RELATED APPLICATION:

This application claims all available benefit of and priority to U.S. patent application Serial No. 12/462,212 entitled ARTICLE FOR UPHOLDING PERSONAL AFFINITY filed July 30, 2010. By this reference, the full disclosure, including the drawings, of U.S. patent application Serial No. 12/462,212 is incorporated herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD:

The present invention relates to methods and articles for promoting and/or maintaining personal relationships. More particularly, the invention relates to an article of manufacture of a nature conducive to the development of emotional ties and provided with functionality for the electronic storage and playback of personalized audio messages. BACKGROUND ART:

It is a fact of modern life that people are often separated from loved ones, who all too often are small children. Whether a separation is because of job requirements, military service or divorce, it is often the case that the nature of the separation presents difficulty in finding appropriate times for even short telephone calls. To this end, it is an object of the present invention to provide an article of manufacture whereby separation anxiety may be alleviated by allowing a loved one to hear the recorded voice of the separated party regardless of distance or difficulty of the circumstance. Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide such an article that notwithstanding distance or the like makes it readily possible to update and/or otherwise change the recorded message.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION:

In accordance with the foregoing objects, the present invention - an article of manufacture for facilitating the maintenance of interpersonal relationships - generally comprises a plush toy and an audio playback module embedded within an area internal to the plush toy. The embedded playback module comprises an electronic data storage device adapted to store audio message files; an audio output device; and a processor for accessing audio message files stored on the storage device and playing the message files through the audio output device. An external communication device is associated with the processor and is adapted to facilitate upload to the storage device of audio messages. The external communication device preferably comprises a universal serial bus device and most preferably comprises a universal serial bus targeted host such as an on-the-go device or an embedded host.

Many other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts, especially in light of the foregoing discussions and the following drawings, exemplary detailed description and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

Although the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, a detailed description of the preferred embodiment follows together with illustrative figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like components, and wherein:

Figure 1 shows, in a front perspective view, a preferred embodiment of the affinity article of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows, in a partially cutaway side elevational view taken through cutline 2— 2 of Figure 1, the affinity article of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows, in a rear perspective view, the affinity article of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 shows, in a functional block diagram, details of the playback module of the affinity article of Figure 1 as particularly may be implemented in an embodiment comprising a universal serial bus ("USB") targeted host;

Figure 5 shows, in a functional block diagram, details of the playback module of the affinity article of Figure 1 as particularly may be implemented in an embodiment comprising a USB peripheral device;

Figure 6 shows, in a functional block diagram, a first example of functionality enabled by implementation in the playback module of an external communication device;

Figure 7 shows, in a functional block diagram, a second example of functionality enabled by implementation in the playback module of an external communication device; and

Figure 8 shows, in a perspective view, a message recording device that may be implemented as an application specific human interface device specially adapted for use as part of or with the affinity article of Figure 1. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION:

Although those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize many alternative embodiments, especially in light of the illustrations provided herein, this detailed description is exemplary of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the scope of which is limited only by the claims appended hereto.

Referring now to the figures, and to Figures 1 through 5 in particular, an affinity article 10 for promoting interpersonal relationships is shown to generally comprise a plush toy 11 or doll, such as, for example, a teddy bear 12, and an audio playback module 19, wherein an integral part of the playback module 19 is an external communication device 22. As will be better understood further herein, the external communication device 22 implemented in accordance with the teachings of the present invention enables the uploading of personalized electronic audio files to the playback module 19 of the affinity article 10, which audio files may thereafter be selectively played by a user of the article 10. As particularly shown in Figures 1 through 3, the affinity article 10 of the present invention preferably comprises a plush or soft outer covering 13 over an interior space 14 accessible through an access flap 15, which may be provided with conventional closure devices 16. In this manner, the playback module 19 may be accessed as necessary but otherwise secreted within the article 10, thereby resulting in an article 10 that is of the nature generally known to form the object of emotional ties of children.

As also shown in the figures, the playback module 19 of the article 10 of the present invention additionally comprises a preferably nonvolatile data storage device 36 such as, for example, a flash memory 37 or other electrically-erasable programmable read only memory ("EEPROM") device. As will be better understood herein, the data storage device 36 is provided and adapted to store uploaded audio messages for selective subsequent playback. To this end, the affinity article 10 of the present invention is internally provided with a playback activator 42 such as, for example, a plunger-style momentary switch 43. As shown in Figures 2 and 3 in particular, the momentary switch 43 is preferably embedded within the article 10 near the front face 17 thereof. In use of the article 10 of the present invention, the external communication device 22 associated with the playback module 19 is accessed via the flap 15 in the rear 18 of the plush toy 11 in order to upload to the playback module 19 one or more personalized audio messages. One or more messages being uploaded, a child or other person desiring to hear a message may simply depress the front side 17 of the article 10, causing activation of the embedded momentary switch 43. As will be better appreciated further herein, the momentary switch 43 is interfaced with an internal processor 20 and associated host software 21, which operate in connection with activation of the switch 43 to cause playback of the audio message through a provided audio output device 44 such as, for example, an audio speaker 45 or headset jack 46.

Because it is an overriding object of the present invention to provide such an affinity article 10 that may be readily uploaded with an audio message notwithstanding that the originator of the audio message may be distantly located, and therefore unable to directly record to the article 10, it is deemed critical to the present invention that the external communication device 22 is able to interface with a wide variety of electrical devices through which an audio message for upload may be delivered to the location of the affinity article 10. To this end, the external communication device 22 utilized for the present invention preferably comprises a universal serial bus ("USB") interface. In the most preferred embodiment, the external communication device 22 comprises a USB targeted host 23, as particularly depicted in Figure 4.

As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the USB targeted host 23, which may implemented according to either the USB on-the-go ("OTG") standard or the USB embedded host ("EH") standard, need only support peripheral devices identified by the target peripheral list ("TPL") for a particular implementation of the affinity article 10. As a result, full host functionality (typically requiring the processor power of a personal computer) is not required to give communication host capabilities to the external communication device 22. Additionally, in the case of the targeted host 23 being implemented as an OTG device, the external communication device 22 is provided with both host and peripheral capabilities. In either case, however, the USB targeted host 23 is provided with client software 24, aggregate USB system software 25 and a USB bus interface in order that one or more peripheral devices such as, for example, a conventional USB flash drive 47 may be accessed and controlled by the playback module 19. As is otherwise conventional in USB implementations, the aggregate USB system software 25 comprises a USB driver 26 and host controller driver 27. Likewise, the USB bus interface 28 comprises a conventional host controller 29 and serial interface engine 30 and one or more USB defined external ports 31.

In the case of an OTG implementation, the external port 31 is implemented as a single USB Micro-AB receptacle, through which single receptacle both host and peripheral capabilities may be provided. As a result, the OTG implementation supports not only direct communication with peripheral-only B-devices such as the conventional USB flash drive 47, but also communication with standard hosts such as, for example, a personal computer ("PC") 53, as shown in Figure 7. This capability is particularly advantageous as communication with the PC 53 allows the PC 53 to be used for simple maintenance of audio files stored in the playback module 19 such as, for example, upload of audio files from the PC 53 to the playback module 19, download and/or backup of audio files from affinity article and/or local storage and/or backup of otherwise created audio files or the reordering or categorizing of audio files residing in the playback module 19.

Additionally, however, the capability to interface with a PC 53 extends centralized server 55 based hosted services functionality to the affinity device 10 by readily enabling an Internet 54 connection. For example, in addition to simple file maintenance functionality provided as a local application, server-based capabilities may include Internet-based hosted file maintenance such as upload of audio files to the server 55. In this example, server-based software could be utilized to remotely capture an audio file (through a computer's microphone), store the captured audio file as being intended for a particular subscriber, notify the subscriber through a computer generated e-mail message of the availability of a new audio file, and to allow connectivity through the PC 53 of the affinity article 10 for download to the playback module 19 of the new audio file.

In the case of an EH implementation, the external ports 31 comprise at least one USB Standard-A receptacle through which host functionality is provided, but may additionally comprise one or more USB Standard-B receptacles. Through the provision of the multiple ports, however, similar connectivity and capabilities as described with respect to the OTG implementations may be obtained in the EH implementation.

As shown in Figure 6, either targeted host implementation enables interface of the playback module 19 with an application specific human interface device ("HID") 48, which under the control of provided host-side client software 24 may be utilized to connect a display 49, such as a low power liquid crystal display 50, and/or a keypad 51 to the affinity article 10. In this manner, file maintenance and the like may readily be performed for the playback module 19 without need for connection to a PC 53. Additionally, the HID 48 may be implemented as a USB compound device wherein a hub 52 is provided as part of the HID, thereby allowing connection to a conventional USB flash drive 47 while utilizing the display 49 and/or keypad 51 for file maintenance.

Although implementation as a targeted host 23 is preferred for the resulting flexibility, it should be noted that for simplicity it may be desired to implement the external communication device as USB peripheral-only B-device 32. In this case, as shown particularly in Figure 5, the USB bus interface 33 simply comprises a serial interface engine 34 connecting the USB defined external port 35 to the host software 21, which host software 21 is responsible only for device operation and has no responsibility for management of USB communications. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the external port in this embodiment comprises a USB Standard-B receptacle, which must provide connection to a USB host device such as, for example, a HID 48 with host functionality or a PC 53.

As particularly shown in Figure 8, one implementation of an application specific HID 48 may comprise the provision of a message recording device 60 specifically adapted for interface with the playback module 19 of the affinity article 10 of the present invention. As minimum requirements, such a message recording device will comprise a microphone input 61; message recording controls 63; a message storage medium such as, for example, a flash memory device as utilized in the playback module 19 of the affinity article; a power source such as, for example, an internal battery pack and/or a charging and/or DC adapter interface 65; and a communication interface 64 compatible with the external communication device 22 provided on the affinity article 10 in connection with the playback module 19 thereof. In the most preferred embodiment of the present invention, the communication interface comprises a USB bus interface terminating in an appropriate USB defined plug 66.

As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, especially in light of this exemplary description, such a specialized message recording device 60 may be implemented at various levels of complexity to undertake more or less roles and responsibilities with respect to the uploading of messages to the playback module 19 and the management within the playback 19 module of messages previously uploaded thereto. To this end, it is noted that the implemented communication interface 64 may in a simple embodiment, in which message management functionality is retained onboard the affinity article 10 or elsewhere, comprise only a serial interface engine. On the other hand, in an implementation in which the provided message recording device 60 is conveniently utilized also for providing message management functionality, it is noted that the message recording device will necessarily require additionally processing capability and slightly more complex firmware or software. In this more preferred embodiment of the present invention, the communication interface 64 may also comprise a host controller, thereby eliminating the need to implement a host controller 29 onboard the playback module 19 of the affinity article 10, reducing both the complexity and the power requirements for an otherwise implemented affinity article 10.

In any case, the message recording device 60 may, if desired, be provided with an audio speaker 67, in which case the message recording controls 63 will also include some measure of playback control. In the case of an implementation wherein the message recording device will also implement functionality for message management, or if otherwise desired, the message recording device 60 may and should be provided with message management controls 68, which may, in addition to pushbutton type controls, comprise a liquid crystal or other preferably low power display device 69, enabling such functions as: upload of one or more messages to the affinity article 10; arrangement or rearrangement of messages stored within the message recording device 60 and/or within the playback module 19 of the affinity article 10; and deletion of one or more selected messages previously stored within either the message recording device 60 or within the playback module 19 of the affinity article 10.

While the foregoing description is exemplary of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize the many variations, alterations, modifications, substitutions and the like as are readily possible, especially in light of this description, the accompanying drawings and the claims drawn hereto. For example, the audio output device could comprise a USB headset connected through one of the USB ports 31.

Likewise, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the playback module 19 requires a power source 38 such as, for example, batteries 39 accessible through a compartment door 41 and/or a charging and/or AC-DC adapter interface 40. On this note, such a charging circuit could of course be provided through the USB ports 31, 35.In any case, because the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, the foregoing detailed description should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention, which is limited only by the claims appended hereto.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY:

The present invention is applicable to methods and articles or manufacture for promoting and/or maintaining personal relationships.