Abstract: An apparatus is provided for animating an image imprinted or otherwise disposed on a substantially flat surface, such as a photograph or a card. The image should include at least one element suitable for animation, such as the eyes and mouth of a face. The image is animated using an animation mechanism disposed behind the flat surface, which mechanism is connected by a solenoid to an element that is physically separate from the flat surface. The visible portion of the movable element is inserted from the back of the flat surface through a slit in the flat surface such that at least a portion of it is visible above the image. In the preferred embodiment, a pair of solenoids is utilized to move the element back and forth so as to create the illusion of animation to the picture. Also in the preferred embodiment, a device for playing an audio file associated with the image is provided, which device may be synchronized with the animation of the image so as to create a more lifelike appearance.

Abstract: An image animation apparatus having a plurality of translucent images on the wall of a rotating cylinder and a pulsable light source emanating from the cylinder interior. The light source is pulsed in a synchronized manner so that said images are optically aligned in a viewing window in a predetermined order and thereby viewed in such order creating the desired animation effect. An electronic controller receiving cylinder position and velocity information commands the pulsable light source to emit light when the desired imaged has rotated into the viewable position inside the apparatus housing. The cylinder is rotatably driven by a small motor in circular fashion so that each of the images passes by a viewing window. However the viewer only sees the images when the pulsable light source is triggered by the controller. Thus the sequence of images viewed is determined by the controller's programming.

Abstract: A weighted base fixedly supports a stanchion. The stanchion supports a slide fixed vertically at any desired height in the stanchion by a locking member movable into a track in the slide. An aural unit disposed on the slide has an externally disposed switch which is operable to prepare the aural unit for operation. A tube extending upwardly form the aural unit has a cup for holding a ball. A string extending from the ball to an annular opening in the aural unit engages a resiliently disposed conductive chain in the opening. Conductors are disposed at annularly spaced positions in the opening. When the ball or the cup is hit, the conductive chain engages one of the conductors dependent upon the direction of the ball's flight. This causes the aural unit to indicate the ball's flight dependent upon the positioning of the activated conductor in the opening.

Abstract: An inductive sensory system generally includes a sense inductor, a reference sense inductor, an oscillator, a feedback control loop, and a comparator. The oscillator is connectable to both the sense inductor and the reference sense inductor. Upon the oscillator being connected to the reference sense inductor, the feedback control loop establishes a fixed reference level. Upon the sense inductor being connected to the oscillator, the comparator compares the state of the sense inductor against a threshold that is derived from the fixed reference level to determine the change in inductance of the sense inductor.

Abstract: A method for the simulation of a realistic reverse tape effect, in real time, comprising the steps of detecting the beginning of a note by monitoring the input audio signal to determine when the same exceeds a variable amplitude threshold for a predetermined period of time and initially modulating audio signal gain with a rising exponential, while simultaneously recording the note attack and initial portion of the note decay period in digital memory, and when the input note amplitude envelope has decayed to a predetermined percentage of its peak value, stopping recording and beginning playback of the previously stored portion of the note decay and attack dynamic, in reverse, with a fixed signal gain.

Abstract: A programmable electronic device is provided for storing, retrieving and playing back audio information stored as audio information pairs within an analog or digital voice memory. The audio information pairs are stored as voice records and are ordered in a queue, with each record being individually addressable by a microcontroller and a voice record pointer. Individual audio information pairs may be randomly selected by the microcontroller or, alternatively, sequentially selected in the order they were stored in the queue. Either the first or second audio segment in the audio information pair may be played and, if the information contained in the corresponding segment is known (for example the word's definition or the state's capital), the record may be removed from the queue and another audio information pair accessed. Alternatively, if the information from the corresponding record is not known, the corresponding audio segment may be played, and the audio information pair placed back in the queue.

Abstract: A multi-dimensional position sensor includes at least three curved triangular-shaped sense inductors and a movable shaft that incorporates a conductive material. The distance of the movable shaft from the sense inductors varies as the shaft is moved in a two-dimensional plane. The variation in distance causes a variation in the inductance of each of the triangular-shaped inductors and this variation in inductance may be used to determine the physical position of the movable shaft through means of triangulation calculations.

Abstract: A multi-dimensional position sensor includes at least three curved triangular-shaped sense inductors and a movable shaft that incorporates a conductive material. The distance of the movable shaft from the sense inductors varies as the shaft is moved in a two-dimensional plane. The variation in distance causes a variation in the inductance of each of the triangular-shaped inductors and this variation in inductance may be used to determine the physical position of the movable shaft through means of triangulation calculations.

Abstract: An inductive sensory system generally comprises a sense inductor, a reference sense inductor, an oscillator, a feedback control loop, and a comparator. The oscillator is connectable to both the sense inductor and the reference sense inductor. Upon the oscillator being connected to the reference sense inductor, the feedback control loop establishes a fixed reference level. Upon the sense inductor being connected to the oscillator, the comparator compares the state of the sense inductor against a threshold that is derived from the fixed reference level to determine the change in inductance of the sense inductor.

Abstract: An inductive sensory system is provided. The system includes at least one object encoded with conductive material and a reader for use in detecting the presence or absence of the conductive material in the coded object. The reader includes a plurality of single coils and detection means for measuring changes in the self inductance of the coils due to the presence or absence of conductive material in the object. The sensory system further includes control means interconnected to the detection means. The control means are adapted to receive a signal from the detection means, translate the signal and generate a control signal for transmission to an external reactive member such as a light, sound or voice generator.

Abstract: A voice activated echo generator employs digital voice recording technology to digitize several spoken words of audio using low-cost encoding techniques. The audio information is stored in dynamic memory and is played back by reconverting the data back from its digitized form to audio, which then drives a loudspeaker. The echo generator has many design parameters which can be varied, such as, duration of recorded speech, voice actuation sensitivity, number of playback repetitions, speech quality, playback speed, playback pitch, and playback volume. For a toy, an input speech threshold initiates a distinct record interval followed by a substantially immediate and automatic playback interval during which the echo is generated without the problem of acoustic feedback.

Abstract: The Voice/Text Storage System provides for the storage of digital data and digitized voice signals and is particularly suited for applications such as voice mail and voice annotation of text. The system includes a first bus operatively connecting a storage/network processor which controls access to a mass storage device, a host processor which provides overall control for the system and a communications processor. All processors have private memories connected to the processor CPU's directly so that the processors may continue to operate when the first bus is busy. The system also includes a second bus operatively connecting the storage/network processor, a voice transfer control unit, a buffer and voice transfer unit for receiving, digitizing and storing voice signals received over a plurality of telephone lines.

Abstract: In a central dictation system of the type having a plurality of recorders, a plurality of dictate stations are adapted to seize individual ones of the recorders, and a plurality of transcribe stations assignable to transcribe the dictated messages, a display device displays information identifying predetermined parameters related to the messages being recorded, including the status of such messages, immediately following the seizure of respective recorders by corresponding dictate stations, whereupon messages are dictated onto such recorders. The display device displays information associated with respective messages in corresponding lines, the displayed lines being segregated into areas as a function of the particular status of the associated messages. Depending upon a change in the status of an associated message, the line of displayed information may be transferred from one segregated area to another.