Controller and associated mechanical characters operable for continuously performing received control data while engaging in bidirectional communications over a single communications channel

A system operative for providing bi-directional communication between a first and a second device over a single communications channel, the first device and second device being capable of transmitting and receiving data at a transfer rate, the second device being capable of expending data at a consumption rate, the consumption rate being less than the transfer rate, comprising:

• the first device operative for transmitting a first block of data to the second device over the single communications channel at the transfer rate, the first block of data comprising control data for causing the second device to respond in a manner dictated by the control data;
• the second device operative for, while receiving the first block of data, storing the received data into a queue, and expending the received data from the queue at the consumption rate;
• and
• the second device further operative for, after receiving the entire first block of data, transmitting a second block of data to the first device over the single communications channel at the transfer rate while expending the received data from the queue at the consumption rate.

A system for utilizing a single communications channel for bi-directional communication between two devices, comprising:

• a first transceiver configured for transmitting control data for causing a remote device to respond in a manner dictated by the control data;
• a second transceiver, functionally connected to the first transceiver by the single communications channel;
• a data buffer, coupled to the second transceiver for storing the control data;
• a means for expending the control data from the data buffer and delivering the control data for performance by the remote device;
• during a time period TF, the first transceiver being operative to transmit the control data to the second transceiver over the single communications channel at a transfer rate RF, and
• the second transceiver being operative to receive the control data at the transfer rate RF, store the control data into the data buffer, and expend the control data from the data buffer at a consumption rate RC, the consumption rate RC being less than the transfer rate RF;
• during a time period TR, the second transceiver being operative to transmit response data to the first transceiver over the single communications channel at a transfer rate RR, while expending the control data from the data buffer at the consumption rate RC to cause the remote device to continuously perform in response to the control data while the first and second transceivers engage in bidirectional communications.

A system for remotely controlling and receiving return data from a sound synthesizing device over a wireless communications channel, comprising:

• a master device including:
• a master processing unit;
• a memory storage device and a transmitter, both coupled to the master processing unit;
• a master program module, stored in the memory storage device of the master device, for providing instructions to the master processing unit;
• a sound synthesizing device including:
• a slave processing unit,
• a memory storage device, a speech synthesizer based on linear predictive coding techniques, and a receiver, all coupled to the slave processing unit;
• a speaker coupled to the speech synthesizer;
• a slave program module, stored in the memory storage device of the sound synthesizing device, for providing instructions to the slave processing unit;
• the master processing unit, responsive to the instructions of the master program module, being operative to:
• select a block of linear predictive coding coefficients, the set of linear predictive coding coefficients comprising data for providing sound synthesis for a fixed period of time;
• and
• cause the transmitter to transmit the block of linear predictive coding coefficients to the sound synthesizing device over the communications channel;
• the slave processing unit, responsive to the instructions of the slave program module, being operative to:
• receive from the receiver, the block of linear predictive coding coefficients;
• store the block of linear predictive coding coefficients in a queue;
• and
• provide the linear predictive coding coefficients from the queue to the speech synthesizer during the fixed period of time;
• the speech synthesizer, in response to receiving the linear predictive coding coefficients, being operative to:
• convert the coefficients into audio signals;
• and
• provide the audio signals to the speaker;
• and
• the slave processing unit further operative to transmit the return data to the master device during the fixed period of time and while the speech synthesizer provides the audio signals to the speaker.

A method for a master device to control and receive return data from a remotely located speech synthesizing device, the speech synthesizing device including a receiver, a linear predictive coding (LPC) speech synthesizer, and a speaker, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) at the master device, selecting a block of LPC coefficients for causing the speech synthesizing device to generate an audio signal for a predefined period of time, and transmitting the of LPC coefficients to the speech synthesizing device;
• (b) at the speech synthesizing device, receiving the block of LPC coefficients, storing the LPC coefficients in a queue, and during the predetermined period of time, reading the LPC coefficients out of the queue, converting the LPC coefficients into the audio signal, providing the audio signal to the speaker, and transmitting the return data to the master device;
• and
• (c) periodically repeating steps (a) and (b) to cause the speech synthesizing device to continuously convert the LPC coefficients into the audio signal whicle the master device and the speech synthesizing device engage in bidirectional communications.

A communications system for providing bandwidth efficient, bidirectional communications over a single communications channel for controlling the operation of remote devices, comprising:

• a computer system including a processing unit, a memory storage device coupled to the processing unit of the computer system, a master program module located in the memory storage device for providing instructions to the processing unit of the computer system, a speaker, and a display device, a link master controller, being functionally connected to the computer system and including a processing unit, and a transceiver system;
• a remote device including a transceiver system, a speech synthesizer, a speaker, at least one motion servo motors, a data buffer, and at least one sensor device;
• the computer system being operative to continuously provide an audio/video presentation on the speaker and display device;
• during a first time period,
• the computer system being operative to:
• retrieve control data from the memory storage device, the control data having a relationship with the current state of the audio/video presentation, and
• provide control data to the link master controller;
• the link master controller being operative to:
• receive the control data from the control system,
• encode the control data to reduce bandwidth requirements, and
• transmit the encoded control data to the remote device;
• and
• the remote device being operative to:
• receive the encoded control data,
• decode the encoded control data,
• place the control data into the data buffer, and
• operate on the control data in the data buffer by actuating at least one motion servo motor and providing data to the speech synthesizer;
• and
• during a second time period,
• the remote device being operative to:
• operate on the control data in the data buffer by actuating at least one motion servo motors and providing data to the speech synthesizer,
• formulate a response message based on the status of at least one sensor device,
• encode the response message, and
• transmit the encoded response message to the link master controller;
• the link master controller being operative to:
• receive the encoded response message from the remote device,
• decode the encoded response message, and
• provide the response message to the computer system;
• and
• the computer system being operative to:
• receive the response data from the link master controller, and
• alter the audio/video presentation in accordance with the response data.