US20130344770A1

US20130344770A1 - Interactive toy

Info

Publication number: US20130344770A1
Application number: US13/708,316
Authority: US
Inventors: Carly Gloge; Isaac Squires; Gavin Lee
Original assignee: UBOOLY Inc
Current assignee: Sphero Inc
Priority date: 2011-12-07
Filing date: 2012-12-07
Publication date: 2013-12-26
Also published as: WO2013086369A1

Abstract

A device comprising an outer material substantially encompassing an inner material and a cavity in the inner material. The device further comprises an opening in the outer material providing access to the cavity. The opening and the cavity are adapted to receive a computing device. The computing device comprises a computing device screen and a speaker. A bore is located in the outer material and inner material, with the computing device screen adapted to be viewed through the bore.

Description

PRIORITY

This application claims priority to both U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/568,043, filed Dec. 7, 2011 entitled A Physical Children's Toy which Uses Mobile Phones to Deliver Content; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/669,027, filed Jul. 7, 2012 entitled Interactive Toy and Associated Application; both of which are incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to software applications and associated devices. In particular, but not by way of limitation, the present invention relates to a children's plush stuffed toy, the plush stuffed toy being adapted to receive a mobile computing device having an application for use with the plush stuffed toy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known in the art that the timespan in which children's toys are used is often less than desired. This decreased use of toys by children may be due to the lack of content depth and engagement provided by the toy. For example, children may discard once-desired and oft-used items as children grow older or because the fun or challenging aspect of the toy is no longer fun or challenging to the child. However, adding new and/or additional features to a toy can be tedious and expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome the challenge of inexpensively and frequently updating children's interactive toys, a toy was developed that enables a user to cheaply and quickly provide new content to a child using the toy.
One embodiment of the toy comprises a stuffed plush animal and a mobile computing device software application. The stuffed plush animal may comprise a pocket adapted to receive the mobile computing device. At least one side of the pocket may comprise a bore. The bore may be adapted to enable a user of the toy to view a screen on the mobile computing device. The software application may be adapted to display a face to the user through the bore with the toy providing the facial or body features to enable the toy and application to appear together as an animal or fantasy creature. The software application provides a plurality of interactive applications including interactive storytelling, adventure games, learning features, music, and jokes.
Another embodiment of the invention comprises a device. One device comprises an outer material substantially encompassing an inner material, a cavity in the inner material, and an opening in the outer material providing access to the cavity. In one such embodiment, the opening and the cavity are adapted to receive a computing device. Furthermore, the computing device may comprise a computing device screen. Through a bore in the outer and inner material, the computing device screen may be adapted to be viewed by a user of the device.
Yet another embodiment of the invention comprises a method of operating a computing device. One method comprises inserting the computing device into a pocket, with the computing device comprising a computing device screen. The pocket comprises a portion of an entertainment device and a bore in an outer pocket wall. The method further comprises using a gyroscope and a camera to determine whether the computing device is properly aligned within the pocket and viewing the computing device screen through the bore.
And yet another embodiment of the inventions comprises a system. One system comprises an administrative computing device adapted to provide mobile computing device application updates, a media server adapted to receive the mobile computing device application updates, modify the mobile computing device application updates, and push the mobile computing device application updates. The system further comprises a plurality of mobile computing devices adapted to receive the mobile computing device application updates.
The above-described embodiments and implementations are for illustration purposes only. Numerous other embodiments, implementations, and details of the invention are easily recognized by those of skill in the art from the following descriptions and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various objects and advantages and a more complete understanding of the present invention are apparent and more readily appreciated by reference to the following Detailed Description and to the appended claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a skewed front view of a device according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1A depicts the inner material across Section A-A according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a top view of a device according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 depicts a front view of a mobile computing device according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 depicts a launch screen according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 depicts a mobile computing device being inserted into a pocket of a device according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 depicts an isometric view of a mobile computing device fully inserted into a device and displaying an animated face through a bore in the device according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 depicts a snooze screen according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 depicts a method that may be carried out with the embodiments described herein;

FIG. 9 depicts a computing system according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Seen in FIG. 1 is a skewed front-view of a device 100 according to one embodiment of the invention. One device 100 may comprise a stuffed animal comprising an outer material 110 such as, but not limited to, a plush cotton fabric. The device 100 may further comprise an inner material such as, but not limited to, an elastomeric polymer. One type of elastomeric polymer may be silicone. The outer material 110 may comprise a plush surface and may substantially encompass, or surround, the inner material. For example, the outer material 110 may comprise a sewn textile such as, but not limited to a cotton or polyester blend and may surround an internal filler material such as, but not limited to, silicone or another polymeric filler material.
Seen in FIG. 1A is the FIG. 1 device 100 along section A-A and without the outer material 110. As seen in in FIGS. 1 and 1A, the device 100 may comprise a shape and one or more contours of a face such as, but not limited to, a head 120 and ears 130. The device may further comprise a pocket 150. In one embodiment, the outer material 110 may substantially cover the inner material 174 within the pocket 150. The pocket 150 may be adapted to receive a mobile computing device such as, but not limited to, the mobile computing device 325 seen in FIG. 3. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, one pocket 250 may comprise an opening 132 in the outer material 210, and as seen in FIG. 1A, the pocket 150 may also comprise a cavity in the inner material 174. The pocket 150 may also be referred to as an opening and/or a cavity.
Seen in FIGS. 1 and 1A is a bore 140. In one embodiment, the bore 140 may be located on a front surface 172 of the device 100. However, it is contemplated that the bore 140 may be located on the side surface 170 or any other surface of the device 100. In looking at FIGS. 1A and 3, upon inserting the mobile computing device 325 into the pocket 150, the bore 140 may be used to view a screen 375 of the mobile computing device 325. For example, the pocket 150, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 1A, may comprise internal pocket edges 105, represented as the dashed line in FIG. 1, which, along with the bore 140 and a display on the mobile computing device screen 375, may be designed so that the display on the screen 375 may be viewed through the bore 140.
In one embodiment, the display on the screen 375 may be associated with the overall design of the device 100. For example, the device 100 may comprise a fantasy creature. In such an embodiment, the bore 140 substantially comprises a circle to resemble a contour of a face and the screen 375 may show various features of a face 422, as seen in FIG. 4. The FIG. 4 launch screen 432 may be shown on the mobile computing device screen 375 prior to insertion of the mobile computing device 325 into the pocket 150, alerting a user which end of the computing device 325 to insert into the pocket through the arrow icon and text 424.
The ears 130 may be adapted for use as a gripping device to angle the bore 140 and screen 375 towards, and properly display the screen 375 to a user upon insertion of the mobile computing device 325 into the pocket 150. In one embodiment, the head 120 may substantially surround the bore 140. It is contemplated that the bore 140 may be substantially rounded. However, other shapes such as, but not limited to, oval, rectangular, and square bores are also contemplated. Furthermore, the device 100 may also comprise a body 115. On the body 115 may be a graphical display. It is contemplated that the device 100 may also comprise any other type of creature, animal, and/or inanimate object. For example, the device 100 may comprise a rocket ship. In such an embodiment, the bore 140 may substantially comprise a rectangular bore 140 and instead of a face, the screen 375 may comprise a window into the rocket ship.
Turning now to FIG. 5, seen is one embodiment where the computing device 525 is being inserted into the pocket 250 seen in FIG. 2. FIG. 6 shows the face 622 displayed on the screen 675 upon the computing device 525 from FIG. 5 being fully inserted into the pocket 250 in FIG. 2.
It is contemplated that the software application which displays the face 622 on the computing device 325 may automatically determine the correct orientation of the mobile computing device 325 and face 622 for proper operation of the application, based on one or more settings in the application. For example, mobile computing device 325 may be used with a plurality of devices 100, with each device 100 comprising a different design. One or more of the plurality of devices 100 may also comprise one or more pockets 250 and/or differently shaped bores 140. Therefore, the orientation of the mobile computing device 325 and the display on the mobile computing device screen 375 may change according to the pocket 250 and/or device 100 being used. To change between orientations and displays, a user may select a device 100 and/or mode (i.e., pocket) being used. Alternatively, the software application may automatically determine the device 100 being used. Regardless of the orientation of the pocket 250 in the device 200 it is contemplated that the bore 140 and ears 130 or other facial, body, or device features may properly align with the face 622 or other image displayed on the screen 375.
In one embodiment, proper orientation of the mobile computing device 325 within the pocket 250 may comprise placing one or more computing device speakers near a pocket opening. For example, in the mobile computing device 325 seen in FIG. 3 a speaker may be located proximal a device distal end 345. In such an embodiment, the distal end 345 may be located near the pocket opening 132, as seen in FIG. 1. The pocket opening 132 may further comprise a resealable opening such as, but not limited to, a zipper. Such placement of the distal end 345 and speaker near the pocket opening 132 may ensure that less inner material 174 and outer material 110 is located near the distal end 345 and therefore, the sound emitted from the speaker to 132
In one embodiment, a user may launch a software application associated with the device 100 on the mobile computing device 325 prior to inserting the mobile computing device 325 into the device 100. In other embodiments, the software application may automatically launch upon inserting the computing device 325 into the device 100. Upon launching the software application, the software application may display the face 422 seen in FIG. 4 in a launch screen 432. The launch screen 432 may alert a user which end of the computing device 325 to insert into the pocket 250 through the arrow icon and text 424. In one embodiment a distal end 445 of the launch screen 432 may be located near the distal end 345 of the mobile computing device 325, as seen in FIG. 3. Likewise, a proximal end 435 of the launch screen 432 may be located near the proximal end 335 of the mobile computing device 325. In such an embodiment, the launch screen 432 may appear upside-down to a user of the mobile computing device 325 as operating system images or other images on the display screen 375 may orient and/or align the top and bottom of such operating system or other images oppositely to the launch screen 432.
Such upside-down orientation of the launch screen 432 is displayed so that upon launching the software application on the mobile computing device 325, a user will orient the mobile computing device 325 so that the distal end 345 of the mobile computing device 325 is located near the opening 132 of the pocket 250 upon inserting the mobile computing device 325 into the pocket 250, as seen in FIGS. 2 & 3. An upside-down orientation of the mobile computing device 325 relative to the device 200 may be desired when the pocket 250 opening is located near the top surface 260 of the device 200. Such an orientation allows the sound emitted from the second speaker on the mobile computing device (e.g., while the software application is in use) to be more clearly heard than if the distal end 345 of the mobile computing device 325 is located near a pocket distal end 185, as seen in FIG. 1. For example, the pocket distal end 185 may be substantially surrounded by filler material limiting the ability of sound emanated from any second speaker located at the distal end 345 to be heard clearly by the user in such an orientation. However, the opening of the pocket 250 may be substantially free of filler material allowing for sound emanating from the second speaker to be more clearly heard by a user when the distal end 345 of the mobile computing device 325 is located near the pocket 250 opening. All other images displayed by the software application mentioned herein may be similarly oriented unless otherwise stated.
Upon inserting the mobile computing device 325 into the device 600, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 6, the computing device 325 may be adapted to elicit a request from a user. However, before doing so, the computing device 325 may first determine that the speaker is located near the opening 132, as seen in FIG. 1. For example, the mobile computing device 325 may use a gyroscope to determine whether the mobile computing device 325 is placed in the proper orientation within the pocket 250. One gyroscope may be an internal mobile computing device 325 gyroscope.
In one embodiment, the gyroscope may determine whether the mobile computing device 325 is oriented with a vertical axis 302 being oriented substantially vertically, but with the proximal end 335 substantially below the distal end 345. In other words, the proximal end 335 may be located closer to the ground (at a lower elevation) relative to the distal end 345 and the distal end 345 may be located closer to the sky (at a greater elevation) relative to the proximal end 335. Therefore, the mobile computing device 325 in the device 300 will be oriented in an upside-down orientation relative to FIG. 3.
Upon determining that the mobile computing device 325 is properly inserted into the device 200, the computing device 325, through, for example, the software application, may prompt the user for a response. This prompt may comprise a change in the display shown on the screen 675, such as, but not limited to, a blinking of the eyes in the face 622 and/or an opening and closing of the mouth. Sound may also be emitted from the speaker. A user response to the prompt may comprise a verbal response such as, but not limited to, a “yes” or “no” response or may comprise another one-word or multiple-word response such, as “play music” or “tell a story.” Non-verbal responses are also contemplated such as, but not limited to, performing a specific motion with the device 100 upon insertion of the computing device 325. One such motion may comprise throwing the device in the air, which may be followed by a phrase from the user such as, but not limited to, “let's play.” The software application may also emit a sound during such movement, such as, but not limited to “whee!”
Based on the request from the device 600 and computing device 325, and response from the user, the computing device 325 may determine what software application feature the user wishes to operate. For example, the application may inquire and/or the user response may inform the computing device 325 that the user wishes to hear music, so music installed on the mobile computing device 325 may be emitted. Alternatively, the application may inquire if the user wishes to hear a joke, or play a game, or hear a story. Depending on the response from the user, the application will provide the user with the desired experience. The response may also accept touch responses on the screen 675. Verbal or other sound-based user responses may be provided to the computing device 325 through a microphone on the computing device 325 or otherwise communicatively coupled to the computing device 325.
The computing device 325 may further comprise a camera and take a plurality of 0.5 s-3 s exposure photographs. The photographs may be taken at regular intervals. The brightness of the pixels in each image may be averaged to determine overall amount of light hitting the at least one camera. If the brightness of the pixels is below a threshold of about 2% of the possible brightness as set by the application for one or more cameras, and the orientation of the mobile computing device 325 is determined, by a gyroscope in one embodiment, to be proper for the specific device 100 design and pocket 250 orientation, it may be determined that the mobile computing device 325 has been properly placed into the pocket 250 with the speaker located near the opening 132, and a response may be elicited from a user.
Similarly, a plurality of long exposure shots may be taken from at least one mobile computing device camera. Such long exposure shots may be taken at a regular time interval. If the brightness value for the pictures take is above a threshold for one or more pictures, the application may switch to a snooze screen 712. One threshold may comprise 2% of a maximum brightness as set by an application for one or more cameras. The use of these long exposure shots may prevent accidentally switching between the snooze screen 712 and the launch screen 432 In one embodiment, the threshold is set such that enough light that will pass through a user's finger so if the finger is accidentally placed over the camera, the transition between screens may not occur.
Although the terms gyroscope and camera are used herein to determine whether the mobile computing device 325 is properly oriented within the pocket 150 and device 100, it is contemplated that other sensors may be used. For example, a proximity sensor, a light sensor, and/or a RFID sensor may be used alone, or in conjunction with any other sensor described herein to determine if proper placement of the mobile computing device 325 within the device 100 has occurred.
Turning now to FIG. 8, seen is a method 804 of operating a computing device such as, but not limited to the mobile computing device 325 seen and described above in FIG. 3 and elsewhere. One method 804 starts at 814 and at 824 comprises inserting the computing device 325 into a pocket such as, but not limited to the pocket 250 seen and described above with reference to FIG. 2 and elsewhere. In one such method 804, the computing device 325 comprises the computing device screen 375 and the pocket 250 comprises a portion of an entertainment device such as, but not limited to, the device 100 seen and described above with reference to FIG. 1 and elsewhere. One pocket 250 may comprise the bore 140 which may be located in an outer pocket wall 142, as seen in FIG. 1A. In one embodiment, the entertainment device may comprise outer material 110 comprising a plush and soft material substantially encompassing an inner material 174 comprising an elastomeric polymer. The entertainment device may further comprise a children's toy such as, but not limited to, an interactive stuffed animal.
At step 834, the method 804 may comprise using a gyroscope and a camera to determine whether the mobile computing device 325 is properly aligned within the pocket. For example, and as described above, the brightness of one or more pictures taken with the camera may be determined. This information, along with a determination from a gyroscope that the computing device 325 is in a proper orientation for a given and designated pocket 250 design, may be used to determine that the computing device 325 is properly aligned with a device 100.
Proper orientation of a computing device 325 within the device 100 may ensure that at least a portion of a display on the computing device screen 375 may be seen by a user through the bore 140. At step 844, the method 804 comprises viewing the computing device screen 375 through the bore 140. The method 804 may comprise viewing an animated graphic on the computing device screen 375. The animated graphic may be adapted for display through the bore 140. For example, as seen in FIG. 4, the launch screen 432 may comprise a face 422 having a generally circular shape and the device 500 seen in FIG. 5 may comprise a bore 540 also having a generally circular shape. In such an embodiment, the circular launch screen 432 is adapted to be viewed through the circular bore 540. Other shapes, sizes, and designs of the launch screen 432 animated graphic and bore 540 are contemplated. The launch screen 432 graphic and bore may also be related to the design of the device 500. For example, where the device 500 is a furry fantasy creature as seen in FIG. 5, the launch screen graphic may comprise a furry face. However, if the device 500 is a sports player, the launch screen 432 graphic may display a sports player face.
One method 804 may further comprise requesting one of a verbal and a motion response from a user of the entertainment device. For example, and as discussed above, upon inserting the mobile computing device 325 into the device 600 and displaying the face 622 seen in FIG. 6, the computing device 325 may ask a question of the user, such as, but not limited to, providing the user a list of options and/or games the device 600 may play with the user. The user may then provide one of a verbal and a motion response—such as, but not limited to, choosing one of the choices. Upon recognizing the response from the user, the device 600 may audibly issue a reply. For example, one reply may be to tell the user a joke or to play music saved on the computing device memory.
In one method 804 the step 824 of inserting the computing device 325 into the pocket 250 may comprise inserting the computing device 325 upside down into the pocket 250. For example, and as seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, the proximal end 335 of the device 325 may be the first end inserted into the pocket 250, with the proximal end 435 of the launch screen 432 also being the first end of the launch screen 432 inserted into the pocket 250. Prior to inserting the device 325 into the pocket 250, the launch screen 432 may appear upside-down to a user. For example, a computing device 325 is often oriented as displayed in FIG. 3: with the proximal end 335 of the device higher than the distal end 345. Since the proximal end 435 and distal end 445 of the launch screen 432 seen in FIG. 4 will be aligned with the proximal end 335 and distal end 345 of the computing device 325, the launch screen 432 may not appear to the user as properly vertically aligned. However, as seen in FIG. 6, when viewing the computing device screen 675 through the bore 640, an animated graphical display such as, but not limited to, an animated face 622 may appear as aligned in a proper orientation relative to a user and an orientation of the entertainment device 600.
In one method 804, the step 834 of using a gyroscope and a camera to determine whether the computing device 325 is properly aligned within the pocket 250 may comprise using an on-board computing device gyroscope to determine whether the computing device 325 is vertically-aligned. Furthermore, the camera may take one or more pictures and a brightness threshold may be implemented by the software application for the one or more pictures to determine an amount of light hitting the camera. If the brightness threshold is not reached, the computing device 325 may determine that the device has been properly inserted into the pocket 250. The method 804 ends at 854.
Turning now to FIG. 9, seen is a system 999. One system comprises an administrative computing device 989 adapted to provide mobile computing device application updates to a media server 979. For example, the administrative computing device 989 may reside at a remote location and a software developer may develop and provide software application scripts to the media server 979. One type of software application scripts may include one or more audio files.
Upon receiving the scripts, the media server 979 may process the scripts. In one embodiment, the server 979 may also be in communication with one or more mobile computing devices 969. Each of the one or more mobile computing devices 969 may send usage data relating to an operation of a software application on the mobile computing device 969 to the media server 979. For example, in the embodiments described above, upon placing the mobile computing device 325 into the pocket 250 and the mobile computing device 250 requesting a response from a user, a user may frequently choose to hear a joke. This usage data information 964 may be sent to the media server 979.
The update 954 received from the administrative computing device 989 at the server 979 may comprise updates to a plurality of features and content on the software application such as, but not limited to, joke content, story content, and music content. Upon receiving the update 954 from the administrative computing device 989 and receiving the usage data information 964 from the mobile computing device 989, the media server 979 may comprise an individualized update to each of the mobile computing devices 969 based on this information. When, for example the user often chooses joke content on the software application, a substantial portion of a modified update 974 sent to the mobile computing device 969 may comprise updated joke content. In one embodiment, the media server 979 is adapted to push the modified update 974 to the mobile computing device 969. The modified update 974 may also be referred to herein as a mobile computing device application update or updates. It is contemplated that the modified update 974 may be substantially directly provided to the mobile computing devices 969 and an application store may not be used to provide such updates although the initial application, which may be stored on a mobile computing device memory, may be downloaded or otherwise accessed from an application store.
As stated above, the updates 954 provided to the server 979 may comprise audio updates. For example, new responses issued to a user upon inserting a computing device 325 into a pocket 250 may be provided to the mobile computing device 969, based on the user's prior use of the application. Such audio updates may be modified by the server so that upon emitting the audio at the mobile computing device 969, each audio file comprises a substantially similar pitch—i.e., it sounds like the same voice is speaking/providing each audio file. Such a pitch may be a predetermined pitch, based on the type of device 100 that a user is currently using. Multiple pitches may be provided if a user employs a plurality of different types of devices 100.
Those skilled in the art can readily recognize that numerous variations and substitutions may be made in the invention, its use and its configuration to achieve substantially the same results as achieved by the embodiments described herein. Accordingly, there is no intention to limit the invention to the disclosed exemplary forms. Many variations, modifications and alternative constructions fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosed invention as expressed in the claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising,

an outer material substantially encompassing an inner material;

a cavity in the inner material;

an opening in the outer material providing access to the cavity, wherein,

the cavity is adapted to receive a computing device,

the computing device comprises a computing device screen; and

a bore in the outer material and inner material, wherein the computing device screen is adapted to be viewed through the bore.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein, the outer material, inner material, and computing device screen provide at least one of a shape and one or more contours of a face.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein, the computing device is adapted to request a response from a user upon determining that the computing device is properly inserted into the cavity.

4. The device of claim 3 further comprising,

a gyroscope and a camera in communication with the computing device; and wherein,

the gyroscope is adapted to determine whether the computing device is properly aligned within the cavity, and

the camera is adapted to determine whether the computing device has been inserted into the cavity.

5. The device of 4 wherein, the camera is adapted to determine whether the computing device has been inserted into the opening and cavity by determining the brightness in one or more photographs.

6. The device of claim 4 further comprising a microphone in communication with the computing device, and wherein,

the device is adapted to respond to verbal communications from a user through the microphone by at least one of,

modifying a display on the computing device screen, and

emitting a sound through a computing device speaker.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein,

the gyroscope and a camera further determine that the computing device speaker is located near the opening;

the outer material substantially covers the inner material within the cavity;

the opening is a resealable opening.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a plush, stuffed toy.

9. A method of operating a computing device comprising,

inserting the computing device into a pocket, wherein,

the computing device comprises a computing device screen,

the pocket comprises,

a portion of an entertainment device, and

a bore in an outer pocket wall;

using a gyroscope and a camera to determine whether the computing device is properly aligned within the pocket; and

viewing the computing device screen through the bore.

10. The method of claim 9

wherein,

the entertainment device comprises a children's toy having an outer material comprising a plush and soft material substantially encompassing an inner elastomeric polymer; and

further comprising,

requesting one of a verbal and a motion response from a user of the entertainment device,

providing one of a verbal and a motion response from the user,

audibly issuing a reply to the response from the computing device.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein, viewing the computing device screen through a bore comprises viewing an animated graphic on the computing device screen.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein, the animated graphic comprises, a graphic adapted for display through the bore and related to a device design.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein,

inserting the computing device into a pocket comprises inserting the computing device upside down; and

viewing the computing device screen through the bore comprising viewing an animated graphical display in a proper orientation relative to a user and an orientation of the entertainment device.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein, using a gyroscope and a camera to determine whether the computing device is properly aligned within the pocket comprises, determining whether the computing device is vertically-aligned;

taking one or more pictures; and

using a brightness threshold in the one or more pictures.

15. A system comprising,

an administrative computing device adapted to provide mobile computing device application updates;

a media server adapted to,

receive the mobile computing device application updates,

modify the mobile computing device application updates, and

push the mobile computing device application updates; and

a plurality of mobile computing devices, wherein each of the plurality of mobile computing device is adapted to,

provide usage data for each of the plurality of mobile computing devices to the media server, and

receive the mobile computing device application updates, wherein each of the computing device application updates and are created based at least in part on the usage data.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein, the updates comprise audio updates.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein, the audio updates are adapted to be modified to a predetermined pitch.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein, the modifying the computer application updates comprises modifying the computing application updates for each individual user.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein, modifying the computing application updates for each individual user comprises by using the individual user's pervious use of the application.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein, the system further comprises a stuffed plush toy.