WO1997000510A1

WO1997000510A1 - Card with electronic sound recording

Info

Publication number: WO1997000510A1
Application number: PCT/US1996/009245
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert W. Sladek; William L. Sladek
Original assignee: Sladek Robert W
Priority date: 1995-06-16
Filing date: 1996-06-17
Publication date: 1997-01-03
Also published as: AU6156396A

Abstract

A card shell (200) having a top layer (310), middle layer (320) and bottom layer (330) encloses a solar cell (20) which provides power to circuitry (100) disposed within the card (10). The circuitry (100) includes a circuit controller (120) which is activated by a pressure switch (130) to address a sound message stored in a read-only memory (140) to be converted to sound signals by a wave synthesizer (150). The sound signals are transmitted to a speaker (160) which gives off the audible sound.

Description

CARD WITH ELECTRONIC SOUND RECORDING BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a card with an electronic sound recording that adds another sensual enjoyment of the card. Prior art cards, such as trading cards of both sports figures and movies, offered only a picture of the subject on the front, and additional textual information on the back. It would be an advantage to have a card which provides both graphical and audio information. Most circuitry which supplies audio information requires electrical power from a source such as a battery. Typically, power sources such as batteries have a limited lifespan, necessitating access to the batteries. Furthermore, it is difficult to access components in a card. Therefore, it would be a further advantage to have a card with audio components having a power source with a virtually unlimited lifespan, thereby reducing the need to access components within the card.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, the electronic trading card includes a picture of the sports or movie subject on the front, with a switch in the lower right hand corner, and a solar cell occupying a strip across the top. On the back is any additional information the content provider may wish to add. The electronic circuitry will be sandwiched between the front and back layers of the card.

The circuitry is composed of a power source, the ROM

IC, a synthesizer IC, a small piezo-electric speaker, and a switch to activate playback.

It should be obvious that this technology applies to any type of trading card, of any subject, not just the sports and movies genres mentioned. This invention adds to the enjoyment of the card by adding an audio message from the sports figure on the card, or, in the case of movie cards, a sound clip from the scene pictured on the front. This invention offers a generic message recorded by the subject (s) of the trading card. This invention differs by using a solar cell for a power source, giving the card an indefinite life-span, lengthening the time of enjoyment gotten from the card.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the method and apparatus of the present invention may be had by reference to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram illustrating the circuitry for one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the components of one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIG. 1, there is shown an illustration of the present invention, shown generally at 10 as a card. The card 10 includes a solar cell section 20, a graphics section 30, a switch 40, and audio apertures 50. The card 10 is activated by pressure on the switch 40. The solar cell 20 will supply the power necessary to operate the card 10. Sound can be transmitted through the sound apertures 50 in the card 10. In FIG. 2, there is shown a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of this circuitry of the present invention, shown generally at 100. A solar cell 110 provides electrical power to a circuit controller 120. The circuit controller 120 can be either a specialized integrated circuit (IC) adapted for the particular application of the card circuitry 100, or a timer and counter circuit. Regardless of which configuration is used, the circuit controller 120 will wait for a signal from a switch 130 to run the program in the circuit controller 120. In the case of a time and counter circuit, the program will reside as a hardwired routine, one which will run to completion, then reset itself and wait for the next activation of the switch 130.

The circuit controller 120 will address information programmed into a RAM 140, and switch a wave synthesizer 150 to read data from the RAM 140 and convert that data into sound signals. In one embodiment, the RAM 140 is an

EPROM.

The IC of the wave synthesizer 150 and the RAM 140 can be one of many chips available, the selection contingent upon size and cost effectiveness.

In one embodiment, the switch 130 is a pressure switch of the type having a simple plastic metal foil bubble switch, commonly used in certain calculators and portable games. A speaker 160 receives the sound signals from the wave synthesizer 150 and converts those sound signals into audible sound. In one embodiment, the speaker is a piezo-electric type speaker, such as those found in watches and portable games. However, the particular selection of a speaker will be determined by size, fidelity of the sound and cost effectiveness.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of one embodiment of a card shell 200 which will hold and protect the electronic circuitry for the card. The shell 200 generally comprises three layers: a front layer 310; a middle layer 320; and a back layer 330. The front layer 310 has a solar cell window 312, graphics area 314 (indicated by dashed lines), speaker apertures 316, and a pressure switch area 318 (indicated by dashed lines) . The middle layer 320 has a solar cell compartment 322, a circuitry compartment 324, a speaker compartment 326, and a switch compartment 328. The solar cell 422, circuitry 424, speaker 426 and switch 428 are located in the solar cell compartment 322, circuit compartment 324, speaker compartment 326, and switch compartment 328, respectively, of the middle layer 320. The top layer 310 attaches a front side 321 of the middle layer 320 with the solar cell aperture 312 aligning with the solar cell 322, and the speaker apertures 314 aligning with the speaker compartment 326. The bottom layer 330 attaches to a rear surface 329 of the middle layer 320, thereby enclosing the solar cell 422, circuitry 424, speaker 426, and switch 428, in their respective compartments of the middle layer 320. The front layer 310, the middle layer 320 and the back layer 330 can be made of cardboard, acetate, or the like. The window 312 can be an opening or a clear plastic, or acetate, or the like.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. For example, some or all of the circuitry could be mounted exterior to the card shell. As another example, other obvious choices of circuit components could be substituted for the components therein. As another example, a speaker can be utilized which does not need speaker apertures in the card. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained therein.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An audio card comprising: a card having an image of at least one person thereon; a storage device for storing an audio message about said image, said storage device being attached to said card; and a playback device for playing the audio message in said storage device, said playback device being attached to said card.

2. The audio card according to claim 1, further including an electrical solar cell for providing electrical power to said playback device.

3. The audio card according to claim 1, wherein said storage device is disposed within said card.

4. The audio card according to claim 1, wherein said playback device is disposed within said card.

5. The audio card according to claim 1, wherein the audio message includes the voice of the at least one person of said image.

6. The audio card according to claim 1, wherein said card further includes printed information about said image.

7. The audio card according to claim 6, wherein the audio message relates to the printed information on said card.

8. Trading card media comprising means for storing the prerecorded wave sample, means for generating the sound, including the speaker, means by which the playback mode is activated, via a switch, converting the digital data in the ROM to the analog form sent to the speaker, a cardboard shell on which all components are mounted and protected, a solar cell to serve as the power source for all the power needs of the circuit, and graphics printed on the front and back of the card depicting the subject matter.

9. Card as claimed in claim 8, wherein the playback mode signal means is a pressure switch.

10. Card is claimed in claim 8, wherein the cardboard shell is three layers, cut with the necessary cavities, according to the layer's needs, and the speaker, solar cell, and the means are mounted in the card.