Visual and audible activated work and method of forming same

• US 4,703,573 A
• Filed: 02/04/1985
• Issued: 11/03/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Augusta Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Alfred E. Hall, Earl H. Oliver, John L. Sigalos, John W. Montgomery
• Inventors: Montgomery, John W., Sigalos, John L., Hall, Alfred E., Oliver, Earl H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swiatek, Robert P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stone, Cary E.
• Application Number:
  US06/698,161
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 40/455, 40/124.1, 40/457, 40/906, 434/308, 434/309, 434/311, 434/317, 434/167, 434/169
• US Class Current: 40/455
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/38 Picture books with additional toy effects, e.g. pop-up or slide displays picture books B42D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 5/00 Musical or noise- producing devices for additional toy effects other than acoustical musical tops A63H1/28; sound-producing dolls A63H3/28; musical toy vehicles A63H17/268; acoustical vehicle-signalling devices A63H17/32; whistling toy locomotive arrangements A63H19/14; music, sound or noise production in general G10
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 1/007 Sheets or sheet blocks combined with other articles
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/022 combined with permanently fastened sound-producing or light-emitting means or carrying sound records
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/10 Changing, amusing, or secret pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13 based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13324 Circuits comprising solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1333 Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methodsG02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 25/00 Audible advertising sound recording or reproducing per se G11B; public address systems H04R27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/301 flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3696 Generation of voltages supplied to electrode drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/38 using electrochromic devices
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

An activated work comprising at least two turnable pages pivotably attached to one edge of each of the pages so that the pages are pivotable from a juxtaposed closed position to an adjacent opened position, a visual image display affixed to one of the pages, the visual image display having a first visual activation state at which a visual image is not visible thereon and a second visual activation state at which a visual image is visible thereon, a sound generator attached to the work having a first activation state at which an audible sound is not generated and a second activation state at which an audible sound is generated, connected to the visual display for selectively activating the visual display from one of the visual activation states to another upon pivoting the pages from the open position to the closed position, and connected to the sound generator for selectively activating the sound generator from one of the sound activation states to another upon pivoting the pages from the closed position to the opened position or from the opened position to the closed position.

Claims

1. An activated work comprising:

a. at least two turntable pages pivotably attached at one edge of said pages so that said pages are pivotable from a juxtaposed closed position to an adjacent opened position;

b. a visual image display means having areas thereof with variable electromagnetic radiation absorption characteristics affixed to one of said pages, said visual image display having a first visual activation state at which a visual image is essentially not visible and a second visual activation state at which said visual image is visible;

c. a sound generating means attached to said work having a first activation state at which an audible sound is not generated and a second activation state at which an audible sound is generated;

d. means connected to said visual display for selectively activating said visual display means from one of said visual activation states to another upon pivoting said pages from said closed position to said open position or from said open position to said closed position; and

e. means connected to said sound generating means for selectively activating said sound generating means from one of said sound activation states to another upon pivoting said pages from said closed position to said opened position or from said opened position to said closed position.

2. A work as in claim 1 further including:

a. a power source forming said means for selectively activating said sound generating means, and

b. means for energizing said power source whenever the preceding page is turned to its open position and de-energizing said power source whenever the preceding page is returned to its closed position.

3. A work as in claim 1 further including:

a. a single power source forming said means for selectively activating said visual display and said means for selectively activating said sound generating means, and

b. means for energizing said single power source whenever said pages are opened and de-energizing said single power source whenever said pages are closed.

4. A work as in claim 3 wherein:

a. said power source comprises a battery and an electrical coupling circuit between said battery and said visual display means and between said battery and said sound generating means, and

b. said means for energizing said power source comprises an electrical switch interposed in said electrical coupling circuit and operated by opening and closing said pages.

5. A work as in claim 3 wherein said power source and said means for energizing said power source comprises a photovoltaic material coupled to said visual display means and said sound generating means so that a voltage is generated when said pages are opened and said photovoltaic material is exposed to light

6. A work as in claims 4 or 5 wherein said work is a greeting card.

7. A work as in claim 1 wherein:

a. said second visual activation state comprises a series of sequentially occurring letters to form at least one word of a message, and

b. said second sound activation state comprises producing sounds representing each letter in conjunction with its visual appearance.

8. A work as in claim 1 wherein:

a. said second visual activation state comprises a visual series of sequentially occurring scenes each having at least one visible object for which there is a human pronounceable name;

b. said sound generating means is a speech synthesizer means and said first activation state is a first voice activation state at which a synthesized voice is not generated and said second activation state is a second voice activation state at which a synthesized voice is generated; and

c. said second voice activation state comprises an audible series of sequentially generated synthesized voice messages corresponding to said visual series of scenes and naming said at least one object.

9. An activated work as in claim 1 wherein:

a. said second visual activation state comprises at least one letter; and

b. said second sound activation state comprises sound associated with said letter.

10. An activated work as in claim 1 wherein:

a. said second visual activation state comprises a word; and

b. said second sound activation state comprises sound associated with said word.

11. An activated work as in claim 1 wherein

a. said second visual activation state comprises a pictoral scene;

and

b. said second sound activation state comprises sound associated with said pictoral scene.

12. An activated work as in claim 1 wherein said work comprises a book.

13. An activated work as in claim 1 wherein said work comprises a greeting card.

14. An activated work as in claim 1 wherein said work comprises a pamphlet.

15. An activated work as in claim 1 wherein said work comprises a game.

16. An activated work as in claim 1 wherein said visual image display means has multiple visual activation states which may be selectively activated.

17. an activated work as in claim 1 wherein said sound generating means has multiple activation states which may be selectively activated.

18. An activated work comprising:

a. at least two turnable pages pivotably attached at one edge of each of said pages so that said pages are pivotable from a juxtaposed closed position to an adjacent opened position;

b. a visual image display means affixed to one of said pages, said visual image display having a first visual activation state at which a visual image is not visible thereon and a second visual activation state at which a visual image is visible thereon;

c. a speech synthesizer means attached to said work having a first voice activation state at which a synthesized voice is not generated and a second activation state at which a synthesized voice is generated;

d. means connected to said visual display for selectively activating said visual display means from one of said visual activation states to another a delayed time period after moving said pages from said closed position to said open position or from said open position to said closed position; and

e. means connected to said speech synthesizer means for selectively activating said speech synthesizer means from one of said voice activation states to another a delayed time period after moving said pages from said closed position to said opened position or from said opened position to said closed position.

19. An activated work as in claim 18 wherein said speech synthesizer comprises:

a. an electronic circuit contained on a semiconductor chip producing electrical impulses convertable into simulated human speech, and

b. an electronically activated speaker electrically connected to said semiconductor chip for receiving said electrical impulses and converting said impulses into sound simulating human speech.

20. An activated work as in claim 18 wherein:

a. said second visual activation state comprises at least one letter; and

b. said second sound activation state comprises sound associated with said at least one letter.

21. An activated work as in claim 18 wherein:

a. said second visual activation state comprises at least one object; and

b. said second sound activation state comprises sound associated with said at least one object.

22. An activated work as in claim 18 wherein:

a. said second visual activation state comprises at least one pictoral scene; and

b. said second sound activation state comprises sound associated with said at least one scene.

23. An activated work as in claim 18 wherein said work comprises a book.

24. An activated work as in claim 18 wherein said work comprises a greeting card.

25. An activated work as in claim 18 wherein said work comprises a pamphlet.

26. An activated work as in claim 18 wherein said work comprises a game.

27. An activated work as in claim 18 wherein said visual image display means has a plurality of visual activation states which may be selectively activated.

28. An activated work as in claim 18 wherein said sound generating means has multiple activation states which may be selectively activated.

29. An activated work comprising:

a. at least two turnable pages pivotably attached at one edge of each of said pages so that said pages are pivotable from a juxtaposed closed position to an adjacent opened position;

b. a visual image display means affixed to one of said pages, said visual image display having a first visual activation state at which a visual image is not visible thereon and a second visual activation state at which a visual image, including a series of sequentially occurring letters form at least one word of a message, is visible thereon;

c. a sound generating means attached to said work having a first activation state at which an audible sound is not generated and a second activation state at which audible sounds representing each letter in conjunction with its visual appearance are generated and said at least one word is sounded as if spoken after all of said letters of said at least one word visually appear;

d. means connected to said visual display for selectively activating said visual display means from one of said visual activation states to another upon pivoting said pages from said closed position to said open position or from said open position to said closed position; and

e. means connected to said sound generating means for selectively activating said sound generating means from one of said sound activation states to another upon pivoting said pages from said closed position to said opened position or from said opened position to said closed position.

30. An activated work comprising:

a. at least two turnable pages pivotably attached at one edge of each of said pages so that said pages are pivotable from a juxtaposed closed position to an adjacent opened position;

b. a visual image display means affixed to one of said pages, said visual image display having a first visual activation state at which a visual image is not visible thereon and a second visual activation state at which a visual image including at least one word with a plurality of letters simultaneously, becomes visible thereon;

c. a sound generating means attached to said work having a first activation state at which an audible sound is not generated and a second sound activation state at which audible sounds representing said at least one word is generated after all of the letters of said at least one word appear;

d. means connected to said visual display for selectively activating said visual display means from one of said visual activation states to another upon pivoting said pages from said closed position to said open position or from said open position to said closed position; and

e. means connected to said sound generating means for selectively activating said sound generating means from one of said sound activation states to another upon pivoting said pages from said closed position to said opened position or from said opened position to said closed position.

31. An activated work comprising:

a. at least two juxtaposed turnable pages,

b. a first display affixed to at least one of said two juxtaposed turnable pages, said first display representing an object and being activateable between a visible and a nonvisible state,

c. a second display representing at least one letter associated with said first display and activateable between a visible and nonvisible state, and

d. a speech synthesizer for producing a sound represented by said at least one letter after said at least one letter of said second display is activated to a visible state.

32. A work as in claim 31 wherein:

a. said second display comprises a series of letters representing one or more words, and

b. said speech synthesizer produces sounds represented by said one or more words individually after said word of said second display is activated to a visible state.

33. A method of forming an activated work comprising the steps of:

a. pivotally attaching at least two turnable pages at one edge of each of said pages so that said pages are pivotable from a juxtaposed closed position to an adjacent opened position;

b. forming a visual image display means having areas with variable electromagnetic radiation absorption characteristics;

c. affixing said visual image display means to one of said pages, such that said visual image display has a first visual activation state at which a visual image is essentially not visible and a second visual activation state at which said visual image is visible;

d. attaching, to said work, a sound generating means having a first sound activation state at which an audible sound is not generated and the second sound activation state at which an audible sound is generated;

e. connecting, to said visual display, means for selectively activating said visual display from one of said visual activation states to another upon pivoting said pages from said closed position to said opened position or from said opened position to said closed position; and

f. connecting, to said sound generating means, means for selectively activating said sound generating means from one of said sound activation states to another upon pivoting said pages from said closed position to said open position or from said open position to said closed position.

34. A method as in claim 33 further including the steps of:

a. forming a power source for selectively activating said sound generating means; and

b. attaching said power source for being energized whenever the preceding page is turned to its opened position and for being de-energized whenever the preceding page is returned to its closed position.

35. A method as in claim 33 further including the step of attaching a power source for being coupled to said means for activating said visual display and said sound generating means whenever said pages are opened, and for being uncoupled from said means for activating said visual display and said sound generating means whenever said pages are closed.

36. A method as in claim 35 further comprising the steps of:

a. forming a battery on said work as said power supply, and

b. interposing a switch between said battery and said means for activating said visual display and said sound generating means by opening and closing said pages.

37. A method as in claim 35 further comprising the step of coupling a photovoltaic cell to said visual display means and said sound generating means so that a voltage is generated when said pages are opened and said photovoltaic material is exposed to light.

38. A method as in claim 36 or 37 comprising the step of forming a greeting card of said work.

39. A method as in claim 33 comprising the steps of:

a. forming said second visual activation state of a series of sequentially occurring letters to form at least one word of a message; and

b. forming said second sound activation state by producing sound representing each letter in conjunction with its visual appearance.

40. A method of forming an activated work comprising the steps of:

a. pivotally attaching at least two turnable pages at one edge of each of said pages so that said pages are pivotable from a juxtaposed closed position to an adjacent opened position;

b. affixing a visual image display means to one of said pages, such that said visual image display has a first visual activation state at which a visual image is essentially not visible and a second visual activation state at which said visual image is visible thereon;

c. attaching, to said work, a speech synthesizer means having a first speech activation state at which audible speech is not generated and the second speech activation state at which audible speech is generated;

d. connecting, to said visual display, means for selectively activating said visual display from one of said visual activation states to another a time delayed period after moving said pages from said closed position to said opened position or from said opened position to said closed position; and

e. connecting, to said speech synthesizer means, means for selectively activating said speech synthesizer means from one of said speech activation states to another upon pivoting said pages from said closed position to said opened position or from said opened position to said closed position.

41. A method as in claim 40 further comprising the steps of:

a. forming a semiconductor chip for producing electrical impulses convertible into simulated human speech, and

b. connecting an electronically activated speaker to said semiconductor chip for receiving said electrical impulses and converting the impulses into sound simulating human speech.

42. A method of forming an activated work comprising the steps of:

a. pivotably attaching at least two turnable pages at one edge of each of said pgges so that said pages are pivotable from a juxtaposed closed position to an adjacent opened position;

b. affixing a visual image display means to one of said page, said visual image display having a first visual activation state at which a visual image is not visible thereon and a second visual activation state at which a visual image is visible thereon;

c. forming said second visual activation state of a series of sequentially occurring letters to form at least one word of a message;

d. attaching, to said work, a sound generating means having a first activation state at which an audible sound is not generated and a second activation state at which an audible sound is generated;

e. forming said second sound activation state for producing sound representing each letter in conjunction with its visual appearance;

f. connecting, to said visual display, means for selectively activating said visual display from one of said visual activation states to another upon pivoting said pages from said closed position to said opened position or from said opened position to said closed position;

g. connecting, to said sound generating means, means for selectively activating said sound generating means from one of said sound activation states to another upon pivoting said pages from said closed position to said opened position or from said opened position to said closed position; and

h. forming said sound generating means for producing sound representing said at least one word after all of said letters of each word visually appear.

43. A method of forming an activated work comprising the steps of:

a. pivotally attaching at least two turnable pages at one edge of each of said pages so that said pages are pivotable from a juxtaposed closed position to an adjacent opened position;

b. affixing a visual image display means to one of said page, said visual image display having a first visual activation state at which a visual image is not visible thereon and a second visual activation state at which a visual image is visible thereon;

c. forming said second visual activation state of at least one word including a plurality of letters simultaneously appearing;

d. attaching, to said work, a sound generating means having a first activation state at which an audible sound is not generated and the second activation state at which an audible sound is generated;

e. forming said second sound activation state by producing sound representing each word after all of the letters of each word appear;

f. connecting, to said visual display, means for selectively activating said visual display from one of said visual activation states to another upon pivoting said pages from said closed position to said opened position or from said opened position to said closed position; and

g. connecting, to said sound generating means, means for selectively activating said sound generating means from one of said sound activation states to another upon pivoting said pages from said closed position to said opened position or from said opened position to said closed position.

44. A method of forming an activated work comprising:

a. coupling at least two turnable pages in juxtaposed relationship,

b. forming a first visual display of a scene, which display is activateable between a visible and nonvisible state,

c. forming a second visual display of at least one letter associated with said first display, and

d. forming a sound generating means for producing a sound represented by said at least one letter after it is visually displayed.

45. A method as in claim 44 further including the steps of:

a. forming a series of letters representing one or more words as said second display, and

b. for producing sound represented by said one or more words individually after each word is displayed by said second visual display means.

46. An activated work comprising:

a. at least two turnable pages;

b. at least one of said turnable pages having a fixed scene on a side thereof facing another of said at least two turnable pages;

c. at least one second scene added to and interposed with said fixed scene comprising areas thereof which are formed of a material having variable electromagnetic radiation absorption characteristics and being essentially invisible in a first state and visible in an electrically changed state;

d. a speech synthesizer which is silent in a first activation state and which produces an audible synthesized voice corresponding to at least a portion of said fixed or said second scene in a second activation state;

e. means on said work for producing an electrical signal when said one page is turned from a juxtaposed relationship with said other page;

f. means for coupling said electrical signal to said areas of said second scene by turning said one page from a juxtaposed relationship with said other page such that said areas of said second scene are independently, distinctly and reversibly changed from said invisible state to said visible state; and

g. means for coupling said electrical signal to said speech synthesizer by turning said one page from its juxtaposed relationship with said other page such that said audible simulated voice corresponding to at least a portion of said fixed or said second scene is selectably activated from said first activation state to said second activation state.