- Number
- 10981073
- Published
- 2021-04-20
- Filed
- 2018-10-22
- Assignee
- Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors
- Nocon; Nathan D., Thornton; Stephen A., Panec; Timothy M.
- CPC
- H04W4/023; A63H3/28; G06F16/683; G10L21/007; G10L21/003
- Verdict
- High Hardware
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
Interactive toy figure with semi-randomized character conversations (granted).
Abstract
Techniques for randomized device interaction are provided. A first communication pattern is selected, with at least a degree of randomness, from a plurality of communication patterns, where each of the plurality of communication patterns specifies one or more audio profiles. A first audio profile specified in the first communication pattern is identified. A first portion of audio is extracted from a first audio file with at least a degree of randomness, and the first portion of audio is modified based on the first audio profile. Finally, the first modified portion of audio is outputted by a first device.
Background
BACKGROUND Field of the Invention (1) The present disclosure generally relates to semi-randomized toy interactivity, and more specifically, to use of audio manipulation to enable increased interactivity. Description of the Related Art (2) Toys and characters often have prerecorded phrases or audio effects that can be played to increase the immersion for users who interact with the character. For example, some toys have pull strings, push buttons, and the like that triggers one or more prerecorded sound effects. Typically, these sounds are recorded using voice actors or complex audio mixing, which increases the costs of the toy or character. Further, the restricted set of phrases or sounds that the device is capable of outputting can drastically limit interactivity and immersion for users interacting with the device. Additionally, devices cannot readily interact with each other, unless multiple conversational scripts are prepared and recorded by voice actors, which significantly increases costs of producing the devices. Moreover, even these more complex interactions are limited by the scripted and prerecorded content, which prevents the devices from becoming truly interactive or immersive. SUMMARY (3) According to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, a method is provided. The method includes selecting, with at least a degree of randomness, a first communication pattern from a plurality of communication patterns, wherein each of the plurality of communication patterns
Claims
1. A method comprising: determining to output audio based on receiving, by a first device, a first input signal; responsive to determining to output audio, selecting, by the first device, a first communication pattern from a plurality of communication patterns, wherein each respective communication pattern of the plurality of communication patterns specifies a respective plurality of audio profiles, and wherein the first communication pattern, when selected, has no association with any particular audio file and is selected without reference to any particular audio file and with at least a degree of randomness; identifying, by the first device, a first audio profile specified in the first communication pattern, wherein the first audio profile specifies a first length of time and is not associated with any particular audio file; subsequent to selecting the first communication pattern, selecting, by the first device, a first audio file from a plurality of audio files, wherein the first audio file, when selected, has no association with the first communication pattern and is selected without reference to the first communication pattern and with at least a degree of randomness; extracting, by the first device, with at least a degree of randomness, from the first audio file, a first portion of audio corresponding to the specified first length of time; modifying, by the first device, the first portion of audio based on the first audio profile; outputting, by the first device, the first modified portion of audio; determining to output additional audio based on receiving, by the first device, a second input signal; and outputting, by the first device, a second modified portion of audio generated based at least in part on a second audio profile in the first communication pattern. ||
9. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code executable by one or more processors to perform an operation comprising: determining to output audio based on receiving, by a first device, a first input signal; responsive to determining to output audio, selecting, by the first device, a first communication pattern from a plurality of communication patterns, wherein each respective communication pattern of the plurality of communication patterns specifies a respective plurality of audio profiles, and wherein the first communication pattern, when selected, has no association with any particular audio file and is selected without reference to any particular audio file and with at least a degree of randomness; identifying, by the first device, a first audio profile specified in the first communication pattern, wherein the first audio profile specifies a first length of time and is not associated with any particular audio file; subsequent to selecting the first communication pattern, selecting, by the first device, a first audio file from a plurality of audio files, wherein the first audio file, when selected, has no association with the first communication pattern and is selected without reference to the first communication pattern and with at least a degree of randomness; extracting, by the first device, with at least a degree of randomness, from the first audio file, a first portion of audio corresponding to the specified first length of time; modifying, by the first device, the first portion of audio based on the first audio profile; outputting, by the first device, the first modified portion of audio; determining to output additional audio based on receiving, by the first device, a second input signal; and outputting, by the first device, a second modified portion of audio generated based at least in part on a second audio profile in the first communication pattern. ||
15. A system, comprising a first device, comprising: one or more computer processors; and a memory containing a program which when executed by the one or more computer processors performs an operation, the operation comprising: determining to output audio based on receiving, by a first device, a first input signal; responsive to determining to output audio, selecting, by the first device, a first communication pattern from a plurality of communication patterns, wherein each respective communication pattern of the plurality of communication patterns specifies a respective plurality of audio profiles, and wherein the first communication pattern, when selected, has no association with any particular audio file and is selected without reference to any particular audio file and with at least a degree of randomness; identifying, by the first device, a first audio profile specified in the first communication pattern, wherein the first audio profile specifies a first length of time and is not associated with any particular audio file; subsequent to selecting the first communication pattern, selecting, by the first device, a first audio file from a plurality of audio files, wherein the first audio file, when selected, has no association with the first communication pattern and is selected without reference to the first communication pattern and with at least a degree of randomness; extracting, by the first device, with at least a degree of randomness, from the first audio file, a first portion of audio corresponding to the specified first length of time; modifying, by the first device, the first portion of audio based on the first audio profile; outputting, by the first device, the first modified portion of audio; determining to output additional audio based on receiving, by the first device, a second input signal; and outputting, by the first device, a second modified portion of audio generated based at least in part on a second audio profile in the first communication pattern.