Data processing: speech signal processing – linguistics – language – Speech signal processing – Application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-26
2001-06-26
Isen, Forester W. (Department: 2747)
Data processing: speech signal processing, linguistics, language
Speech signal processing
Application
C040S124030, C040S717000, C439S053000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253183
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a portable recording and playback system, and more particularly, to a customized audio system capable of recording, re-recording, previewing, and transferring audio between an external recording device and a playback module.
2. Background Art
It is common for one giving a gift of a flower arrangement to attach a personalized hand-written note to the arrangement. The written note lacks the vitality and personality of the gift giver's voice and many times the giver is unable to convey a sentiment to the receiver with enough word economy to fit on the card. Additionally, voice tone, inflection and accent are rarely captured effectively in writing. Currently, paper-based promotional products carry high costs with poor functional value, and yet the paper-based products predominate the advertising premium market. Other popular products, such as balloons, coffee mugs and T-shirts have similar print-related limitations.
Hand-held recorders of the prior art are generally too big and bulky to be attached to a floral arrangement or paired with other gifts or promotional products to identify the giver. The prior art recording devices are generally high-cost and therefore not viable for promotional or personal use.
There have been attempts in the prior art to market talking trading and greeting cards. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,698 discloses a greeting card with an electronic sound recording of a personalized message. U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,156 teaches squeezable trading cards capable of generating recorded sounds. However, the devices of both references do not allow the user to easily customize her messages on a re-recordable card.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a quick and easy system for the transmission of audio segments between an external recorder and a credit card-sized sound module for the playback of personalized messages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a credit card-sized sound module capable of receiving and playing digital audio messages from a computer, CD-player, or recorder via a specially adapted external recorder.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a credit card-sized sound module that has a solid state semiconductor chip for storing short voice messages which can be segmented and arranged by the user.
These and other objects will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the present drawings, specification and claims before them.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
The present invention comprises, in part, a portable audio recording and playback system having physically separate audio playback and external recording units. These units are operably yet removably mateable such that a single external recording unit can be used in association with a plurality of audio playback units. These audio playback units can then be used as, among other things, talking business cards, talking greeting cards, trading cards and/or distributed with flowers, balloons, in association with toys, action figures or the like to further increase the value of the product.
The audio playback unit portion of the system has a power supply, audio storage, an audio playback device, an audio speaker, a first switch and a first connector all physically disposed in association with a playback unit housing. The audio storage stores at least one audio segment. The audio playback device is operably associated with the audio storage and audio speaker.
In one embodiment, the audio playback unit is capable of sequentially accessing a particular one of a plurality of audio segments that have been stored in the audio storage. In such an embodiment, the audio playback unit also includes an audio selector switch operably connected to prompt the audio playback device to access the next audio segment stored in the audio storage.
The audio speaker is physically associated with the playback unit housing. In a preferred embodiment the speaker is mounted facing the bottom of the housing in registration with a hemispherical audio cavity portion of the housing. In this manner, the audio speaker is substantially protected from damage from external forces by the bottom portion of the playback unit housing. Furthermore, the audio is resonated in the audio cavity and reflected back up to the top of the housing resulting in more pleasing audio quality.
In the preferred embodiment, the playback unit housing includes an at least partially hollow base, which is covered by a flexible sheet having various indicia printed thereon. In this embodiment, the flexible sheet is preferably attached to the base with adhesive. However, it is possible to attach a flexible cover using other approaches, which are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. It is further contemplated that the flexible cover sheet could comprise the back cover of a pamphlet or other printed book.
The first switch, which is physically associated with the playback unit housing, is preferably mounted directly under the top cover of the playback unit housing in registration with an embossed area thereon. This first switch prompts the audio playback device to playback at least one of the audio segments stored in the audio storage.
The external recording unit portion of the system has a microphone, a second switch and a second connector all disposed in association with the recording unit housing. The microphone generates a microphone audio signal, which is transmitted to the audio recording device. In a present embodiment, the audio recording device is physically disposed within playback unit housing. However, the audio recording device may be disposed in association with either of the playback unit or the recording unit. The second switch prompts the audio recording device to record an audio segment. In a preferred embodiment, the external recording device further includes an LED to indicate (when illuminated) that the system is presently recording audio for storage in the audio storage.
The first and second connectors are configured such that each is operably yet removably mateable to the other. The first connector is physically associated with said playback unit housing and operably connected to at least one of the audio playback device and audio storage. The second connector is physically associated with the recording unit housing and operably connected to both the microphone and the second switch. In the preferred embodiment, the second connector is also operably connected to the LED.
In a preferred embodiment, the first connector is physically protected by at least a protective portion of the playback unit housing and the second connector is physically protected by at least a protective portion of the recording unit housing. In fact, in that preferred embodiment, the protective portions of the playback unit and recording unit housing mate with at least portions of one another forming an interference fit. Furthermore, in that preferred embodiment, the interference fit is further strengthen by the second connector, which includes upwardly biased electrically conductive teeth which promote efficient electrical connection between the first and second connectors and further increase frictional engagement between the cooperatively mating portion of the playback unit and recording unit housings.
In one embodiment, the external recording unit also includes a third connector that at least accepts or transmits an external audio signal from or to another audio device. This other audio device may comprise among a myriad of other possibilities, a digital or analog tape recorder or even another playback/external recording unit pair. In this manner, the audio data stored in the audio storage of one playback unit can be transferred out and saved. In this embodiment, the external recording unit also includes a third switch that selects between an external audio signal and the microphone audio signal.
The invention may further include a method for providing a recipient with a recorded message that can
Isen Forester W.
Pendleton Brian Tyrone
Sigale Jordan
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