Greeting card with electronic sound recording

• US 5,063,698 A
• Filed: 11/28/1988
• Issued: 11/12/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daryl Ivey, Ellen B. Johnson
• Original Assignee: Daryl Ivey, Ellen B. Johnson
• Inventors: Ivey, Daryl, Johnson, Ellen B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hakomaki, J.
• Application Number:
  US07/277,480
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 40/124.1, 40/455, 40/902, 206/232, 379/63, 379/88, 379/91, 379/144, 379/357, 340/825.34, 235/380, 235/381
• US Class Current: 40/124.03
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/022 combined with permanently fastened sound-producing or light-emitting means or carrying sound records
• 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: Y10S 40/902 Circuit control, e.g. flashing light

Abstract

In one embodiment, the personalized greeting card includes an independent, detachable, electronic memory device that stores electronic signals, a mechanism for retrieving the electronic signals from the memory device, a voice synthesizer which obtains these electronic signals and produces audible sounds representative of the personalized message, and a switch that controls the retrieving device and the voice synthesizer. Prior to incorporating the memory device in the card, an EPROM translation machine converts the personalized message obtained from the sender of the card into appropriate electronic signals and stores those representative electronic signals in the memory device. The memory device is then detached from the EPROM and mounted in the circuitry disposed in the greeting card.

Claims

1. The method of creating an individually personalized greeting card assembly including a carrier portion with an electronic sound recording embodying a personalized message, comprising the steps of:

communicating by telephone from a remote location with a programmed answering machine at a centralized location and establising a telephone circuit between the locations, said machine being programmed to provide spaced sets of outgoing messages and receive spaced sets of incoming messages,

communicating from the centralized location to the remote location a first set of outgoing messages advising that upon a certain audible signal, the user should provide billing information including identity, address, and telephone number,

recording said billing information provided by the user via telephone from the remote location at the centralized location,

communicating a second set of instructions from the centralized location requesting information as to the identity and address of the intended recipient of the card,

recording said recipient information provided by the user via telephone from the remote location at the centralized location,

communicating a third set of instructions from the centralized location via telephone to the remote location advising the user of data about the type of message which can be provided upon an audible signal,

recording the message given via telephone from the remote location to the centralized location,

preparing an appropriate greeting card including the steps of;

converting said personalized message stored in the answering machine from an auditory state into representative electronic signals including inputing the electronic signals in an erasable programmable read-only translation means,

processing the electronic signals in an integrated circuit carrier, and storing and fixing said electronic signals in a memory integrated circuit,

detaching the memory integrated circuit and electrically connecting the memory integrated circuit in a circuit means including a voice synthesizer means, controller means, timer means, battery means, and a normally open switch means, and

attaching said circuit means to said card assembly carrier portion with a switch means accessible for closing the circuit means.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of delivering said card assembly to said recipient, closing the switch means, and

converting the stored electronic signals into audible sounds representing the stored electronic signals and comprising the personalized message.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of preparing a bill at the centralized location and forwarding same to the user of the method.