Interactive greeting card

• US 9,751,007 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2016
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Greetings Corporation
• Original Assignee: American Greetings Corporation
• Inventors: Mayer, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US15/199,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20160375359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 4012401
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/241 Touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/247 audible, e.g. using a loudspeaker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0628 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/02 Shooting or hurling games throwing-implements for sports or recreational use A63B65/00; throwing or projecting toys per se A63H33/18; gun simulators F41A33/00, e.g. light- or radiation-emitting guns F41A33/02; practice apparatus for gun-aiming F41G3/26, e.g. using a light-emitting device F41G3/2616; targets, target ranges, bullet catchers F41J, photo-electric hit-detector systems F41J5/02
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/02 Postcards; Greeting, menu, business or like cards; Letter cards or letter-sheets B42D25/00 takes precedence; envelopes B65D27/00
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/022 combined with permanently fastened sound-producing or light-emitting means or carrying sound records
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/027 combined with permanently fastened other articles, e.g. photographs
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/042 Foldable cards or sheets B42D15/045 and B42D15/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/045 Multi-part cards or sheets, i.e. combined with detachably mounted articles
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0002 using resistive RAM [RRAM] elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0026 Bit-line or column circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0028 Word-line or row circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2213/71 Three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/02 Disposition of storage elements, e.g. in the form of a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/82 to produce devices, e.g. integrated circuits, each consisting of a plurality of components
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 63/20 comprising selection components having two electrodes, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 63/34 : of the vertical channel field-effect transistor type
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 63/845 : the switching components being connected to a common vertical conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/023 : by chemical vapor deposition, e.g. MOCVD, ALD
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/231 : based on solid-state phase change, e.g. between amorphous and crystalline phases, Ovshinsky effect
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/235 : between different crystalline phases, e.g. cubic and hexagonal
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/24 : based on migration or redistribution of ionic species, e.g. anions, vacancies
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/245 : the species being metal cations, e.g. programmable metallization cells
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/823 : adapted for essentially horizontal current flow, e.g. bridge type devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8418 : adapted for focusing electric field or current, e.g. tip-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8822 : Sulfides, e.g. CuS
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8825 : Selenides, e.g. GeSe
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8828 : Tellurides, e.g. GeSbTe
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8833 : Binary metal oxides, e.g. TaOx
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8836 : Complex metal oxides, e.g. perovskites, spinels
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8845 : Carbon or carbides

Abstract

An integral greeting card/game is disclosed wherein a multi-panel greeting card also serves as a game board and is combined with a game piece and launch mechanism to create a novel, interactive greeting card. The multi-panel greeting card contains a sound module therein and a magnetic trigger is contained and concealed below one or more of the multiple greeting card panels. The game piece contains a magnet therein so that when the game piece comes into contact with the area of the greeting card above or proximate to the magnetic trigger, playback of an audio file is initiated. In one embodiment, the game piece is operative to interact with a touch screen of a mobile device.

Claims

1. An interactive greeting card, comprising:

a greeting card body;

an article removably attached to the greeting card body; and

a launch mechanism attached to the greeting card body and configured to move the article relative to the greeting card body,

wherein the article is operative to communicate with an application operable on a digital device via a touch screen of the digital device.

2. The interactive greeting card of claim 1, wherein the touch screen is operative to display a target, and the target is configured to interact with the article.

3. The interactive greeting card of claim 2, wherein the launch mechanism is operative to move the article onto the target.

4. The interactive greeting card of claim 2, wherein the article triggers action by the digital device by landing on the target.

5. The interactive greeting card of claim 2, wherein the target comprises a moving target displayed on the touch screen.

6. The interactive greeting card of claim 2, wherein:

the target comprises a first location on the touch screen and a second location on the touch screen different from the first location,

the article triggers a first action by the digital device by landing on the first location, and

the article triggers a second action by the digital device by landing on the second location.

7. The interactive greeting card of claim 1, wherein a component of the article completes a circuit with the touch screen when the article communicates with the digital device.

8. The interactive greeting card of claim 1, wherein the application comprises a web-based application, and the article is configured to unlock the web-based application stored on the digital device, the application being unplayable on the digital device until the application is unlocked using the article.

9. An interactive greeting card, comprising:

a greeting card body;

an article removably attached to the greeting card body, the article having at least one component configured to communicate with a touch screen of a digital device; and

a launch mechanism attached to the greeting card body and operative to propel the article onto the touch screen,

wherein the article is operative to unlock access to a web-based application via the digital device.

10. The interactive greeting card of claim 9, further including first instructions associated with launching the application on the digital device, the application providing second instructions associated with unlocking access to the application using the article.

11. The interactive greeting card of claim 9, wherein the article is operative to interact with the mobile application, via the touch screen, once access to the application has been unlocked using the article.

12. The interactive greeting card of claim 9, wherein the application displays a video or a still image on the touch screen at least partly in response to the article contacting the touch screen.

13. The interactive greeting card of claim 9, wherein contact between the article and a first location on the touch screen triggers a first action by the digital device, and contact between the article and a second location on the touch screen triggers a second action by the digital device.

14. The interactive greeting card of claim 9, wherein once access to the application has been unlocked using the article, the application provides access to a plurality of different games via the digital device.

15. An interactive greeting card, comprising:

a greeting card body;

an article removably attached to the greeting card body; and

a launch mechanism attached to the greeting card body and configured to move the article relative to the greeting card body,

wherein contact between the article and a touch screen of a mobile electronic device unlocks a web-based application so that a user is free to use the application via the mobile electronic device.

16. The interactive greeting card of claim 15, wherein the application comprises at least one game having a target displayed by the touch screen.

17. The interactive greeting card of claim 16, wherein interaction between the article and the target displayed by the touch screen results in a response by the application.

18. The interactive greeting card of claim 15, wherein the launch mechanism is removably attached to the greeting card body, and is connected to a spring-loaded mechanism of the greeting card body,

the launch mechanism being configured to pivot, relative to the greeting card body, about a pivot point.

19. The interactive greeting card of claim 15, wherein the article comprises at least one of a digital watermark, a QR code, an augmented reality marker, printed electronics, foil stamping, and conductive foam configured to communicate with the touch screen.

20. The interactive greeting card of claim 15, wherein contact between the article and a first location on the touch screen causes a first response by the application, and contact between the article and a second location on the touch screen causes a second response by the application.