System for coordinating behavior of a toy with play of an online educational game

Abstract

A system for coordinating the behavior of a smart toy with play of an online educational game over a network comprises a network computer which hosts a website having one or more educational games, a memory for storing one or more announcements each of which corresponds to a state of play of the game, a local computer in communication with the network computer for playing the game, and a smart toy in communication with the network computer, such that when the progression of play of the game reaches a state of play, the game instructs the network computer to one of the announcements to the toy where when it is played by a speaker in the toy enhances the learning experience of the person playing the game.

1 . A system for coordinating behavior of a toy with play of an online game on a website, the system comprising:
 a network computer having a memory, said network computer operative to host a website, said website including one or more games, each said game having one or more defined benchmarks, each said benchmark indicating a distinct state of play of said game, said memory storing one or more announcements, each said announcement corresponding to one of said states of play,   a local computer in communication with said network computer via a computer network such that said website is accessible to a user of said local computer for playing said games,   a toy having a processor and a speaker, said toy in communication with said network computer via a computer network,   wherein when play of said game by the user progresses to one of said benchmarks, said game instructs said network computer to send to said toy one of said announcements corresponding to said state of play indicated by said benchmark, and when said toy receives said announcement, said processor causes said speaker to play said announcement, such that said toy presents the user with an audible announcement corresponding to the current state of play of said game.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said website includes educational content for children.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said games include educational content for children.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said games include games to teach spelling.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 at least one of said states of play indicates successful completion of a defined goal, and said corresponding announcement is directed to affirming the user's successful accomplishment of the goal.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 at least one of said states of play indicates successful completion of a game, and said corresponding announcement is directed to affirming the user's successful completion of the game.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said toy has a soft plush exterior.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6  wherein:
 said toy has an internal cavity, and said processor is disposed in said cavity.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6  wherein:
 said toy is a teddy bear.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said network computer is in communication with a mobile telephone network, said cellular telephone network including one or more wireless transmitters, and   said toy includes a wireless receiver in communication with said one or more wireless transmitters.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 said website consists of a virtual world, said virtual world including an avatar representing said toy.   
     
     
         12 . A system for coordinating behavior of a toy with play of an online game on a website, the system comprising:
 a network computer operative to host a website, said website including one or more games, each said game having one or more defined benchmarks, each said benchmark indicating a distinct state of play of said game,   a memory server in communication with said network computer, said memory server having a memory, one or more announcements stored on said memory, each said announcement corresponding to one of said states of play,   a local computer in communication with said network computer via a computer network such that said website is accessible to a user of said local computer for playing said games,   a toy having a processor and a speaker, said toy in communication with said network computer via a computer network,   wherein when play of said game by the user progresses to one of said benchmarks, said game instructs said network computer to send to said toy one of said announcements corresponding to said state of play indicated by said benchmark, said network computer instructs said memory server to send said announcement to said toy, and when said toy receives said announcement, said processor causes said speaker to play said announcement, such that said toy provides the user with an audible announcement corresponding to the current state of play of said game.   
     
     
         13 . A system for coordinating behavior of a toy with play of an online game on a website the system comprising:
 a network computer having a memory, said network computer operative to host a website, said website including one or more games, each said game having one or more defined benchmarks, each said benchmark indicating a distinct state of play of said game, said memory storing one or more pointers,   a local computer in communication with said network computer via a computer network such that said website is accessible to a user of said local computer for playing said games,   a toy having a processor, a memory, and a speaker, said toy in communication with said network computer, said memory storing one or more announcements, each said announcement corresponding to one of said states of play, each announcement distinctly associated with one of said pointers,   wherein when play of said game by the user progresses to one of said benchmarks, said game instructs said network computer to send to said toy one of said pointers associated with one of said announcements corresponding to said state of play indicated by said benchmark, and when said toy receives said pointer, said processor causes said speaker to play said announcement associated with said pointer, such that said toy provides the user with an audible announcement corresponding to the current state of play of said game.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 14  wherein:
 said local computer is in wireless communication with said toy.