Communications and monitoring using a toy

Abstract

A system includes a toy and a first mobile communication device received within the toy in electronic communication with the toy. The toy includes speakers configured to output audio based on audio or data received from a mobile communication device in electronic communication with the toy, a camera, and a plurality of articulated arms. The first mobile communication device includes software loaded thereon configured to communicate voice communications received from another mobile communication device to the toy for output via the speakers of the toy, to display, via a display screen of the first mobile communication device, a simulated mouth, and to effect movement of the simulated mouth during output of voice communications from another mobile communications device via the speakers of the toy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 (a) a toy docking station including
 (i) a connection interface configured to connect to a mobile communication device, 
 (ii) speakers configured to output audio based on audio or data received from the mobile communication device, 
 (iii) a camera configured to provide video to the mobile communication device for communication to a remote device, 
 (iv) a plurality of articulated legs, each articulated leg including a foot member configured for securement to a surface; and 
   (b) software stored in a computer readable medium configured to effect output, via the speakers of the toy, of a synthesized voice;   (c) wherein the toy resembles a character or animal, and wherein the synthesized voice represents a voice of the character or animal.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the toy docking station further includes a microphone. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the toy docking station further includes a video screen. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the toy docking station further includes a processor and memory. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the software is loaded on the toy docking station. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the software is loaded on a mobile communication device connected to the toy docking station via the connection interface. 
     
     
         7 . The toy docking station of  claim 1 , wherein each foot member includes one or more suction cup members. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 (a) a toy configured to connect to a mobile communication device, the toy including
 (i) electronics configured for wireless connection to a mobile communication device, 
 (ii) speakers configured to output audio based on audio or data received from the mobile communication device, 
 (iii) a camera configured to provide video to the mobile communication device, 
 (iv) a plurality of articulated legs, each articulated leg including a foot member configured for securement to a surface; and 
   (e) software stored in a computer readable medium configured to effect output of a synthesized voice;   (f) wherein the toy resembles a character or animal, and wherein the synthesized voice represents a voice of the character or animal.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the toy further includes a microphone. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the toy further includes a video screen. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the toy further includes a processor and memory. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the software stored in a computer readable medium configured to effect output of a synthesized voice is loaded on the toy. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the software stored in a computer readable medium configured to effect output of a synthesized voice is loaded on a mobile communication device connected to the toy via the electronics configured for wireless connection to a mobile communication device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein each foot member includes one or more suction cup members. 
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 (a) a toy docking station including
 (i) a connection interface configured to connect to a mobile communication device, 
 (ii) speakers configured to output audio based on audio or data received from the mobile communication device; 
 (iii) a camera configured to provide video to the mobile communication device for communication to a remote device; 
 (iv) a plurality of articulated legs, each articulated leg including a foot member configured for securement to a surface, 
 (v) wherein the toy docking station is configured to allow for display of a display screen of a mobile communication device connected to the toy docking station; 
   (b) a first mobile communication device received within the toy docking station in electronic communication with the toy docking station, the first mobile communication device including software loaded thereon configured
 (i) to communicate voice communications, received from another mobile communication device, to the toy docking station for output via the speakers of the toy docking station, 
 (ii) to display, via a display screen of the first mobile communication device, a simulated mouth, and 
 (ii) to effect movement of the simulated mouth during output of voice communications from another mobile communications device via the speakers of the toy 
   (c) software stored in a computer readable medium configured to effect output of a synthesized voice;   (d) wherein the toy docking station resembles a character or animal, and wherein the synthesized voice represents a voice of the character or animal.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the toy further includes a microphone. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the toy further includes a processor and memory. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the software stored in a computer readable medium configured to effect output of a synthesized voice is loaded on the toy. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the software stored in a computer readable medium configured to effect output of a synthesized voice is loaded on a mobile communication device connected to the toy via the electronics configured for wireless connection to a mobile communication device. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein each foot member includes one or more suction cup members.