Abstract:
The present invention is a tape measure in combination with a data transceiver, a headset, and a cell phone. The invention includes a data transceiver with a housing that can be mounted to a tape measure, where the housing features numerous selectors including at least one record button and one playback button. The present invention further involves the transceiver in communication with a first user cell phone for instructing recordation of verbal analogue data received from a head set when a record button is depressed. The cell phone also includes an application for converting verbal information into digital data using voice recognition software, communicating and storing the digital data, and communicating analogue data. The present invention alternatively allows for playback of the recorded data to the headset when a playback button is depressed. Another embodiment allows for communication between the cell phones of a first and a second user and an associated headset.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    The present invention relates to tape measures and in particular relates to tape measures which include an audio recording device attached thereto. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Users of a conventional type tape measuring devices are required to either manually or mentally make a record of the measurement which they are taking. Individuals using conventional tape measuring devices either carry pads of paper and pen or pencil with them to record the measurements that they are taking or simply commit them to memory. The use of pencil and paper to record the measurements is extremely cumbersome and committing the measurements to memory often can result in errors and/or having to re-measure forgotten dimensions. 
         [0003]    There is a need for a tape measure which eliminates the use of pencil and paper and eliminates the need for committing to memory dimensions and measurements that have been taken with a tape measure in order to more efficiently and effectively use a tape measure in the field. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present concept a tape measure in combination with an audio comprising:
   a) A voice recorder includes a front cover, a push pad, a circuit board and a back cover.   b) Wherein the voice recorder adapted to record and play back audio recordings.   c) Wherein the voice recorder is releasably attached to the tape measure such that the back cover abuts against a side of the tape measure.   
 
         [0008]    Preferably wherein the front cover, the push pad, the circuit board and the back cover are layers of uniform outer dimension which are sandwiched together to form a unitary layered structure. 
         [0009]    Preferably wherein each of the layers is circular each having the same outer diameter. 
         [0010]    Preferably wherein the push pad is sandwiched between the front cover and the circuit board and includes button pads for controlling the recording and playback functions. 
         [0011]    Preferably wherein the circuit board is sandwiched between the push pad and the back cover end includes a battery compartment and a speaker compartment. 
         [0012]    The present concept a tape measure in combination with an attachable data transceiver, a headset and a cell phone comprising:
   a) a data transceiver for mounting to a tape measure;   b) the data transceiver includes a housing with numerous selectors including at least one record button and one playback button; the transceiver housing for mounting to a tape measure;   c) the transceiver is in communication with a first user cell phone, wherein depressing the record button instructs the cell phone to record verbal analogue data received from a head set   
 
         [0016]    Preferably wherein the cell phone includes a cell phone application for recording and playback of analogue data. 
         [0017]    Preferably wherein the cell phone including a cell phone application for converting verbal analogue data into digital data using voice recognition software and recording and playback of the digital data. 
         [0018]    Preferably wherein when the at least one playback button is depressed the data transceiver instructs the cell phone to playback the recorded digital data to the head set. 
         [0019]    Preferably wherein further including at least two users, each user includes a data transceiver including a user selector, a tape measure, a headset and a cell phone, the user selector for instructing connection of the first users cell phone to at least one other second user cell phone by placing the user selector in the appropriate position, such that depressing the record button instructs simultaneous recordation of data received from a first headset onto the first and second user&#39;s cell phone wherein each cell phone is equipped with the cell phone application and is in communication with an associated headset. 
         [0020]    Preferably such that depressing the playback button on either the first or second users data transceiver instructs simultaneous playback of data on the first user&#39;s cell phone to the first and the second user&#39;s headsets. 
         [0021]    Preferably wherein the data transceiver further includes a calculate button selector which when pushed instructs the cell phone application to add together the last two recorded data points and record a calculated addition. 
         [0022]    Preferably wherein the data transceiver further includes a respond button selector which when pushed instructs the cell phone application to playback the calculated addition to the user selected headsets. 
         [0023]    Preferably wherein the data transceiver further includes a drawing button selector which when pushed instructs the cell phone application to project drawings stored in the cell phone using a LED projector light in the tape measure. 
         [0024]    Preferably wherein the data transceiver further includes a walkie-talkie button selector which when pushed instructs the cell phone application to transmit in real time any voice data received from first users headset to the user selected phone and associated headset, thereby permitting selected users to speak to each other in walkie-talkie fashion. 
         [0025]    Preferably wherein the digital data is numerical tape measurements. 
         [0026]    Preferably wherein the data transceiver attached to the tape measure with a centrally located fastener. 
         [0027]    Preferably wherein the data transceiver includes a cylindrical puck shaped housing for attaching to a side of the tape measure using a centrally located screw. 
         [0028]    The present concept a digital tape measure in combination with a data transceiver, a headset and a cell phone comprising:
   a) a data transceiver;   b) the data transceiver includes a housing with numerous selectors including at least one record button and one playback button; the transceiver receiving digital measurement data from the tape measure when the tape of the tape measure is extended;   c) the transceiver in communication with a first user cell phone, wherein depressing the record button instructs the cell phone to record digital data received from the tape measure.   d) the cell phone including a cell phone application for communicating and storing digital data.   
 
         [0033]    Preferably wherein when the at least one playback button is depressed the data transceiver instructs the cell phone to playback the recorded digital data to the head set. 
         [0034]    Preferably wherein further including at least two users, each user includes a data transceiver including a user selector, a tape measure, a headset and a cell phone, the user selector for instructing connection of the first users cell phone to at least one other second users cell phone by placing the user selector in the appropriate position, such that depressing the record button instructs simultaneous recordation of data received from a first tape measure onto the first and second user&#39;s cell phone wherein each cell phone is equipped with the cell phone application and is in communication with an associated headset. 
         [0035]    Preferably such that depressing the playback button on either the first or second users data transceiver instructs simultaneous playback of data on the first user&#39;s cell phone to the first and the second user&#39;s headsets. 
         [0036]    The present concept a tape measure in combination with a data transceiver, a headset and a cell phone comprising:
   a) a data transceiver integrally part of the tape measure;   b) the data transceiver includes a housing with numerous selectors including at least one record button and one playback button;   c) the transceiver is in communication with a first user cell phone, wherein depressing the record button instructs the cell phone to record verbal analogue data received from a head set.   
 
         [0040]    Preferably wherein when the at least one playback button is depressed the data transceiver instructs the cell phone to playback the recorded data to the head set. 
         [0041]    Preferably wherein further including at least two users, each user includes a data transceiver including a user selector, a tape measure, a headset and a cell phone, the user selector for instructing connection of the first users cell phone to at least one other second user cell phone by placing the user selector in the appropriate position, such that depressing the record button instructs simultaneous recordation of data received from a first headset onto the first and second user&#39;s cell phone wherein each cell phone is equipped with the cell phone application and is in communication with an associated headset. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0042]    The present concept will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following drawings in which: 
           [0043]      FIG. 1  is a top schematic perspective view of a tape measure with an voice recorder. 
           [0044]      FIG. 2  is a front schematic perspective view of the voice recorder attached on the tape measure. 
           [0045]      FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective exploded view of the voice recorder shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0046]      FIG. 4  is a schematic partial cross-sectional of a voice recorder shown attached to a tape measure. 
           [0047]      FIG. 5  is a top schematic perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention namely a tape measure with audio recorder. 
           [0048]      FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of the voice recorder shown in  FIG. 5  detached from the tape measure. 
           [0049]      FIG. 7  is a front schematic plan view of a tape measure attachment. 
           [0050]      FIG. 8  is a front schematic plan view of a tape measure attachment. 
           [0051]      FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram showing a tape measure attachment  400  deployed onto a person together with the interaction of the signals of a cell phone. 
           [0052]      FIG. 10  is a schematic of two tape attachments deployed onto two independent persons together with the signal interaction between the tape measure attachments cell phones and head pieces. 
           [0053]      FIG. 11  is a schematic screen shot of a cell phone showing a data lock. 
           [0054]      FIG. 12  is a schematic showing the LED projector projecting an image of a blueprint onto a surface. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0055]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 4  which show the first embodiment namely tape measure with audio recorder shown generally as  100  which includes the following major components namely; voice recorder  102  attached to tape measure  104 . 
         [0056]    Conventional tape measure shown as  104  in  FIG. 1  includes a right side  106 , a left side  108 , a top side  110 , a bottom side  112 , also includes tape blade  114  and a blade lock  116 . 
         [0057]    Voice recorder  102  includes the following components namely front cover  120  and outer cover  122 , push buttons  124 , speaker  126 , battery cover  128  and a screw  130 . 
         [0058]    Referring now to  FIG. 3  voice recorder  102  is shown in exploded fashion with outer cover  122  removed. 
         [0059]    Voice recorder  102  includes front cover  120  a push pad  132 , a circuit board  134 , a back cover  136 . 
         [0060]    Front cover  120  includes speaker cut-out  140  and a battery aperture  142  and screw  130  passes there-though approximately at the centre of front cover  120 . 
         [0061]    Push pad  132  includes  6  button pads shown as  144  as well as a battery aperture  142  and speaker cut-out  140 . 
         [0062]    Circuit board  134  includes a battery compartment  146  housing a battery  148  as well as a speaker compartment  150  housing a speaker with an integrated speaker cover  126 . 
         [0063]    Circuit board  134  also includes button contacts  155  in order to close the circuit when a button pad  144  is pushed using finger pressure from the outside of voice recorder  102 . Circuit board  134  also includes an integrated circuit  152  which includes the electronic circuitry for recording audio signals as well as playing back audio signals when required. 
         [0064]    Circuit board  134  is sandwiched between push pad  132  and back cover  136 . 
         [0065]    The four major components namely front cover  120 , push pad  132 , circuit board  134  and back cover  136  are assembled in sandwich fashion as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  and held together with screw  130  which passes through each of these components and into the left side of tape measure  104 . 
         [0066]      FIG. 4  shows voice recorder  102  mounted onto the left side of tape measure  104 . Screw  130  passes through screw hole  192  and into left side  108  of the body of tape measure  104  thereby securing voice recorder  102  abutting against and onto the left side  108  of tape measure  104 . Tape measure  104  also includes a belt clip  190 . 
         [0067]    Referring now to  FIGS. 5 and 6  which shows an alternate embodiment namely tape measure with audio recorder  200  which includes a detachable recorder case  220  which includes push buttons  204 , speaker  206 , left portion  208 , right portion  212 , top portion  210  and bottom portion  214 . 
         [0068]    Recorder case  220  of voice recorder  202  has a releasable interlock  216  which forms an inner lock seam  218  as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0069]    In other words recorder case  220  can be easily attached and removed from tape measure  104  by simply locking into position inter lock  216  and/or unlocking inter lock  216  as required. 
       In Use 
       [0070]    In use tape measure with audio recorder  100  and/or tape measure with audio recorder  200  can record audio signals of the user. In other words someone taking a measurement with tape measure  104  can push one of the push buttons  124  and/or push button  204  which will start a voice recording of a particular measurement that is presently being taken. 
         [0071]    Upon release of push button  124  and/or  204  the recording ends. 
         [0072]    The user can then record a second measurement using a different push button  124  and/or  204  that was initially and again the voice recording is recorded by voice recorder  102  and/or voice recorder  202  and the recording ends when the push button is released. 
         [0073]    In this manner up to six different voice recordings and measurements can be recorded and taken by voice recorder  102  and/or voice recorder  202  thereby helping the user to remember the measurements that have been taken with the tape measure  104 . 
       Other Embodiments 
       [0074]      FIG. 7  depicts another embodiment namely a tape measure attachment shown generally as  300  which includes the following major components namely a housing  302 , three record buttons  304 , three replay buttons  306 , a mounting screw  308 , a speaker  310 . 
         [0075]    Tape measure attachment  300  is used in similar if not identical fashion to tape measure with audio recorder  100  except for the fact that tape measure attachments  300  includes three separate record buttons and three separate reply buttons. Tape measure attachment  300  can be attached to the side of a tape measure in similar fashion as shown for tape measure with audio recorder  100  in  FIG. 1  or also could be integrally part of an originally equipment produced tape measure. 
         [0076]    Tape measure attachment  300  can record three separate recordings by pushing record button  304  number “ 1 ”, “ 2 ” or “ 3 ”. In order to play back the voice recordings one would simply hit the replay button  306  corresponding to the record button. 
         [0077]    Once three recordings have been completed with record buttons  1 ,  2  and  3 , one can simply overwrite what has been recorded at button  1  by simply pressing again on record button number  1   304  and making a new recording. The previous recording will be erased. 
         [0078]      FIG. 8  shows data transceiver  401  which could be a tape measure attachment  400  or could be integrally part of a tape measure having the following major components namely three record buttons  404 , three playback buttons  406 , similar to tape measure  300  and additionally it also includes a calculate button  408 , a playback button  410 , a drawing button  412  which controls LED Projector  414 , a walkie talkie button  418 , and a user selector  416 . 
         [0079]    Data transceiver  401  shown as a tape measure attachment  400  is held on with a screw  420  onto any standard tape measure and includes a housing  402 . 
         [0080]    In similar fashion as tape measure with audio recorder  100  data transceiver  401  can either be screwed onto an existing tape measure  104  as shown in  FIG. 1  or it can be made integrally part of an original equipment tape in which case data transceiver  401  components would be integrally made together with a tape measure  104  from the outset. 
         [0081]    data transceiver  401  has the added advantage that it can communicate either wired or wirelessly to any cell phone either by blue tooth or by other wireless means. 
         [0082]    Shown in  FIG. 9  schematically is data transceiver  401  deployed onto a person  450  which has been fitted with a headset  452  and also has a cell phone  454 . Headset  452  communicates with cell phone  460  with either a wired or wireless connection and can transmit and receive signals from cell phone  454 . Cell phone  454  is equipped with an on board phone app  460  also referred to as cell phone application  460  which can convert audio signals into digital data using voice recognition software and additionally can store any data points received. 
         [0083]    Person  450  could press for example the record button  404  on tape measure attachment  400  and then speak into mic  456  which would then send a headset send signal  458  to cell phone  454  where it is processed by phone app  460 . Pressing of one of the record buttons  404  sends a tape signal  462  to cell phone  454  which is received by phone app  460  telling it to record the signal being received from the headset namely head set send signal  458 . 
         [0084]    It is also possible that data transceiver  401  when in the form of a digital tape measure  403  may measure digitally measurements and by pushing the record button  404  a signal is sent to cell phone  454  with the digital measurement to be recorded and at the same time phone app  460  sends a phone send signal to headset  452  with an audio announcement of the measurement being recorded for verification purposes. 
         [0085]    By depressing for example playback button  406  the phone app  460  is instructed to send a phone send signal  464  which is intercepted by head set  452  by wireless receiver  466  which in turn communicates the signal to ear buds  468  where the measurement previously made on the phone app  460  is now replayed audibly into the persons  450  ears. 
         [0086]      FIG. 10  shows the interaction between two users namely a first person  550  and a second person  552  each having a head set  554  which includes a mic  556  and ear buds  558 . In addition each person also has a tape measure attachment  400  shown as first tape  506  and second tape  526  which communicates to respective cell phones namely first phone  508  and second phone  528 . 
         [0087]    In similar fashion as previously described for a single person user first person  550  for example could make a recording by pushing record button  1   404  which sends a first tape signal  504  to cell phone telling it to record the measurement that will be received from headset  554  as headset sends signal  502 . 
         [0088]    With the user selector  416  in the H position by pressing on the playback button  406  this commands the first phone  508  to send a phone send signal  504  to headset  554  thereby replaying the measurement that was recorded with record button  1   404 . 
         [0089]    In this example if the user selector  416  is for example in the 2 position and second user  521  has been assigned the number 2 position then in addition to first person  550  hearing the recorded measurement also second user  521  will also hear the recorded measurements since first phone  508  is now instructed to send a phone send signal  504  not only to headset  554  but also onto second phone  528  which will then further send on the measurement to second person  552  via phone send signal  540  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0090]    Therefore by moving user selector  416  to various positions up to a total of five users the information that first person  550  is storing on his first phone  508  can be shared with any one of the other five users by simply moving the user selector knob  416  to correct position. 
         [0091]    Secondly second user  521  shown as second person  552  can also make recordings on his second tape  526  which will send a second tape signal  524  to his second phone  528  which in turn can be reviewed by second user  521  with a phone send signal  520  or the signal can be sent on to for example first person  550  by selecting position number  1  in the case that person has been assigned position number  1  or to some other position such as third phone  530  which may be assigned user selector  416  knob position number  3 . 
         [0092]    Therefore the reader will note that information that is stored by any of the tape measures namely first tape  506 , second tape  526 , and up to five separate tapes; this information can be replayed back to the user of that particular tape and/or the information on that tape can be sent on to any of the other users by selecting the appropriate user selector position  416 . 
         [0093]    Additionally all of the linked users  1  through  5  can also talk with each other in walkie-talkie fashion by simply selecting the user you wish to talk to by moving user selector knob  416  to the proper position and then pushing the walkie-talkie button  418  and speaking into the mic  556 . 
         [0094]    Therefore in this example first user  501  for example could with the user selector knob into the number  2  position which corresponds to second user  521  and push the walkie-talkie button  418  and then begin speaking to second user  521  in walkie-talkie fashion. 
         [0095]    Additionally by pushing the calculate button  408  one is able to record by voice a calculation that one would like the app to carry out for example 25.5+32.25. 
         [0096]    By pushing the respond button  410  the app is prompt to respond with an answer to the user through the headset  554 . 
         [0097]    Additionally it is possible to download drawings onto the phone app  416  by pressing on the drawing button  412  this would illuminate the LED projector light  414  and the drawings would be projected onto any flat surface. 
         [0098]    Additionally and referring now to  FIG. 11  cell phone  534  for example which contains phone app  536  will record a log of all of the measurements that have been recorded over time and create data log  532  as shown schematically in  FIG. 11 . 
         [0099]      FIG. 12  shows schematically how a LED projector light  414  could for example project drawings onto a flat surface. 
         [0100]    It is also possible to use a digital tape measure which directly converts the tape position into digital measurement data thereby skipping the voice recording of the measurement. In this case the transceiver would send the digital data from the tape measure directly to the cell phone. 
         [0101]    It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of this structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention the scope of which defined in the appended claim.