FR2631148A1 - INFORMATION CARRYING DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is an information carrier device capable of storing and reproducing information in speech form. The device can be implemented in the form of a telegram form 10 which has a board 12 serving as a sheet-like carrier, a printed circuit board 14 serving as a substrate, a message control circuit 16 serving as a control circuit of information. The message control circuit includes a memory device 26 for digitizing and storing a voice message, a voice output mechanism 28 for reading the message and transforming it into a voice signal, and a voice output mechanism. switch 30 for actuating the voice output mechanism.

Description

The present invention relates to an information-carrying device and,

  more particularly, an information-carrying device which is designed to store and reproduce any

  desired information in voice form.

  In the prior art, the transmission of information by telegram is generally carried out in such a way that letters and numbers constituting a message are transformed into an electrical signal allowing the transmission, then are re-transformed into letters and numbers which are carried. then on a telegram form, and are finally delivered to its addressee. On the telegram form delivered, the message is indicated by printing only in the form of letters and numbers, so that the recipient must read it to understand its content. Therefore, a telegram formula is not able to correctly convey the feelings of the sender.

directly to the recipient.

  Recently, a musical card has been proposed as a telegram in which a recording medium mechanism comprising an integrated circuit memory is designed to record a predetermined melody as well as to indicate a telegraph message using letters and-of figures. The musical card

  has been widely used as a greeting card.

  However, the drawback of the music card is that the number of melodies recorded on a similar music card is limited to one. In addition, the music card is not in

  able to deliver a message in the form of a voice. Therefore

  quent, the music card is limited to a specific use, for

  example to express wishes on the occasion of a happy event

  is lying. It would therefore be highly desirable to develop an information-carrying device which can store and reproduce various types of desired information, such as for example

a message in voice form.

  In generous terms, it is proposed according to this

  invention an information-carrying device. The device

  generally carries a sheet-like support, a sub-

  strat arranged on the support and an information control circuit

  tion placed on the substrate. The information control circuit includes a power supply, a memory device for storing information in voice form which has been converted into a digital signal, an output mechanism producing a voice signal which makes it possible to read the information stored in the storage device and converting it into a voice signal for reproduction, and a switching mechanism for activating the signal producing output mechanism

vocal.

  It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device

  bearer of information who is able to store and reproduce

  duire various types of information desired in voice form.

  Another object of the invention is to provide a device

  bearer of information who is able to transmit

precise information.

  Another object of the invention is to provide a device

  bearer of information who is able to transmit to a destination

  native the sender's feelings in an appropriate way and

realistic.

  Another object of the invention is to provide a device

  carrier of information which is suitable for many uses.

  The following description, intended as an illustration of

  the invention aims to give a better understanding of its characteristics and advantages; it is based on the accompanying drawings, in which identical reference numbers designate identical or analogous parts, and which include: - Figure 1 is a plan view showing a mode of

  creation of an information-carrying device according to the invention

tion;

  - Figure 2 is a bottom view showing a party.

  essential of the embodiment of Figure 1;

  - Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the function

  tction of the embodiment of Figure 1; and - Figure 4 is a graph showing the relationship which

  exists between the vocal range and the acoustic energy.

  As indicated briefly above, an information-carrying device according to the invention generally comprises a support made of

  sheet form, a substrate disposed on said support, and a circle

  information control circuit, where the information control circuit

  mation includes a power supply, a memory device

  station used to store information in voice form after

  conversion into a digital signal, a production output mechanism

  voice signal generator for reading information stored in the memory device and converting it into a voice signal for reproduction, and a switching mechanism for

  activate the voice signal output mechanism.

  The following description will be made in relation to a

  telegram formula constituting an embodiment of the information

  vention, but, however, the invention is not limited to a sem-

blable telegram formula.

  The telegram formula of the illustrated embodiment, which is designated as a whole by the reference number 10 in Figure 1, comprises a sheet-shaped body 12, a printed circuit board 14 arranged on the body-shaped

  sheet 12 and an audio control circuit (audio control

  frequencies) 16 disposed on the printed circuit board 14, these elements being respectively - illustrative of the broader concepts of sheet-like support, substrate and circuit

  control of information of the invention.

  The sheet-shaped body 12 can be provided with a space 18 in which a telegraph message can be presented to the

  by means of letters, numbers, etc., as may be desired

  table. In the embodiment shown, the body 12 in the form

  of sheet may include a card having a section indicated

  tion 19 used to carry information and an envelope section which closes in a fold 22 so as to cover the indication section 19 while being able to be reopened. However, it can be a card without this envelope section, which is

  formed so as to be housed in a bag or box, a packaging

  cardboard, plastic sheet, etc. In addition, the sheet-shaped body 12 can be made of any suitable material, for example a natural material or a synthetic material. In addition, the material of the sheet-shaped body 12 is not limited to paper. The sheet-shaped body 12 can be decorated by printing using a drawing, a pattern, etc. According to another possibility, it can be decorated with any accessory element such as compressed and dried flowers, dry leaves, etc. In the embodiment shown, the printed circuit board 14 is arranged on the indication section 19 of the sheet-shaped body 12. The printed circuit board 14 can be mounted on the body 12 in the form of a sheet by gluing and, alternatively, fixing and can be permanently covered with the aid of a covering sheet 23. However, when a sensor

  photoelectric for the switching circuit of the

  information request according to the invention,: the covering sheet 23

  will be equipped, at the level of the part corresponding to the photo-

  electric, from a window. It is also possible to eliminate the covering sheet 23 as a function of the sheet-shaped body 12 and, alternatively, of the printed circuit board 14. The printed circuit board 14 can be received in the body 12 in

  sheet form so as to be sandwiched therein.

  In this case, the covering sheet is no longer necessary.

  The audio control circuit 16 is arranged on the sub-

  strat, or printed circuit board 14, having the above structure

  above described. The audio control circuit 16 includes a

  electrical information 24 used to supply electricity to the

  positive, i.e. the telegram formula, 10, a device

  storage device with integrated circuit 26 used to store a message

  wise in voice form which has been converted to a digital signal, a voice output mechanism 28 for reading information and

  convert to a voice signal, and a switching mechanism

  before activating the voice output mechanism 28.

  The power supply 24 may for example comprise a battery 32, such as a lithium battery, detachably held in a conductive receptacle 34 having terminals

positive and negative.

  The integrated circuit storage device 26 is

  designed to digitally transmit an analog-

  gic representing the voice of a user, or sender, by

  delta modulation and keep it in memory. This allows storage

  the message indicated on the indication space 18 also sine in the storage device 26 also in the form of the sender's own voice. As an integrated circuit storage device 26, non-volatile memory can be used, for example a read only memory (ROM). Thus, one can conveniently use for this purpose a

  electrically programmable read only memory (EPROM) with a capacity

  storage city from 16 to 512 Kb, or mime of 1Mb or more.

  To introduce the voice signal into the device

  memorization with integrated circuit 26, it is possible to carry out the recording

  voice on a magnetic tape in analog form, the

  submit to a delta modulation (DM) or a suitable delta modulation

  tative (ADM) using a modulator in order to obtain a digital signal which must be coded, then write it on a ROM card

  using a private ROM writing device. A similar sys-

  encoded conversion tem is not limited to the example above

  described. According to another example, any other module can be used.

  appropriate tion, such as pulse code modulation (PCM),

  differential pulse code modulation (DPCM), the modu-

  Adaptive differential pulse code lation, etc. Linen-

  The voice signal transmission range is as shown in Figure 4 and, therefore, the relationship between the ability to

  storage and duration of recording in a modu-

  Delta delation, for example, will be as shown in the

table 1.

263 1 1 48

  TABLE 1: relationship between Storage capacity and Recording time (s) Storage capacity 64K <128K 256K 512K 1M 2M 4M 8M risation (bits)

Sample frequency

  lighting of the 4 8 16 32 64 128 4.2 8.4 modulation 16 kHz minutes In the embodiment shown, the voice signal output mechanism 28 may include a parallel-to-serial converter (PSC) 36 electrically connected to the

  integrated circuit storage 26, a digital converter

  analog (DAC) 38 electrically connected to the parallel series converter 36, and an electro-acoustic conversion means electrically connected to the digital-analog converter 36, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The electro-acoustic conversion means can comprise a pass filter -bas (LPF) 40 electrically connected to digital-analog converter 38,

  an amplifier (AMP) 42 electrically connected to the pass filter

  bottom 40 and a speaker 44 electrically connected to the amplifier

  tor 42, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

  The switching mechanism 30 may include a photoelectric sensor which is designed to become conductive when it picks up light at a predetermined intensity, such as for example around 50 to 200 Lx. The photoelectric sensor can be incorporated into the circuit comprising the ROM of the integrated circuit storage device 36 and be arranged on the printed circuit board 14. According to another possibility, the

  switching mechanism 30 may include a switching element

  mechanical operation whose actuation is associated with the operation of the envelope section 20 of the sheet-shaped body. For example, it can be operated via the voltage appearing

  when opening the sheet-shaped body 12.

  In the drawings, the reference numbers 46, 48 and 50 respectively denote a conducting wire, the space intended for

  the indication of an address and an address counter.

  We will now describe below the operating mode-

  The telegram formula of the embodiment shown

  having the structure described above.

  The voice of the user, or sender, received by tele-

  phone, or by analog means, is recorded on a magnetic tape in analog form, then is converted: into a digital signal intended to be coded. Then, it is stored in the integrated circuit storage device 26 disposed on the sheet-shaped body 12 by means of a ROM writing device. The telegram formula in which the message is thus stored is then delivered to a recipient. The recipient operates the switching mechanism 30 so as to activate the audio control circuit 16, so that the message, or digital signal, stored in the integrated circuit memory 26 can be demodulated and amplified via the low-pass filter. 40. Then it is delivered in the form of an analog signal by

  loudspeaker 44. Thus, a message from the sender was transmitted

  put in voice form to the recipient.

  As can be seen from what has just been

  stated, the information-carrying device according to the invention comprises

  carries an information control circuit which includes a provision

  storage location in which a digital signal obtained at

  from the analog voice signal the voice information is emma-

  gasine, an output mechanism producing a voice signal which is used to read the information stored in the storage device

  and convert it to a voice signal, and a switching mechanism

  used to activate the voice signal output mechanism.

  Consequently, the device according to Inve..tion stores and reproduces information in voice form in order to ensure its

  transmission under appropriate and realistic conditions. In by-

  In particular, the information-carrying device according to the invention can conveniently be used so that the voice message is received directly by telephone from the sender, after

26 3 1 148

  What the message is transmitted directly to the recipient in the form of a voice, so that the feelings of the sender can be actually transmitted to the recipient on the occasion of a happy event or an event of another order . In addition, the device according to the invention achieves a precise transmission of

error-free information.

  We will therefore see that the goals set out above, among those

  made evident by the foregoing description, are effectively

  achieved. Of course, those skilled in the art will be able to imagine,

  from the device whose description has just been given

  by way of illustration only and in no way limitative, various

  variants outside the scope of the invention.

Claims (11)

  1. Information carrying device, characterized in that it comprises: a sheet-shaped support (12); a substrate (14) disposed on said support; and an information control circuit (16) disposed on said substrate; said information circuit comprising a power supply (24), a storage device (26) for storing   information in voice form after conversion to digital signal   a voice output mechanism (28) for reading information   tion stored in said storage device and in con-   growing into a voice signal for reproduction, and a switching mechanism (30) for actuating said voice output mechanism. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said support (12) comprises a sheet-shaped body serving as a telegram formula.   3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said storage device puts the voice signal in digital form by delta modulation and stores it, 4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said voice output mechanism (28) comprises a parallel-series converter (36) electrically connected to said device   storage, a digital-analog converter (38) electric   only connected to said parallel-to-serial converter and an electro-acoustic conversion means (40, 42, 44) electrically connected   audit digital-analog converter.   5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said electro-acoustic conversion means comprises a low-pass filter (40) electrically connected to said digital-analog converter, an amplifier (42) electrically connected to the low-pass filter and a electrically connected speaker (44) said amplifier. 263 1 1 4 8   6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that   that said switching mechanism (30) comprises a control element   mutation which includes a photoelectric sensor.   7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said electrical supply comprises a lithium battery (32). 8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that said lithium battery is detachably held in a conductive receptor (34).   9. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said sheet-shaped body is a card comprising an indication section (19) provided with an indication space (18) for presenting a telegraph message and an envelope section ( 20) connected to said indication section so as to be able to be folded   and covering said indication section when folded.   10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that said switching mechanism comprises a switching operated in association with the actuation of said section envelope of said card.   11. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said substrate is incorporated into said sheet-shaped body of said telegram formula by gluing and, or,   fixing and is permanently coated with a covering sheet (23).