Character information providing system and method and character doll

• US 20040053696A1
• Filed: 08/22/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Woori Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Woori Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Jeon, Dae-Young, Cho, Young-Guk, Kim, Deok-Woo, Byun, Tae-Uk
• Application Number:
  US10/332,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20040053696A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls

Abstract

isclosed is a character information providing system. A response unit provides a guide message to a transmission request terminal, receives a transfer request, and outputs an information providing message corresponding to the transfer request. A message storage unit receives an information providing message to be transmitted to a character doll from the response unit and temporarily stores the same. A first server receives the information providing message and transmits the same to the recipient character doll. A second server installs a program for converting the text message of the transfer request into voice data based on a predetermined conversion reference data, and provides the information providing message including the converted voice data to the first server. In this instance, the response unit comprises the second server and a voice combination data storage unit.

Claims

1. A character information-providing system connected to a transmission requester'"'"'s terminal through a communication network, for receiving a transmission request selected from one of voice reproduction, image reproduction, motion, and a combination thereof from the transmission requester'"'"'s terminal, and transmitting an information service message corresponding to the transmission request to a receiver'"'"'s character doll so that the character doll performs an operation corresponding to the information service message, comprising:

a responder for providing a guide message to the transmission requester'"'"'s terminal, receiving the transmission request, and outputting an information service message corresponding to the transmission request;

a message storage unit for receiving the information service message from the responder to be transmitted to the character doll, and temporarily storing the same; and

a first server for receiving the information service message and transmitting it to the receiver'"'"'s character doll, and

the responder comprising;

a second server for mounting a program for converting a text message included in the transmission request into voice data on the basis of predetermined conversion reference data, and providing the information service message including the converted voice data to the first server; and

a voice composition data storage unit for storing the conversion reference data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication network includes the Internet, and the transmission requester'"'"'s terminal is a personal computer (PC) accessible to the second server through the Internet.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication network includes wire and wireless telephone networks, and the responder comprises a computer telephony system for receiving the transmission request through the communication network, converting, a voice message included in the transmission request into voice data, and providing the information service message including the converted voice data to the first server.

4. A character doll having a predetermined character form, receiving an information service message selected from one of voice reproduction, image reproduction, motion, and a combination thereof through a mobile phone, and performing an operation corresponding to the information service message, comprising:

an interface including a data port connector to be interfaced with the mobile phone;

a controller for controlling motion of respective components of the character doll;

a first memory for storing a plurality of programs of the controller;

a second memory for temporarily storing the information service message;

a digital/analog converter for converting voice data included in the information service message into analog voice signals;

a speaker for outputting the analog voice signals;

a power supply for supplying power to the character doll; and

an input unit for adjusting operation of the controller.

5. The character doll of claim 4, wherein the character doll further comprises a charging terminal, electrically connected to the power supply, for charging the mobile phone'"'"'s battery.

6. The character doll of claim 4 or 5, wherein the character doll is a combination of a plurality of parts some of which can be relatively moved with respect to other parts, and it further comprises an operation driver for driving at least some of the parts to represent motion corresponding to motion data included in the information service message.

7. The character doll of claim 6, wherein the character doll'"'"'s body and face are separable.

8. The character doll of claim 4 or 5, wherein the character doll further comprises a display connected to the controller, for displaying images corresponding to image data included in the information service message.

9. The character doll of claim 8, wherein the character doll'"'"'s body and face are separable.

10. The character doll of claim 8, wherein the character doll is a combination of a plurality of parts some of which can be relatively moved with respect to other parts, and it further comprises an operation driver for driving at least some of the parts to represent motions corresponding to motion data included in the information service message.

11. The character doll of claim 4, 5 or 10, wherein the character doll'"'"'s body and face are separable.

12. A character information-providing method for providing a character doll with a service message configured with one of a character-related voice, image, motion, and a combination thereof according to a service request input through a communication network so that the character doll performs an operation corresponding to the service message, comprising:

receiving the service request through the communication network;

composing the voice corresponding to a text message included in the service request, and generating a service message including the composed voice data; and

transmitting the service message to the character doll so that the character doll may perform an operation selected from among voice reproduction, image reproduction, motion representation and a combination thereof, in accordance with the service message.