A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material, which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a remote control toy car. In particular, this invention relates to a remote control toy car that supports wireless real-time transmission of audio and video signals.

BACKGROUND

Existing remote-monitoring products typically employ cables for transmitting audio and video signals captured at remote sites to control centers. Installation of these products requires installation of wired networks. Another constraint of these products is that the captured audiovisual data can be viewed and listened to only at fixed locations. Furthermore, these products are usually bulky so that it is not convenient to transport them from one place to another. It is also noted a constraint that these products can be operated only if external power is available for powering these products.

In some industrial, entertainment and home applications, there is interest to enable a remote control toy car to achieve wireless real-time transmission of audio and video data captured at a remote location by the toy car. The audiovisual data are wirelessly transmitted from the toy car to a client's terminal for seeing and hearing by the client. Using techniques that realize remote-monitoring products to implement this toy car is not preferable because of the aforementioned constraints of the remote-monitoring products.

Thus, there is a need in the art for a remote control toy car that supports wireless real-time transmission of audiovisual data and that is small in size, easy to carry and without the need to connect to an external power supply during operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a remote control toy car that supports wireless real-time transmission of audiovisual data and that does not have the above-mentioned constraints of existing remote-monitoring products, that is, big size, inconvenience to carry and the need to connect to an external power supply during operation.

To address the above-mentioned requirements, the present invention provides a remote control toy car comprising a microprocessor, a clock generation circuit, a program memory, a random access memory, a power conversion circuit, a power supply module, a video capturing circuit, an audio circuit and a radio transceiving circuit.

The microprocessor is coupled to the clock generation circuit, the program memory, the random access memory, the power conversion circuit, the video capturing circuit, the audio circuit and the radio transceiving circuit, so as to obtain the required working power from the power conversion circuit and one or more clock signals from the clock generation circuit. When the toy car including the microprocessor is power-up initialized, the microprocessor activates the video capturing circuit and the audio circuit. According to instructions stored in the program memory, the microprocessor obtains video and audio data, and further processes, compresses, packetizes and stores such data in the random access memory. The microprocessor is coupled to the radio transceiving circuit. After receiving a request signal from a client terminal via the radio transceiving circuit, the microprocessor retrieves the audio and video data packets stored in the random access memory according to the instructions stored in the program memory, transmits them to the client terminal through the radio transceiving circuit, thereby allowing the client terminal to display images and generate audio output in a real-time manner according to the audio and video data packets. In another use, after the toy car receives audio data packets wirelessly sent by the client terminal and after such packets are processed by the audio circuit, an audio output is produced via a speaker. The microprocessor runs with power provided by the power conversion circuit, receives the video data acquired by the video capturing circuit according to the instructions stored in the program memory, and packetizes, compresses and sends the resultant compressed, packetized video data to the client terminal through the radio transceiving circuit. The microprocessor receives the audio data acquired by the audio circuit according to the instructions stored in the program memory, and packetizes, compresses and sends the resultant compressed, packetized audio data to the client terminal through the radio transceiving circuit.

The clock generation circuit is coupled to the microprocessor and is used to provide the one or more clock signals required by the microprocessor for proper working.

The program memory is coupled to the microprocessor and is used to store the program instructions for the operation of the microprocessor.

The random access memory is coupled to the microprocessor and is used for randomly accessing audio and video data packets stored therein.

The power conversion circuit is coupled to the microprocessor and is used to provide power to the microprocessor and devices coupled thereto for proper operation.

The power supply module is coupled to the power conversion circuit and is used to provide power to the power conversion circuit.

The video capturing circuit, coupled to the microprocessor, is used to acquire video data according to instructions of the microprocessor, and to transmit such video data to the microprocessor for processing, compression and packetizing.

The audio circuit is coupled to the microprocessor and is used to transmit the audio data acquired by a microphone to the microprocessor for processing, compression and packetizing. In another use, after audio data packets sent by the client terminal through the radio transceiving circuit are received, and after such packets are processed by the audio circuit, an audio output is produced via the speaker.

The radio transceiving circuit, coupled to the microprocessor, is used to receive the request signal issued from the client terminal and send the request signal to the microprocessor. The microprocessor retrieves the compressed video/audio data packets stored in the random access memory, and decompresses and transmits them to the client terminal through the radio transceiving circuit. The radio transceiving circuit is also used to receive audio data that are forwarded from the client terminal to the toy car, and transmit such audio data to the microprocessor. After such audio data are decompressed by the audio circuit, an audio output is produced at the speaker.

Optionally, the random access memory is further used for storing system files and control instruction sets.

Optionally, the power supply module comprises a rechargeable battery, a charging circuit and a charging port. The rechargeable battery, the charging circuit and the charging port are connected in series in such order. The rechargeable battery is charged based on an arrangement involving the charging circuit and the charging port. The power conversion circuit receives the power from the rechargeable battery.

Optionally, the charging port is a mini USB interface.

Optionally, the program memory is a FLASH memory.

Optionally, the random access memory is a RAM.

Optionally, the radio transceiving circuit is configured to carry out data transmission via a Wi-Fi short-range wireless local area network.

Optionally, the video capturing circuit or the radio transceiving circuit is coupled to the microprocessor via a standard USB interface. It is also optional that both the video capturing circuit and the radio transceiving circuit employ standard USB interfaces to interface with the microprocessor.

Optionally, the audio circuit is coupled to the microprocessor through an I2C interface for data exchange.

Optionally, the power conversion circuit is coupled to the power supply module via a USB interface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a remote control toy car in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a relationship between a client terminal and the remote control toy car according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is described in detail through the embodiments elaborated hereinafter with the drawings. However, it is understood that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a remote control toy car according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The remote control toy car comprises a microprocessor 101, a clock generation circuit 102, a program memory 103, a random access memory 104, a power conversion circuit 105, a power supply module 106, a video capturing circuit 107, a radio transceiving circuit 108 and an audio circuit 109. The remote control toy car is wirelessly communicable with a client terminal, as is shown in FIG. 2, in which a client terminal 201 is wirelessly communicable with a remote control toy car 1 through a wireless communication means.

The microprocessor 101 is coupled to the clock generation circuit 102, the program memory 103, the random access memory 104, the power conversion circuit 105, the video capturing circuit 107, the radio transceiving circuit 108 and the audio circuit 109. The microprocessor 101 obtains a required working power from the power conversion circuit 105 and one or more required system clock signals from the clock generation circuit 102.

The microprocessor 101 is configured to execute one or more processes according to the description hereinafter. In power-up initialization of the microprocessor 101, the toy car starts to work. In particular, the video capturing circuit 107 and the audio circuit 109 are activated. According to instructions stored in the program memory 103, the microprocessor 101 obtains the video data, captured by the video capturing circuit 107 via a camera, and the audio data, captured by the audio circuit 109 via a microphone. The microprocessor 101 further processes, compresses, packetizes and stores such video and audio data as video data packets and audio data packets in the random access memory 104. After a request signal from the client terminal 201 transmitted via the radio transceiving circuit 108 is received at the toy car, the microprocessor 101 retrieves the video data packets and the audio data packets stored in the random access memory 104 according to the program instructions stored in the program memory 103, transmits the video data packets and the audio data packets to the client terminal 201 through the radio transceiving circuit 108. Thus, it allows the client terminal 201 to display images and to generate audio sound in a real-time manner. In another use, after audio data packets sent by the client terminal 201 are received at the toy car via the radio transceiving circuit 108, and after such packets are processed by the audio circuit 109, an audio output is produced by the audio circuit 109 via a speaker. In one embodiment, an operating system on which the microprocessor 101 executes the one or more processes is a LINUX system whose instruction codes reside in the program memory 103.

The clock generation circuit 102 is coupled to the microprocessor 101 and is used to provide the one or more clock signals required by the microprocessor 101 for proper working.

The program memory 103 is coupled to the microprocessor 101 and is used to store the program instructions for the operation of the microprocessor 101. In one embodiment, a FLASH memory is used for the program memory 103.

The random access memory 104 is coupled to the microprocessor 101 and is used for randomly accessing the video data packets and the audio data packets, both types of data packets being obtained after compression and packetizing. The random access memory 104 may further be used for storing system files and control instruction sets. In one embodiment, a RAM is used.

The power conversion circuit 105 is coupled to the microprocessor 101 and is used to provide power to the microprocessor 101 and devices coupled thereto for proper operation.

The power supply module 106 is coupled to the power conversion circuit 105 and is used to provide power to the power conversion circuit 105. In one embodiment, the power supply module 106 comprises a rechargeable battery 106c, a charging circuit 106b and a charging port 106a. The charging port 106a may be realized as a mini USB interface, but is not limited to this realization in the present invention. The rechargeable battery 106c, the charging circuit 106b and the charging port 106a are connected in series in such order. The charging port 106a is configured to receive external power from outside the remote control toy car. The charging circuit 106b is configured to receive the external power via the charging port 106a and to convert the external power to an electrical power source, in order to recharge the rechargeable batter 106c by feeding the electrical power source to the rechargeable battery 106c. The power conversion circuit 105 is powered from the rechargeable battery 106c.

The video capturing circuit 107, coupled to the microprocessor 101, is used to capture and record video data according to the instructions of the microprocessor 101, and to transmit such video data to the microprocessor 101 for processing, compression and packetizing.

The radio transceiving circuit 108 is coupled to the microprocessor 101 and is used to receive and transmit the request signal of the client terminal 201 to the microprocessor 101. The microprocessor 101 retrieves the compressed data packets stored in the random access memory 104, and decompresses and transmits them to the client terminal 201 through the radio transceiving circuit 108.

The audio circuit 109, coupled to the microprocessor 101, is used to acquire audio data according to the instructions of the microprocessor 101 and to transmit such audio data to the microprocessor 101 for processing, compression and packetizing. In another use, after audio data packets sent by the client terminal 201 via the radio transceiving circuit 108 are received, and after such packets are processed by the audio circuit 109, an audio output is produced at the speaker.

In one embodiment, the power conversion circuit 105 is mainly used for power conversion and produces three power supply lines having, e.g., voltages 5V, 3.3V and 1.8V. The three power supply lines are used to power the camera, the microprocessor 101 and a Wi-Fi module, respectively. Although examples of voltage values are provided for the aforesaid three power supply lines, a skilled person in the art may modify any of the voltage values according to the actual situation in order to achieve the most desirable effect in implementation; therefore, the aforesaid voltage values are not defined herein in the specification.

In one embodiment, the radio transceiving circuit 108 comprises a radio-frequency circuit board and an antenna (which may be an internal antenna or an external antenna and is therefore not defined herein in the specification). The radio transceiving circuit 108 may perform data exchange with the client terminal 201 via a Wi-Fi short-range wireless local area network.

In one embodiment, the video capturing circuit 107 includes a camera-interfacing circuit for interfacing with the camera and with the microprocessor 101.

In one embodiment, the audio circuit 109 includes an audio circuit board for interfacing with the microphone and with the speaker.

In one embodiment, the video capturing circuit 107 or the radio transceiving circuit 108 is coupled to the microprocessor 101 via a standard USB interface, and the charging port of the power supply module 106 uses a mini USB interface. It is optional that both the video capturing circuit 107 and the radio transceiving circuit 108 employ standard USB interfaces to interface with the microprocessor 101.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the connection between the client terminal 201 and a remote control toy car 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The client terminal 201 may be an Android smart phone, an IOS mobile phone, a tablet PC, a mobile computer, etc., and it is not specifically defined herein in the specification. A person skilled in the art can use a reasonably selected device as the client terminal 201 according to the actual situation and the geographical condition. This reasonably selected device is not defined herein in the specification.

The remote control toy car according to the disclosure herein has a compact size and is convenient to carry, ready to use and simple to operate. In addition, it has a built-in rechargeable battery, so that an external power supply is not required. After the toy car has established a wireless link with a smart mobile terminal that supports Wi-Fi wireless functions, wireless video playing can be achieved and there is no need to install standalone software in the smart mobile terminal. After the video clip transmitted from the toy car is received, picture taking and video recording can be achieved via the smart mobile terminal.

The toy car disclosed herein is wirelessly communicable with a client terminal (e.g., a Tablet PC, a smart phone and any other similar device) for transmission of audio and video data within a certain range. Moreover, the toy car enables the surveillance images acquired by the toy car to be displayed at the client terminal in a real-time manner.

It is apparent that the present invention can be realized in a variety of other embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications based on the invention without departing from the spirit and substance of the invention by having these changes and modifications within the scope as defined in the appended claims.