Electrographic position location apparatus including recording capability and data cartridge including microphone

• US 20040197757A1
• Filed: 01/02/2004
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Freeman, Richard Glen, Much, Michael P., Musolf, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/308
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/062 Combinations of audio and printed presentations, e.g. magnetically striped cards, talking books, magnetic tapes with printed texts thereon

Abstract

An electrographic position location apparatus and a data cartridge are disclosed. The data cartridge comprises a body and a memory device in the body. A connector extends from the body and is coupled to the memory device. A microphone is attached to or is incorporated within the body.

Claims

10. A data cartridge comprising:

(a) a plastic body;

(b) a connector extending from the body;

(c) a first memory device in the body storing code for audio outputs for print elements in a print medium;

(d) a microprocessor in the body;

(e) a microphone electrically coupled to the microprocessor;

(f) a connector extending from the body and coupled to the memory device and the microprocessor;

(g) a second memory device coupled to the microprocessor, wherein the second memory device is adapted to store code for the user'"'"'s voice;

(h) a dummy microphone including a head portion and a neck, wherein the neck is coupled to the body; and

(i) an illumination source in the head portion of the dummy microphone, and being electrically coupled to the microprocessor.

11. The data cartridge of claim 10 further comprising a battery electrically coupled to the second memory device.

12. The data cartridge of claim 10 wherein the neck comprises a thick conductor that retains a shape after being manipulated by a user.

13. The data cartridge of claim 10 wherein the first memory device is a ROM chip and the second memory device is a RAM chip.

14. The data cartridge of claim 10 wherein audio outputs and the user'"'"'s recorded voice form a unique story.

15. The data cartridge of claim 10 wherein the print medium is a children'"'"'s book.

16. The data cartridge of claim 10 wherein the print medium is a sheet.

17. The data cartridge of claim 10 wherein the first memory device is a ROM chip.

18. The data cartridge of claim 10 further comprising a release member and a clamp member coupled to the body.

19. The data cartridge of claim 10 further comprising two release members and two clamp members coupled to the body.

20. An electrographic position location apparatus comprising:

(a) a platform including a first connector and a surface, the surface capable of receiving a print medium;

(b) a data cartridge comprising (i) a body, (ii) a memory device in the body, (iii) a second connector extending from the body and coupled to the memory device, and (iv) a microphone attached to or incorporated within the body,

wherein the first and second connectors are connectable to each other.

21. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a stylus coupled to the platform.

22. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 20 wherein the platform comprises an antenna.

23. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 20 wherein the platform is foldable.

24. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a stylus including a receiving antenna and wherein the platform includes a transmitting antenna.

25. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 20 wherein the microphone is present in the body.

26. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 20 wherein the microphone is inside of the body, and wherein the data cartridge further comprises a dummy microphone structure including a neck and a head portion, wherein the neck couples the head portion to the body.

27. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 20 wherein memory device is a ROM.

28. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 20 wherein the data cartridge further comprises a release member and a clamp member coupled to the body.

29. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 20 wherein the memory device is an SRAM.

30. An electrographic position location apparatus comprising:

(a) a platform comprising a surface;

(b) a print medium suitable for placement on the surface, wherein the print medium comprises a record print element and a playback print element, wherein the playback print element is present along with other print elements that together are used to form a unique passage, wherein the unique passage is used in a story or a game;

(c) a plurality of electrical elements in the platform and under the surface;

(d) a microprocessor coupled to the plurality of electrical elements;

(e) a memory device coupled to the microprocessor, wherein the memory device comprises code for recording a user'"'"'s voice, code for storing the user'"'"'s recorded voice, code for playing back the user'"'"'s voice, and code for providing sounds associated with the other print elements; and

(f) an audio output device coupled to the microprocessor.

31. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 30 wherein the electrical element is an antenna.

32. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 30 further comprising a stylus coupled to the platform, wherein the stylus comprises an antenna.

33. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 30 wherein the plurality of electrical elements comprise a first electrical element and a second electrical element, and wherein the record print element is over the first electrical element, and the playback print element is disposed over the second electrical element when the print medium is on the surface.

34. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 30 wherein the electrical elements comprise pressure switches.

35. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 30 further comprising a microphone, wherein the microphone is coupled to the microprocessor.

36. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 30 further comprising a data cartridge including a microphone and a connector, wherein the data cartridge is capable of being coupled to the platform via the connector.

37. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 30 further comprising a data cartridge including (i) a body, (ii) a microphone in the body, (iii) a connector extending from the body, and (iv) a dummy microphone structure coupled to the body, wherein the data cartridge is capable of being coupled to the platform via the connector.

38. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 30 further comprising a memory device coupled to the microprocessor, wherein the memory device stores code for prompting the user to record the user'"'"'s voice, and code for playing back the user'"'"'s voice via the audio output device.

39. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 30 wherein the platform is foldable.

40. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 30 wherein the print medium is a book.

41. A kit for use in an electrographic position location apparatus, the kit comprising:

(a) a print medium including a record print element;

(b) a data cartridge including (i) a body, (ii) a memory device in the body, (iii) a connector extending from the body and coupled to the memory device, and (iv) a microphone attached to or incorporated within the body.

42. The kit of claim 41 wherein the print medium is a book.

43. The kit of claim 41 wherein the print medium is a sheet.

44. The kit of claim 41 wherein the microphone is inside of the body, and wherein the data cartridge further comprises a dummy microphone structure including a neck and a head portion, wherein the neck couples the head portion to the body.

45. The kit of claim 41 wherein the microphone is inside of the body, and wherein the data cartridge further comprises a dummy microphone structure including a neck and a head portion comprising an illumination source, wherein the neck couples the head portion to the body, and wherein the neck comprises a thick conductive wire that is electrically coupled to the illumination source.

46. The kit of claim 41 wherein the data cartridge further comprises a microprocessor electrically coupled to the microphone and the connector.

47. The kit of claim 41 wherein the data cartridge further comprises a battery and an SRAM chip inside of the body.

48. The kit of claim 41 wherein the data cartridge comprises a clamp member.

49. The kit of claim 41 wherein the memory device comprises code for audio outputs for print elements in the print medium.

50. The kit of claim 41 wherein the microphone is inside of the body.

51. A method of interacting with a print medium, the method comprising:

(a) placing a print medium on a platform including a surface, a plurality of electrical elements under the surface, and a speaker, wherein the print medium comprises a record print element, a playback print element, and additional print elements;

(b) selecting the record print element;

(c) speaking into a microphone to record a voice;

(d) selecting the playback print element, wherein the playback print element causes a speaker in the platform to play back the user'"'"'s voice along with audio corresponding to the additional print elements in a story or a game.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein selecting comprises using a stylus coupled to the platform to select the record print element.

53. The method of claim 51 wherein the playback print element is a narrative print element.

54. The method of claim 51 wherein the playback print element is an icon that represents the user'"'"'s name, favorite food, or favorite animal.

55. A data cartridge comprising:

(a) a body;

(b) a first connector extending from the body;

(c) a second connector extending from the body;

(d) a microphone attached to or incorporated within the body; and

(e) a memory device coupled to the second connector,

wherein the first connector is for connecting the data cartridge to an external connector.

56. The data cartridge of claim 55 wherein the data cartridge does not include an audio or visual output device.

57. The data cartridge of claim 55 wherein the memory device and the body are separable.

58. The data cartridge of claim 55 wherein the memory device comprises a ROM.

59. The data cartridge of claim 55 wherein the microphone is in the body and wherein the data cartridge further comprises a dummy microphone structure.

60. An electrographic position location apparatus comprising:

(a) a platform comprising a surface;

(b) a print medium including a print element, wherein the print medium is capable of being received on the platform;

(c) a plurality of electrical elements in the platform and under the surface;

(d) a microprocessor coupled to the plurality of electrical elements;

(e) a memory device coupled to the microprocessor, wherein the memory device comprises code for recording a user'"'"'s voice, code for storing the user'"'"'s recorded voice, and code for playing back the user'"'"'s voice;

(f) an audio output device coupled to the microprocessor; and

(g) a microphone structure coupled to the platform, wherein the microphone structure comprises a head portion and a neck.

61. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 60 wherein the microphone structure is a dummy microphone structure and wherein the apparatus further comprises a microphone in the platform.

62. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 60 wherein the platform further comprises a recess for receiving the microphone structure.

63. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 60 wherein the print medium comprises a record print element and a playback print element.

64. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 60 wherein the platform is foldable.

65. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 60 wherein the print medium comprises print elements for a game or for a story.

66. The electrographic position location apparatus of claim 60 wherein the microphone structure comprises an LED.

67-1. The toy of claim 67 wherein the microphone structure is a dummy microphone structure and wherein the toy further comprises a microphone in the platform.