thetoy communication module121 may use the recognition for emulating an interaction with the user, for instance, by playing the name of the user. In an exemplary embodiment, thetoy104 is used for teaching the user to recognize shapes, count objects, and/or becoming familiar with colors and alike. Optionally, thetoy communication module121 is used for managing a playing session between the user and thetoy104. In such an embodiment, the relative location of the user in relation to thetoy104, a relative location of one or more of her limbs in relation to thetoy104, and/or a gesture that is performed toward and/or with thetoy104 are identified by analyzing the images which are captured by theimage capturing device112 and used by thetoy communication module121 to trigger a certain reaction. For example, the user may reach her hand toward a blinking toy with a body that is shaped as a dog; thetoy communication module121 that identifies the gesture reacts by playing a related media file, such as barking noise audio file.
• According to some embodiments of the present invention, an interaction between a user and a toy, as shown at104, may be proactive and/or reactive. For example, thetoy104 may serve as an alarming module, instructing thetoy communication module121 to play a media file that informs the user that it is time to get bed, do homework, and the like. Thetoy104 may also proactively remind a user of the day's appointments, birthdays of friends or relatives and alike. Thus, first output may be provided, which is responsive to input to the toy, andclient terminal114 can be programmed to proactively cause thetoy104 to output second output to a user, e.g., an alarm or reminder.
• Reference is now also made toFIG. 3, which is a schematic illustration of an exemplary toy, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Thetoy104 includes a body that is shaped as a dog, anlight emitting unit120 for blinking interacting information to theclient terminal114, aspeaker130 for communicating with the user, an audio voice unit123, such as a microphone, for recording and/or receiving audio instructions, optionally, as described above, and a processor for processing visual and/or audio signals, according to some embodiments of the present invention.
• Optionally, a button or other actuator (not shown) may be disposed on thetoy104 to turn on themicrophone132.
• Optionally, sounds or images detected by theinput device128 may be locally processed by theprocessor134 of thetoy104 in order to facilitate communication of the data toclient terminal114. Optionally, theprocessor134 comprises a relatively simple controller.
• Reference is now made toFIG. 4, which is a schematic illustration of atoy150 that is used a remote control for operating anappliance160, such as a TV, and amenu156 that includes a plurality of labels, according to some embodiments of the present invention.
• As outlined above, a toy, as shown at150, or a reader device, as shown at250 ofFIG. 5, may be used for operating and/or interacting with the appliance and/or a client terminal, as shown at114 above. Thetoy150 or thereader device250 comprises asensing unit152,251 for reading a unique machine-readable representation of the interacting information from the label, a processing unit (not shown) for identifying the interacting information according to the representation and a transmittingunit154,252 for transmitting the interacting information to the appliance and/or the client terminal. Optionally, thereader device250 is as described in Provisional Patent Application Nos. 60/906,228 filed on Mar. 12, 2007 and 60/906,227 filed on Mar. 12, 2007, which are incorporated herein by reference.
• According to some embodiments of the present invention, the transmittingunit154,252 includes an IR and/or radio frequency (RF) transmitter for transmitting IR and/or RF signals to the appliance and/or the client terminal. The IR and/or RF transmitter transmits the IR and/or RF signals158 that emulates the signals of the remote control of the appliance, for example the remote control of a TV, a CD player, a set top box, a DVD player, a heater, an air conditioner, and/or the remote control of a garage door and/or a kitchen appliance, such as a microwave oven. For example, a user may use a label of the menu that depicts a certain food product to select a set of instructions that instructs the microwave oven to heat the certain food product.
• In some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the IR and/orRF transmitter154 transmits IR and/or RF signals of a remote control of a TV set. In such an embodiment, themenu156 includes unique machine-readable representations of TV channels and/or TV functions. In use, the user uses thetoy150 or thereader device250 for reading a certain unique machine-readable representation, such as a label, for example a label of FoxKids™ channel and/or “increase volume” and the IR and/orRF transmitter154 emulates the action of the remote control of the TV and transmits IR and/or RF signals instruct the TV to zap to FoxKids™ channel and/or to increase the volume of the played media.
• In some embodiments of the present invention, thetoy150 is used for navigating in a playing and/or learning show that is recorded on media with tagged segments, such as a CD, DVD, and tagged video on demand (VOD) program. The toy may be configured by a user for operating certain navigating between the tagged sections. The menu may include unique machine-readable representations of tagged section and the user may use the toy for selecting them and for instructing a console, such as a CD player, a DVD player, a gaming console, and/or a set-top box, to navigate to a respective segment. For example, the user may use a menu that includes machine-readable representations of segments of a learning DVD for navigation. The DVD optionally stores segments, each of a question, an answer, a reaction, a negative reaction, and/or hint for solving a question. The user uses the toy for selecting an answer from the menu and the toy instructs the DVD player to navigate to a segment that represents a respective reaction to the user selection. For example, the DVD player may play a segment that includes a video sequence of a figure asking a question, such as “how much is 2+4” and the user can use the toy to read one or more respective labels that represent her answer.
• Optionally, thetoy150 and themenu156 are used for allowing the user to participate in an interactive gaming session that is held on an interactive channel, such as Sky Gamestar™ or an interactive channel that is held on a cellular phone. In such an embodiment, thetoy150 and/or themenu156 may be adjusted according to the content provider that provides the interactive gaming session in the interactive channel. For example, a content provider, such as Sky Gamestar™, may sell and/or provide thetoy150 and/or themenu156 as a sale promoter for a certain interactive gaming session. When the user uses thetoy150 and/or themenu156 for participating in an interactive gaming session, as described above, the content provider may charge the user and/or her parents for the participation in the interactive gaming session. Optionally, the user may print themenu156 from a website and/or update the toy by connecting it to the client terminal.
• Optionally, the toy has a universal serial bus (USB) socket and/or a memory card reader for reading content that is stored in memory cards. The memory cards are optionally solid-state electronic flash memory data storage devices, such as CompactFlash™ cards, SmartMedia™ cards, Memory Stick™ cards, Secure Digital™ cards, miniSD™ cards, and/or MicroSD™ cards. Optionally, the USB socket and/or the memory card reader allow the updating of the memory of thetoy150. Optionally, thetoy150 may host a file that stores themenu150 and the user may connect thetoy150 to the computer for uploading the file and/or for printing themenu156.
• In some embodiments of the present invention, thetoy communication module121 allows the user to create a menu and to associate its labels with different transmissions. In such a manner, the user may adjust thetoy150 to operate a certain appliance and/or to activate a selected interactive gaming session in a predefined manner.
• Reference is now also made, one again, toFIG. 1. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the transmittingunit154 is the aforementioned light emitting unit and the communication is done by blinking interacting information to theclient terminal114, optionally, as described above with regard to the toy which is shown at104. In some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the transmittingunit154 activates the light emitting unit to emulate basic computer actions, such as “start a program”, “increase volume”, “activate player”, “open browser”, “connect to the internet”, “press enter”, “press space”, and the like. In some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, themenu156 depicts an enlarged and/or decorated keyboard and the transmittingunit154 activates the light emitting unit to emulate pressing respective keys of the emulated keyboard. In such an embodiment, the user may use the toy for learning how to use a keyboard and/or for recognizing the letters of the alphabet. Optionally, such an enlarged keyboard and a toy are used by short-sighted users that have difficulties to see the keys of a regular keyboard. Optionally, such themenu156 and thetoy154 may be used for as input device that allows the user to type letters and/or emails is a client terminal, such as a mobile phone. In such an embodiment, themenu156 includes unique machine-readable representations of basic functions and/or preprogrammed functions. In use, the user uses thetoy150 or thereader device250 for reading a certain unique machine-readable representation, such as a label, for example a label of Microsoft Explorer™ and/or “FoxKids™ website” and the light emitting unit blinks accordingly a set of blinking that is recorded by theimage capturing device112 and decoded by thetoy communication module121, optionally as described above.
• As described above, thetoy104 is configured to participate in a game session with a toy communication module that is installed on theremote server116. In such an embodiment, thetoy104 may serve as an UI for interacting with remotely located client terminals which are connected to thenetwork119. In some embodiments of the present invention, thetoy104 reports information obtained from one or more remote network nodes, such as website servers. For example, a user may announce “What is the weather forecast for today?”, press a respective button, and/or read a respective label using thesensing unit152 and thetoy104 may blink with a respective blinking pattern to the toy communication module that accesses a respective website and/or database via the network140 for acquiring the related data. Upon retrieving the local forecast,client terminal114 supplies that information to thetoy104, which answers the user's question.
• Reference is now made toFIG. 6, which is a schematic illustration of threeexemplary toys164 which are designed to communicate by vibrating and aclient terminal167 that is connected to one of them, according to some embodiment of the present invention. In such embodiments, two or more toys may receive and transmit messages by vibrations. For example, one of thetoys166 may vibrate in a certain pattern for indicating on an emulated state, such as “hungry”, and another toy may intercept the vibrations and decode them to reconstruct the emulated state which is encoded in the vibration. In such a manner, the intercepting toy may react to the vibrations by playing a related media file, actuating a certain element, and/or transmitting a respective message to theclient terminal167.
• Optionally, each one of thetoys164 includes a body in the form of a stuffed-animal, a doll, an object, an action figure, or any other shape, a processor which is connected to a memory (not shown), one or more vibratingelements165, such as a piezoelectric transducer based unit, and avibration detection element166 for detecting vibration patterns, such as piezoelectric devices and/or accelerometers responsive to localized motion. Example embodiments ofother vibration elements165 are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,019,622, issued on Mar. 28, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference.
• In an exemplary embodiment, the memory comprises instructions for vibrating patterns of the vibrating elements which are associated with interfacing information. The processor activates the vibratingelements165 according to the one or more of the vibrating patterns which are optionally selected by the user and/or as a response to a vibration that is detected by thevibration detection element166. The vibrating patterns which are stored in the memory, and/or other vibrating patterns which are stored in the memory may be used for identifying interacting information that is encoded in the detected vibrations.
• Optionally, thetoy164 is designed to communicate with a client terminal toy that is connected to a client terminal, as shown at167, for example via a wired connection, such as a USB connection and/or Firewire™ connection, or wireless connection such as Wi-Fi™ and/or Bluetooth™ connection. In such a manner, the user may couple thetoy164 to the client terminal toy and transmit the interfacing information, such as described above, to a toy communication module, for example as described above with regard toFIG. 1, which is hosted on and/or accessed by the client terminal.
• Optionally, thetoy164 is designed to communicate with anothertoy164 via a mediating element, such as a table, a surface, and/or a designated element such as a vibratable toy element. In such an embodiment, the communicating toys can be remotely located from one another and to communicate by transferring vibration signals via the mediating element,
• Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.
• All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference into the specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention. To the extent that section headings are used, they should not be construed as necessarily limiting.

Claims (14)

What is claimed is:

1. A method for using a reading device for communicating with an appliance, comprising:

a) using the reading device for reading a unique machine-readable representation associated with an appliance function and a visible indication associated with said function;

b) encoding at least one instruction indicative of said appliance function; and

c) wirelessly transmitting said at least one instruction to the appliance, thereby instructing the appliance to execute said appliance function.

2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said at least one instruction is a flickering control instruction, said transmitting comprising emitting light according to said flickering control instruction.

3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said appliance is selected from the group consisting of a personal computer (PC), a television (TV), a digital versatile disc (DVD), a compact disk (CD), a set-top box, a game console, a media center console, a mobile telephone, a heater, an air conditioner, a garage door, and a kitchen appliance.

4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said wirelessly transmitting emulates a remote control transmission.

5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said visible indication is a graphic icon depicting said function.

6. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising presenting a challenge to a user before said step a), wherein said appliance function is directing said appliance to present a reaction to said challenge.

7. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said reading comprises reading said unique machine-readable representation from a menu comprising a plurality of machine-readable representations associated with a plurality of appliance functions.

8. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said unique machine-readable representation comprises a plurality of machine-readable representations associated with keys of a keyboard, and wherein said instructing comprises typing respective said keys.

9. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the appliance is at least one of a television, a cellular phone and a set top box, and wherein said appliance function is selected from the group consisting of: changing a television channel, turning on said television, turning off said television, increasing the volume of said television, playing in an interactive gaming session, and participating in an interactive learning session.

10. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the appliance is a player of a media comprising a plurality of tagged segments, said appliance function is selecting a tagged segment to be played by said player.

11. A method for transmitting playing information from a first toy to a second toy, comprising:

allowing a physical contact between the first and second toys;

vibrating the first toy according to playing information;

detecting said vibrations by using said second toy; and

obtaining said playing information from the detected vibrations.

12. The method ofclaim 11, further comprising vibrating the second toy according to said detected vibrations.

13. The method ofclaim 11, wherein said obtaining comprises forwarding said detected vibrations to a client terminal, further comprising using said client terminal for reacting to said playing information.

14. The method ofclaim 11, wherein said physical contact is established via a mediating element, wherein said vibrating comprises vibrating said mediating element by vibrating the first toy, said detecting comprises detecting said physical contact vibrations.

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