Picture frame with associated audio messages

An apparatus for receiving and displaying one or more pictures that are to be inserted by a user and for playing one or more audio messages correspondingly associated with the one or more pictures, comprising:

• a frame having one or more locations for displaying the one or more pictures and having a speaker for playing of the one or more audio messages;
• a transparent covering that covers the one or more locations for displaying the one or more pictures;
• one or more touch sensitive switches coupled to the frame and positioned under the transparent covering in locations that correspond to the one or more pictures and the transparent covering is adapted so that the one or more touch sensitive switches is activated by touching of the transparent covering in a location above a corresponding one of the one or more pictures;
• a microphone coupled to the frame for converting input audio messages into electrical representations;
• an audio storage circuit coupled to the microphone for storing electrical representations of the audio messages, and
• a clocking/control circuit coupled to the audio storage circuit, wherein audio messages are played through the speaker in response to signals from the clocking/control circuit;
• wherein an audio message associated with a particular one of the one or more displayed pictures is played through the speaker in response to touching of the transparent covering at a location above the particular one of the one or more displayed pictures.

A picture display apparatus adapted for receiving and displaying one or more pictures to be inserted by a user and for playing one or more audio messages associated with the one or more pictures, comprising:

• a frame adapted for displaying one or more pictures and having one or more locations for displaying the pictures;
• a transparent covering that covers the one or more locations for displaying the one or more pictures;
• an audio storage circuit attached to the frame, wherein the audio storage circuit stores electrical representations of the one or more audio messages associated with the one or more pictures;
• a microphone coupled to the audio storage circuit for input of electrical representations of the one or more audio messages;
• one or more touch sensitive switches coupled to the frame and coupled to the audio storage circuit for initiating the playing of audio messages stored in the audio storage circuit, wherein the switches are positioned under the transparent covering in locations that correspond to particular pictures of the plurality of pictures and the transparent covering is adapted so that the switches are activated by touching the transparent covering at locations above the locations for displaying the pictures;
• a speaker connected to the frame and coupled to the audio storage circuit for playing the one or more audio messages, wherein the audio message associated with a particular picture is played through the speaker in response to activation of a switch corresponding to the particular picture and
• a clocking circuit coupled to the audio storage circuit, wherein audio messages are played through the speaker in response to signals from the clocking circuit.

A picture display apparatus adapted for displaying one or more pictures and for playing one or more audio messages associated with the one or more pictures, comprising:

• a frame adapted for displaying one or more pictures and having one or more locations for displaying the pictures;
• a transparent covering that covers the one or more locations for displaying the one or more pictures;
• an audio storage circuit attached to the frame wherein the audio storage circuit stores electrical representations of the one or more audio messages associated with the one or more pictures;
• a microphone coupled to the audio storage circuit for input of electrical representations of the one or more audio messages;
• one or more touch sensitive switches coupled to the frame and coupled to the audio storage circuit for initiating the playing of audio messages stored in the audio storage circuit, wherein the switches are positioned under the transparent covering in locations that correspond to particular pictures of the plurality of pictures and the transparent covering is adapted so that the switches are activated by touching the transparent covering at locations above the locations for displaying the pictures;
• and
• a speaker connected to the frame and coupled to the audio storage circuit for playing the one or more audio messages, wherein the audio message associated with a particular picture is played through the speaker in response to activation of a switch corresponding to the particular picture;
• wherein the frame is of a geometric shape having an interior and a plurality of faces, wherein one of the faces includes a clock having an alarm, wherein the alarm initiates playback of a message corresponding to the alarm.

A picture display apparatus adapted for and displaying at least one picture of a person and playing back at least one audio message associated with the person, comprising:

• a frame adapted for holding and displaying the at least one picture and having at least one location for displaying the at least one picture;
• a transparent covering that covers the at least one location for displaying the at least one picture;
• an audio storage circuit coupled to the frame, wherein the audio storage circuit stores electrical representations of the at least one audio message associated with the person, wherein the electrical representations of the at least one audio message are input to the audio storage circuit via an input port;
• a clocking circuit coupled to the audio storage circuit, wherein audio messages are played through a speaker in response to signals from the clocking circuit;
• at least one touch sensitive switch coupled to the audio storage circuit for initiating the playing of audio messages stored in the audio storage circuit;
• and
• a speaker coupled to the frame and coupled to the audio storage circuit for playing the at least one audio message, wherein the at least one audio message associated with the person is played through the speaker in response to activation of a switch corresponding to the at least one picture.

An apparatus for receiving and displaying a plurality of pictures to be inserted by a user and for playing audio messages associated with the plurality of pictures, comprising:

• a frame having a plurality of locations for displaying the pictures;
• an audio storage circuit, wherein the audio storage circuit stores electrical representations of the audio messages associated with the plurality of pictures;
• a microphone coupled to the audio storage circuit for input of electrical representations of the audio messages;
• a plurality of touch sensitive switches coupled to the audio storage circuit for initiating the playing of audio messages stored in the audio storage circuit, wherein the switches are positioned in locations that correspond to particular pictures of the plurality of pictures and are adapted so that the switches are activated by touching the frame at the locations for displaying the pictures;
• a speaker coupled to the audio storage circuit for playing the audio messages, wherein the audio message associated with a particular picture is played through the speaker in response to activation of a touch sensitive switch corresponding to the particular picture;
• and
• a clocking circuit coupled to the audio storage circuit, wherein audio messages are played through the speaker in response to signals from the clocking circuit.

An apparatus for receiving and displaying one or more pictures that are to be inserted by a user and for playing one or more audio messages correspondingly associated with the one or more pictures, comprising:

• a frame having one or more locations for displaying the one or more pictures and having a speaker for playing the one or more audio messages;
• one or more touch sensitive switches positioned correspondingly to the one or more locations for displaying the one or more pictures, wherein the one or more touch sensitive switches are adapted so that the one or more touch sensitive switches are activated by touching of the apparatus at the one or more locations for displaying the one or more pictures;
• a microphone for converting input audio messages into electrical representations;
• an audio storage circuit coupled to the microphone for storing electrical representations of the audio messages;
• and
• a clocking/control circuit coupled to the audio storage circuit, wherein audio messages are played through the speaker in response to signals from the clocking/control circuit;
• wherein an audio message associated with a particular one of the one or more displayed pictures is played through the speaker in response to activation of one of the touch sensitive switches that is positioned correspondingly to the particular displayed picture.

A picture display apparatus adapted for receiving and displaying one or more pictures to be inserted by a user and for playing one or more audio messages associated with the one or more pictures, comprising:

• a frame adapted for displaying one or more pictures and having one or more locations for displaying the pictures;
• an audio storage circuit, wherein the audio storage circuit stores electrical representations of the one or more audio messages associated with the one or more pictures;
• a microphone coupled to the audio storage circuit for input of electrical representations of the one or more audio messages;
• one or more touch sensitive switches coupled to the audio storage circuit for initiating the playing of audio messages stored in the audio storage circuit, wherein the one or more touch sensitive switches are positioned in one or more locations that correspond to particular pictures of the one or more pictures and are adapted so that the one or more touch sensitive switches are activated by touching the frame at the locations for displaying the one or more pictures;
• a speaker coupled to the audio storage circuit for playing the one or more audio messages, wherein the audio message associated with a particular picture is played through the speaker in response to activation of a switch corresponding to the particular picture;
• and
• a clocking circuit coupled to the audio storage circuit, wherein audio messages are played through the speaker in response to signals from the clocking circuit.

A picture display apparatus adapted for receiving and displaying one or more pictures to be inserted by a user and for playing one or more audio messages associated with the one or more pictures, comprising:

• a frame adapted for displaying one or more pictures and having one or more locations for displaying the pictures;
• an audio storage circuit, wherein the audio storage circuit stores electrical representations of the one or more audio messages associated with the one or more pictures;
• a microphone coupled to the audio storage circuit for input of electrical representations of the one or more audio messages;
• one or more touch sensitive switches coupled to the audio storage circuit for initiating the playing of audio messages stored in the audio storage circuit, wherein the one or more touch sensitive switches are positioned in one or more locations that correspond to particular pictures of the one or more pictures and are adapted so that the one or more touch sensitive switches are activated by touching the frame at the locations for displaying the one or more pictures;
• and
• a speaker coupled to the audio storage circuit for playing the one or more audio messages, wherein the audio message associated with a particular picture is played through the speaker in response to activation of a switch corresponding to the particular picture;
• wherein the frame is of a geometric shape having an interior and a plurality of faces, wherein one of the faces includes a clock having an alarm, wherein the alarm initiates playback of a message corresponding to the alarm.

A picture display apparatus adapted for receiving and displaying one or more pictures to be inserted by a user and for playing one or more audio messages associated with the one or more pictures, comprising:

• a frame adapted for displaying one or more pictures and having one or more locations for displaying the pictures;
• an audio storage circuit, wherein the audio storage circuit stores electrical representations of the one or more audio messages associated with the one or more pictures;
• a microphone coupled to the audio storage circuit for input of electrical representations of the one or more audio messages;
• one or more touch sensitive switches coupled to the audio storage circuit for initiating the playing of audio messages stored in the audio storage circuit, wherein the one or more touch sensitive switches are positioned in one or more locations that correspond to particular pictures of the one or more pictures and are adapted so that the one or more touch sensitive switches are activated by touching the frame at the locations for displaying the one or more pictures;
• and
• a speaker coupled to the audio storage circuit for playing the one or more audio messages, wherein the audio message associated with a particular picture is played through the speaker in response to activation of a switch corresponding to the particular picture;
• wherein at least one of the faces has a plurality of audio messages associated with the at least one face, wherein the plurality of audio messages associated with the at least one face are scrolled in response to multiple touchings of the at least one face.

A picture display apparatus adapted for and displaying at least one picture of a person and playing back at least one audio message associated with the person, comprising:

• a frame adapted to display the at least one picture and having at least one location for displaying the at least one picture;
• an audio storage circuit, wherein the audio storage circuit stores electrical representations of the at least one audio messages associated with the person, wherein the electrical representations of the at least one audio message are input to the audio storage circuit via an input port;
• a clocking circuit coupled to the audio storage circuit, wherein audio messages are played through a speaker in response to signals from the clocking circuit;
• at least one touch sensitive switch coupled to the audio storage circuit for initiating the playing of audio messages stored in the audio storage circuit;
• and
• a speaker coupled to the audio storage circuit for playing the at least one audio message, wherein the at least one audio message associated with the person is played through the speaker in response to activation of one of the at least one touch sensitive switch corresponding to the particular picture while the picture of the person is viewable.