Single action audio prompt interface utilizing binary state time domain multiple selection protocol

• US 6,804,539 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Curo Interactive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Curo Interactive Incorporated
• Inventors: Toupin, Paul M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Application Number:
  US10/246,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20030017847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 455/557, 455/563, 455/564, 455/6, 455/66.1, 455/568.1, 455/569.1, 455/575.1, 455/90.1, 704/231, 704/211, 704/267, 704/272, 446/140-142, 446/404, 446/297
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6775 by providing access to preprogrammed keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 specially adapted for disabled users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72481 for visually impaired users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function

Abstract

An interface protocol for the functional manipulation of complex devices such as personal telecommunication devices without the necessity of the visual feedback via textual or graphic data, wherein the sensor functions change with time rather than placement, so that a user action biases a binary state switch, which is correlated to a timed audible audio data stream, the correlation indicating the desired action selected by the user. The device can be embedded in a product such as a plush toy without altering the external aesthetics of the product.

Claims

1. An audio prompted interface device using a time domain multiple selection protocol comprising:

a device housing,

a processor and cooperating memory and a power supply mounted in said housing,

an audio broadcaster mounted in said housing and cooperating with said processor for audibly broadcasting outside of said housing a sequenced series of audible prompts supplied by said processor to said audio broadcaster,

an input switch mounted in said housing for receiving input from a user, said input for biasing of said input switch in response to a single prompt of said series of audible prompts,

a timer cooperating with said processor, said processor correlating said response to said single prompt with a corresponding single time domain within a sequential series of time domains timed by said timer,

said processor correlating said single time domain with said single prompt and executing a single action corresponding to said single prompt according to an instruction set in said memory,

wherein said processor, said memory, said power supply, said audio broadcaster, said input receiver, and said timer are hidden within, so as to not alter the external appearance of said device housing,

wherein audio data comprising said series of audible prompts is compressed so as to increase speed of presentation of said series of audible prompts,

and wherein said speed of presentation of said series of audible prompts is increased according to feedback in an adaptive feedback loop wherein said speed of presentation is increased until a level of mistakes made by said user matches a threshold level at which said speed of presentation is increased no further.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said device is a telecommunication device, wherein said input switch is a binary state input switch for receiving binary state input to bias said switch between opposite binary states, wherein, if said single action is a telecommunication action, said processor executing said single action in further cooperation with a telecommunication transceiver mounted in said housing, and wherein said device housing has a flexible surface and said input receiver is mounted beneath said flexible surface.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said device housing is a soft toy.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said device housing is a plush toy.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein said device housing has an audio transmitting surface and said broadcaster is mounted beneath said audio transmitting surface.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein said plush toy has at least one appendage, said at least one appendage pivotally mounted to a body of said plush toy, said at least one appendage cooperating with said processor so that a first position of said at least one appendage relative to said body switches said processor into a stand-by mode, and a second position of said at least one appendage relative to said body switches said processor into an active mode so as to trigger said series of prompts.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said at least one appendage is an opposed pair of elongate appendages.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said pair of appendages pivot relative to said body between a resilient clamped, closed position wherein said appendages are adjacent, and a spread position wherein said pair of appendages are spaced apart.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said first position is said closed position and said second position is said spread position.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said first and second positions lie substantially in a first plane and in a third position said pair of appendages are elevated out of said first plane, wherein in said second position said audio broadcaster audibly transmits at a first audible volume and wherein in said third position said audio broadcaster audibly transmits at a second audible volume.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said first audible volume is greater than said second audible volume.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said pair of appendages are arms and when in said third position the ends of said arms cup a mouth of said plush toy.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein said audio broadcaster is mounted behind said mouth of said plush toy.

14. The device of claim 13 said ends of said arms are hands, and in said first position said hands are together in front of said plush toy, and in said second position said hands are widely spread apart.

15. The device of claim 4 wherein said input switch is a push-button switch.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein said series of audible prompts are prompts in a multi-level menu tree, and wherein a lack of input from a user after a pre-selected number of audible prompts in said series of audible prompts results in a backing up in said menu tree to prompts at higher levels in said menu tree until at a top level of said menu tree said processor biases said device into a standby mode.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said series of audible prompts comprise a sequentially audibly broadcast list of names from a list of names in said memory, wherein said single prompt is a single name from said list and said single action corresponding to said single name is to dial a telephone number, from a corresponding list of telephone numbers, corresponding to said single name.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein said input switch may be biased a plurality of times in rapid succession and the action corresponding to said single action is different depending on the number of times said input switch is biased in said rapid succession.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein said input switch is a microphone cooperating with means for detecting audible input into said microphone within said single time domain and for registering said audible input into said microphone as said input for biasing of said input switch.

20. The device of claim 17 wherein said list of names are statistically ordered based on frequency of corresponding calls.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein said list names are statistically ordered based on time of said corresponding calls.

22. In an audio prompted interface device which includes a device housing, and mounted in said housing a processor and cooperating memory, a power supply, an audio broadcaster, an input switch, and a timer, a binary state time domain multiple selection protocol method comprising the steps of:

(a) audibly broadcasting outside of said housing from said broadcaster a sequenced series of audible prompts supplied by said processor to said audio broadcaster,

(b) receiving input to said input switch from a user, said input biasing said input switch in response to a single prompt of said series of audible prompts,

(c) timing, by said timer, a sequential series of time domains,

(d) correlating, by said processor, said response to said single prompt with a corresponding single time domain within said sequential series of time domains,

(e) correlating, by said processor, said single time domain with said single prompt, and

(f) executing a single action corresponding to said single prompt according to an instruction set in said memory,

(g) increasing a speed of presentation of said series of audible prompts according to feedback in an adaptive feedback loop wherein said speed of presentation is increased until a level of mistakes made by said user matches a threshold level at which said speed of presentation is increased no further.