Auditory playing device

An auditory playing device comprising:

• a tone plate marked with an identification code corresponding to a sound, said identification code comprising concentric dark and bright stripes;
• a recess in which said tone plate is placed in a stationary position, said tone plate being placed substantially in any orientation with respect to said recess;
• optical detecting means disposed in said recess for optically detecting the identification code of said tone plate while said tone plate is in said stationary position;
• and
• generating means for generating the sound corresponding to the identification code detected by said optical detecting means.

An auditory playing device comprising:

• a tone plate marked with an identification code corresponding to a sound, said identification code comprising concentric dark and bright stripes;
• means for defining a recess for placing said tone plate therein substantially in any orientation with respect thereto;
• optical detecting means disposed in said recess for optically detecting the identification code of said tone plate while said tone plate is in said stationary position;
• and
• generating means for generating the sound corresponding to the identification code detected by said optical detecting means;
• wherein said optical detecting means comprises an array of reflective detectors arranged across the identification code of the tone plate placed in said recess, each of said reflective detectors comprising a light-emitting device for applying light to the identification code and a photodetector for detecting light reflected by the identification code.

An auditory playing device comprising:

• a tone plate marked with an identification code corresponding to a sound, said identification code comprising concentric dark and bright stripes each corresponding to a bit of said identification code;
• means for defining a recess for placing said tone plate therein substantially in any orientation with respect thereto;
• optical detecting means disposed in said recess for optically detecting the identification code of said tone plate while said tone plate is in said stationary position;
• generating means for generating the sound corresponding to the identification code detected by said optical detecting means;
• and
• control means for determining whether the tone plate is placed in said recess based on at least some of the bits of the identification code detected by said optical detecting means, and energizing said generating means when the tone plate is determined as being placed in said recess.

An auditory system comprising:

• a unit having a recess formed therein;
• a plurality of tone disks having a shape adapted to fit at least partially within said recess, each disk having an identification code provided on a face thereof, said identification code consisting of a plurality of concentric solid light or dark bands extending from a center of each disk, each band corresponding to one bit of said identification code;
• a plurality of photodetectors provided in said recess, each photodetector being provided proximate to a corresponding one of said solid bands when one of said plurality of tone disks is within said recess whereby each photodetector outputs a logic signal indicative of whether the corresponding band is light or dark regardless of the angular orientation of the tone disk within said recess;
• and
• a processor provided in said unit which receives the logic signals output from said plurality of photodetectors and provides signals in response thereto which initiate prerecorded sound corresponding to said identification code to be played by a speaker operatively coupled to the processor.