Abstract:
An accessory for use with a microphone has an electronic screen by means of which communications such as advertisements, messages, logos, the name of a TV station and the like may be displayed. The accessory may be attachable to the microphone itself, or to a boom, a stand or a stalk for the microphone. In one form the accessory may comprise a foam cover for the microphone. The communications may be transmitted to the accessory in a wireless or wired manner. The communication may be changed manually, remotely or in a predetermined automatic manner.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   THIS INVENTION relates to an accessory for use with a microphone, to a microphone together with the accessory and to a method of using a microphone. More particularly it relates to an accessory for use with microphones that are used for audio pickup by television stations or networks and other broadcasters. 
   Television stations place identifiers on the microphones that their reporters use to gather audio from a subject, usually from a person that is being interviewed. These identifiers are usually made from plastic and are four-sided or triangular in shape. The station&#39;s name or logo is displayed on the identifier so that when the interview is broadcast, the audience can see that the station that is broadcasting the interview was present at the interview. 
   In addition, stations compete for viewers and need to keep their station brand and their channel number or broadcast frequency in the memory of viewers. 
   These known identifiers can only display a fixed message. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the invention there is provided an accessory for use with a microphone, which includes a body having a plurality of planar faces, a display screen on at least one face for displaying an electronically variable communication, and an attaching formation in the form of a central passage through the body. 
   Further according to the invention there is provided a method of using a microphone, characterized therein that it includes displaying a variable communication by means of an accessory that includes a body having a plurality of planar faces, a display screen on at least one face for displaying an electronically variable communication, and an attaching formation in the form of a central passage through the body. 
   The communication may be a message, an advertisement, a logo, a station name, or the like. It will be understood that a particular communication may be a combination of different forms. For example, it could be a combination of an advertisement and a station identifier. 
   The display device may conveniently comprise an electronically operable display screen which may preferably be substantially planar. The accessory may have a plurality of faces, with a display screen on each face. A driver may be provided for each display screen, such that the same communication may be displayed on all the screens, or different communications may be displayed on different screens. 
   The accessory may further include a storage module in which the various communications to be displayed may be stored. 
   The accessory may also include a power supply. This may be a rechargeable battery. 
   The accessory may still further include a transfer unit whereby a communication may be transferred thereto, from a remote source, for display by the display device. This may be effected in a wired or wireless manner. Thus, in a preferred embodiment the transfer unit may include a wireless receiver for receiving a transmitted communication. 
   The accessory may, in addition, have a transmitter, which may also be wireless, for transmitting data such as the date, time, duration and identity, of advertisements displayed on the or each display device or for transmitting a control signal. 
   The accessory may, in addition, have a controller, a clock and a timer. Thus, the various communications may be displayed on selected display screens at designated times for predetermined durations. 
   It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the attaching formation will usually attach the accessory to the microphone, or it could attach the accessory to a stand therefor. 
   The invention extends to a microphone which has an accessory as described attached thereto. 
   The invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a microphone with a first embodiment of an accessory in accordance with the invention attached thereto; 
       FIG. 2  shows a microphone stand with a second embodiment of an accessory in accordance with the invention attached thereto; 
       FIG. 3  shows a variation of the accessory of  FIG. 1  together with a transmitter for transmitting signals to be displayed, to the accessory, in a wireless manner; 
       FIG. 4  shows a block diagram of the accessory of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  shows a further embodiment of an accessory in accordance with the invention; and 
       FIG. 6  shows a still further embodiment of an accessory in accordance with the invention, used with a headset microphone. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an accessory for use with a microphone is shown, the accessory being designated generally by reference numeral  10  and the microphone by reference numeral  12 . 
   The accessory  10  has a cuboid body  14  which defines four planar faces  16 . 1  to  16 . 4 . A display screen  18  is provided in the face  16 . 1 . The display screen  18  is of a conventional type and may be of the LCD or plasma type. The screen  18  is supplied with signals from electronic circuitry (not shown) and power from a battery (also not shown) contained in the body  14 . The electronic circuitry includes a storage module in which electronic signals to be displayed on the screen  18  are stored. The signals are supplied to the storage module by cable, using a socket  20 . The battery is recharged via a socket  22 . The screen  18  is switched ON and OFF by means of a switch  24 . 
   The body  14  has an attaching formation in the form of a central passage  26  in which the stem  28  of the microphone  12  is received. As will be seen from  FIG. 1 , the passage  26  is a hollow opening that extends through the body  14  from top to bottom and which is open at both ends. In use the stem  28  of the microphone  12  is inserted into the passage  26  so that the body  14  is held frictionally on the stem  28  to be supported on the microphone  12 . As will be appreciated from  FIG. 4  and the description thereof hereinbelow, there is no electrical connection between the accessory  10  and the microphone  12 . As has been explained above, any communication such as a message, advertisement, logo, station identifier, or the like may be displayed on the screen  18 . The accessory  10  has a further button  27  by means of which the communication being displayed may be changed. 
   In use, a communication is transferred to the storage module and is displayed on the screen  18  when the microphone is used. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a further embodiment 30 of an accessory in accordance with the invention is shown. This embodiment 30 is more rectangular than the embodiment of  FIG. 1  and is attached to an arm  32  of a stand or boom for the microphone  12 . This embodiment 30 also has a screen  34 . 
     FIG. 3  is now referred to. In  FIG. 3  a third embodiment 40 of an accessory in accordance with the invention is shown. This embodiment 40 is similar to the embodiment 10 of  FIG. 1  and is similarly referenced. However, this embodiment 40 has four screens  42 . 1  to  42 . 4 , there being a screen  42  on each face  16 . Further, this embodiment 40 is supplied with signals to be displayed from a transmitter  44 , in a wireless manner. Thus the transmitter  44  has an aerial  46  and the accessory has an aerial  48 . Clearly, the accessory  40  has a receiver inside the body which receives the signals transmitted from the transmitter  44 . With this embodiment, communications to be displayed on the screens  42  may be varied at will and may be changed or varied as required, depending on the bandwidth of the system. Further, as will be explained below, with reference to  FIG. 4 , a number of communications may be supplied to the accessory in advance and may then be displayed at predetermined times, for predetermined durations; or they may be displayed in a remotely controlled manner. Further, it will be appreciated that the same communication may be displayed at the same time on all four screens  42 , or different communications may be displayed contemporaneously on the different screens. The accessory  40  also has a wireless transmitter by means of which data such as the time, date, duration and identity of advertisements displayed may be sent to an auditing or monitoring unit. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a block diagram of the electronic components of the accessory  40  is shown by reference numeral  50 . Thus, the accessory has a computer based controller  52  which has a clock  54  and a timer  56 , a receiver  58 , a transmitter  59 , a storage module  60 , the display screens  42 , drivers  62  for the screens  42  and a rechargeable battery  64 . As explained above, the various communications are transmitted to the accessory  40 , are received by the receiver  58  and stored in the storage module  60 . Similarly, the controller  52  may be pre-programmed and control signals for programming the controller  52  are also transmitted, in advance, from the transmitter  44 , received by the receiver  58  and stored in the storage module  60 . The controller  52  then supplies the appropriate signals from the storage module  60  to the drivers  62  at the appropriate time (as determined by the clock  54 ) for the appropriate duration (as determined by the timer  56 ). If the manner in which communications are displayed is to be controlled remotely at the time the communications are to be displayed, then control signals may be supplied via a transmitter, which may be the same transmitter that supplied the communication signals or a different device, for immediate response by the controller  52 . The controller  52  would then not require the clock  54  and timer  56 . Further, depending on the bandwidth of the system and the size of the communications, the communications could be transmitted when they are to be displayed, and not in advance, such that the size of the storage module may be decreased or even dispensed with. The communication and control signals may both be received by the same receiver, or by different receivers. Further, as explained above, the date, time, duration and identity of the advertisements displayed are sent by the transmitter  59  to the auditing unit (not shown). 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a third embodiment of an accessory in accordance with the invention is designated by reference numeral  80 . It comprises a foam microphone cover  82 , which is engageable over a microphone, a screen  42 , and the electronic componentry  50 . 
   In  FIG. 6 , a conventional headset  90  is shown, which has earphones  92 , a microphone  94  on a stalk  96 , and an accessory  98 , which has a screen  100 . 
   While a description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been given, further modifications and alterations will occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore understood that all such modifications and alterations be considered as within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.