Resting place marker with audio system

• US 5,404,343 A
• Filed: 10/05/1992
• Issued: 04/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: APSM, Inc.
• Original Assignee: APSM, Inc.
• Inventors: Boggio, Bruce M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, TAN X
• Application Number:
  US07/956,265
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 369/19, 369/69, 369/15, 369/14, 369/20, 360/1, 360/12, 40/455, 365/45
• US Class Current: 369/19
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 13/003 Funeral monuments, grave sites curbing or markers not making part of vaults E04H13/008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

A marker such as a grave stone or tombstone for visually identifying the resting place of the remains of a once living entity, with the marker preferably having a location for written information to be applied thereto for specifically identifying the remains. The marker includes an audio system which can audibly broadcast information relevant to or regarding the identified remains. The audible broadcast may be an epitaph, music, poems, favorite sayings, stories, voice messages to the world or loved ones, combinations thereof, and or anything which can be broadcast by an audio speaker in audible tones or voice(s). The audio system includes capabilities for electronically retrieving the information for audible broadcast from digital information stored within semiconductor electronics, and thereby electrical power consumption is kept low, as is the number of moving parts in the audio system. An electrical power supply, preferably including a photovoltaic panel, is used for electrically powering the audio system.

Claims

1. A combination of a marker for visually identifying the resting place of the remains of a once living entity, with said marker having a location for written information to be applied thereto for specifically identifying the remains, said marker further including an attached audio system having means for audibly broadcasting information relevant to the identified remains;

said marker further including an electrical power source in communication with said audio system for providing electrical power to drive said audio system, said audio system including solid-state electronic means for generating said information for audible broadcast;

said electronic means in communication with manually operable switch means for initiating the audible broadcast;

said electronic means further including binary counter means for outputting a digital signal at least in part determined by clock means for pulse rate input in communication with said counter means, said electronic means further including encoder means in communication with said counter means for receiving the digital signal from said counting means and for encoding of the digital signal, said counter means and said encoder means in communication with solid-state nonvolatile digital memory means for digitally reproducing previously stored information relevant to the identified remains;

digital to analog converting means in communication with said solid-state nonvolatile digital memory means for converting the digitally reproduced previously stored information to analog voltage;

said electronic means further including amplification means in communication with said digital to analog converting means for amplifying the analog voltage for driving speaker means in communication with said amplification means for audibly broadcasting information relevant to the identified remains.