Vocal information system

• US 6,301,513 B1
• Filed: 05/22/1996
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Voquette Network Limited
• Original Assignee: Voquette Network Limited
• Inventors: Mohr, Asaf, Divon, Ayner
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US08/651,517
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• Field of Search: 381/300, 381/332, 381/302, 381/305, 381/334, 381/389, 340/825.25, 340/825.22, 364/400.01, 455/346, 455/345, 455/344, 455/348, 455/349, 369/2, 369/10, 369/69, 369/70, 700/94, 710/13, 710/62, 710/1
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/049 Cassettes for special applications not otherwise provided for
• 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: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/205 with control bus for exchanging commands between units
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/13 radio data system/radio broadcast data system [RDS/RBDS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence

Abstract

A vocal information system with the capability of retrieving and playing digital and audio data together with an audio system and associated cassette is disclosed. The audio system includes a housing, a communication bus, a bus connector, a radio receiver and a sound player. The housing has a slot for receiving a removable digital unit. The connector connects to the bus and to the removable digital unit and the sound player is selectably connected to the outputs of the radio receiver and the removable digital unit. Furthermore, the removable digital unit includes a digital storage unit for storing data thereon, a digital interface which communicates with an external digital processor and with the digital storage unit and a digital vocalizer at least for converting data stored on the digital storage unit to audio signals. The removable digital unit can be formed as part of a cassette, such as a cassette for a tape deck, or as part of a PCMCIA card.

In a second embodiment, the audio system includes a radio receiver, a digital storage unit, a command input unit for receiving listener commands, a digital vocalizer and a sound player. The vocalizer converts data stored on the digital storage unit to audio signals and enables the listener to browse through and mark data stored in the digital storage unit. The sound player is selectably connected to the outputs of the radio receiver and the digital vocalizer.

Claims

1. A cartridge for placing into a slot of an audio system, the cartridge comprising:

a housing whose shape generally matches said slot of an audio system and which has holes to receive the rotating elements of a magnetic tape deck;

a digital storage unit located within said housing which stores digital data therein; and

electronic elements located within said housing and connected to said digital storage unit,

wherein said electronic elements comprise;

at least one audio interface which communicates with said digital storage unit and which converts at least some of said digital data stored in said digital storage unit to analog audio signals to produce sound waves through said audio system, and

at least one digital interface which communicates with said digital storage unit and with an external digital storage unit.