Abstract:
The apparatus of the present invention is directed to a motivational tree designed to inspire, educate, encourage, uplift, and/or motivate persons of any age. The motivational tree includes a foliage portion have a plurality of leaves, a trunk having a plurality of extending branches a first end to which the plurality of leaves are attached and a soil area on a second end, and a pot portion that is securely connected to the soil area of said trunk, wherein the pot portion includes a playback circuit that outputs an audible motivational message when activated by one of the plurality of leaves. The playback circuit includes a communication port that provides the capability to download motivational message data from an external processor that may be connected to a network. Further, the playback circuit has a memory device that includes internal memory and a removable memory.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is related to a motivational device and in particular to a motivational message tree that outputs a variety of motivational and inspirational messages that are designed to inspire, educate, motivate, uplift, and/or encourage a user.  
         [0002]     The public is bombarded with negative messages on a daily basis. These messages, some of which encourage destructive behavior, are provided through television and radio programming, and music. Tools or devices that provide an encouraging or motivational message can make a tremendous difference in minimizing the effects of negative messages in the lives of persons both young and old.  
         [0003]     A wide variety of toys, dolls, and figurines have been developed for this specific purpose. Many of these products, however, are primarily designed for the entertainment and amusement of kids. Moreover, because of the appearance of these products, most cannot be placed in conspicuous areas of the home or office.  
         [0004]     Therefore, the need exists for a device that can provide soothing and uplifting messages to a person of any age, and at the same time be a natural fixture in the home or office setting.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     To overcome the above problems and other disadvantages of the prior art, an object is configured in the form of a tree to provide motivational messages through a playback circuit for the purpose of inspiring, educating, uplifting, and encouraging a user.  
         [0006]     In an embodiment of the present invention, a motivational tree comprises a foliage portion have a plurality of leaves; a trunk having a plurality of extending branches a first end to which the plurality of leaves are attached and a soil area on a second end; and a pot portion that is securely connected to the soil area of said trunk, wherein the pot portion includes a playback circuit that outputs the audible motivational message when activated by one of the plurality of leaves.  
         [0007]     In another embodiment of the present invention, a faux plant comprises a foliage portion having a plurality of leaves, wherein an activation switch is located inside at least one of the plurality of leaves of the foliage portion; a base portion connected to the foliage portion through a plurality of branches and a trunk, wherein the base portion includes a playback circuit, and wherein a processor of the playback circuit is connected to the activation switch through wiring, and wherein the playback circuit outputs an audible message based on data selected by the processor when the activation switch is activated. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a motivational tree consistent with the present invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating a cavity of a base portion of the motivational tree consistent with the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a bottom of a base portion of the motivational tree consistent with the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating a playback circuit consistent with the present invention; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating a power supply consistent with the present invention; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating memory consistent with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]      FIGS. 1-3  illustrate various views of a motivational tree  10  consistent with an embodiment of the present invention. The motivational tree  10  includes a foliage portion  12  and a base portion  14 .  
         [0015]     The foliage portion  12  has the appearance of a faux tree. This faux tree may be in the form and have the appearance of any one of the variety of trees that exist in nature, or of a tree produced through an artistic impression or interpretation. In this example, the foliage portion  12  is in the form of a bonsai tree. In the bonsai tree example, the foliage portion  12  includes a trunk  16 , a plurality of branches  18 , and a plurality of leaves  20 , all of which are made of plastic or known synthetic materials normally used in the production of faux plant products. The trunk  16  and the plurality of branches are hollow and in addition to their aesthetic purpose, serve as a conduit for wiring (not shown) used in circuitry that will be described in detail below. The plurality of leaves  20  include dummy leaves  22  and at least one golden leaf  24 . The dummy leaves  22  have only an aesthetic purpose. The golden leaves  24  include a mechanism that activates motivational message playback.  
         [0016]     The base portion  14  is affixed to the bottom of the trunk  16 . The base portion includes a soil area  26  and a pot or planter  28 . The soil area  26  is formed as the top of the base portion  14  and surrounds the bottom of the trunk  16 . The soil area  26  simulates for example, the topsoil that in which a natural plant, or bonsai plant would be planted.  
         [0017]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the pot  28  can be in any of a variety of shapes and sizes and includes a cavity  30 , a pot side  32 , and a pot bottom  34 . The pot  28  is fixedly attached to the soil area  26 , such that the soil area  26  securely fits into the cavity  30  and serves as the top of the base portion  14 . A playback circuit  36  of the motivational message tree  10  is housed within the cavity  30  and a pot side  32  of the pot  28 . Various components of a playback circuit  36  facilitate user interaction and are integrated into the pot side  32  and the pot bottom  34 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  illustrates a battery compartment  36  that is integrated into the pot bottom  34 . The battery compartment  38  holds four D-cell batteries, for example, but may be modified as needed to hold any suitable size or type of battery device. The pot bottom  34  further includes a plurality padded portions  35  that prevent the motivational tree  10  from sliding on most surfaces. The plurality of padded portions  35  further raise the pot bottom  34  so that the surface on which the motivational tree  10  rests is not damaged.  
         [0019]      FIGS. 1 and 2  further illustrate a speaker  40 , a communication port  42 , and a removable media compartment  44  integrated into the pot side  32 . The speaker  40  provides audio output to the user. The communication port  42  provides connection capability to an external processor or device used for data transfer. The removable media compartment  44  provides a docking mechanism for an external memory device or data cartridge. The pot side  32  further includes a power switch  52  that enables the playback circuit  36  to be turned on or off. These components will be described in further detail below.  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating the playback circuit  36  consistent with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]     The playback circuit  36  enables the motivational tree  10  to output motivational messages to a user. The playback circuit  36  includes the speaker  40 , an auxiliary output jack  41 , the communication port  42 , an output selector  43 , a processor  48 , an activation switch  50 , the power switch  52 , a power supply  54 , a memory  56 , and a synthesizer  58 .  
         [0022]     The processor  48  controls the playback of the motivational message. The processor  48  is connected to the memory  58  so that it may access data stored in the memory  58 . The processor  48  uses the accessed data to perform operational functions or the processor  48  may output the accessed data to the synthesizer  60 . In this manner, the processor  48  is configured to control the synthesizer  60  in the generation of speech based on data output from the memory  56 .  
         [0023]     The activation switch  50  is a spring-loaded depressible switch that is located within the golden leaf  24 , however, another suitable switch type may be used to perform the same function. The activation switch  50  is connected to the processor  48 , through wiring located within the hollow portion of the plurality of branches  18  and the trunk  16 .  
         [0024]     The power switch  52  activates the power supply  54  so that the required voltage and current may be provided to the speaker  40 , processor  48 , the memory  56 , and the synthesizer  60 . The power switch  52  is a slidable contact switch, however, another suitable switch type may be used to perform the same function.  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating the power supply  54  consistent with an embodiment of the present invention. The power supply  54  includes a power selector  62 , an AC power source  64 , and a battery power source  66 . The AC power source  64  supplies power through a connection to an electrical outlet. The battery power source  66  supplies power through four D-cell batteries or other suitable battery source that are housed in the battery compartment  38 . The power selector  62  supplies power to the processor  48  from either the AC power source  64  or the battery power source  66  based upon the power levels detected from each device. For example, when the power selector  62  detects power from the AC power source  64 , then the power selector  62  selects the AC power source  64  to provide power to the speaker  40 , the processor  48 , the memory  56 , and the synthesizer  60 , even if the battery power source  64  is suitably charged. However, if power from the AC power source  64  is interrupted or falls below a predetermined level, then the power selector  62  will select the battery power source  64  to provide power to the speaker  40 , processor  48 , the memory  56 , and the synthesizer  60 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating the memory  56  consistent with an embodiment of the present invention. The memory  56  stores digital voice data that is processed by the processor  48  and provided to the synthesizer  60  for output through the speaker  40 . The memory  56  includes a memory selector  68 , an internal memory  70 , and a removable memory device  72 . The internal memory  70  stores speech data and/or other data used to uplift, encourage, or motivate a user. Furthermore, the internal memory  70  stores an operating program of the processor  48  and any other executable data used by the processor  48  to operate the motivational message tree  10 . The removable memory device  72  is an interchangeable cartridge that stores speech data and/or other data used to uplift, encourage, or motivate a user. The removable memory device  72  also stores the operating program of the processor  48  and any other executable data used by the processor  48  to operate the motivational message tree  10 . The removable memory device  72  is manually inserted into and securely rests inside the removable media compartment  44 . The memory selector  68  enables the processor  48  to access speech or operational data stored on the internal memory  70  or the removable memory device  72 . For example, when the removable memory device  48  is not installed into the removable media compartment  44 , then the memory selector  68  will enable the processor  48  to access the internal memory  70 . Alternatively, when the removable media device  72  is installed in the removable media compartment  44 , then the memory selector  68  will enable the processor  36  to access only the data stored on the removable memory device  72 .  
         [0027]     The synthesizer  58  is controlled by the processor  48 . The synthesizer  58  generates analog speech signals based on the digital data stored in the memory  56 . The synthesizer  58  outputs the speech signals to the speaker  40 . Power is supplied to the synthesizer through the power supply  54 .  
         [0028]     The speaker  40  and the auxiliary output jack  41  are connected to receive an output from the synthesizer  58  through the output selector  43 . Both the speaker  40  and an external audio output device (not shown) which is plugged into the auxiliary output jack  41  reproduce the speech data stored in the memory  56  based upon the analog speech signals received from the synthesizer  58 . The output selector  43  is a switch that connects the speaker the output of the synthesizer  58  when the external audio output device is not plugged into the auxiliary output jack  41 . When the external audio output device is plugged into the auxiliary output jack  41 , the output selector  43  connects the auxiliary output jack  41  to the output of the synthesizer  58  so that the external audio output device reproduces the output of the synthesizer  58 . The external audio output device may include, for example, a speaker, headphones, or the like.  
         [0029]     The communication port  60  enables the motivational tree  10  to be connected to an external device. The communication port  60  allows speech data and other motivational data to be downloaded to the internal memory  70  from an external processor or computer. The communication port  60  uses the Universal Serial Bus (USB) external bus standard, which provides plug-and-play capabilities such that the processor  48  may communicate seamlessly with the external processor. The communication port enables data to be downloaded to the internal memory  70  from an external processor connected to a network such as the Internet.  
         [0030]     Based on the configuration described above, the motivational message tree  10  outputs an audible motivational message through the speaker  40 , when the golden leaf  24  is depressed. In particular, depressing the golden leaf  24  enables the processor  48  to randomly select a motivational message from digital data stored in the memory  56 . The processor  48  outputs the selected speech data to the synthesizer  58 . The synthesizer  58  generates an analog speech signal based on the digital speech data received from the processor  48 . The generated speech signal is outputted to the speaker  40  so that the audible message is presented to the user. Further, motivational messages may be downloaded to the motivational message tree  10  through the communication port  60  from an external processor connected to a network such as the Internet.  
         [0031]     Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.