US 6,393,401 B1 · Picture display device with associated audio message

Abstract

A picture frame and accompanying audio message circuit is provided such that one or more desired audio messages stored in the audio message circuit associated with one or more display pictures can be played upon the touching of the pictures or the frame, or in response to a voice recognition device sensing an audio command associated with the particular audio message and/or pictures. When audio message playback is desired, a switch on the frame or under a protective cover for the picture is activated by touching, or a position sensitive device may be used to sense whether a particular position on the picture has been touched. Digital or analog information representing the desired audio message is retrieved from a memory device, which is subsequently transmitted to a speaker which produces the desired audio message perceptible to a human. In other embodiments, multiple picture and multiple messages are provided such that the user can touch a particular picture, or the switch associated with that picture, and an audio message corresponding to the picture is then played through the speaker. In still other embodiments, a system is provided with a plurality of pictures mounted in the perimeter faces of a cube or other geometrical shape, each picture having associated with it a switch for activating a message or plurality of messages. In still other embodiments, a position sensitive device or a voice recognition device is utilized to initiate audio message playback.

Claims104

Dependent claims

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 in a manner that the at least one audio message may be heard by persons in proximity to the apparatus, comprising:

a picture frame/holding element adapted to display the at least one picture and having at least one location for displaying the at least one picture;
an audio storage/clocking circuit, wherein the audio storage/clocking 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, wherein the at least one audio message is played through a speaker in response to clocking signals that clock the electrical representations of the at least one audio message from a storage circuit;
at least one touch sensitive switch coupled to the audio storage/clocking circuit for initiating the playing of audio messages stored in the audio storage/clocking circuit;
and
a speaker coupled to the audio storage/clocking 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 while the picture of the person is viewable.

2 more elements

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 in a manner that the audio messages may be heard by persons in proximity to the apparatus, comprising:

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

5 more elements

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 in a manner that the one or more audio messages may be heard by persons in proximity to the apparatus, comprising:

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

4 more elements

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 in a manner that the one or more audio messages may be heard by persons in proximity to the apparatus, comprising:

a picture frame/holding element adapted for displaying the one or more pictures and having one or more locations for displaying the one or more pictures;
a transparent covering that covers the one or more locations for displaying the one or more pictures;
an audio storage/clocking circuit coupled to the picture frame/holding element, wherein the audio storage/clocking 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/clocking circuit for input of electrical representations of the one or more audio messages;
one or more touch sensitive switches coupled to the picture frame/holding element and coupled to the audio storage/clocking circuit for initiating the playing of audio messages stored in the audio storage/clocking circuit, wherein the one or more touch sensitive switches are positioned under the transparent covering in one or more locations that correspond to particular pictures of the one or more pictures, wherein the transparent covering is adapted so that the one or more touch sensitive switches is/are activated by touching the transparent covering at the one or more locations corresponding to the one or more pictures;
and
a speaker coupled to the audio storage/clocking circuit for playing the one or more audio messages, wherein a particular 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;
wherein audio messages are played through the speaker in response to clocking signals from a clocking circuit that clock the electrical representations from a storage circuit.

5 more elements

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 in a manner that the one or more audio messages may be heard by persons in proximity to the apparatus, comprising:

a picture frame/holding element adapted for displaying the one or more pictures and having one or more locations for displaying the one or more pictures;
a transparent covering that covers the one or more locations for displaying the one or more pictures;
an audio storage/clocking circuit attached to the picture frame/holding element wherein the audio storage/clocking 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/clocking circuit for input of electrical representations of the one or more audio messages;
one or more touch sensitive switches coupled to the audio storage/clocking circuit for initiating the playing of the one or more audio messages stored in the audio storage/clocking circuit, wherein the one or more touch sensitive switches is/are positioned under the transparent covering in one or more locations that correspond to one or more particular pictures, wherein the transparent covering is adapted so that the one or more touch sensitive switches is/are activated by touching the transparent covering at the one or more locations for displaying the one or more pictures;
and
a speaker connected to the picture frame/holding element and coupled to the audio storage/clocking circuit for playing the one or more audio messages, wherein an 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;
wherein the picture frame/holding element 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.

5 more elements

a picture frame/holding element 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/clocking circuit coupled to the frame, wherein the audio storage/clocking 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/clocking circuit via an input port, wherein the at least one audio message is played through a speaker in response to clocking signals that clock the electrical representations from a storage circuit;
at least one touch sensitive switch coupled to the audio storage/clocking circuit for initiating the playing of the at least one audio message stored in the audio storage/clocking circuit;
and
a speaker coupled to the picture frame/holding element and coupled to the audio storage/clocking 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 the at least one touch sensitive switch.

3 more elements

a picture frame/holding element adapted for displaying the one or more pictures and having one or more locations for displaying the one or more pictures;
an audio storage/clocking circuit, wherein the audio storage/clocking 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/clocking circuit for input of electrical representations of the one or more audio messages;
one or more touch sensitive switches coupled to the audio storage/clocking circuit for initiating the playing of audio messages stored in the audio storage/clocking circuit, wherein the one or more touch sensitive switches correspond to particular pictures of the one or more pictures;
and
a speaker coupled to the audio storage/clocking circuit for playing the one or more audio messages, wherein a particular 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;
wherein audio messages are played through the speaker in response to clocking signals that clock electrical representations from a storage circuit.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Picture display device with associated audio message

Life of this patent

Picture display device with associated audio message

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims104