Context-based interactive plush toy

Abstract

A literary work defining a narrative, the literary work having phrases therein. The phrases including triggering phrases, non-triggering phrases, and non-stored triggering phrases. An interactive toy or device for interacting with a user while the phrases are being made audible. The toy or device includes a speech recognition unit that receives the audible phrases and detects the triggering and non-triggering phrases as they are audibilized. The triggering phrases may have independent significance or may only have significance when combined with non-triggering phrases from the literary work.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A literary work comprising:
 a first plurality of non-triggering phrases that form part of a story told in the literary work; and   at least one triggering phrase that supplements the story told in the literary work, wherein the at least one triggering phrase is selectively placed among a second plurality of non-triggering phrases;   wherein the first plurality of non-triggering phrases and the at least one triggering phrase are received and analyzed as audible sounds by an interactive toy when read aloud by a user, the interactive toy comprising:
 a body having an interior cavity; 
 a speech recognition unit at least partially positioned within the interior cavity and configured to receive the audible sounds and determine if the at least one triggering phrase was received; and 
 a sound module at least partially positioned within the interior cavity, the sound module having a speaker and a controller with a plurality of audio messages stored therein for selective activation via the speaker, wherein one or more messages are activated if the at least one triggering phrase was received. 
   
     
     
         2 . The literary work of  claim 1 , wherein the literary work is a movie, a book, or a live broadcast. 
     
     
         3 . The literary work of  claim 2 , wherein the literary work is a book and wherein the at least one triggering phrase is selectively placed at an end of a sentence within the story told in the book. 
     
     
         4 . The literary work of  claim 2 , wherein the literary work is a book and wherein the at least one triggering phrase is selectively placed at the beginning of a sentence within the story told in the book. 
     
     
         5 . The literary work of  claim 2 , wherein the literary work is a book and wherein the at least one triggering phrase is selectively placed at an end of a sentence at an end of a page of the book. 
     
     
         6 . The literary work of  claim 2 , wherein the literary work is a book and wherein the at least one triggering phrase is selectively placed in a clause within a sentence within the story told in the book. 
     
     
         7 . The literary work of  claim 1 , wherein the literary work is a book and wherein the book includes at least one additional triggering phrase and one additional non-triggering phrase to continue the story in the book. 
     
     
         8 . The literary work of  claim 7 , wherein the additional triggering phrase is analyzed by the interactive toy and initiates activation of another message by the toy upon detection. 
     
     
         9 . A literary work defining a narrative, the literary work comprising:
 a plurality of phrases that comprise the narrative, the phrases including triggering phrases, non-triggering phrases, and non-stored non-triggering phrases;   whereby the triggering and non-triggering phrases are stored in a memory associated with a speech recognition unit and wherein the non-stored non-triggering phrases are not stored in the memory;   whereby detection by the speech recognition unit of both a non-triggering phrase and a triggering phrase causes activation of a response; and   whereby detection by the speech recognition unit of the non-stored non-triggering phrases does not cause activation of a response.