GREETING CARD HAVING AUDIO RECORDING CAPABILITIES WITH TRIAL MODE FEATURE
First Claim
1. An audio greeting card comprising:
- a card body having a plurality of panels; and
an audio message recording and playback device coupled with the card body, the device having a microphone, a speaker, a power source, a first switch for initiating a message recording session, and a second switch for initiating a message playback session, wherein the device has a first mode where a recorded message may be played back a predetermined number of times and a second mode where the number of times a recorded message may be played back is greater than permitted by the first mode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A greeting card having an audio message recording and playback device permits recording of personalized audio messages to be played upon opening of the greeting card. The recording device is operable in either a trial mode or a use mode. In the trial mode, which would be applicable when the card is displayed in a store, a potential purchaser may experience the functionality of the card by recording their own test message. The test message is played back initially for the potential purchaser but is not subsequently played back to be later heard by other potential purchasers. In the use mode, which the card may be switched to after purchase by removal of a trial mode panel from the greeting card, a user recorded message is played repeatedly upon subsequent openings of the card. The user recorded message may be followed by a prerecorded recording, such as a song. Additional prerecorded messages, such as voice prompts with instructions for recording a message, may also be included.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An audio greeting card comprising:
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a card body having a plurality of panels; and
an audio message recording and playback device coupled with the card body, the device having a microphone, a speaker, a power source, a first switch for initiating a message recording session, and a second switch for initiating a message playback session, wherein the device has a first mode where a recorded message may be played back a predetermined number of times and a second mode where the number of times a recorded message may be played back is greater than permitted by the first mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An audio greeting card comprising:
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a card body having first, second and third panels, wherein adjacent panels are connected together; and
an audio message recording and playback device coupled with the card body, the audio device having a microphone, a speaker, a battery, at least one recording stored therein, a first switch for initiating a message recording session, and a second switch, wherein the audio device has a trial mode and a use mode, wherein activation of the second switch initiates playing of the at least one recording in the trial mode, and wherein activation of the second switch initiates playback of a recorded message in the use mode. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An audio message recording and playback device with a trial feature, the audio device comprising:
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a circuit board;
a plurality of electrical components coupled with the circuit board, the components including a speaker, a microphone, a battery, an integrated circuit, and first, second and third switches;
at least one recording stored in the audio device;
wherein activation of the first switch initiates a message recording session, whereby a user may record a message and the user recorded message is stored in the audio device;
wherein activation of the second switch initiates playing of one of the recording and the user recorded message stored in the audio device; and
wherein the third switch is movable from a first state to a second state, wherein the audio device operates in a first mode when the third switch is in its first state, wherein the audio device operates in a second mode when the third switch is in its second state, wherein activation of the second switch initiates playing of the recording when the audio device is in the first mode, and wherein activation of the second switch initiates playing of the user recorded message when the audio device is in the second mode. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of providing a customizable greeting comprising:
providing a greeting card body having an audio message recording and playback device coupled therewith, wherein the audio device has a trial mode where a test message may be recorded on the audio device by a user, wherein the user recorded test message is automatically played back upon conclusion of recording the test message, wherein additional playback of the test message is not permitted in the trial mode, wherein the audio device has a use mode where a user message may be recorded on the audio device by a user, wherein the user recorded user message is automatically played back upon conclusion of recording the user message, and wherein additional playback of the user message is permitted in the use mode. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A greeting card comprising:
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a card body formed of a single unitary card blank and having first, second and third panels, wherein the first and second panels are separated by a first fold line in the card blank, wherein the first panel is pivotable with respect to the second panel between a closed position, where the first panel overlies the second panel, and an open position, where the first panel does not overlie the second panel, wherein the second and third panels are separated by a second fold line, wherein the third panel is folded over and secured with the second panel to define a pocket; and
an audio message recording and playback device coupled with the card body, the audio device having a microphone, a speaker, a battery, at least one prerecorded audio message stored therein, a record switch for initiating a message recording session, whereby a user may record a user recorded message, a play switch for activating the playback of one of a prerecorded message and a user recorded message, and a third switch for changing the audio device from a trial mode to a use mode;
wherein movement of the first panel from the closed position to the open position activates the play switch and causes the playback of the prerecorded message when in the trial mode and the user recorded message when in the use mode;
wherein the audio device is at least partially concealed within the pocket, wherein the play switch is a slide switch with a portion thereof connected to the first panel, wherein the record switch is a switch activated by being pressed, and wherein the third switch is a tear switch;
wherein the audio device operates in the trial mode when the tear switch is whole and wherein the audio device operates in the use mode when the tear switch is separated into multiple pieces; and
wherein the user recorded message is only played back one time automatically following the recording session in the trial mode, wherein activating the play switch does not play back the user recorded message in the trial mode, and wherein the user recorded message can be played back multiple times by activation of the play switch in the use mode.
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25. An audio message recording and playback device with a trial feature, the device comprising:
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a circuit board;
a plurality of electrical components coupled with the circuit board, the components including a speaker, a microphone, a battery, an integrated circuit, and first, second and third switches;
wherein activation of the first switch initiates a message recording session, whereby a user may record a message and the user recorded message is stored in the audio device;
wherein the user recorded message is automatically played back upon completion of the message recording session; and
wherein the third switch is movable from a first state to a second state, wherein the audio device operates in a first mode when the third switch is in its first state, wherein the audio device operates in a second mode when the third switch is in its second state, wherein activation of the second switch does not initiate playing of the user recorded message when the audio device is in the first mode, and wherein activation of the second switch initiates playing of the user recorded message when the audio device is in the second mode. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification