DE3532259A1 - Greetings card with integrated microprocessor and digital memory as sound recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a greetings card or similar with an integrated sound recording medium module, for individual recording of speech or other acoustic information. The sound recording medium module consists of a digital memory, a microprocessor, a microphone, an analogue-digital converter, a digital-analogue converter, a loudspeaker and a battery for power supply. The whole sound recording medium module unit can be combined into a speech memory component. Speech is fed via a microphone to the analogue-digital converter, and put into the memory in binary form using the microprocessor. The stored information is played back, using the microprocessor, from the memory via the digital-analogue converter to the loudspeaker. The invention means that greetings cards, which until now have been programmed with fixed melodies or spoken texts, can also be used for individual speech recording. The particular advantage of this method is the use of purely electronic components. Famous domestic and foreign publishers, including Deutsche Bundespost (the German Federal Post), are very interested in this way of sending individual greetings.

Description

The invention relates to a greeting card with an integrated sound carrier in which the inventor of this application is also named as the inventor is under file number P 35 16 529.8 Under this number, a mechanically moving sound carrier (tape loop) as a voice or information carrier via a microphone and Disc head discussed. By switching to playback, the tape can can be listened to via an amplifier and speakers.

The greeting card can be discussed individually by any person will.

This technique of storing acoustic information through a mechanically moved sound carrier (tape), forces to a high mechanical effort in terms of the required synchronism properties and the low overall height of only 8 mm is difficult to realize.

In contrast to the mechanically revolving sound carrier (tape loop) are not mechanical in the invention described below moving parts required.

The acoustic information to be stored in the form of sound waves is fed to the analog-to-digital converter ( 3 ) via a microphone ( 1 ), after the record button ( 5 ) has been pressed, via an analog amplifier ( 2 ). This converts the analog information into a digitized binary code and forwards it in correspondence with the microprocessor ( 4 ) into the digital memory ( 7 ) -z. B. RAM .

Once the information has been entered, the greeting card can be closed or folded. When the card is opened, a micro switch ( 12 ) is actuated, which initiates the reproduction of the speech information stored in the RAM ( 7 ) via the microprocessor ( 4 ).

The digital information is read out of the RAM ( 7 ) with the aid of the microcomputer ( 4 ) and is put into the digital-to-analog converter ( 8 ), which gives the analog information to the loudspeaker via the output amplifier ( 9 ). The entire system works fully electronically without any mechanically moving parts.

A low-voltage battery of a few is sufficient for the power supply Volt.

The technique described here is already used in a similar form in storage oscilloscopes and voice computers applied. Due to the z. Zt. still extensive and expensive electronic components and the relative large space requirement for the necessary storage capacity, this is Principle for installation in greeting cards e.g. Not yet suitable at the moment.  

However, well-known companies around the world are working on highly integrated memory with capacities of a few megabytes to produce in the smallest space and at low cost.

This new technology will be available in a relatively short time (2-3 years) are available so that the production of greeting cards in this Technology will be more economical than the mechanical method Tape storage system.

Greeting cards with the option to speak individually have large ones Opportunities to be sold in millions worldwide.

From reliable sources it is known that greeting cards with saved Melody in German-speaking countries alone today in a number of 4 million are sold each year.

Claims (2)

1) Greeting card or the like, characterized in that instead of an already known circulating tape store, a microprocessor ( 4 ) with digital memory ( 7 ) is used, in which speech or other acoustic signals are digitized via a microphone ( 1 ), ie in binary form into one Memory ( 7 ) z. B. RAM can be entered and this can be made audible after an analog conversion via an analog amplifier ( 9 ) as audible speech or other acoustic signals via a loudspeaker ( 10 ). 2) Greeting card according to claim 1) characterized in that the entire System design without any mechanically moving parts, purely electronically is built up and before the expiration of the limited by the storage capacity Entry time of the information an acoustic or optical Signal indicates the expected end of the recording.