Abstract: A musical instrument is disclosed which comprises a first tubular member having an inlet end and an outlet end, an interior surface, and an exterior surface, and a second tubular member having an inlet end and a closed end, the second tubular member adapted for receiving the first tubular member for moving the first tubular member relative to the second tubular member, and the second tubular member for receiving and holding a liquid.

Abstract: An envelope having a sound mechanism for storing a recorded or prerecorded audible signal or sound for playback upon opening the envelope, the sound mechanism including components of a sound circuit that are hidden within the back panel of the envelope and with an actuator provided to activate the sound upon the opening of the seal flap.

Abstract: An article with circuit actuating capability includes a first article part, a second article part formed with a pocket and linked to the first article part such that the first and second article parts being movable relative to each other, the pocket having an access opening, and a circuit built in the pocket in the second article part and accessible through the access opening of the pocket for controlling circuit states of the circuit.

Abstract: A system having a postcard having a thickness not to exceed 5.5 mm while containing an audio message for playback and a power supply, the system also having a base recording unit for recording a message to the postcard when the postcard is inserted into the base recording unit. The base recording unit has no power supply and draws power from the power supply on the postcard. The postcard is suitable for mailing using the postal service. The unit for recording is compact, has no power supply, is easily portable and is attractive. The card has a play-back button, a compact battery power source to drive play-back and recording of audio messages. The postcard is absent a record button allowing the postcard with an audio message to be sent through the postal system without the risk of accidental erasure of the recorded message. The card may be recorded and re-recorded when placed in the recording unit. The card contains an audio board that has an IC chip having memory for storing an audio message.

Abstract: A computing system connected to storage medium and one or more rendering devices receives streamed multimedia data. The multimedia data is encoded in a format, such as an Advanced Streaming Format, that is conducive to storing the multimedia data in files having appended indexes. Upon receiving the multimedia data, the multimedia data is written to file structures within the storage medium, while at the same time maintaining a real-time index for each file in a shared memory. After a file is complete, the real-time index is appended to the completed file and deleted from the shared memory. When a request for data is received that pertains to a file that does not have an appended index, the computing system obtains any necessary file index information from the real-time index in the shared memory, thereby enabling the requested data to be accessed.

Abstract: A voice and other sounds to be are selected, the sounds are generated and recorded, the sounds are subjected to spectrum analysis and image processing the image-processed and displayed results of spectrum analysis are recorded on a recording medium. By rubbing the printed parts by a finger, sounds are produced.

Abstract: A system, method and program product for presenting and selecting an active region of a physical document page so that a user can access corresponding information via a workstation. A transparent electro-luminiscent tablet or other touch sensitive plate is positioned over the physical document page. The tablet or plate is coupled to the workstation. The physical document page is identified to the workstation. The workstation stores information defining an active region for the physical document page and a hyperlink to a web page or web file containing information related to content of the active region. The workstation directs the tablet or plate to display the active region over the physical document page. A user touches a point within the active region. In response, the tablet or plate conveys the touch point to the workstation, and the workstation displays on a computer screen the hyperlink. The active region can be identified by an outline that encompasses the active region.

Abstract: A toy box includes a lid pivotally attached to a base so as to define an internal cavity which can store one or more toys therein. An audio box is disposed within the cavity for transmitting pre-recorded audio messages through a speaker which encourages the placement of toys within the cavity. A sensor is electronically connected to the audio box for activating the audio box upon a predetermined event, such as the detection of light by the opening of the lid, or placement of toys within the cavity.

Abstract: A postal article consisting of a postcard provided with a device for making an audio recording of a message and a device for playing back said recording, wherein the postal article is secured to a housing (4) containing a disk (43), a disk rotating assembly (28) and a disk rotation control assembly (45). One side of the housing is secured to a membrane (14) connected to a pivotable pick-up arm (17) supporting a pair of angularly offset styli (24, 25); i.e., a first, cutting stylus (24) and a second, playing stylus, said styli being designed to engage a spirally out groove (50) in the surface of the disk (43). A soft material at the bottom of the groove is protected by a mask separating it from the environment. The mask is removed before recording and the soft material, once exposed, hardens after a given time interval.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for manual, mechanical reproduction of short audio information, consisting of a flat, multilayered material (1) in which a longitudinal profile (2) is embossed. The embossing die is produced by means of a milling process.

Abstract: A multipurpose learning device having a picture book including a plurality of pages, wherein the pages turned in a top-to-bottom hinged direction instead of a side-to-side hinged direction, a memory unit having audio and video data stored therein, the memory unit being detachably connected to a touch board. A surface of the touch board is declined to a predetermined angle for enabling a user to easily position an electronic pen perpendicular to the touch board. Each sheet of the picture book includes a blank page and a picture page and picture information corresponding to a picture on one of the pages is displayed on a host device, such as a television. A user moves the electronic pen over a blank page which is positioned over the touch board, and a cursor is displayed on the host device at a position corresponding to the position of the electronic pen over the blank page and touch board.

Abstract: A novel system, e.g., an audio cassette player, is provided herein. The system simultaneously provides mechanical motion driven by a rotatable drive shaft which is rotating at a continuous predetermined desired speed, and for generating a voltage output by an electrical generator having a rotor which is rotating at a continuous predetermined desired speed, the rotatable drive shaft being non-concentric with, being laterally-spaced-apart from, and being parallel to the rotor. The system includes a prime mover which comprises a windable driving spring, which, in turn, includes an interconnecting drive train for separately drivably connecting the driving spring both to the rotatable drive shaft and to the rotor of the electrical generator. The interconnecting drive train comprising a gear train, which has a driving section which is connected to the driving spring means and which is common for driving both the rotatable drive shaft and the rotor at the electrical generator.

Abstract: An axis of a frictional driving wheel is supported at opposite ends thereof by bearings provided on the bottom of a casing. Within the casing is a turn table slidably and rotatably mounted on a center shaft. The turn table carries a sound recording disk located beneath a stylus and tone arm assembly pivotable in the plane of the recording disk. When the frictional driving wheel is depressed against a floor and is made to travel over the floor, a peripheral portion of the frictional driving wheel is brought into contact with the lower surface of the turn table thereby to bring the disk and stylus into contact and turn the disk record. The turn table unit includes a buffer spring provided between the disk record and the turn table to maintain an appropriate stylus force even when the turn table unit is pushed into the stylus excessively by the movement of the frictional driving wheel.

Abstract: A beverage container lid made of relatively thin, flexible and sound resounding material, provided with cross-slits at its center with a sound reading member in the form of a sharp projection engageable with an in-depth recording soundtrack linearly embossed on the peripheral surface of a coacting drinking straw. By pushing the drinking straw through the cross-slits in the lid, the sharp projection engages the linear soundtrack on the straw thus causing the lid to vibrate and emit a sound corresponding to that recorded on the straw soundtrack.

Abstract: A talking greeting card has a front display panel and overlapping rear panels adapted to lie substantially flat in one configuration. The front panel may be bowed in convex shape and held in such second configuration by tabs which secure the rear panels together in tension. A flexible sound record strip extends through a slot in the bowed front panel and has a surface prepared to produce sounds when a sliding element, such as the thumb nail of a user, moves along the surface. The sound is amplified by the bowed front wall and overlapping rear walls which act as a sound amplifier.