Patent Publication Number: US-2013239448-A1

Title: Process for personalizing digital media greetings

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Gift giving has a long world-history. Gifts are given for special occasions and events and are used to signify love, respect, admiration, or accomplishment. Similarly, greeting cards have also become a common way to express sentiments, without the same expense that a gift can incur. The custom of giving greeting cards became popular in the mid 1800&#39;s as advances in printing technology and the postal system made greeting cards easier to procure and send. 
     By the 1980&#39;s alternative style greeting cards, featuring humorous pictures and text had become extremely popular, and people were sending greeting cards for a wide array of events beyond traditional holidays and birthdays. The most recent permutation on the greeting card includes an interactive electronic component as featured in several patent application publications. 
     U.S. Patent Publication US 2008/0016731 to Branch discloses a greeting card that uses a sound device to play the tune of a song. One embodiment of Branch teaches a greeting card printed with lyrics from a song that is played by the attached sound device. Branch, however, does not teach a greeting card or gift that is printed with pictures of a celebrity. Similarly, Branch does not allow for recorded greetings that are just spoken rather than musical. Branch also does not allow for an additional recording from the gift or card giver to be tacked on to the existing recording by the celebrity or well-known figure. Finally, Branch does not provide a method for contracting with a celebrity so that the celebrity greeting is customized to the end-consumer. 
     U.S. Patent Publication US 2011/0209365 to Marsh discloses a greeting card with music, multimedia content, and links. The Marsh greeting card plays recorded music or spoken greetings. The recording is played either when the card is opened via an activator, or it is played by manually pressing a button on the card. Most of the embodiments of the Marsh card include a CD or other digital media device, which contains a full version of the music that is played by the card. The Marsh card, however, does not include means by which a secondary message can be played in conjunction with a celebrity greeting. While Marsh does teach the use of a celebrity greeting, Marsh does not teach a method for contracting with the celebrity to provide a customized greeting. 
     U.S. Patent Publication US 2012/0000101 to Jin teaches a greeting card that plays a digital sound file upon activation of a contact switch. The contact switch operates by initially being separated by an insert. The insert is then removed, bringing the two arms of the contact switch together. When the two arms are in contact with each other, the electrical circuit is completed, and the greeting card&#39;s sound module plays a digital audio file. Much like the other references discussed, Jin does not provide a method for working with a celebrity to produce a customized celebrity greeting that will be included in a greeting card. 
     Thus, a need exists for invention that provides a method whereby an end-consumer can create a greeting card that features a customized celebrity greeting. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a process for personalizing digital media greetings. 
     The process begins by recording a celebrity greeting that features a well-known figure. The well-known figure can be a real person (such as a TV or movie star, a politician, a musician, etc.), or an imaginary figure (such as a literary character, an animated figure, etc.). Once recorded, this celebrity greeting is added to a list of celebrity greetings and is stored on digital media. 
     In one embodiment, a consumer is presented with the list of available celebrity greetings and selects the celebrity greeting that most closely matches his desires for the resulting consumer product. The celebrity greeting can be speech, music or both. The celebrity greeting can also observe a special event. Once the consumer makes his selection, the digital media that has the selected celebrity greeting stored on it is embedded on the consumer product. The consumer product is then designed by adding pictures and text related to the celebrity greeting or the well-known figure featured in the celebrity greeting. The designed consumer product is then manufactured to the consumer&#39;s specifications, and the consumer purchases the completed consumer product. 
     In another embodiment, consumer products are designed and manufactured with a wide range of celebrity greetings. Each consumer product is embedded with digital media that is stored with speech, music, or both featuring a well-known figure. The consumer products are then designed with pictures and text related to the featured well-known figure. These manufactured consumer products are then presented to consumers for retail purchase. 
     In both embodiments, a code can be included that allows the consumer to access free information on the internet about the celebrity greeting or the well-known figure featured in the celebrity greeting. This free information can be biographies of the well-known figure, additional music, additional pictures, or other information. The code can also allow the consumer to download additional pictures, music, or films related to the celebrity greeting or the featured well-known figure. 
     If the well-known figure is a musician and the recorded celebrity greeting features music, the music can be a popular work by the well-known figure. Additionally, when the digital media is embedding on the consumer product in both embodiments, the digital media can include means for self-activating upon interaction with a consumer. For example, if the consumer product is a greeting card, the digital media can be embedded with means such that it self-activates when the greeting card is opened. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a flow-chart illustrating the steps of the claimed process for creating a consumer digital product featuring a customized celebrity greeting; and 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the preferred embodiment of the claimed process. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is directed to a process for creating greeting cards and other consumer products that feature a customized celebrity greeting.  FIG. 1  is a flowchart illustrating the claimed method. 
     In box  100 , the process starts by recording the celebrity greeting featuring a well-known figure. The well-known figure can be a person, such as an actor, a musician, a politician, or local figure. Well-known figures can also include animated characters, literary characters, animals, popular culture figures, political figures, characters from TV or movies, etc. The celebrity greeting can be speech, or music, or both. The celebrity greeting may include the well-known figure identifying himself/herself and giving a celebratory statement that is typical of a certain event (e.g. “Happy Birthday!”, “Merry Christmas!”, etc.). If the celebrity greeting is meant for a non-celebratory event, the celebrity greeting can include the well-known figure giving words of advice, explanation, or condolence (e.g. “I&#39;m sorry for your loss”, etc.). 
     The celebrity greeting can also include music. If the featured well-known figure is a musical artist, the well-known figure may have parts of a previously published or recorded song included in the celebrity greeting. Alternatively, the well-known figure can perform the music specifically for the recorded celebrity greeting. The music can be one of the well-known figure&#39;s already popular songs, or it can be a shortened version of an already popular song (e.g. the chorus), or it can even be an improvised piece that the well-known figure made up on the spot. The celebrity greeting can begin with a spoken message from the well-known figure followed by the well-known figure&#39;s music, or vice versa. 
     The celebrity greeting is preferably recorded with standard recording equipment, but can also have been recorded over the phone or over the internet using VoIP, or another type of web chat. The method for recording depends largely on the well-known figure&#39;s availability. Enabling the recording to take place over the phone or internet means that customized greetings can be created using well-known figures from anywhere in the world. The recording can be a pre-existing recording if the greeting consists of a popular song that has already been recorded. The recorded greeting will preferably be in between 30 and 40 seconds, but it may be longer or shorter. Once the recording is made, an addition referring to the recordings is made to the list of available celebrity greetings. 
     The greeting is stored onto digital media in box  110 . The digital media includes means for playing and amplifying the recording. The digital media also includes actuating means for causing the digital media to automatically activate and play the greeting. The actuating means are interactive and can be a push button, a slide switch, a motion sensor, a timer, or any other means by which the digital media can be activated. Once activated, the digital media plays the recorded greeting either once through, or on a loop. The digital media is self-powered, preferably with an on-board battery. It may also be powered with a small, on-board solar cell. The digital media is preferably small, so that it can easily be attached or embedded on greeting cards and other consumer products. 
     Once the celebrity greeting has been recorded and stored on digital media, a selection must be made, as in box  120 . Here, the consumer is presented with the list of available celebrity greetings. This selection can be made by a manufacturer of consumer products who is creating consumer products for retail sales. Alternately, this selection can be made by a consumer who is creating a one-time specialty personalized consumer product. 
     The embedding step is illustrated in box  130 . Here, the digital media is embedded or attached to a greeting card or other consumer product. The digital media can be embedded on a greeting card by placing the digital media in-between two pieces of card stock that form part of the greeting card. Alternatively, the digital media can be attached to the card using an adhesive (e.g. glue), adhesive tape, Velcro, or any other attaching means. If the digital media is embedded on a consumer product, the digital media can be attached with adhesive, adhesive tape, wire, string, Velcro, fabric, or any other attaching means. If the consumer product or greeting card is a one-time specialty product created by a consumer, the embedding step occurs after the product or card has been purchased. If the consumer product or greeting card is a mass produced item created by a manufacturer, the embedding step occurs before the items are purchased by end-users. 
     Next, the card or consumer product is designed with pictures and text, as taught in box  140 . In this step, the creator of the card or product can select pictures and text that relate to the celebrity or well-known figure who is featured in the recorded greeting. The pictures can be photographs of the celebrity or well-known figure. These photographs can be posed, or they can be photographs of the celebrity or well-known figure in concert, or they can be photographs of the celebrity or well-known figure in a popular TV or movie role. The associated text can be a signature catch-phrase or slogan used by the celebrity or well-known figure. The text may also be a common greeting styled in the unique way of the celebrity or well-known figure. The text may also be an introduction to the music or speech that has been recorded on the digital device. Alternately, the creator can select pictures and text related to the event associated with the greeting card or product. The selected pictures and text may be printed directly onto the greeting card or consumer product. The selected pictures and text may also be printed on some other medium, and then attached to the greeting card or consumer product with any of the attaching means described here. 
     The text that is included in the greeting card or consumer gift may also include a printed code. This printed code directs the consumer to the internet. Using this code, the consumer can access more information about the featured well-known figure. The information available through the code may include a biography, more photographs, or internet hyperlinks to other websites related to the well-known figure. The code may also provide the consumer access to downloads of other songs, films, or other recordings featuring the well-known figure. Preferably, the code is printed on the greeting card or consumer product and is then covered by a thin coating of opaque material that can be easily scratched off to reveal the code. This ensures that the code is only available to a purchaser of the greeting card or consumer product. 
     In the final box  150 , the end purchaser of the card has the further option of recording an additional personal greeting onto the embedded digital media. The personal greeting is recorded by the end purchaser by pressing a pressing a button down, or sliding a switch that allows the digital media to record an additional 10-15 seconds. The end purchaser speaks, sings, or plays into a microphone provided on the card or consumer product. The personal greeting may also be music, or a combination of speech and music. When the card or consumer product is activated, the celebrity greeting plays first and the personal greeting plays after the celebrity greeting has finished. 
       FIG. 2  is an illustration of the end product of the claimed method. The greeting card  200  is preferably a standard one-fold card. The greeting card  200  can also be a tri-fold card, or a horizontally hinged card. The greeting card  200  can even be a post card with no folds. The greeting card  200  is embedded with digital media  210 . 
     The digital media  210  is small and functions in conjunction with means for recording  260 , means for playing back the recording  260 , and means for self-activating  250 . The recording means can be an on-board microphone that records sounds directly onto the digital media  210 . The recording means  260  may also be an input whereby recorded digital files can be transferred onto the digital media  210 . The playback means  260  that work in conjunction with the digital media  210  may be an on-board speaker. The means for self-activating  250  the digital media  210  may be a push button, a slide switch, a motion sensor, a timer, or any other means that causes the digital media  210  to self-activate when interacted with. In the preferred embodiment, the digital media  210  is positioned on the fold of the greeting card  200 , and is fitted with a slide switch. The slide switch is fastened to the opposing side of the greeting card  200  such that when the greeting card  200  is opened, the digital media  210  is activated and the stored greeting is played. 
     The digital media  210  may also include recording means  260  (e.g. a microphone) and storing means  210  (e.g. memory) to record and store a personal message from a consumer in addition to the greeting from the celebrity or well-known figure. If this feature is available, the consumer may record a short (10-15 second) personal message once the greeting card or product is purchased. When the digital media is later activated, the celebrity greeting plays first and is followed by the personal message. 
     The greeting card  200  is also printed with text  220  and pictures  230 . The text  220  can be event specific (e.g., “Happy Birthday!”, “Merry Christmas!”, “Happy Valentine&#39;s Day!”, etc.) or it can be a statement written by the featured celebrity or well-known figure in their unique style. The printed text  220  can be a message of encouragement or an introduction to the recorded greeting. 
     The greeting card  200  may also include pictures  230 . The included pictures  230  may be generic and related to the event associated with the card. More preferably, the pictures  230  may be specifically related to the featured celebrity or well-known figure from the recorded greeting. For example, the picture  230  may be a posed photograph of the featured celebrity or well-known figure. Alternatively, the picture  230  may be a photograph of the celebrity or well-known figure in concert or in character during a TV show or movie. If the celebrity or well-known figure is not a person, but rather an imaginary figure such as an animated character, the picture may be a popular rendition of the well-known figure. 
     The greeting card  200  may also include a printed code  240 . The code is preferably covered with a thin coating of opaque material that is easily scratched off, revealing the underlying printed code  240 . The scratch-off coating ensures that only the purchaser of the card or consumer product will be able to use the printed code  240 . The printed code  240  gives the consumer access to more information on the internet related to the celebrity greeting or the well-known figure featured in the celebrity greeting. The consumer can use the printed code  240  to access biographies, music downloads, or even film downloads. 
     Finally, the means for activating the card  250  can be a button, a slide switch, a motion sensor, a timer, or any other means that responds to human interaction. The means for activating the card  250  are preferably located along the spine of the card  200 , so that the digital media  210  activates when the card  200  is opened. 
     Although several embodiments have been described in some detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except by the appended claims.