GB2272130A

GB2272130A - Compact slogan advertising device

Info

Publication number: GB2272130A
Application number: GB9309869A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew John Gosling
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-10-20
Filing date: 1993-05-13
Publication date: 1994-05-04
Also published as: GB9309869D0; GB9221953D0

Abstract

A sound storage and emitting device for advertising purposes comprises a storage means 15 for storing an electrical signal corresponding to an audible sound, a power supply (16), eg, a battery. A planar frame 10 defining an aperture 20, a planar membrane 13 extending across the aperture and supported by the frame, and a planar transducer 11, 12 attached to the membrane for converting the electrical signals to audible sound. The sound storage means (15) is programmed before insertion into the device and is replaceable. A selection of different sounds can be played by the card, e.g. promotional material for a videotape to which the device is attached, or telephone pulse code dialling tones. Up to 60 seconds of material may be stored. The transducer 11, 12 may be a piezoelectric device or a thin film device. <IMAGE>

Description

COMPACT SLOGAN ADVERTISING DEVICE The present invention relates to the fields of advertising and marketing and particularly, although not exclusively to compact electronic sound producing devices in licenced character merchandising.

It is conventionally known to produce greetings cards, picture books, mugs, and other novelty items containing pre-programmed sound producing devices which are activated upon opening of the card, by picking up of the mug, by pressing a contact, or by some other means of actuation. Such devices generally comprise a sound emitting device, a memory for storing a pre-programmed tune, a power supply, and a switch to activate the sound.

Conventionally, such conventional prior art sound producing devices have been limited to novelty items which play a tune or make noises such as "What's up Doc", animal noises, or simple synthesized sounds of short duration e.g. less than five seconds Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a perspective view of a conventional sound emitting device, and Figure 2 shows a cut away view of the same. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the prior art sound emitting device comprises a metallic circular plate 1 to which is bonded a piezo electric crystal 2, which is also circular. The crystal is shrouded by a chamber comprising a substantially conically shaped plastics moulding 3 having an aperture 4 positioned opposite the piezo electric crystal 2.

The shroud is a press fit over the base plate, providing good mechanical fitment thereto. Conductive wire leads 5 provide electrical connections to the base plate 1 and piezo electric crystal 2.

In use, an electrical signal is applied to the wire leads, causing the piezo electrical crystal to expand and contract at varying frequencies dependant upon the signal applied. Where the applied signal corresponds to a sound, the frequency of the electrical signal is in the acoustic range, causing the piezo electric crystal to vibrate audibly with frequencies in the range 500 Hz to 6 kHz.

The minute contractions and expansions of the piezo electric crystal are amplified by bonding of the piezo electric crystal to the base plate 1, which acts as a sounding board. The shroud 3 further serves to amplify the sound, which echoes in the cavity 5 created between the shroud and the base plate 1. The sound is emitted primarily through the aperture 4, but also generally by the shroud and base plate.

The base plate 1 and piezo electric crystal 2, will produce a sound without the aid of the shroud 3, although the sound is almost inaudible. Fitment of the shroud 3 increases the sound to approximately twice its loudness, as judged by the human ear, as compared to the bare piezo crystal and base plate without the shroud.

However, even with the shroud, the loudness of the conventional device is still small as judged by the human ear, and this effectively limits use of the device to novelty items.

Additionally, the shroud makes the device more bulky, than the bare plate and crystal.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a sound storage and emitting device comprising: storage means for storing an electrical signal corresponding to an audible sound; a substantially two dimensional or planar frame defining an aperture; a substantially two dimensional or planar membrane extending across said aperture and supported by said frame; a substantially planar transducer attached to said membrane for converting between said electrical signal and said audible sound ; and a power supply.

Preferably, the sound storage means is programmable by a separate programming means, independent of the sound storage and emitting device, such that the sound storage means is programmed before incorporation into the sound storage and emitting device.

Preferably, the sound storage means is interchangeable with any one of a plurality of other similar sound storage means, each storing a different electrical signal corresponding to a different electrical sound, such that when a particular other sound storage means is connected to the sound storage and emitting device, the transducer reproduces the corresponding different electrical sound.

Preferably the stored electrical signal corresponds to an audible sound of duration in the range 10 to 70 seconds.

Preferably, the storage means comprises a digital to analogue converted and a read only memory.

Preferably, the membrane is of a greater flexibility than said frame.

Preferably, said membrane comprises a sheet of a plastics, foam plastics, card or paper material.

Preferably, said transducer comprises a piezo electric device.

Preferably, said transducer comprises a thin film transducer device.

Preferably, the sound storage and emitting device further comprises activation means.

Said activation means may comprise a pressure switch, a photo-sensitive switch, or a moving contact switch.

The sound storage and emitting device may comprise a further membrane wherein said transducer is sandwiched between said membrane and said further membrane.

Preferably, the sound storage and emitting device is self contained and portable.

Preferably, said frame is substantially rectangular having a width not exceeding 12cm and a length not exceeding 21cm.

The frame may have a width not exceeding 6cm and a length not exceeding 9cm.

The sound storage and emitting device may be adapted for electrically storing and regenerating telephone toner pulse sounds.

The invention includes a video cassette case having a sound storage and emitting device as herein above described.

The invention includes a method of operating a sound storage and emitting device, said device comprising: storage means for storing an electrical signal corresponding to an audible sound; a substantially planar frame defining an aperture; a substantially planar membrane extending across said aperture and supported by said frame; a substantially planar transducer attached to said membrane for converting between said electrical signal and said audible sounds; and a power supply; said method comprising: storing electrically a sound material in said storage means; placing said device on display; and arranging said device means to be activatable by a person to generate said predetermined audible sound from said electrically stored sound.

Said display may comprise a video cassette box.

Said predetermined sound material may include a sound excerpt from a film or video.

The invention includes a method of operating a sound storage and emitting device, said device comprising: storage means for storing an electrical signal corresponding to an audible sound; a substantially planar frame defining an aperture; a substantially planar membrane extending across said aperture and supported by said frame; a substantially planar transducer attached to said membrane for converting between said electrical signal and said audible sound; and a power supply; said method comprising: placing said device adjacent a conventional telephone mouth piece; and arranging said device to be activatable by a person to generate said predetermined audible sound from said electrically stored sound.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 3 shows a plan view of a compact sound emitting device according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 4 shows a side view of the device of Figure 3.

Referring to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, the compact sound emitting device comprises a frame 10 of a sheet material, a sheet material membrane 13 extending across an aperture 20 in the frame, and a conventional piezo electric crystal 11 bonded to a metallic base plate 12, which is attached to the membrane 13. The sound emitting device further comprises an activation switch 14, an electronics module 15, and power supply 16.

The frame is made of a sheet material for example a plastics material, cardboard or metal. The membrane 13 is also of a sheet material which can be a thin plastics material, a metallic sheet, a plastics foam sheet, cardboard or paper. The thin membrane material is of a thickness which allows vibration of the membrane with respect to the frame 10, the frame 10 being more rigid than the flexible membrane material. The conventional piezo crystal and base plate 11, 12 are mounted to the membrane substantially centrally in the aperture. By the thin, a thickness in the range of 0.1 mm to 4mm is included.

In use, the membrane vibrates in accordance with the movements of the base plate and piezo electric crystal, and amplifies the sound. The frame is bonded to the membrane at the periphery of the aperture to restrict the movement of the membrane at the periphery.

A piezo electric crystal mounted on a base plate of diameter of the order 3cm, and a ratio of base plate diameter to aperture width of between 1:1.7 and 1:2.8 has been found advantageous, although these dimensions are not intended as being restrictive.

The specific embodiment shown in Figure 3 may produce a sound which is approximately ten times as loud, as judged by the human ear, as a bare conventional piezo crystal and plate, or around four times as loud as the prior art device shown in Figure 1, for an equal diameter of conventional base plate 12.

Thus, the specific embodiment may have an advantage over prior art that for the same size piezo electric crystal and base plate, a louder sound can be produced, or alternatively for the same loudness of sound, a smaller piezo crystal and base plate can be used.

The switch 14 may be a conventional touch sensitive switch, activated by touching the switch, a conventional movement or vibration sensitive switch, to be activated by picking up the device or by vibration near the device, a sound responsive switch to be activated in response to a sound signal, or a light activated switch, e.g. a phototransistor to be activated by light impinging on the switch.

The electronics module 15 comprises a conventional storage means for storing in an electronic form a sound signal to be reproduced, an adaptive pulse code modulation integrated circuit and digital to analog converter, for converting the stored signal into a drive signal for driving the piezo electric crystal 11 and optionally a driving amplifier for driving the crystal. The drive signal to the piezo electric crystal 11 can be activated in response to a signal from the activation switch 14.

The electronics module is powered by a battery power supply 16, but in other embodiments could be powered by other means, e.g. a solar cell.

The storage means, can be an EEPROM or a preprogrammed ROM or EPROM.

Preferably the electronics module contains a storage chip capable of storing a sound of duration 10 to 60 seconds. Conventional chips having storage capacities for sounds of 35 to 60 seconds are currently available, but it is not intended that the invention is restricted to the use of such conventional chips. Compact storage means which can hold a longer duration of sound may be incorporated into embodiments of the invention as and when available.

The piezo electric crystal and plate 11 and 12 can be replaced by a conventional thin film device, comprising a thin (eg. a few hundred microns) film of material which contracts and expands in response to an electrical signal.

The overall dimensions and shape of the frame can be selected to be of a size suitable for fitting to one side of a conventional video tape cassette box, or of a size equivalent to a standard credit card or charge card, for example around 5.4cm x 8.5cm or thereabouts in the case of credit card, or about 10cm x 17cm or smaller in the case of a frame suitable for fitment to a video tape box.

However, it is not intended that embodiments of the invention are restricted to these sizes, and for other applications, e.g. posters etc, the external dimensions may be varied to suit the application.

Where the device is fitted to a case of a video cassette, for example one used in video rental shops for renting videos of films, pop music videos etc, the sound storage chip can be pre-programmed with an excerpt of selected dialogue, theme music, or other promotional material relating to the particular film in question.

Upon handling of the video box, or upon opening of the box, the excerpt of a duration in the range of 20 to 60 seconds or more, will be played as a means of advertising the film to a prospective renter or purchaser. In the case of a pop music video, excerpts of the song or songs in question may be played, together with any other promotional or advertising voice-overs. The sound may be activated by a pressure or displacement switch, an optically sensitive switch, or a sound sensitive switch.

In the case of a video box, the device may be incorporated into a lid of the box, and the lid may form a frame to hold the membrane and piezo electric or thin film transducer. The device may be concealed under a plastics cover material forming part of the box.

Where the device has a frame of similar size to a credit card, upon activation by, for example, pressing part of the credit card comprising the switch 14, a preprogrammed tone pulse stored on the storage chip may be played. In use of this embodiment, the credit card sized sound emitting device may be held near to a telephone mouth piece, to transmit a tone pulse signal down a telephone line. Such an embodiment may find use for addressing on-line telephone services, for example share price information, racing information etc., through telephone sets which are connected to non-digital exchanges.

In another credit card sized embodiment, a key pad may be provided on a reverse side of the credit card, for example a substantially two-dimensional touch sensitive pad having numbers 0 to 9 and/or letters or key pads for dedicated functions, to generate tone pulse information to send via the telephone line. Information entered through the key pad may be in addition to or instead of information stored on the storage memory chip.

Whilst a substantially rectangular aperture has been shown in Figure 3, other embodiments of the present invention may have circular, oval, octagonal or any other suitably shaped aperture, and the overall shape of the device whilst remain substantially two dimensional, may be similarly configured.

A further membrane may be provided and the piezo electric or thin film transducer may be sandwiched between the membrane and further membrane for protection of the transducer.

Specific embodiments of the present invention may provide an inexpensive and convenient means for marketing and advertising videos through playing sound excerpts of films and other recorded material at point of consumer selection.

The embodiments may be incorporated into video tape boxes, posters or other promotional displays to be activated by any of a variety of aforesaid means.

Specific embodiments of the present invention may provide a convenient means of storing and/or transmitting tone pulse dialling information along conventional telephone lines.

Specific embodiments of the present invention may provide an advantage of increased sound output for a given size of conventional piezo electric or thin film device than hitherto available in a compact format, or may enable a reduction in size and power requirement of a conventional piezo electric or thin film sound generating device for a given required sound output.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A sound storage and emitting device comprising: storage means for storing an electrical signal corresponding to an audible sound; a substantially two dimensional or planar frame defining an aperture; a substantially two dimensional or planar membrane extending across said aperture and supported by said frame; a substantially planar transducer attached to said membrane for converting between said electrical signal and said audible sound; and a power supply.

2. A sound storage and emitting device according to claim 1, in which the sound storage means is programmable by a separate programming means, independent of the sound storage and emitting device, such that the sound storage means is programmed before incorporation into the sound storage and emitting device.

3. A sound storage and emitting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sound storage means is interchangeable with any one of a plurality of other similar sound storage means, each storing a different electrical signal corresponding to a different electrical sound, such that when a particular other sound storage means is connected to the sound storage and emitting device, the transducer reproduces the corresponding different electrical sound.

4. A sound storage and emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the stored electrical signal corresponds to an audible sound of duration in the range 35 to 66 seconds.

5. A sound storage and emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the storage means comprises a digital to analogue converted and a read only memory.

6. A sound storage and emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said membrane is of a greater flexibility than said frame.

7. A sound storage and emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which said membrane comprises a sheet of a plastics, foam plastics, card or paper material.

8. A sound storage and emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which said transducer comprises a piezo electric device.

9. A sound storage and emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which said transducer comprises a thin film transducer device.

10. A sound storage and emitting device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising activation means.

11. A sound storage and emitting device according to claim 10, wherein said activation means comprises a pressure switch, a photo-sensitive switch, or a moving contact switch.

12. A sound storage and emitting device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a further membrane wherein said transducer is sandwiched between said membrane and said further membrane.

13. A sound storage and emitting device according to any one of the preceding claims, which is self contained and portable.

14. A sound storage and emitting device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which said frame is substantially rectangular having a width not exceeding 12cm and a length not exceeding 21cm.

15. A sound storage and emitting device according to claim 14, wherein said frame has width not exceeding 6cm and a length not exceeding 9cm.

16. A sound storage and emitting device according to any one of the preceding claims, adapted for electrically storing and regenerating telephone toner pulse sounds.

17. A video cassette case having a sound storage and emitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. A method of operating a sound storage and emitting device, said device comprising: storage means for storing an electrical signal corresponding to an audible sound; a substantially planar frame defining an aperture; a substantially planar membrane extending across said aperture and supported by said frame; a substantially planar transducer attached to said membrane for converting between said electrical signal and said audible sounds; and a power supply; said method comprising: storing electrically a sound material in said storage means; placing said device on display; and arranging said device means to be activatable by a person to generate said predetermined audible sound from said electrically stored sound.

19. A method according to claim 18, in which said display comprises a video cassette box.

20. A method according to claim 18 or 19, in which said predetermined sound material includes a sound excerpt from a film or video.

21. A method of operating a sound storage and emitting device, said device comprising: storage means for storing an electrical signal corresponding to an audible sound; a substantially planar frame defining an aperture; a substantially planar membrane extending across said aperture and supported by said frame; a substantially planar transducer attached to said membrane for converting between said electrical signal and said audible sound; and a power supply; said method comprising: placing said device adjacent a conventional telephone mouth piece; and arranging said device to be activatable by a person to generate said predetermined audible sound from said electrically stored sound.

22. A sound storage and emitting device substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

23. A method of operating a sound storage and emitting device, said method substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.