System and method for toy visual programming

Abstract

A method for programmatic robot control including, at a user device: displaying a set of icons and receiving a program for a robot, wherein receiving a program for a robot includes receiving a selection of a state icon associated with a state; associating a transition with the state; and creating a relationship between the transition and an event. The method functions to provide a user with an environment for creating a program to control the robot, and can additionally function to control the robot.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for programmatically controlling a toy robot, comprising, at a user device remote from the toy robot:
 displaying a set of icons;   receiving a selection of a first icon from the set of icons, wherein the first icon comprises an illustration of the toy robot operating in a first state;   receiving a selection of a second icon from the set of icons, wherein the second icon comprises an illustration of the toy robot operating in a second state;   associating a transition with the first state and the second state, the transition directed from the first state to the second state;   receiving a selection of an event icon;   in response to receiving the selection of the event icon, associating an event with the transition, wherein the event icon comprises an illustration of the toy robot undergoing the event;   sending a first instruction to the toy robot to operate in the first state;   receiving a set of sensor measurements from the toy robot;   determining that the event has occurred based on the set of sensor measurements; and   in response to determining that the event has occurred, sending a second instruction to the toy robot to operate in the second state.