WO2006014068A1

WO2006014068A1 - Voice output device for use with flowerpot

Info

Publication number: WO2006014068A1
Application number: PCT/KR2005/002512
Authority: WO
Inventors: Young-Gu Lee; Kwang-Jin Kim; Hyong-Deug Kim; Jung-Seob Song; Eun-Ha Yoo; Young-Jin Kim
Original assignee: Republic Of Korea (Management: Rural Development Administration)
Priority date: 2004-08-05
Filing date: 2005-08-01
Publication date: 2006-02-09
Also published as: KR20060012993A; KR100566583B1

Abstract

The present invention provides a voice output device for use with a flowerpot. The voice output device converts information about bioelectric potential, light, moisture, temperature, etc. into voices and verbally notifies a consumer of the information when the consumer plants and manages a potted plant in a flowerpot. The voice output device includes a touch reaction means (10) , a watering reaction means (20), a voice reaction means (30), a temperature reaction means (40), a humidity reaction means (50) and a light reaction means (60) . Therefore, a difference between bioelectric potentials, generated when a human body touches a plant, is amplified and converted into a voice, moisture content of soil is measured and converted into a voice to pay attention to water requirements, and information about surrounding temperature and humidity of the plant, as well as the bioelectric potential and the moisture content, is converted into a voice.

Description

[DESCRIPTION]

[invention Title)

VOICE OUTPUT DEVICE FOR USE WITH FLOWERPOT

[Technical Field) The present invention relates, in general, to a voice output device, which allows plants to verbally react to environmental conditions when the environmental conditions, such as the soil moisture, affect the plants while a typical consumer grows the plants in flowerpots and, more particularly, to a voice output device for use with a flowerpot, which converts information about bioelectric potential, light, moisture, temperature, etc. into voices and verbally notifies a consumer of the information when the consumer plants a potted plant in the flowerpot and manages the potted plant so as to grow the plant indoors, so that the present invention verbally notifies the consumer of the time to water the potted plant, thus allowing the consumer to conveniently manage watering, to pay attention to watering management and to prevent the plants from withering, so that the present invention provides verbal notification of unsuitable growing temperatures for potted plants, thus enabling convenient management of the plants, so that the present invention allows plants to verbally react to the consumer when the consumer touches the plants, thus allowing children or consumers to recognize that plants are living things and conveying educational meaning while arousing the curiosity of the children or consumers, so that the present invention naturally inspires the recognition of the need to protect nature in children during their growth while maximizing the emotional impact on the children, and so that the present invention promotes the spread of potted plants, thus increasing the profits of farming families and providing maximized satisfaction and reliability to consumers who grow potted plants using a functional flowerpot, while enhancing the entire efficiency of the functional flowerpot to allow consumers to easily manage plants using the functional flowerpot.

[Background Art]

Generally, the main cause of a typical consumer, having purchased a flowerpot to grow a potted plant, killing the potted plant during a process of growing the potted plant is not supplying water at a proper time. As described above, in order to water a flowerpot at a proper time, various types of devices for measuring the moisture content of soil for automatic watering when a grower grows a large quantity of potted plants have been developed. However, the development of a device, required for a typical consumer to grow a small quantity of potted plants, has been insufficient.

That is, as an example, a device, the color of which varies with moisture content, has been developed to allow a consumer to insert the device into a flowerpot and determine a watering time through color variation. However, this device is complicated and inconvenient in that a consumer must personally check a watering time because the watering time must be visually discerned.

Further, a device for converting a difference between potentials, generated when a human body touches a plant, into a voice has still not been developed, so that only the function of growing a potted plant in a flowerpot is performed, and the enhancement of the recognition of living things is absent, thus failing to induce the curiosity of consumers and decreasing the educational effect.

Therefore, due to the above problems, conventional flowerpots used to grow potted plants are always problematic in that they are limited in efficiency and satisfaction to some degree, and the overall spread of potted plants is not promoted, so that the economical efficiency of farming families, growing potted plants, cannot be improved. [Disclosure] [Technical Problem] An object of the present invention is to provide a voice output device for use with a flowerpot, which verbally notifies a consumer of the time to water potted plants, thus allowing the consumer to conveniently and efficiently manage watering, to pay attention to watering management, and to prevent potted plants from withering. Another object of the present invention is to provide a voice output device, which provides verbal notification of unsuitable growing temperatures for potted plants, thus enabling convenient and efficient management of plants.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a voice output device for use with a flowerpot, which allows a plant to verbally react to a consumer when the consumer touches the plant, thus arousing the curiosity of children or consumers, helping the children or consumers recognize that plants are living things, and conveying educational meaning.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a voice output device for use with a flowerpot, which naturally inspires the recognition of the need to protect nature in children during their growth while maximizing the emotional impact on the children.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a voice output device for use with a flowerpot, which enhances the entire efficiency of the flowerpot and promotes the spread of potted plants, thus increasing the profits of farming families and providing maximized satisfaction and reliability to consumers who grow potted plants using the flowerpot.

[Technical Solution]

In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a voice output device, which converts information about bioelectric potential, light, moisture, temperature, etc. into voices and verbally notifies a consumer of the information when the consumer plants a potted plant in a flowerpot and manages the potted plant so as to grow the plant indoors, and which comprises a touch reaction means, a watering reaction means, a voice reaction means, a temperature reaction means, a humidity reaction means and a light reaction means so that a difference between bioelectric potentials, generated when a human body touches a plant, is amplified and converted into voice, so that the moisture content of soil is measured as an electrical resistance value and is converted into voice to pay attention to water requirements so as to prevent the consumer from allowing the plant to wither, and so that information about the surrounding temperature and humidity of the plant, as well as the bioelectric potential and the moisture content, is converted into voice.

[Advantageous Effects]

The present invention is constructed to convert information about bioelectric potential, light, moisture, temperature, etc. into voices and verbally notifies a consumer of the information when the consumer plants a potted plant in a flowerpot and manages the potted plant so as to grow the plant indoors. Accordingly, the present invention can realize a plurality of advantages together, including an advantage in that the present invention verbally notifies a consumer of the time to water a potted plant, thus allowing the consumer to conveniently manage watering, to pay attention to watering management, and to prevent the potted plant from withering, an advantage in that the present invention provides verbal notification of unsuitable growing temperatures for a potted plant, thus enabling convenient management of the plant, an advantage in that the present invention allows a plant to verbally react to the consumer when the consumer touches the plant, thus arousing the curiosity of children or consumers, allowing the children or consumers to recognize that plants are living things, and conveying educational meaning, an advantage in that the present invention increases the emotional impact on children and naturally inspires the recognition of the need to protect nature in children during their growth due to the conveyance of educational meaning, and advantages in that the present invention enhances the entire efficiency of the flowerpot, thus allowing consumers to easily manage plants using the functional flowerpot, and in that the present invention promotes the spread of potted plants, thus increasing the profits of farming families and providing maximized satisfaction and reliability to the consumer who grows potted plants using the functional flowerpot.

[Description of Drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a voice output device for use with a flowerpot and a touch reaction means to describe the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a watering reaction means according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a voice reaction means according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a temperature reaction means according to the present invention; FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a humidity reaction means according to the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a light reaction means according to the present invention.

[Best Mode] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

In the following description of the present invention, detailed descriptions may be omitted if it is determined that the detailed descriptions of related well-known functions and constructions may make the gist of the present invention unclear.

Further, terms, which will be described later, are set in consideration of functions in the present invention, and can vary according to the intention or the usual practice of an operator or worker. Therefore, the terms must be defined based on the contents described over the whole range of the present specification. In the present invention, a voice output device 100 is mounted at a suitable location on a flowerpot, used to grow a potted plant, and is operated to output a required voice depending on a sensed signal. The voice output device 100 includes a touch reaction means 10 for outputting a voice in reaction to touch when a hand touches a potted plant that is planted and grown in the flowerpot. The touch reaction means 10 includes a touch sensor unit 11 for sensing a bioelectric current weakly generated by the difference between the bioelectric potential of a human body and the bioelectric potential of the plant when the hand touches the plant, an amplification unit 12 for amplifying the weak bioelectric current sensed by the touch sensor unit 11, an Analog/Digital (A/D) conversion unit 13 for converting an analog signal amplified by the amplification unit ^'12 to a digital signal, a comparison unit 14 for comparing the voltage of the digital signal obtained by the A/D conversion unit 13 with a preset voltage, a determination unit 15 for determining that touch with a plant has occurred when the voltage compared by the comparison unit 14 is higher than the preset voltage, and outputting a determination signal, a voice storage IC unit 70 for storing various types of voices to provide the voice of a person, which is stored at a corresponding address and is one of the various types of voices, in response to the signal output from the determination unit 15, and a speaker 80 for outputting a reaction voice to allow persons, such as a consumer or grower, to easily hear a desired voice depending on a voice signal output from the voice storage IC unit 70.

The touch sensor unit 11 includes a sensitivity control unit 16 for easily controlling the sensitivity to a potential difference generated at the time of touching a plant.

The voice output device 100 includes a watering reaction means 20 for checking the moisture content of a flowerpot and outputting a voice in reaction to the moisture content. The watering reaction means 10 includes a moisture sensor unit 21 for consistently applying a constant voltage into the flowerpot and measuring the amount of moisture in soil contained in the flowerpot according to the amount of moisture, an A/D conversion unit 22 for converting an analog signal, which is the amount of moisture measured by the moisture sensor unit 21, to a digital signal, a comparison unit 23 for comparing the value of the digital signal obtained by the A/D conversion unit 22 with a preset moisture value, and a determination unit 24 for determining whether moisture is insufficient after comparison has been performed by the comparison unit 23, and outputting a determination signal. The determination signal output from the determination unit 24 is output as the voice of a reacting person through the voice storage IC unit 70 and the speaker 80.

The voice output device 100 includes a voice reaction means 30 for reacting and outputting a voice when persons, such as a consumer or grower, speak to a potted plant. The voice reaction means 30 includes a microphone 31 for sensing the voice of the consumer or grower who spoke to the potted plant, an amplification unit 32 for amplifying the voice sensed by the microphone 31 to a certain level, an A/D conversion unit 33 for converting an analog signal amplified by the amplification unit 32 to a digital signal, a comparison unit 34 for comparing the level of the digital signal obtained by the A/D conversion unit 33 with a preset decibel level, and a determination unit 35 for determining that the voice was directed toward the plant if the level, compared by the comparison unit 34, is higher than the preset decibel level, and outputting a determination signal. The signal output from the determination unit 35 is output as the voice of a reacting person through the voice storage IC unit 70 and the speaker 80.

The voice output device 100 includes a temperature reaction means 40 for reacting to temperature and outputting a voice to verbally notify persons, such as a consumer or grower, of the temperature when the temperature in the place where the flowerpot is located increases or decreases to become an unsuitable growing environment for a potted plant. The temperature reaction means 40 includes a temperature sensor unit 41 for sensing the temperature of the surrounding environment of the place where the flowerpot is located, an amplification unit 42 for amplifying the temperature signal sensed by the temperature sensor unit 41 to a certain level, an A/D conversion unit 43 for converting an analog signal, which is the signal amplified by the amplification unit 42, to a digital signal, a comparison unit 44 for comparing the value of the digital signal obtained by the A/D conversion unit 43 with a preset value, and a determination unit 45 for determining whether the signal value compared by the comparison unit 44 is greater than or less than the preset value, and outputting a corresponding determination signal. The signal output from the determination unit 45 is output as the voice of a reacting person through the voice storage IC unit 70 and the speaker 80.

The voice output device 100 includes a humidity reaction means 50 for reacting to humidity and outputting a voice to notify the persons, such as a consumer or grower, of the humidity when the humidity of the place where the flowerpot is located increases or decreases to become an unsuitable growing environment for a potted plant. The humidity reaction means 50 includes a humidity sensor unit 51 for sensing the humidity of the surrounding environment of the place where the flowerpot is located, an amplification unit 52 for amplifying the humidity signal sensed by the humidity sensor unit 51 to a certain level, an A/D conversion unit 53 for converting an analog signal, which is the signal amplified by the amplification unit 52, to a digital .signal, a comparison unit 54 for comparing the value of the digital signal obtained by the A/D conversion unit 53 with a preset value, and a determination unit 55 for determining whether the value compared by the comparison unit 54 is greater than or less than the preset value, and outputting a corresponding determination signal. The signal output from the determination unit 55 is output as the voice of a reacting person through the voice storage IC unit 10 and the speaker 80.

The voice output device 100 includes a light reaction means 60 for determining whether to operate the voice output device depending on the intensity of light during the daytime and the nighttime, reacting to the determination and outputting a voice so as to verbally notify persons, such as a consumer or grower, of the corresponding determination. The light reaction means 60 includes a light sensor unit 61 for sensing the intensity of light according to the daytime or nighttime, an amplification unit 62 for amplifying the light signal sensed by the light sensor unit 61 to a certain level, an A/D conversion unit 63 for converting an analog signal, which is the signal amplified by the amplification unit 62, to a digital signal, a comparison unit 64 for comparing the value of the digital signal obtained by the A/D conversion unit 63 with a preset value, and a determination unit 65 for determining whether the value compared by the comparison unit 64 is recognized as daytime or nighttime, and outputting a corresponding determination signal. The signal output from the determination unit 65 is output as the voice of a reacting person through the voice storage IC unit 70 and the speaker 80. In this case, the light reaction means is operated so that, if the value is recognized as the nighttime, the voice output device 100 is turned off, while if the value is recognized as the morning, when nighttime changes to daytime, the voice output device 100 is turned on.

Reference numeral 90, which has not been described, denotes a power supply unit for supplying power through a 6 to 12V battery or a dry cell to drive the above components. Meanwhile, the construction of the voice output device 100 to implement the present invention can be variously modified, and can take various forms.

However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to specific forms mentioned in the above detailed description and instead includes all modifications, equivalences and substitutions belonging to the spirit and scope of the present invention defined by the attached claims.

The present invention having the above construction allows persons, such as a consumer or grower, to easily and conveniently grow plants when the plants are grown in a home, school, office, shop, etc., and to recognize that the plants are living things, so that the educational value is increased, thus increasing the emotional impact on children and inspiring the recognition of the need to protect nature in children during their growth.

For this operation, the voice output device 100 of the present invention includes the touch reaction means 10, the watering reaction means 20, the voice reaction means 30, the temperature reaction means 40, the humidity reaction means 50 and the light reaction means 60 so as to convert information about bioelectric potential, the moisture content of soil contained in a flowerpot, temperature, and humidity, into voices and diversify the function of the flowerpot.

That is, the voice output device 100 is mounted at a suitable location on the flowerpot, in detail, a grower selectively mounts the voice output device 100 at a suitable location as needed depending on the types of potted plants planted in a flowerpot. First, in the touch reaction means 10 of the voice output device 100, the touch sensor unit 11 senses touch with a potted plant when a hand touches the potted plant that is planted and grown in the flowerpot. The touch sensor unit 11 is preferably located on a lower portion of the stem of the plant, which is the potted plant.

At this time, when the hand touches the plant, the touch sensor unit 11 senses a bioelectric current weakly generated by the difference between the bioelectric potential of a human body and the bioelectric potential of the plant. The weak bioelectric current sensed by the touch sensor unit 11 is amplified by the amplification unit 12 to a^scertain level.

The analog bioelectric current signal amplified by the amplification unit 12 in this way is converted to a digital signal by the A/D conversion unit 13. The voltage of the digital signal is compared to a preset voltage by the comparison unit 14. If the voltage compared by the comparison unit 14 is higher than the preset voltage, the determination unit 15 determines that touch with the plant has occurred and outputs a determination signal.

The voice storage IC unit 70 is operated by the signal output from the determination unit 15. The voice storage IC unit 70 stores various types of voices, so that, of various types of voices, the voice of a person, stored at an address corresponding to the. signal, is provided, and is then output through the speaker 80 to allow persons, such as a consumer or grower, to easily hear the voice.

For example, if the plant is touched, the phrase "Ouch, I am hurt", which is stored at a corresponding address and is one of the phrases previously stored in the voice storage IC unit 70, is output in the form of a human voice through the speaker 80. The touch sensor unit 11 is connected to the sensitivity control unit 16, so that the sensitivity to a potential difference generated when the plant is touched can be easily controlled. The watering reaction means 20 of the voice output device 100 checks the moisture content of the flowerpot and outputs a voice in reaction to the moisture content.

For this operation, a constant voltage is consistently applied to the flowerpot and varies according to the amount of moisture. In this case, the amount of moisture in soil contained in the flowerpot is measured by the moisture sensor unit 21.

The moisture measured by the moisture sensor unit 21 is converted to a digital signal by the A/D conversion unit 22, and the digital signal value is compared to a preset resistance value by the comparison unit 23. Thereafter, whether the amount of moisture is insufficient is determined by the determination unit 24.

Also in this case, the voice storage IC unit 70 is operated by the signal output from the determination unit 24. The voice storage IC unit 70 stores various types of voices, so that, of various types of voices, the voice of a person stored at an address corresponding to the signal is provided, and is then output through the speaker 80 to allow the persons, such as a consumer or grower, to easily hear the voice.

For example, if the insufficiency of moisture of soil contained in the flowerpot is detected, the phrase "I am thirsty, give me water", which is stored at a corresponding address and is one of the phrases previously stored in the voice storage IC unit 70, is output in the form of a human voice through the speaker 80. Further, if the watering (the supply of water) is performed, the phrase "Thank you for watering" is output in the form of a human voice through the speaker 80. The phrase "I am thirsty, give me water" is intermittently (at 5 or 10 minute intervals) output until watering is performed, but the output of the phrase is stopped at nighttime by the light reaction means 60.

The voice reaction means 30 of the voice output device 100 outputs a voice in reaction to words spoken by persons, such as a consumer or grower, when the persons speak to the potted plant. For this operation, if the voice, spoken by the persons, such as a consumer or grower, to the potted plant, is sensed by the microphone 31, the amplification unit 32 amplifies the sensed voice to a certain level, and then the A/D conversion unit 33 converts the amplified voice signal to a digital signal. The voice level of the converted digital signal is compared to a preset decibel level by the comparison unit 34.

If the level compared by the comparison unit 14 is higher than the preset decibel level, the determination unit 35 determines that the voice was directed toward the plant, and outputs a determination signal. At the same time that the voice storage IC unit 70 is operated by the signal output from the determination unit 35, the voice of a person stored at a corresponding address is output through the speaker 80 to allow the persons, such as a consumer or grower, to easily hear the voice.

For example, if the microphone 31 senses a voice in the case where a person says the word "Hi" to the potted plant planted in the flowerpot, the phrase "Hi, I am aphelandra clearing air", which is stored at a corresponding address and is one of the phrases previously stored in the voice storage IC unit 70, is output in the form of a human voice through the speaker 80. At this time, the reaction voice is preferably output as a voice for introducing the name and characteristics of the plant. If the temperature of the place where the flowerpot is located increases or decreases to become an unsuitable growing environment for the potted plant, the temperature reaction means 40 of the voice output device 100 outputs a voice in reaction to the temperature.

For this operation, the temperature of the surrounding environment of the place where the flowerpot is located is sensed by the temperature sensor unit 41. The sensed temperature is amplified by the amplification unit 42 to a certain level, and the amplified temperature is converted to a digital signal by the A/D conversion unit 43.

In this case, the temperature value of the digital signal is compared to a preset temperature value by the comparison unit 44. If the temperature value compared by the comparison unit 44 is higher than or lower than the preset temperature value, the determination unit 45 determines that the surrounding temperature is unsuitable, and outputs a corresponding determination signal. Thereafter, at the time that the voice storage IC unit 70 is operated by the signal output from the determination unit 45/ the voice of a person stored at a corresponding address is output through the speaker 8_.0 to allow persons, such as a consumer or grower, to easily hear the voice. For example, if the temperature of the surrounding environment of the place where the flowerpot is located is higher than a preset temperature value (about 33°C) , the phrase "too hot", which is stored at a corresponding address and is one of the phrase previously stored in the voice storage IC unit 70, is output in the form of a human voice through the speaker 80. Further, if the sensed temperature of the surrounding environment is lower than the preset temperature value (about 13^°C), the phrase "too cold", which is stored at a corresponding address and is one of the phrases previously stored in the voice storage IC unit 70, is output in the form of a human voice through the speaker 80.

When the humidity of the place where the flowerpot is located increases or decreases to become an unsuitable growing environment for a potted plant, the humidity reaction means 50 of the voice output device 100 outputs a voice in reaction to the humidity.

For this operation, the humidity of the surrounding environment of the place where the flowerpot is located is sensed by the humidity sensor unit 51. The sensed humidity is amplified by the amplification unit 52 to a certain level, and the amplified signal is converted to a digital signal by the A/D conversion unit 53.

In this case, the humidity value of the digital signal is compared to a preset humidity value by the comparison unit 54. If the humidity value compared by the comparison unit 54 is higher than or lower than the preset humidity value, the determination unit 55 determines that the humidity is unsuitable, and outputs a corresponding determination signal. Thereafter, at the same time that the voice storage IC unit 70 is operated by the signal output from the determination unit 55, the voice of a person stored at a corresponding address is output through the speaker 80 to allow the persons, such as a consumer or grower, to easily hear the voice.

For example, if the humidity of the surrounding environment of the place where the flowerpot is located is higher than a preset humidity value (humidity of 90% or above), the phrase "It's too humid", which is stored at a corresponding address and is one of the phrases previously stored in the voice storage IC unit 70, is output in the form of a human voice through the speaker 80. Further, if the sensed humidity of the surrounding environment is lower than the preset humidity value (30% or below) , the phrase "humidify the air", which is stored at a corresponding address and is one of the phrases previously stored in the voice storage IC unit 70, is output in the form of a human voice through the speaker 80.

If the temperature and humidity sensed by the temperature reaction means 40 and the humidity reaction means 50, respectively, are suitably maintained, no voice is output through the speaker 80.

Finally, the light reaction means 60 of the voice output device 100 determines whether to operate the voice output device depending on the intensity of light during the daytime and the nighttime, and outputs a voice in reaction to the determination. For this operation, the intensity of light according to the daytime and nighttime is sensed by the light sensor unit 61, and the sensed light intensity is amplified by the amplification unit 62 to a certain level. Thereafter, the amplified signal is converted to a digital signal by the A/D conversion unit 63.

In this case, the light intensity of the digital signal is compared to a preset value by the comparison unit 64. If the value compared by the comparison unit 64 is greater than the preset value, the determination unit 65 determines that the compared value is recognized as the daytime, while if the value compared by the comparison unit 64 is less than the preset value, the determination unit 65 determines that the compared value is recognized as the nighttime. The determination unit 65 outputs a corresponding determination signal. At the same time that the voice storage IC unit 70 is operated by the signal output from the determination unit 65, the voice of a person stored at a corresponding address is output through the speaker 80 to allow persons, such as a consumer or grower, to easily hear the voice.

If the determination unit 65 determines that the compared value is recognized as nighttime in this way, the voice output device 100 enters a standby state in which the operation thereof is stopped. If the determination unit 65 determines that the compared value is recognized as the morning, when nighttime changes to daytime, the voice output device 100 in a standby state is released from the standby state and is operated.

For example, if no light is sensed by the light sensor unit 61 and a certain period has elapsed, the compared value is recognized as the nighttime, so that the voice output device 100 enters a standby state and stops operating at the same time that the phrase "goodnight, see you tomorrow!", which is stored at a corresponding address and is one of the phrases previously stored in the voice storage IC unit 70, is output in the form of a human voice through the speaker 80. Further, when the nighttime changes to the daytime, and the compared value is recognized as the morning, the voice output device 100 is released from the standby state and is operated at the same time that the phrase "Ah! I slept well", which is stored at a corresponding address and is one of the phrases stored in ^'the voice storage IC unit 70, is output in the form of a human voice through the speaker 80.

The voice stored at a corresponding address in the above-described voice storage IC unit 70 has been described as an example for the convenience of understanding. Accordingly, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the example. Further, music like a song or a beautiful melody, as well as human voices, can be applied to voices stored in the voice storage IC unit 70 as needed and can be output. The voice output device 100 can be applied to plants planted in a place such as a garden, as well as plants planted in a flowerpot. Moreover, the voice output device 100 can be mounted in a decoration or inside a building, so that the voice output device 100 can make the surrounding environment pleasant for persons. Therefore, it is apparent that the implementation or mounting of the voice output device 100 of the present invention belongs to the technical scope of the present invention. If the entire present invention is considered based on the above description, the present invention converts information, such as bioelectric potential, moisture content of soil contained in a flowerpot, temperature and humidity into voices, so that a consumer or grower can efficiently manage potted plants planted in a flowerpot indoors. In particular, consumers, such as children, can recognize the mystery and importance of life, thus increasing educational value, and the spread of potted plants is promoted, thus increasing the profits of farming families growing potted plants.

Claims

[CLAIMS]

[Claim l]

An audio output device for use with a flowerpot, used to grow a potted plant, the voice output device being mounted at a suitable location on the flowerpot and operated to output a required voice depending on a sensed signal, the voice output device comprising touch reaction means for outputting a voice in reaction to touch when a hand touches the potted plant that is planted and grown in the flowerpot, the touch reaction means comprises: a touch sensor unit for sensing a bioelectric current weakly generated by a difference between bioelectric potential of a human body and bioelectric potential of the potted plant when a hand touches the plant; an amplification unit for amplifying the weak bioelectric current sensed by the touch sensor unit; an Analog/Digital (A/D) conversion unit for converting an analog signal amplified by the amplification unit to a digital signal; a comparison unit for comparing a voltage of the digital signal obtained by the A/D conversion unit with a preset voltage; a determination unit for determining that touch with the plant has occurred and outputting a corresponding determination signal if the voltage compared by the comparison unit is higher than the preset voltage; a voice storage IC unit for storing various types of voices to provide a voice of a person, which is stored at a corresponding address, in response to the signal output from the determination unit; and a speaker for outputting a reaction voice to allow persons, such as a consumer or grower, to easily hear a desired voice in response to a voice signal output from the voice storage IC unit.

2. The voice output device according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensor unit comprises a sensitivity control unit for easily controlling sensitivity to the potential difference generated at a time of touching the plant.

3. The voice output device according to claim 1, comprising watering reaction means for checking moisture content of the flowerpot and outputting a voice in reaction to the moisture content, wherein the watering reaction means comprises: a moisture sensor unit for applying^' a constant voltage to the flowerpot and measuring an amount of moisture in soil contained in the flowerpot; an A/D conversion unit for converting an analog signal, which is the amount of moisture measured by the moisture sensor unit, to a digital signal; a comparison unit for comparing a value of the digital signal obtained by the A/D conversion unit with the preset amount of moisture; and a determination unit for determining whether moisture is insufficient after comparison has been performed by the comparison unit, and outputting a corresponding determination signal, wherein the signal output from the determination unit is output as a voice of a reacting person through the voice storage IC unit and the speaker.

4. The voice output device according to claim 1, comprising voice reaction means for reacting to a voice spoken by persons, such as a consumer or grower, and outputting a voice when the persons speak to the potted plant, wherein the voice reaction means comprises: a microphone for sensing the voice spoken by the persons, such as a consumer or grower, to the potted plant; an amplification unit for amplifying the voice sensed by the microphone to a certain level; an A/D conversion unit for converting an analog signal amplified by the amplification unit to a digital signal; a comparison unit for comparing a level of the digital signal obtained by the A/D conversion unit with a preset decibel level; and a determination unit for determining that the voice was directed toward the plant and outputting a corresponding determination signal if the level of the digital signal compared by the comparison unit is higher than the preset decibel level, wherein the signal output from the determination unit is output as a voice of a reacting person through the voice storage IC unit and the speaker.

5. The voice output device according to claim 1, comprising temperature reaction means for reacting to temperature and outputting a voice to verbally notify persons, such as a consumer or grower, of the temperature, when the temperature of the place where the flowerpot is located increases or decreases to become an unsuitable growing environment for the potted plant, wherein the temperature reaction means comprises: a temperature sensor unit for sensing temperature of a surrounding environment of the place where the flowerpot is located; an amplification unit for amplifying the temperature signal sensed by the temperature sensor unit to a certain level; an A/D conversion unit for converting an analog signal, which is the signal amplified by the amplification unit, to a digital signal; a comparison unit for comparing a value of the digital signal obtained by the A/D conversion unit with a preset value; and a determination unit for determining whether the value compared by the comparison unit is higher than or lower than the preset value, and outputting a corresponding determination signal, wherein the signal output from the determination unit is output as a voice of a reacting person through the voice storage IC unit and the speaker.

6. The voice output device according to claim 1, comprising humidity reaction means for reacting to humidity and outputting a voice to verbally notify persons, such as a consumer or grower, of the humidity, when humidity of a place where the flowerpot is located increases or decreases to become an unsuitable growing environment for the potted plant, wherein the humidity reaction means comprises: a humidity sensor unit for sensing humidity of a surrounding environment of the place where the flowerpot is placed; an amplification unit for amplifying the humidity signal sensed by the humidity sensor unit to a certain level; an A/D conversion unit for converting an analog signal, which is the signal amplified by the amplification unit, to a digital signal; a comparison unit for comparing a value of the digital signal obtained by the A/D conversion unit with a preset value; and a determination unit for determining whether the value compared by the comparison unit is higher than or lower than the preset value and determining a corresponding determination signal, wherein the signal output from the determination unit is output as a voice of a reacting person through the voice storage IC unit and the speaker.

7. The voice output device according to claim 1, comprising light reaction means for determining whether to operate the voice output device depending on the intensity of light during daytime and nighttime, reacting to the determination, and outputting a voice to notify persons, such as a consumer or grower, of the determination, wherein the light reaction means^' comprises: a light sensor unit for sensing intensity of light according to daytime and nighttime; an amplification unit for amplifying the light signal sensed by the light sensor unit to a certain level; an A/D conversion unit for converting an analog signal, which is the signal amplified by the amplification unit, to a digital signal; a comparison unit for comparing a value of the digital signal obtained by the A/D conversion unit with a preset value; and a determination unit for determining whether the value compared by the comparison unit is recognized as daytime or nighttime and outputting a determination signal, wherein the signal output from the determination unit is output as a voice of a reacting person through the voice storage IC unit and the speaker, and the light reaction means is operated so that, if it is determined that the compared value is recognized as nighttime, the voice output device is turned off, while if it is determined that the compared value is recognized as morning, when nighttime changes to daytime, the voice output device is turned on.