Methods and apparatus to emulate a toy

Abstract

Emulation of a toy is disclosed. An example server includes a processor and memory including machine readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including requesting a confirmation code in response to a request to download model data associated with a toy, and if the confirmation code is valid, providing the model data to a mobile communication device, and transmitting toy-identifying data associated with the toy to a secure storage of the mobile communication device that provided the valid code.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, from a mobile device by a server comprising a processor, a confirmation code associated with a request for emulation of a toy; and   in response to determining that the confirmation code is valid, transmitting, by the server, toy-identifying data associated with the toy to a secure storage of the mobile device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is a first mobile device, and further comprising determining, by the server, whether the toy is already associated with a second mobile device, wherein the transmitting of the toy-identifying data associated with the toy to the first mobile device is performed in response to determining that the toy is not already associated with the second mobile device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the server, whether sales instructions permit the toy to be associated with multiple mobile devices, wherein the transmitting is performed in response to determining that the sales instructions permit the toy to be associated with multiple devices. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the toy-identifying data is encrypted. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to determining that the confirmation code is not valid, notifying, by the server, the mobile device that the confirmation code is incorrect. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the toy-identifying data facilitates activating a video game associated with the toy. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the toy-identifying data facilitates printing the toy via a three-dimensional printer. 
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 receiving, from a mobile device, a confirmation code associated with a request for emulation of a toy; and 
 in response to determining that the confirmation code is valid, transmitting toy-identifying data associated with the toy to a secure storage of the mobile device. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the mobile device is a first mobile device, and the operations further comprise determining whether the toy is already associated with a second mobile device, and wherein the transmitting of the toy-identifying data associated with the toy to the secure storage of the first mobile device is performed in response to determining that the toy is not already associated with the second mobile device. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise determining whether sales instructions permit the toy to be associated with multiple mobile devices, and wherein the transmitting is performed in response to determining that the sales instructions permit the toy to be associated with multiple devices. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the toy-identifying data is encrypted. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise, in response to determining that the confirmation code is not valid, notifying the mobile device that the confirmation code is incorrect. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein at least part of the toy-identifying data is usable to activate a video game associated with the toy. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein at least part of the toy-identifying data is usable to print the toy via a three-dimensional printer. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of network equipment, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 receiving, from a mobile device, a confirmation code associated with a request for emulation of a toy; and   in response to determining that the confirmation code is valid, transmitting, to a secure storage associated with the mobile device, data identifying the toy.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the mobile device is a first mobile device, and the operations further comprise determining whether the toy is already associated with a second mobile device, and wherein the transmitting of the data identifying the toy to the secure storage of the first mobile device is performed in response to determining that the toy is not already associated with the second mobile device. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining whether sales instructions permit the toy to be associated with multiple mobile devices, and wherein the transmitting is performed in response to determining that the sales instructions permit the toy to be associated with multiple devices. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise, in response to determining that the confirmation code is not valid, notifying the mobile device that the confirmation code is incorrect. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the data enables downloading a video game associated with the toy. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the data enables printing of the toy via a three-dimensional printer.