# US 9,751,007 B2 · Interactive greeting card

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- Number: US 9,751,007 B2
- Document ID: US9751007B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/199,086
- Filed: 2016-06-30
- Published: 2016-12-29
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-08-06
- Assignees: American Greetings Corporation
- Applicants: American Greetings Corporation
- Inventors: David Mayer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751007B2

## CPC

- B42D 15/042: {Foldable cards or sheets (B42D15/045 and B42D15/08 take precedence)}
- A63F 7/0628: {Golf}
- A63F 9/02: Shooting or hurling games
- A63F 13/00: Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
- A63F 13/2145: the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
- A63F 13/22: Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
- A63F 13/837: Shooting of targets
- B42D 15/02: Postcards; Greeting, menu, business or like cards; Letter cards or letter-sheets (B42D25/00 takes precedence; envelopes B65D27/00)
- B42D 15/022: {combined with permanently fastened sound-producing or light-emitting means or carrying sound records}
- B42D 15/027: {combined with permanently fastened other articles, e.g. photographs}
- B42D 15/045: {Multi-part cards or sheets, i.e. combined with detachably mounted articles}
- G11C 5/02: Disposition of storage elements, e.g. in the form of a matrix array
- G11C 13/0002: {using resistive RAM [RRAM] elements}
- G11C 13/0026: {Bit-line or column circuits}
- G11C 13/0028: {Word-line or row circuits}
- H10B 63/20: {comprising selection components having two electrodes, e.g. diodes}
- H10B 63/34: {of the vertical channel field-effect transistor type}
- H10B 63/845: {the switching components being connected to a common vertical conductor}
- H10D 84/01: Manufacture or treatment
- H10N 70/023: {by chemical vapor deposition, e.g. MOCVD, ALD}
- H10N 70/231: {based on solid-state phase change, e.g. between amorphous and crystalline phases, Ovshinsky effect}
- H10N 70/235: {between different crystalline phases, e.g. cubic and hexagonal}
- H10N 70/24: {based on migration or redistribution of ionic species, e.g. anions, vacancies}
- H10N 70/245: {the species being metal cations, e.g. programmable metallization cells}
- H10N 70/823: {adapted for essentially horizontal current flow, e.g. bridge type devices}
- H10N 70/8418: {adapted for focusing electric field or current, e.g. tip-shaped}
- H10N 70/8822: {Sulfides, e.g. CuS}
- H10N 70/8825: {Selenides, e.g. GeSe}
- H10N 70/8828: {Tellurides, e.g. GeSbTe}
- H10N 70/8833: {Binary metal oxides, e.g. TaOx}
- H10N 70/8836: {Complex metal oxides, e.g. perovskites, spinels}
- H10N 70/8845: {Carbon or carbides}
- A63F 2009/241: {Touch screen}
- A63F 2009/247: {audible, e.g. using a loudspeaker}
- G11C 2213/71: Three dimensional array
- B42D: BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

An integral greeting card/game is disclosed wherein a multi-panel greeting card also serves as a game board and is combined with a game piece and launch mechanism to create a novel, interactive greeting card. The multi-panel greeting card contains a sound module therein and a magnetic trigger is contained and concealed below one or more of the multiple greeting card panels. The game piece contains a magnet therein so that when the game piece comes into contact with the area of the greeting card above or proximate to the magnetic trigger, playback of an audio file is initiated. In one embodiment, the game piece is operative to interact with a touch screen of a mobile device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An interactive greeting card, comprising:
a greeting card body;
an article removably attached to the greeting card body; and
a launch mechanism attached to the greeting card body and configured to move the article relative to the greeting card body,
wherein the article is operative to communicate with an application operable on a digital device via a touch screen of the digital device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The interactive greeting card of claim 1, wherein the touch screen is operative to display a target, and the target is configured to interact with the article.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The interactive greeting card of claim 2, wherein the launch mechanism is operative to move the article onto the target.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The interactive greeting card of claim 2, wherein the article triggers action by the digital device by landing on the target.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The interactive greeting card of claim 2, wherein the target comprises a moving target displayed on the touch screen.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The interactive greeting card of claim 2, wherein:
the target comprises a first location on the touch screen and a second location on the touch screen different from the first location,
the article triggers a first action by the digital device by landing on the first location, and
the article triggers a second action by the digital device by landing on the second location.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The interactive greeting card of claim 1, wherein a component of the article completes a circuit with the touch screen when the article communicates with the digital device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The interactive greeting card of claim 1, wherein the application comprises a web-based application, and the article is configured to unlock the web-based application stored on the digital device, the application being unplayable on the digital device until the application is unlocked using the article.

### Claim 9

An interactive greeting card, comprising:
a greeting card body;
an article removably attached to the greeting card body, the article having at least one component configured to communicate with a touch screen of a digital device; and
a launch mechanism attached to the greeting card body and operative to propel the article onto the touch screen,
wherein the article is operative to unlock access to a web-based application via the digital device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The interactive greeting card of claim 9, further including first instructions associated with launching the application on the digital device, the application providing second instructions associated with unlocking access to the application using the article.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The interactive greeting card of claim 9, wherein the article is operative to interact with the mobile application, via the touch screen, once access to the application has been unlocked using the article.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The interactive greeting card of claim 9, wherein the application displays a video or a still image on the touch screen at least partly in response to the article contacting the touch screen.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The interactive greeting card of claim 9, wherein contact between the article and a first location on the touch screen triggers a first action by the digital device, and contact between the article and a second location on the touch screen triggers a second action by the digital device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The interactive greeting card of claim 9, wherein once access to the application has been unlocked using the article, the application provides access to a plurality of different games via the digital device.

### Claim 15

An interactive greeting card, comprising:
a greeting card body;
an article removably attached to the greeting card body; and
a launch mechanism attached to the greeting card body and configured to move the article relative to the greeting card body,
wherein contact between the article and a touch screen of a mobile electronic device unlocks a web-based application so that a user is free to use the application via the mobile electronic device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The interactive greeting card of claim 15, wherein the application comprises at least one game having a target displayed by the touch screen.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The interactive greeting card of claim 16, wherein interaction between the article and the target displayed by the touch screen results in a response by the application.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The interactive greeting card of claim 15, wherein the launch mechanism is removably attached to the greeting card body, and is connected to a spring-loaded mechanism of the greeting card body,
the launch mechanism being configured to pivot, relative to the greeting card body, about a pivot point.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The interactive greeting card of claim 15, wherein the article comprises at least one of a digital watermark, a QR code, an augmented reality marker, printed electronics, foil stamping, and conductive foam configured to communicate with the touch screen.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The interactive greeting card of claim 15, wherein contact between the article and a first location on the touch screen causes a first response by the application, and contact between the article and a second location on the touch screen causes a second response by the application.