GB2278949A

GB2278949A - Greeting card with audio message facility.

Info

Publication number: GB2278949A
Application number: GB9311958A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Benjamin Hui
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-06-10
Filing date: 1993-06-10
Publication date: 1994-12-14
Also published as: GB9311958D0

Abstract

A greetings card 1 has apparatus including non-volatile audio recording means 4 mounted thereon. The apparatus further comprises: a first switch S1 for activating the audio recording means 4 to record audio data or replay recorded audio data; and a second, manually operable switch S2 which, in a first state thereof, causes the audio recording means 4 to record audio data on activation by the first switch and, in a second state thereof, causes the audio recording means 4 to replay recorded audio data on activation by the first switch. The first switch S1 is preferably arranged to activate the audio recording means 4 when the card is opened, and comprises an insulating tab 5 attached 6 to the front portion 3a of the card, which tab slides out from between electrical contacts (Fig 4) on opening of the card to make the circuit. The apparatus is retained in a pocket in the card, preferably formed between two sections 3b, 3c of a two fold sheet. The second switch S2 is preferably a membrane switch normally biased to cause data to be replayed from the memory. <IMAGE>

Description

GREETINGS CARDS This invention relates to greetings cards such as may be used to convey a message, eg good wishes, an invitation or any other type of message, to a recipient.

According to the present invention there is provided a greetings card having apparatus including audio recording means mounted thereon, the apparatus comprising: a first switch for activating the audio recording means to record audio data or replay recorded audio data; and a second, manually operable switch which, in a first state thereof, causes the audio recording means to record audio data on activation by the first switch and, in a second state thereof, causes the audio recording means to replay recorded audio data on activation by the first switch.

The sender of a card in accordance with the invention can record their own personal message to the recipient of the card in addition to any other printed or written message applied to the card. The message recorded by the sender can then be replayed on receipt of the card.

It is preferred that the second switch is biased into the second state thereof such that manual pressure applied against the bias is required for the switch to assume the first state thereof. Thus, in the normal mode of operation when no manual pressure is applied to the second switch, the audio recording means will operate to replay a recorded message each time the first switch is activated. This reduces the likelihood that a recorded message will be inadvertently recorded over by a recipient rather than replayed. It is further preferred that the first switch is arranged to activate the audio recording means when the card is opened. In this case, when a message is originally to be recorded, the second switch must be manually operated prior to opening the card. Thereafter, the recorded message will be replayed automatically each time the card is opened.

The first switch may comprise a pair of electrical contacts mounted on one side of a fold in the card, and a tab connected to the card on the other side of the fold so as to be movable relative to the contacts as the card is opened and closed, the tab being arranged to cause electrical connection of the contacts when the card is opened to activate the audio recording means. For example, the electrical contacts may comprise a fixed contact and a spring contact, positioned over and biased towards the fixed contact1 and the tab may be an insulating tab which is received between the contacts and arranged to move on opening the card to allow the spring contact to connect with the fixed contact, thereby activating the audio recording means. The tab may conveniently be connected to the inside of the front page of the card.

The second switch is preferably mounted on the inside of the card at or near a corner of the card remote from the fold about which the front page of the card pivots on opening the card. This reduces the likelihood of the second switch being inadvertently activated by a recipient opening the card while allowing convenient access to the second switch prior to opening the card when it is desired to record a message. The second switch may be, for example, a membrane switch, manual depression of the membrane causing the switch to assume the first state thereof.

The audio recording means is conveniently mounted inside a pocket formed in the card. In a particularly simple and convenient arrangement, the card is formed by folding an elongate piece of card into three substantially equal portions, the audio recording means being mounted in a pocket formed by folding and fixing an end portion over the central portion, the other end portion forming the front page of the card.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a finished greetings card embodying the invention with the card in the open position; Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the greetings card of Figure 1 in the unfinished condition illustrating the construction thereof; Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of the apparatus mounted on the card of Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is a schematic enlarged view of a first switch of the apparatus mounted on the card.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the greetings card, generally indicated at 1, embodying the invention is formed by folding an elongate piece of card along folds, or creases, 2a and 2b into three substantially equal portions 3a, 3b and 3c. Mounted on the card 1 are a first switch S1, a second switch S2, and audio recording means 4 for recording and replaying audio data. As shown in Figure 3, the audio recording means 4, and the switches S1 and S2 are fixed, for example by adhesive, to the central portion 3b of the card. The switch S1, which will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 4, includes an insulating tab 5 which is connected at one end to the inside surface of the front page 3a of the card 1 by means of adhesive tape 6.In the finished card as shown in Figure 1, the switches S1 and S2 and the audio recording means 4 are enclosed within the pocket formed by folding the end portion 3c onto the central portion 3b of the card.

The end portion 3c is fixed to the central portion 3b by means of adhesive.

In the finished card of Figure 1, the tab 5 extends across the fold 2a and is freely movable in a direction perpendicular to the fold 2a as the card is opened or closed by pivoting the front page 3a about the fold 2a. The surface of the portion 3c which is positioned over the switch S2 in the finished card may be marked with words or other indicia 7 to indicate the position of the switch S2 to a user.

Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of the switch S1 which activates the recording means 4 in use. The switch S1 comprises a pair of electrical contacts: a fixed contact 8 and a spring contact 9. The spring contact 9 is positioned over, and biased towards, the fixed contact 8. The spring contact 9 has a depression 10 therein for connecting with the fixed contact 8sin use. One end of the insulating tab 5 of the switch S1 has a slot 11 therein and is received between the contacts 8 and 9.

Figure 4 shows the configuration of the switch S1 with the card in the open position as shown in Figure 1. In this position, the insulating tab 5 is retracted so that the slot 11 in the tab 5 is aligned with the depression 10 in the spring contact 9 so that, by virtue of the bias of the spring contact 9, the depression 10 makes an electrical connection with the fixed contact 8. On connection of the contacts 8 and 9, the audio recording means 4 is activated as will be described hereinafter.

Since the tab 5 is fixed at one end to the front page 3a of the card 1, when the card is closed the tab 5 will move in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 4 so that the inner edge of the slot 11 moves beneath the depression 10 in the spring contact 9. Thus, the spring contact 9 moves, against its bias, away from the fixed contact 8 as the tab 5 is raised between the contacts, so that the audio recording means 4 is deactivated when the card 1 is closed.

On connection of the contacts 8, 9 of the switch S1 when the card is opened, the audio recording means 4 is activated either to record audio data or replay recorded audio data. The mode of operation of the audio recording means on activation by the switch S1 is determined by the state of the switch S2 as will now be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example of the connection of the switches S1 and S2 with the audio recording means 4 mounted on the card. The audio recording means 4 comprises a microphone 12 to pick up a spoken message to be recorded, and a loudspeaker 13 to replay a recorded message. The microphone 12 and loudspeaker 13 are connected to an audio memory and controller 14.

The audio memory and controller 14 controls the storage of audio data received by the microphone 12 in a non-volatile memory thereof and the reproduction of data stored in the memory for replay via the loudspeaker 13. The audio memory and controller 14 is connected in a circuit with the switch S1 and batteries 15 which supply the necessary power to the controller 14 when the switch S1 is closed The switch S2 is also connected to the controller 14 as shown in the figure. The state of the switch S2 when the switch S1 is closed determines whether the controller 14 operates to record audio data received by the microphone 12 or replay recorded audio data via the loudspeaker 13. The switch S2 in this example is a membrane switch which is normally biased so that the switch is open.In this state, the audio memory and controller 14 will cause a recorded audio message to be replayed when activated by closure of the switch S1. When the switch 52 is closed, the audio memory and controller 14 will cause an audio message received by the microphone 12 to be recorded in its memory when activated by closure of the switch S1.

The audio memory and controller 14 may be provided by an audio processor integrated circuit which is mounted together with the microphone 12, batteries 15 and the contacts 8 and 9 of the switch S1 on a printed circuit board, the loudspeaker 13 and switch S2 being connected to the controller 14 by suitable wires.

The card 1 described above is used as follows. When it is desired to record a message, the switch S2 is depressed by the user without opening the card. As shown in Figure 1, the switch S2 is conveniently positioned towards the bottom right hand corner of the card to allow the user to pinch the switch S2 without opening the card sufficiently to trigger the switch S1. Keeping the switch S2 depressed, ie in the closed state, the card is opened so that the tab 5 moves out from between the contacts 8 and 9 of the switch S1, closing the switch S1 and activating the audio memory and controller 14. Since the switch S2 is closed, any audio data picked up by the microphone 12 will be stored in the non-volatile memory of the controller 14.Thus, the user simply speaks the desired message in the direction of the card and the message is recorded. A further message may also be written on the inside surface of the card in the usual way, and/or the card may be provided with a pre-printed message. When the card is closed again, the switch S1 is opened by movement of the insulating tab 5 between the contacts 8 and 9 so that the controller 14 is disconnected from the batteries 15.

When the card is subsequently received and opened, since the contact point for the switch S2 is inside the card, it is highly unlikely that the switch S2 will be inadvertently depressed as the card is opened. Thus, when the card is opened by the recipient, the switch S2 will be in the open position so that closure of the switch S1 causes the audio memory and controller 14 to replay the sender's recorded message via the loudspeaker 13. This message will be replayed each subsequent time the card is opened with the switch S2 in the open state.

It will be appreciated that various modifications and variations may be made to the specific embodiment described above without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A greetings card having apparatus including audio recording means mounted thereon, the apparatus comprising: a first switch for activating the audio recording means to record audio data or replay recorded audio data; and a second, manually operable switch which, in a first state thereof, causes the audio recording means to record audio data on activation by the first switch and, in a second state thereof, causes the audio recording means to replay recorded audio data on activation by the first switch.

2. A card as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second switch is biased into the second state thereof such that manual pressure applied against the bias is required for the switch to assume the first state thereof.

3. A card as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first switch is arranged to activate the audio recording means when the card is opened.

4. A card as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first switch comprises a pair of electrical contacts mounted on one side of a fold in the card, and a tab connected to the card on the other side of the fold so as to be movable relative to the contacts as the card is opened and closed, the tab being arranged to cause electrical connection of the contacts when the card is opened to activate the audio recording means.

5. A card as claimed in claim 4, wherein the electrical contacts comprise a fixed contact and a spring contact, positioned over and biased towards the fixed contact, and wherein the tab is an insulating tab which is received between the contacts and arranged to move on opening the card to allow the spring contact to connect with the fixed contact.

6. A card as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the tab is connected to the inside of the front page of the card.

7. A card as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second switch is mounted on the inside of the card at or near a corner of the card remote from the fold about which the front page of the card pivots on opening the card.

8. A card as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second switch is a membrane switch, manual depression of the membrane causing the switch to assume the first state thereof.

9. A card as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the audio recording means is mounted inside a pocket formed in the card.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the card is formed by folding an elongate piece of card into three substantially equal portions, the audio recording means being mounted in a pocket formed by folding and fixing an end portion over the central portion, the other end portion forming the front page of the card.

11. A greetings card having apparatus including audio recording means mounted thereon, the card being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.