System and method for controlling toy using web

• US 20040072498A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Institute of Information Technology Assessment, Wefriend Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Institute of Information Technology Assessment
• Inventors: Yeon, Ku Beom
• Application Number:
  US10/424,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20040072498A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/297
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/02 Electrical arrangements transformers H01F; converters H02M

Abstract

A system and method for controlling a toy using a web are disclosed. The system includes a toy that receives operation control data and a sound signal from the outside to output a sound while being moved in a specific form and a toy controller installed in a personal computer in such a manner as to be connected to the toy. The toy controller displays information about at least one Internet site, automatically accesses an Internet site selected by a user to receive sound data, and transmits sounds received from the Internet site and a sound for speech to the toy together with the control data.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a toy using a web, comprising:

a toy that receives control data and a sound signal from the outside, operates a motor to move in a specific movement form in response to the received control data, and outputs the sound signal through a speaker; and

a toy controller installed in a personal computer in such a manner as to be connected to the toy for controlling the overall operation of the toy,

wherein the toy controller includes;

a site access unit for displaying information about at least one Internet sites, and automatically accessing an Internet site selected by a user to receive sound data provided by the Internet site;

a communication unit for communicating with the toy to transmit the control data and the sound data to the toy;

a first speech storage unit for storing sound information of speech; and

a controller for transmitting the control data, sounds received from the Internet site through the site access unit, and the sound of speech stored in the first speech storage unit to the toy through the communication unit.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second speech storage unit for storing speech information in a text form, a sound source storage unit for storing a sound source, and a TTS engine for converting the text for speech into a voice using a sound source stored in the sound source storage unit, the controller including a function of transmitting a speech sound, converted by the TTS engine, to the toy together with the control data.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the text for speech, stored in the second speech storage unit, can be input/corrected/deleted by the user.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller periodically transmits the speech sound and the control data to the toy when there is no signal input from input devices including a keyboard and a mouse of the personal computer for a predetermined period of time.

5. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller periodically transmits the speech sound and the control data to the toy when there is no signal input from input devices including a keyboard and a mouse of the personal computer for a predetermined period of time.

6. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controller periodically transmits the speech sound and the control data to the toy when there is no signal input from input devices including a keyboard and a mouse of the personal computer for a predetermined period of time.

7. A method for controlling a toy having a function of receiving control data and a sound signal from the outside, operating a motor to move in a specific movement form in response to the control data and outputting the sound signal through a speaker using a web, which controls the toy with a personal computer wiredly connected to the toy, the method comprising:

a first step of displaying toy control menus, displaying information about at least one Internet site according to a user'"'"'s choice to allow the user to select an Internet site, and then automatically accessing the Internet site selected by the user;

a second step of automatically monitoring if there is no input from input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse for a predetermined period of the and whether or not a sound is being output through the speaker;

a third step of transmitting the sound signal to the toy together with the control data when the sound signal is being output through the speaker at the second step; and

a fourth step of periodically transmitting a sound of specific speech to the toy together with the control data when there is no input from the input devices such as the keyboard and the mouse for a predetermined period of time and a sound is not being output through the speaker at the second step.

8. A recording medium readable by a computer, which stores computer program capable of executing the first to fourth steps of claim 7.