Toy with remote media source

Abstract

An amusement device is in wireless communication with a remote media source via an interface. The amusement device includes a receiver/transmitter for receiving electromagnetic waves indicative of media content signals from the corresponding interface. The amusement device plays media content from the remote media source in conjunction with music or other sounds in response to user input.

1 . An amusement device having a remote media source, said amusement device comprising: 
 a data receiving system for wirelessly receiving media content signals from an associated interface, said interface being electrically coupled to the remote media source.    
   
   
       2 . The amusement device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the remote media source is a home audio source.  
   
   
       3 . The amusement device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the data receiving system includes an infrared (IR) receiver.  
   
   
       4 . The amusement device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the data receiving system includes a radio frequency (RF) receiver.  
   
   
       5 . The amusement device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the interface includes: 
 a first amplifier which receives and amplifies input signals from the remote media source;    a modulator which modulates the amplified input signals with a carrier signal; and    a transmitter which wirelessly transmits the amplified, modulated input signals to the data receiving system as electromagnetic waves.    
   
   
       6 . The amusement device as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the data receiving system includes: 
 a receiver/transmitter for receiving the electromagnetic waves from the transmitter and generating a corresponding received media content signal; and    a demodulator for demodulating the received media content signal.    
   
   
       7 . The amusement device as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 an amusement device audio output signal generator for generating an audio output signal responsive to a user input;    a mixer for mixing the audio output signal with the received media content signal.    
   
   
       8 . The amusement device as set forth in  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 an amplifier for amplifying the mixed audio output and received media content signals.    
   
   
       9 . The amusement device as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a speaker for generating an audio output responsive to the signal received from at least one of (I) the mixer and (ii) the amplifier.    
   
   
       10 . The amusement device as set forth in  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a light output generator for generating a light output responsive to at least one of (i) a user input and (ii) the received media content signal.    
   
   
       11 . The amusement device as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising at least one user input interface.  
   
   
       12 . The amusement device as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one user input interface generates a media source control signal responsive to a user input, said media source control signal being wirelessly transmitted from the receiver/transmitter to a controller within the interface.  
   
   
       13 . The amusement device as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the media source control signal is transmitted to the remote media source to control at least one media source operation.  
   
   
       14 . The amusement device as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the media source operation includes at least one of (i) media source power, (ii) media source track number, (iii) media source start, and (iv) media source stop.  
   
   
       15 . The amusement device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the amusement device is a toy.  
   
   
       16 . A system comprising: 
 an interface coupled to a remote media source; and    a toy, said toy including a receiver/transmitter for wireless communication with the interface to receive media content for playback.    
   
   
       17 . The system as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the interface includes: 
 an amplifier which receives and amplifies input signals from the remote media source;    a modulator which modulates the amplified input signals; and    a transmitter which transmits the amplified, modulated input signals to the receiver/transmitter.    
   
   
       18 . The system as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the transmitter and receiver/transmitter communicate wirelessly via an infrared light link.  
   
   
       19 . The system as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the transmitter and receiver/transmitter communicate wirelessly via a radio frequency link.  
   
   
       20 . The system as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the toy includes at least one user input interface.  
   
   
       21 . The system as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein the at least one user input interface generates a media source control signal responsive to actuation by a user, said media source control signal being wirelessly transmitted from the receiver/transmitter to a controller within the interface.  
   
   
       22 . The system as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the media source control signal is transmitted to the remote media source to control remote media source operation.  
   
   
       23 . A system comprising: 
 a remote media source:    an interface electrically coupled to a remote media source; and    a plurality of amusement devices, said amusement devices each including a receiver/transmitter for wireless communication with the interface to receive media content for playback.    
   
   
       24 . A method of providing media content to a toy from a remote media source, said method comprising: 
 electrically coupling an interface to the remote media source;    electrically coupling a receiver to the toy;    coupling the interface to the receiver such that media content is wirelessly transmitted by the interface to the receiver for playback through at least one speaker within the toy.    
   
   
       25 . A toy comprising: 
 a re-programmable memory for storing desired media content data.    
   
   
       26 . The toy as set forth in  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 a speaker for generating an audio output corresponding to the media content data stored in the re-programmable memory.    
   
   
       27 . The toy as set forth in  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 a light output generator for generating a light output responsive to at least one of (i) a user input and (ii) audio output.    
   
   
       28 . The toy as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the re-programmable memory is a removable flash memory cartridge.  
   
   
       29 . The toy as set forth in  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 an input for receiving media content data to be stored in the re-programmable memory.    
   
   
       30 . The toy as set forth in  claim 29 , wherein the input is a USB input.  
   
   
       31 . The toy as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the media content data is in MP3 format.