Abstract:
Systems and methods for recording and delivering personalized audio messages are provided. The system includes a central facility computer system (CF), a store front programming system (SFS), and a portable playback device (PPD). When a customer desires to send a personalized message to another person, the customer communicates via a telecommunications channel with the CF. Under control of a CF processor, a outgoing message module of the CF provides instructions to the customer, who enters required information and provides the personalized audio message. The personalized audio message is digitized by a CF voice digitizer and transmitted from the CF via a data interface to the SFS. The SFS receives the digitized personalized audio message data from the CF and uses its playback device programmer to program data representing the audio message onto the PPD. The PPD is an audio chip having a nonvolatile memory, an external switch, a battery and a speaker. When the switch is pressed, the data representing the audio message stored in the memory is sent to the speaker (via a D/A converter where the data is digital) where a facsimile of the original audio message is heard.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to systems and methods for recording and delivering personalized audio messages. In particular the present invention relates to systems and methods for generating devices such as greeting cards with non-erasable personalized audio messages contained thereon. 
     2. State of the Art 
     The greeting card industry manufactures and sells greeting cards of many different types and for many different occasions. The greeting card is intended to assist consumers in expressing their feelings and/or in helping the consumers find the appropriate things to say at particular times. Greeting cards are often sent at holiday times, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Greeting cards also often accompany gifts. Because of the great number of greeting cards available with many different messages, greeting cards attempt to inject a personal aspect to the communication. However, the message of the card rarely expresses exactly what the consumer wishes to say. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,976,049 to J. J. Ronci, discloses a talking greeting card which produces an audible message or greeting. The greeting card includes a small phonograph disk which is rotatably connected to the greeting card and a needle. The needle presses against the disk grooves as the disk is rotated manually by the user. The needle vibrates, transmitting the vibrations through the card, amplifying the resulting sound waves. While such an arrangement could produce an audio message on a greeting card, it will be appreciated that the quality of the sound would be very poor, and that the arrangement is bulky and unlikely to be commercialized. 
     Other greeting cards have been manufactured which play synthesized music when the card is opened. In particular, cards incorporating a memory, an oscillator/speaker, and a battery are known, where the card is activated by a switch when the card is opened. These types of greeting cards generally play &#34;Happy Birthday&#34;, a holiday tune, or some other recognizable melody which is matched with the purpose of the card and which is preprogrammed by the manufacturer. This design provides the card with an audible message but does not allow the user to personalize the message. 
     Recently, personal audio messages have been combined with a Christmas tree ornament. The ornament is effectively provided with an analog audio system (i.e., miniature tape recorder) which allows the user to press a button and record a personal message. Upon pressing of a playback button, the message can be played back by the receiver of the personal message. While this arrangement permits a personal message to be provided, the arrangement is less than optimal in that it requires that the sender physically manipulate the ornament in making the message (i.e., the sender must physically obtain the ornament and &#34;program&#34; it). In addition, the message can be either intentionally or accidentally &#34;overwritten&#34; by the receiver of the ornament, and the ornament can then be provided with another message. Further, because both recording and replaying technology is required on the ornament, and the ornament is utilizing analog technology, the ornament is quite expensive. 
     Digital audio technology in the form of semiconductor chips has also recently been made available. The chips permit direct recording of audio information onto the chip, and a playback of that audio information from the chip. These chips have been used as part of a message center which permits a consumer to record a personalized audio message. As with the Christmas tree ornament, the provided system requires that the user activate the system for recording the message. In addition, because the system is intended for use as a message center, it is expected that the message will be regularly overwritten with additional messages which can be accessed by the receiver of the message. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a system and method for recording and delivering personalized audio messages. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a system and method for recording and delivering personalized audio messages from remote locations. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide a system and method for generating personalized audio messages for greeting cards where the greeting card message cannot be mistakenly overwritten by the receiver of the greeting card. 
     In accord with these objects which will be discussed below the preferred system for recording and delivering personalized audio messages includes a central facility computer system, a store front programming system, and a portable playback device. The central facility computer system incorporates a recorded/synthesized outgoing message module, a touch tone interface, an incoming voice digitizer, a telephone data interface (e.g., modem), and a processor. When a person desires to send a personalized message to another person, the sender communicates via a telephone line with the central facility system. Under control of the processor, the recorded/synthesized outgoing message module provides instructions to the sender, who enters required information and provides the personalized audio message. The personalized audio message is digitized by the incoming voice digitizer and transmitted from the central facility via the telephone data interface to the store front system. 
     The store front system includes a telephone data interface, a processor, a playback device programmer, an in-store voice digitizer, and an internal playback device. The store front system receives the digitized personalized audio message data from the central facility system via both the store front and the central facility telephone data interfaces. The digital message is then programmed by the playback device programmer onto the portable playback device (digital or analog audio chip). The store front system also has the ability to directly receive and record audio messages via use of a microphone attached to the in-store voice digitizer. The recorded messages may be heard through a speaker attached to the internal playback device. 
     The portable playback device preferably incorporates a nonvolatile message memory, a speaker, a control unit (sequencer), a power controller module, a battery and an external start switch. Where the nonvolatile message memory is a digital EPROM or the like, a digital-analog (D/A) converter is also provided as part of the portable playback device, whereas when a solid state analog nonvolatile message memory is utilized, the D/A converter is not required. A preferred embodiment of the portable playback device is a greeting card. Upon the opening the greeting card, the external start switch activates the playback device, which, under control of the sequencer, sends the audio message stored in the nonvolatile message memory to the speaker. Where the message memory is digital, the audio message is sent to the speaker via the D/A converter which converts the digital audio message to an analog signal and transmits the signal through the speaker. Regardless, the resulting audio message is substantially similar in sound to the personalized audio message as the customer originally recorded it. 
     It will be appreciated that the system of the invention is advantageously utilized in conjunction with florist services so that when flowers are sent via a wire service, a personalized audio card or ornament can be sent with the flowers. The system of the invention likewise could be utilized with other gift items such as teddy bears where the card with the personalized audio message could be included in or on the box, or where the personalized audio message could be incorporated in the gift itself. 
     Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the provided figures. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the system of the invention for recording and delivering personalized audio messages. 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the central facility computer system of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the store front programming system of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the portable playback device of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of a portion of the portable playback device of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 6 is schematic representation of a teddy bear incorporating the portable playback circuitry of FIG. 4. 
     FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the preferred method of recording and delivering personalized audio messages. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The system for recording and delivering personalized audio messages 10 of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. The system 10 broadly includes a central facility computer system 12, a store front programming system 14, and a portable playback device 16. The central facility computer system 12 interfaces with a customer at a remote location over a communications channel 18 (e.g., a first telephone line). The customer conveys into a touch tone telephone 20 a personalized audio message which is digitally recorded at the central facility 12 for programming via the store front programming system 14 onto the portable playback device 16. In particular, as described in more detail hereinafter, the store front playback device programmer system 14 receives the digital audio message from the central facility 12 via a second communications channel 22 (e.g., second telephone line ) and programs the portable playback device 16 with the audio message via external programmer data lines 24. 
     The portable playback device 16 may advantageously take the form of a greeting card with an audio semiconductor chip (known in the art) which stores an original audio message of a user in digital or analog form for later playback. A microphone 26 may be attached to the store front system 14 for in-store demonstrations and to enable a user to record a message at the store front system 14 instead of at a remote location. A speaker 28 may also be provided at the store front system 14 so that the audio message can be heard during a demonstration. 
     The central facility computer system 12 as shown in FIG. 2 generally includes a recorded/synthesized outgoing message module 30, a touch tone phone interface 32, an incoming voice digitizer 34, a modem 36 and a processor 38. When a telephone call is placed to the central facility 12 via line 18, the touch tone phone interface 32 informs the processor 38 of an incoming call. Under control of the processor 38, recorded or synthesized computer voice messages which are stored and/or generated in the outgoing message module 30 are played over line 18. The computer voice messages generally instruct the remote user to choose from various options available. In response to the computer voice messages and instructions provided by the message module 30, the customer presses a sequence of keys 20a on the touch tone telephone 20 keypad 20b (see FIG. 1). This information is received by the touch tone phone interface 32. 
     The touch tone phone interface 32 provides the computer or processor 38 with an interface to the phone line 18. The interface 32 receives the touch tone signals from the telephone 20 via the telephone line 18, converts the incoming touch tone signal to a digital signal and transmits the digital signal directly to the processor 38 via internal data lines 40. The processor 38 receives the information based on the received information decides on the next appropriate step. For example, the central facility system 12 might request from the customer, via the outgoing message module 30, a credit card number for payment. Upon receiving a valid credit card number (and automatically checking the same with the credit card company via modem 36), the processor 38 might request via the outgoing message module 30 that the customer provide the ZIP code of the recipient. Again, this information would be provided by the customer as touch tone signals, and received via the touch tone phone interface for storage by the processor. Then, the message module 30 might be activated to request the address of the customer, and the address of the recipient, which information would be provided by voice. After all of that information is obtained, the processor 38 might instruct the customer to provide the message which is to be stored on the playback device (e.g., greeting card) 16. 
     As aforementioned, it is the processor 38 which controls the message module 30, and thereby instructs the customer to provide desired information. If the customer provides a touch tone in response to the instructions of the message module 30, the touch tone phone interface 32 converts the signal into a digital signal for use by the processor 38. However, when the customer provides voice information, as opposed to a touch tone signal response, the incoming voice digitizer 34 converts the voice information into a digital signal which is then sent to and stored in memory 39 associated with the processor 38. If desired, the central facility computer system 12 can be provided with a playback capacity as described hereinafter with reference to the store front system of FIG. 3. This would permit the customer to listen to the message that the customer provided and change it by overwriting the message stored in memory 39. Eventually, the information stored by the memory 39 must be forwarded via the modem 36 to the store front playback device programmer system 14. The forwarding of the information may be done automatically by having the processor 38 compare the ZIP code of the intended receiver of the message to a list stored in a memory containing the ZIP codes of store front playback device programmer systems 14. Once a match is made, the processor 38 can dial the. appropriate store front 14 via the modem 36 and the telephone line 22, and send the digitized address information and message. Alternatively, rather than comparing the ZIP codes and sending the information automatically, an operator at the central facility computer system 12 can manually determine where the information is to be sent, and then instruct the processor 38 to send the information contained in the memory 39. As a further alternative, rather than sending the digitized message and other accompanying information, the central facility computer system can send a code or message to the appropriate store front 14 that a digitized voice message is being stored at the central facility computer system for pick-up by the store front. The digitized voice message could then be accessed by a call placed by the store front to the central facility computer system at an appropriate time. 
     It should be appreciated, that if desired, the central facility computer system 12 can be provided with the ability to play back the message stored in memory 39 so that a customer can listen to the message and override the message with a different message if the message is not suitable. The ability to play back the message would typically involve a message in the outgoing message module 30 which would ask the customer to press a certain telephone button or sequence of buttons to hear the message. Upon receiving the signals via the touch tone phone interface 32, the processor 38 would cause the message stored in memory 39 to pass through the outgoing message module 30 or a similar module (not shown) which would use the data stored in memory to generate an analog signal which would be sent out over telephone line 18 to the customer. 
     The memory 39 of the central facility computer system is preferably very large, so that numerous messages from different customers can be stored over an extended period of time (e.g., one or more weeks). In this manner a record is obtained so that ultimately, if the playback device does not contain an intelligible message, the digital message may be re-obtained from the central facility computer system. 
     It should be noted that while it is expected that the central facility computer system will be coupled to a standard telephone line, it is envisioned that the system can be utilized with via other communications channels such as the digital network or with a cable or satellite system. In such systems, the modem 36 might not be required, but would typically be replaced with a data pump, RF generator, or other interface which would interface with the communications system of choice. 
     The store front playback device programmer system 14 is seen in FIG. 3 and preferably includes a modem 42, a processor 44, a playback device programmer 46, an in-store voice digitizer 48, and an internal playback device 50. The store front system 14 has two primary functions. The first primary function of the store front system 14 is to receive the digital data and audio message from the central facility system 12 (or directly from the customer). The second primary function is to program the portable playback device 16 with the digital personal audio message. 
     The modem 42 of the store front system 14 is connected to the modem 36 of the central facility system 12 via telephone line 22. The modem 42 of the store front system receives the (now modulated) digital address and other non-message information as well as the personal audio message information from the processor 38 of the central facility system 12, demodulates the data, and then relays the information to the processor 44 of the store front system 14. The processor 44 separates out the address and other non-audio message information (if any) from the personal audio message, and can store both the address, the non-audio information, and personal audio message in associated memory 47. Alternatively, and although not preferred, rather than storing the personal audio message in memory 47, the personal audio message can be sent directly to the playback device programmer 46 provided that a playback device is connected and available to be programmed. Regardless, eventually, the playback device programmer 46 receives the personalized audio message from the processor 44 and under control of the processor 44 writes the message via the external programmer lines 24 to the portable playback device 16. Typically, the external programmer lines 24 include address lines, data lines, a data ready line, and a program enable line, and are coupled directly to the nonvolatile memory of the playback device. 
     The audio message is stored in the playback device 16 in a manner in which permits the portable playback device 16 to reconstruct the personalized audio message at a later time. Under control of the store front proprietor or employee, the address and other non-audio information is separately provided to the playback device programmer 46 which provides the information to the in-store playback device 50. Thus, the address of the recipient of the playback device 16 is obtained and manually recorded by the store front proprietor or employee, so that the playback device 16 may be properly delivered. If desired, an address label or identification (not shown) may be correspondingly printed and attached to the playback device. It will be appreciated that where the store front is a flower shop or the like, the playback device 16 typically will be a card or ornament which will accompany and be delivered with flowers. Where the store front is a teddy bear delivery service, the playback device 16 may be incorporated directly onto or into the teddy bear (with an external switch), and the teddy bear is typically delivered by the mail or delivery service. 
     The in-store voice digitizer 48 is similar to the voice digitizer 34 of the central facility system 12. The voice digitizer 34 provides a second mechanism for a customer to provide a personalized audio message, while also enabling in-store demonstrations. In particular, if a customer is at a store front and desires to provide a personalized audio card, the customer can use the external microphone 26 connected to the store front system 14 to record the personalized audio message. The audio message, which is converted to a digital signal by the in-store voice digitizer 34, is provided to the processor 44. The processor then forwards the digital message to the playback device programmer 46. Under control of the processor 44 or manual control, the playback device programmer provides the message either to the internal playback device 50, or to the portable playback device 16 for storage thereon. The internal playback device 50 in the store front system 14 is similar to the portable playback device 16, which will be discussed in more detail hereinafter; except for the external speaker 28 which is connected to the internal playback device 50. The external speaker 28, which may take the form of headphones, is used for listening to the personalized audio message at the store front system 14 location during in-store demonstrations. 
     As seen in FIG. 4, a first embodiment of the portable playback device 16 includes a nonvolatile message memory chip 52, an external start switch 54, a power controller module 56 which is coupled to the external start switch 54 and the memory chip 52, a battery 58 which is coupled to the power controller 56, a control unit (sequencer) 60 which is coupled to both the power controller 56 and the nonvolatile message memory 52, a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter 62 coupled to the nonvolatile message memory 52, to the sequencer 60, and to the power controller 56, an amplifier 63 coupled to the D/A converter, and a speaker 64 coupled to the amplifier 63. The digital audio message received from the playback device programmer 46, via the external programmer data lines 24 by the portable playback device 16, is stored in the nonvolatile message memory 52. The message memory 52 is nonvolatile and retains the stored digital audio message even when the power is turned off. 
     The external start switch 54 acts as the mechanism for supplying power to the unit, and must be (dis)engaged to activate the portable playback device 16. In the preferred embodiment, and as is known in the art, the external start switch 54 (dis)engages when the user, e.g., opens up the greeting card, or presses the switch on a teddy bear or ornament. Since the external start switch 54 is connected to the power controller module 56, the power controller module 56 conserves the power in the battery 58 by only allowing power through the power lines 66 to the message memory 52, digital-analog converter 62 and control unit 60 when the external start switch 54 has been engaged. Also, when the recorded audio message is completed, the power control module 56 removes the power from the message memory 52, digital-analog converter 62 and control unit 60, thereby saving power and extending the battery 58 life. 
     When initiated or started by the power controller 56, the control unit 60 starts the sequencing of the digital audio message from the message module 52 to the digital-analog converter 62. The control unit 60 accomplishes the sequencing by providing memory addresses sequentially over control line 68a to the message memory 52. As a result of the sequencing, the digital audio message is sent from the message memory module 52 via data lines 70 to the D/A converter 62 which converts the digital audio message into an analog signal. It is noted that the control unit 60 also provides control signals such as a clock signal over control line 68b to the digital-analog converter 62 so that the D/A converter will know that the data on data lines 70 are valid. Once converted, the analog signal is amplified by the amplifier 63 and provided to the speaker 64 which plays the personalized audio message. If the central facility computer system 12 and the playback device 16 are provided with enough resolution, the personalized audio message as heard via the speaker 64 will closely approximate the voice of the customer. After the audio message is completed, the control unit 60 informs the power controller 56 via control line 68c that the message is over, an causes the power controller 56 to shut down the playback device 16 in order to conserve power. 
     It should be noted that the playback device 16 of the invention does not have an external switch for permitting the nonvolatile message memory to be overwritten. While it is preferred that a standard audio chip such as the VP1000 of Electech Electronics of Industry, California, be used which provides a &#34;recording&#34; port as well as a playback port (data line 70), according to the invention, the recording port of the audio chip is accessed only by the playback device programmer 46 of the store front system 14. In other words, the playback device programmer 46 is provided with a line or pin 24 (see FIG. 3) which permits the audio chip to be recorded, while no mechanism is provided for the receiver of the audio chip to record over the the message memory 52. In this manner, the object of providing a system for generating personalized audio messages for greeting cards or other devices where the message cannot be mistakenly overwritten by the receiver of the card or device is met. 
     For purposes of completeness, a single-message playback-only circuit provided by Electech Electronics and suitable for the invention is seen in FIG. 5. The circuit includes a VP1000 chip 162, an EPROM memory 52a which is coupled by data lines 70a, address lines 68aa, and a control line 68bb to the VP1000 chip, a filter circuit 164, and a power amplifier circuit 63a. It should be appreciated that the VP1000 chip effectively incorporates the control unit 60 and the D/A converter 62 of FIG. 4. It should also be appreciated that while the EPROM memory 52a of FIG. 5 is shown as a 16K by 8 bit memory, different amounts of memory with different resolution (different bit width) could be utilized. 
     While utilization of an EPROM or other &#34;digital&#34; nonvolatile memory device is set forth above with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, it should be appreciated that a nonvolatile solid state analog memory device such as the ISD1100 chip of Information Storage Devices Corp. of Sunnyvale, Calif. can also be utilized. The ISD1100 chip stores analog signals at one of two hundred fifty-six (8 bit) levels into a single cell without the need of A/D and D/A conversion. The ISD1100 chip would effectively replace the nonvolatile message memory 52 and D/A converter 62 of FIG. 4. To accommodate use of the ISD1100 chip, the playback device programmer 46 of the store front system 14 would generate an analog signal which would be stored in the ISD1100 chip. It should be noted that where a microphone 26 was used at the store front system, the audio information could be provided via an analog interface (not shown) to the ISD1100 chip, rather than being digitized by the digitizer 48, etc. However, it is still preferable that all communications between the central facility computer system 12 and the store front system 14 be digital, as modulated digital data is less susceptible to noise. 
     While the system of the invention has been described primarily with reference to providing a non-erasable audible message on a greeting card, it will be appreciated that the system of the invention can be applied to generate non-erasable audible messages on other types of portable playback devices. For example, and not by way of limitation, the portable playback device can take the form of an ornament or a stuffed animal. In the case of the latter, and as seen in FIG. 6, a receptacle 202 is provided in the stuffed animal (teddy bear) 200 for receiving a power supply, a message memory and associated circuitry, and a speaker. Preferably, the power supply, message memory and associated circuitry, and speaker are provided together as a package 204 with latches 206 which are arranged to engage the receptacle 202 and hold the package therein. The package 204 preferably includes an external switch 208 for activating playback of the message. In addition, the package 204 is preferably designed such that the battery (which is preferably a &#34;button&#34; type battery) is readily replaceable upon removal of the package from the receptacle. 
     It will be appreciated that the method of the invention closely parallels the system of the invention. As seen in FIG. 7, at 100, the customer directly calls the central facility computer system, although if the customer calls a store front, the store front can connect the customer to the central facility. Upon reaching the central facility, at 102, the message module of the central facility instructs the customer to provide certain information by using the keypad of the telephone. At 104, the user presses the buttons of the telephone keypad. When verbal information (e.g., addresses or a message) is required, at 106, the message module instructs the customer to provide such verbal information. At 108, the customer provides the necessary verbal information which is digitized at 110 by the incoming voice digitizer 34 of the central facility. As previously described, the central facility may be provided with the ability to permit the customer to listen at 111 to the message which the customer is providing. When, the customer is satisfied, the digitized information is sent at 112 from the central facility to an appropriate store front. At 114, the store front system receives the information, separates out address and non-germane information (if any) from the digitized message, and programs the digitized message on the chip was is attached to a portable device (e.g., a greeting card, ornament, teddy bear or the like). At 116, the portable device is either sent or hand-delivered to, or picked up by the intended receiver of the portable device. 
     As shown in phantom, it is possible for the customer to visit a store front directly and record the message at 108a. The customer can directly provide an audio message which is digitized at 110a by the in-store voice digitizer 48. If desired, the customer can listen at 111 to the audio message via the in store play back device 50, and change the message by re-recording. Eventually, at 114a, the digitized audio message is programmed onto the portable device 16, which is sent to or picked up by the intended receiver of the portable device at step 116. 
     There have been described and illustrated herein a system and device for recording and delivering personalized audio messages. While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto, as it is intended that the invention be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specifications be read likewise. Thus, while the described system only referenced a single customer, the system can be configured for use by many customers at the same time. Likewise, while only one store front system was described, it is intended that a network of store fronts be provided with store front playback device programmer systems. Further, while particular high level circuitry has been shown, it will be appreciated that other circuitry accomplishing similar results could be utilized. It will therefore be appreciated by those skilled in the art that yet other modifications could be made to the provided invention without deviating from its spirit and scope so claimed.