Doll Companion Integrating Child Self-Directed Execution of Applications with Cell Phone Communication, Education, Entertainment, Alert and Monitoring Systems

Abstract

The presented cell phone-enabled doll companion allows a child novel ways to self-select and self-execute applications while requiring no intervention or supervision from the parent. Further, it provides learning, entertainment and safety by integrating cell phone communication, education, entertainment, alert and monitoring systems. While providing a convenient means of communication between the child and parent, the system allows surveillance of a child's real-time environment, GPS monitoring and SIDS/health monitoring. The functionality and the physical elements of the system are programmable through installation of applications downloadable from an application store. Various options for parental access to a configuration interface to modify settings and download applications are provided, including via a cell phone, a website, customer service call center and/or the doll companion touch screen.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of interacting with a toy device, comprising:
 generating an electromagnetic field by an NFC initiator in communication with a processor; wherein both said NFC initiator and said processor are disposed within a doll housing; wherein said toy device comprises an exterior surface; and wherein said doll housing forms at least a portion of said exterior surface;   manually bringing a first NFC-type tag to within 4 cm of said NFC initiator to power via said electromagnetic field said first NFC-type tag to transmit first application-associated data associated with a first set of processor-executable application instructions;   receiving, by said NFC initiator, said first application-associated data;   transmitting said first application-associated data from said NFC initiator to said processor;   receiving, by said processor, said first application-associated data; and   executing, by said processor, said first set of processor-executable application instructions based on the receipt of said first application-associated data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of interacting with a toy device, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said NFC initiator operates in the 13.56 MHz radio band. 
     
     
         3 . The method of interacting with a toy device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising displaying an image associated with said first set of processor-executable application instructions on a display screen of said doll housing, wherein said display screen forms a portion of said exterior surface. 
     
     
         4 . The method of interacting with a toy device, as recited in  claim 3  further comprising:
 engaging a tactile button to initiate a button signal; 
 receiving, by said processor, said button signal; and 
 changing, by said processor, said display screen image based on said received button signal. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of interacting with a toy device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising accessing a configuration interface server accessible to wirelessly communicate with said processor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of interacting with a toy device, as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 obtaining an image from a camera oriented directing a lens of said camera outward from said doll housing; and   transmitting said camera image from said toy device to said configuration interface server.   
     
     
         7 . The method of interacting with a toy device, as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 generating health data from a health monitoring system; wherein said health monitoring system comprises at least one of a wireless radio frequency transmitter and a health parameter sensor; and wherein said health parameter sensor comprises at least one of a sound sensor, a movement sensor, a weight sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, a temperature sensor, a respiratory rate sensor, and an acceleration sensor;   transmitting said health data from said health monitoring system to said processor via said wireless radio frequency transmitter; and   transmitting said health data from said processor to said configuration interface server.   
     
     
         8 . The method of interacting with a toy device, as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving, by a GPS system, GPS satellite signals;   creating, by said GPS system, location data based at least partially on said GPS satellite signals;   wirelessly transmitting, by said GPS system, said location data to said processor; and   transmitting said location data from said processor to said configuration interface server.   
     
     
         9 . The method of interacting with a toy device, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said accessing a configuration interface server is preformed via utilizing the Internet. 
     
     
         10 . The method of interacting with a toy device, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said accessing a configuration interface server is via telephonic calling of a provided customer service agent. 
     
     
         11 . The method of interacting with a toy device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising
 an administrative server, wherein:
 after receiving, by said processor, said first application-associated data, determining if said received first application-associated data is associated with said first set of processor-executable application instructions; 
 if said processor determines said first application-associated data is not associated with said first set of processor-executable application instructions, establishing communication with said administrative server; and 
 downloading, from said administrative server, said first set of processor-executable application instructions. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of interacting with a toy device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising communicating utilizing wireless cellular communication protocols. 
     
     
         13 . The method of interacting with a toy device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 establishing, by said processor, a connection to a web-based configuration interface server;   receiving from said configuration interface server a time schedule for execution of a second set of processor-executable application instructions; and   executing said second set of processor-executable application instructions at a time based on said time schedule.   
     
     
         14 . The method of interacting with a toy device, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 downloading to said processor a second set of processor-executable application instructions;   obtaining a contactless second NFC-type tag printed with a visually-viewable code; and   entering said visually-viewable code via said display screen to cause the association of said second NFC-type tag with said second set of processor-executable application instructions.