Systems and methods for communication

• US 8,591,302 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2009
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: In-Dot Limited
• Original Assignee: In-Dot Limited
• Inventors: Raichman, Yossef, Cohen, Moshe
• Primary Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US12/920,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20110009175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/36 Details; Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114

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.

Claims

1. A method for using a toy for communicating with a client terminal, comprising:

providing a toy element having a sensing unit, a processor, and a light emitting unit;

using said sensing unit for reading a unique machine-readable representation of at least one interacting information from at least one label;

encoding said at least one interacting information, using said processor, as at least one flickering control instruction; and

using said light emitting unit for emitting light according to said at least one flickering control instruction, thereby transmitting said interacting information to a client terminal;

wherein said client terminal is configured for capturing said emitted light using an image capturing device, decoding said at least one interacting information therefrom, and performing at least one function based on said at least one decoded interacting information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said toy element having a structure indicative of said at least one interacting information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said toy is a member of a group consisting of a plurality of toys, each said toys being indicative of different interacting information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said client terminal is a personal computer, said interacting information comprises a member selected from a group consisting of:

a basic operation, an operating system operation, and a preprogrammed operation, said client terminal is configured for executing said member.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said toy element and said client terminal are physically separated.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one label having at least one of a literal symbol and a pictorial symbol.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one label is printed.

5. A toy for communicating with a client terminal, comprising:

a body;

a sensing unit which reads a unique machine-readable representation of at least one interacting information from at least one label;

a memory configured for hosting at least one flickering control instruction associated with said at least one interacting information;

a processor; and

a light emitting unit configured for instructing a client terminal having an image capturing device to perform at least one function by emitting light according to said at least one flickering control instruction toward said image capturing device;

wherein said processor operates said light emitting unit by encoding said light emitting unit based on said at least one interacting information.

6. The toy of claim 5, wherein said 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.

7. The toy of claim 5, wherein said user interface comprises a voice recording unit configured intercepting an audio signal representing said interacting information.

8. The toy of claim 5, wherein said image capturing device is a webcam.

9. The toy of claim 7, wherein said client terminal is connected to a remote server via a computer server, said client terminal being configured for forwarding said instructions to said client terminal.

10. A game kit for allowing a player to use a toy for communicating with a client terminal, comprising:

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 reading a unique machine-readable representation of at least one interacting information from at least one label and emitting at least one sequence of lights indicative of said at least one interacting information toward said image capturing device;

wherein said image capturing device captures said sequence of lights;

wherein said toy communication module receives said captured sequence of lights from said toy element and decodes said sequence of lights to establish an interactive session with said client terminal;

wherein said toy element and said client terminal are physically separated.

11. The game kit of claim 10, wherein said client terminal is configured for establishing said interactive session between a network node and said user via a computer network.

12. The game kit of claim 10, wherein said image capturing device is a webcam.

13. The game kit of claim 10, wherein said at least one toy element comprises a plurality of toy elements each having a body structure indicative of respective said at least one interacting information.