FR3043243A1 - METHOD FOR RETRIEVING AUDIO CONTENT BY CONNECTED DOUDOU - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of restitution by means of sound emission means (9) of a box (10) fixed to a toy (1) of an audio content stored by a mobile terminal (2), said box (10) ) comprising data processing means (11), data storage means (12), and wireless connection means (13) to the mobile terminal (2), the method being characterized by comprising steps of: (a) wired connection of the data processing means (11) to an audio output (24) of the mobile terminal (2) via a suitable connector (14); (b) reading said audio content by the mobile terminal (2), and recording by the data processing means (11) of a sound signal representative of said audio content from said audio output (24) on the storage means of data (12); (c) Reception by the data processing means (11) of a request to read said audio content transmitted from the mobile terminal (2) via the wireless connection means, and restitution by means of sound transmission (9). ) of the recorded sound signal. The present invention also relates to a housing, a set, a computer program and storage means for this purpose.

Description

GENERAL TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of communicating objects.

More specifically, it relates to a method of rendering audio content by a connected blanket.

STATE OF THE ART

The toys of young children are called "comforters". The latter, often taking the form of a stuffed animal but may be other miscellaneous items of cloth such as a diaper or a sock, are transitional objects whose primary function is to reassure young children.

When a child has chosen a blanket, a special relationship is formed: the child records the sensations associated with the blanket such as its softness, its shape, its color, texture, smell, etc., which makes it unique.

A recurring fear of parents is to lose the blanket, because the only solution is then to replace it in the identical, which is often impossible.

To avoid this problem, it has been proposed to turn comforters into "communicating objects", that is to say, computer devices that include network connection means (a SIM card, a Wi-Fi antenna, etc.). and are able to interact autonomously with other objects such as a smartphone, especially via the Internet.

This makes it possible to locate the blanket with a smartphone. It is also possible to use the wireless network to exchange data with the blanket, including playing songs such as lullabies if it is equipped with a speaker, or even use it as "baby phone By allowing the voices of the parents to be restored to reassure the child.

However, many parents are worried about the issue of waves by such a "connected blanket", especially since the blanket is the vast majority of the time in the immediate vicinity of the child's head (unlike a baby phone). It is possible to preset audio content on a memory built into the device (we know many toys with a list of lullabies that launch sequentially by pressing a button), but this greatly limits the possibilities of the device unless laborious manipulations.

It would thus be desirable to have a solution that makes it possible to use a connected blanket equipped with sound emission means to easily play all kinds of audio content chosen by the parents while very strongly limiting the electromagnetic waves emitted near the baby.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention thus relates, according to a first aspect, to a method of restitution by sound emission means of a box fixed to a toy of an audio content stored by a mobile terminal, said box comprising data processing means , data storage means, and wireless connection means to the mobile terminal, the method being characterized in that it comprises steps of: (a) Wired connection of the data processing means to an audio output of the terminal mobile via a suitable connector; (b) reading said audio content by the mobile terminal, and recording by the data processing means of a sound signal representative of said audio content from said audio output on the data storage means; (c) Reception by the data processing means of a read request of said audio content transmitted from the mobile terminal via the wireless connection means, and reproduction by the sound transmission means of said recorded sound signal.

According to other advantageous and non-limiting features: said audio output is a 3.5 mm jack, a micro-USB jack or a Lightning jack; • the audio output is a 3.5mm jack, the box includes a micro-USB type audio input, so connect the terminal to the box via a male-to-male jack / micro-USB cable, • the connection means wireless compliant with the Bluetooth standard; Or the housing further comprises secure fastening means to the toy, or the housing is disposed inside the toy; • the toy is a toy-companion fabric type duffel; Step (b) further comprises the reception by the data processing means and the storage on the means of storing descriptive metadata data of said audio content transmitted from the mobile terminal via the wireless connection means. The data storage means are configured to store a plurality of sound signals representative of a plurality of audio contents, the request received in step (c) comprising an identifier of the audio content whose reading is required.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a housing adapted to be fixed to a toy, comprising data processing means, data storage means, and wireless connection means to a mobile terminal, the housing being characterized in that it furthermore comprises a connector connectable wireline to an audio output of the mobile terminal, the data processing means implementing: a recording module on the data storage means, when the connections are connected to the audio output, a sound signal representative of audio content played by the mobile terminal; A reception module via the wireless connection means for a request to read said audio content transmitted from the mobile terminal; - A reproduction module by the sound emission means of said recorded sound signal.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a set consisting of a toy and a housing according to the second aspect attached to the toy.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a computer program product comprising code instructions for the execution of a method according to the first aspect of the invention for restitution by means of sound transmission of a fixed housing. to a toy of audio content stored by a mobile terminal.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a storage means readable by a computer equipment on which this computer program product is found.

PRESENTATION OF THE FIGURES Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the description which follows of a preferred embodiment. This description will be given with reference to: - Figure 1 attached which is a diagram of an architecture for the implementation of the method of restitution of audio content, - Figure 2 attached, which shows the housing of the fixing means to the blanket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Architecture

With reference to FIG. 1, the invention proposes a method of restitution by means of sound emission means 9 of a box 10 fixed to a toy 1 of audio content stored by a mobile terminal 2.

Three devices are therefore involved in the present process, in this case: a toy 1, which is preferably a toy-companion for a child, in particular made of fabric, advantageously a stuffed toy for example in the form of an animal. In the remainder of the present description, reference will be made to a toy type toy. The toy 1 is adapted to be in contact with a child without endangering his physical integrity or health (short and long term). a housing 10 further comprising sound transmission means 9 (it is generally a loudspeaker, but alternatively a buzzer may be used) data processing means 11 (in particular a processor or a microcontroller) , data storage means 12 (in particular a memory, in particular of the flash type), wireless connection means 13 (in particular of the Bluetooth type, advantageously Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) as will be seen later, but also Wi-Fi or 3G / 4G, or a GPS module), and as will be seen later a wired connection 14. The housing 10 also includes a battery, and if necessary a minimal interface, for example a small button pressable by an adult or a big push button by a child (see below). The casing 10 is typically a plastic casing securely enclosing (tamper evident by a child) the mentioned components. The housing is attached to the toy 1, it means that it is secured to the latter. Note that the attachment may be permanent, in particular in the case of a housing 10 disposed within the toy 1, or semi-permanent, that is to say securely by means of fixing means 15 that allow an adult to separate them by doing a particular manipulation that is not within the reach of a child. A child (especially under 3 years) can not separate the toy and the housing 10. - A mobile terminal 2, typically smartphone or tablet type. It includes its own means of data processing and storage 21, 22, an interface such as a touch screen and wireless connection means 23 able to communicate with those 13 of the housing 10, for example via the establishment of a short-range Bluetooth network. The mobile terminal stores (or broadly accesses) one or more audio contents, for example in the form of an mp3 file. It is noted that the audio content may be an on-the-fly recording of a microphone of the terminal 2.

Process

The present method is distinguished in that it cleverly combines two modes of communication between the housing 10 and the terminal 2, wireless and wired. Wired communication is used to carry the bulk of the data, which as we will see significantly reduced the data to be transmitted over the wireless network (and therefore the waves), and also saves battery.

For this, the method begins with a step (a) of wired connection of the data processing means 11 to an audio output 24 of the mobile terminal 2 via the adapted connector 14. The audio output is preferably a headphone jack, it is that is, a 3.5mm female jack or a micro-USB female jack, or Lightning female. All mobile terminals are provided with such an audio output. Note that for more advanced terminals we can consider finding jacks of other sizes (2.5 mm or 6.35 mm). The connector 14 of the housing 10 is a cable equipped with a complementary male jack. Note that the other end of the cable can be welded to the data processing means 11 (and in this case the connectors are folded into the housing for each use), or the housing itself has a jack female (it is then an audio input) or, as previously indicated, a micro-USB female or Lightning socket female, and the separate cable is a male-male cable stored separately and used in case of connection. Alternatively, the audio output may be a micro-USB or Lightning terminal 2, insofar as such plugs are already used by "docks" trade, that is to say bases equipped with built-in speakers allowing in particular to amplify the sound of the terminal 2. The housing 10 may in this case also include a cable with a complementary male connector (welded cable or male-male cable).

Preferably, the female connector at the housing 10 is a micro-USB and the female connector of the terminal 2 is a 3.5mm jack so that the male-male cable is asymmetrical (jack and micro-USB), this prevents the user from trying to plug earphones into the housing 10.

Once the connection is established, the audio content is read by the mobile terminal 2 in a step (b). This reading can be done in a dedicated application, either directly as if the user wants to listen to music, or even for example from the Internet (the content does not necessarily have to be stored in the data storage means 22 of the terminal 2). A sound signal is then generated and transmitted on the audio output 24.

This allows the data processing means 11 to record, like the audio content, the sound signal picked up by the connector 14. For the terminal 2, this is completely transparent: the latter does not even know that it is in the process of transfer the content. This requires no modification of the mobile terminal, no particular manipulation, and generates no wave emission because the wireless connection means 13 remain cut.

The audio signal representative of said audio content from said audio output 24 is then stored on the data storage means 12. It should be noted that as explained the housing 10 may include a small button to be pressed by the adult to indicate that content is to be recorded, but preferably the data processing means 11 are configured to detect the reception of the sound signal and define a new audio file each time.

Preferably, step (b) further comprises the reception by the data processing means and the storage on the data storage means of descriptive meta-data of said audio content transmitted from the mobile terminal 2 via the means of wireless connection 13. Metadata means "tags", ie additional information associated with the audio content, at least one identifier, but where appropriate a track number, a title, a value of duration, etc. The metadata makes it possible to improve the management of a plurality of audio signals and facilitate the subsequent reading. They can only be transmitted via the wireless network and occasionally increase the transmission of waves, but only during the loading of the audio contents, and negligibly ^

In a last step (c), which can be done a certain time after the other steps, the data processing means 11 receive a request to read said audio content transmitted from the mobile terminal 2 via the wireless connection means 13. Specifically, the installation of an application on the terminal 2 allows parents to control the housing 10 via the wireless network (similar to a remote control). When the user selects the audio content on the interface of the terminal 2, the request is generated automatically and transmitted wirelessly to the means 13. The transmission of this request causes a slight emission of electromagnetic waves, but not comparable with that which would happen if all the audio content was downloaded (the request is well under a KB). In addition, the total amount of data transferred (regardless of the link) is reduced, since the content is transmitted once, and can be started as many times as desired. In the case of means 13 of the BLE type, the means 13 can wake up only upon receipt of the request (and go back to sleep immediately afterwards), which guarantees a minimum wave emission and energy consumption.

It should be noted that the request may contain the identifier of the content so as to find it on the data storage means 12 thanks to the metadata. Alternatively, it may be provided that the contents for which a sound signal is stored are played randomly or in a predetermined order.

If the content has not been transmitted before it can not be found and nothing happens. Alternatively, if the content has been transmitted beforehand, the processing means 11 load the recorded sound signal and return it by the sound transmission means 9.

If the mobile terminal 2 uses a dedicated application for the transfer of audio contents and the control of the housing 10, then it is possible to enter a list of the recordings implemented via the smartphone (ie to also store the metadata on the terminal 2) , list used for generating queries.

Note that it is possible that the receipt of a request is not the only way to start playing audio content. For example, if the housing 10 includes a large button usable by the child, it can be expected that its support triggers the reading of the denier content whose reading was required via a request from the terminal 2 (repeat playback), or d 'random content among those loaded.

Housing

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to the housing 10 for implementing the method according to the first aspect.

The housing 10 is as explained adapted to be attached to a toy 1 (for example via dedicated means 15), it comprises data processing means 11, data storage means 12, wireless connection means 13 to a mobile terminal 2, and a wired sonic connection 14 (typically a jack).

This connection is connectable by wire to an audio output 24 of the mobile terminal 2.

The data processing means 11 implement: a recording module on the data storage means 12, when the connector 14 is connected to the audio output 24, of a sound signal representative of an audio content and played by the mobile terminal 2; - A receiving module via the wireless connection means 13 of a read request of said audio content transmitted from the mobile terminal 2; - A reproduction module by the sound emitting means 9 of said recorded sound signal.

According to a third aspect is proposed the assembly further comprising the toy 1, to which the housing 10 is fixed.

Advantageously, the set also comprises a mobile terminal 2.

Computer program product

According to a third and a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a computer program product comprising code instructions for execution (in particular on the data processing means 11 of the housing 10) of a method according to the first aspect. of the invention of restitution by sound emission means 9 of a housing 10 attached to a toy 1 of audio content stored by a mobile terminal 2, and storage means readable by a computer equipment (for example the data storage means 12 of the housing 10) on which this computer program product is found.

Fixing means 15

With reference to FIG. 2, the fastening means 15 advantageously comprise: a strip 30 extending in a longitudinal direction X-X 'and having elastic properties in the said longitudinal direction X-X', - a protruding element 40 s extending from said strip 30 and having a minimum diameter L40, - a plurality of slots 50, 52, 54 disposed in the strip 30 and distributed in the longitudinal direction X-X ', and comprising an opening dimension Lf defined when the strip is at rest, the slots 50, 52, 54 being configured to receive the protruding element 40, - In which the minimum diameter L40 of the protruding element is smaller than the opening dimension Lf, so that the insertion of the protruding element 40 in at least one of said slots 50, 52, 54 requires stretching the strip in the longitudinal direction X-X '.

An infant has no motor skills, let alone manual dexterity, to perform the combination of the extension gesture of the band 30 and insertion into the slot while maintaining the extension gesture .

In addition, the use of several slots 50, 52, 54 allows the fastener 20 to be adaptable in length and to attach to parts of the blanket of different circumference.

In one embodiment, the housing 10 comprises a loop, which accommodates the fixing means 15. Preferably, the handle is integral with the housing 10, for example by molding, and can not be opened. The handle forms a closed loop secured to the housing 10 and comprising an opening through which the band is inserted. The protruding element, which deforms for insertion through the opening, is then abutted to prevent the tape from escaping.

Another stop is advantageously provided to obtain a system of two stops which blocks in translation the fastening means to the housing, so that the child can not separate them.

Claims (12)

A method of reproducing by means of sound emission means (9) a housing (10) fixed to a toy (1) of audio content stored by a mobile terminal (2), said housing (10) comprising data processing means (11), data storage means (12), and wireless connection means (13) to the mobile terminal (2), the method characterized by comprising steps of: (a) wired connection of the data processing means (11) to an audio output (24) of the mobile terminal (2) via a suitable connector (14); (b) reading said audio content by the mobile terminal (2), and recording by the data processing means (11) of a sound signal representative of said audio content from said audio output (24) on the storage means of data (12); (c) receiving by the data processing means (11) a request to read said audio content transmitted from the mobile terminal (2) via the wireless connection means (13), and restitution by the transmitting means sound (9) of said recorded sound signal. The method of claim 1, wherein said audio output (24) is a 3.5mm jack, a micro-USB jack or a Lightning jack. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the audio output (24) is a 3.5 mm jack, the housing (10) comprising a micro-USB type audio input, so as to connect the terminal (2). ) to the housing (10) via a male-to-male jack / micro-USB cable. 4. Method according to one of claims 1 and 3, wherein the wireless connection means (13) comply with the Bluetooth standard. 5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein either the housing (10) further comprises secure fastening means (15) to the toy (1), or the housing (10) is disposed inside of the toy (1). 6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the toy (1) is a comforter-toy fabric type blanket. The method according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein step (b) further comprises receiving by the data processing means (11) and storing on the data storage means (12) of descriptive metadata of said audio content transmitted from the mobile terminal (2) via the wireless connection means (13). The method of claim 7, wherein the data storage means (12) is configured to store a plurality of sound signals representative of a plurality of audio contents, the request received in step (c) comprising an identifier audio content that requires reading. 9. Housing (10) adapted to be attached to a toy (1), comprising data processing means (11), data storage means (12), sound transmission means (9) and means wireless connection (13) to a mobile terminal (2), the housing being characterized in that it further comprises a connector (14) connectable to an audio output (24) of the mobile terminal (2), the means data processing device (11) implementing: - a recording module on the data storage means (12), when the connection (14) is connected to the audio output (24), of a representative sound signal audio content played by the mobile terminal (2); A reception module via the wireless connection means (13) for a request to read said audio content transmitted from the mobile terminal (2); - A reproduction module by the sound emission means (9) of said recorded sound signal. 10. A set of a toy (1) and a housing (1) according to claim 9 attached to the toy (1). 11. Computer program product comprising code instructions for the execution of a method according to one of claims 1 to 8 for restitution by sound emission means (9) of a housing (10) fixed to a toy (1) of audio content stored by a mobile terminal (2). 12. Storage medium readable by a computer equipment on which a computer program product comprises code instructions for the execution of a method according to one of claims 1 to 8 for rendering by sound transmission means ( 9) a housing (10) attached to a toy (1) of audio content stored by a mobile terminal (2).