Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Ma Lap Man

Timothy Jay Lien

Jason Blake Penrod

Wesley DeWayne Lindquist

Robert D Wertanen

Kari Jean Walberg

Steve Eikos

Max Jefferies Younger

Scott A Schimke

Nicholas Pedersen

Kiersten Wilmes

Embodiments of the present invention use light to add human-like features to an inanimate object. In one embodiment, the object includes a film with an image that has been manipulated to provide for a low profile projection of an image onto a vertical surface directly adjacent to the object. For example, the image of a witch's head could be projected onto a wall and directly beneath, a witch's hat could be hanging on the wall. In another embodiment, changing lights and shadows are used to create animated objects out of otherwise inanimate objects. Various embodiments include components to create the illusion of changing facial expressions. These components include a plurality of light sources and an electronic device that controls the light sources to create the animation.

Translucent object having housing, cavities and controller forming facial expressions

Embodiments of the present invention use one or more audible tones to communicate metadata during a transfer of an audio file. Embodiments of the present invention communicate an audio file from a speaker in a recording device (e.g., a recordable book, toy, computing device) to a microphone in a receiving device. The audio file is transferred by audibly broadcasting the audio file content. The audio file may be a recording made by the user (e.g., the user singing a song, a child responding to a storybook prompt intended to elicit a response). The file transfer process uses one or more audible tones, such as dual-tone multi-frequency signaling ('DTMF') tones to communicate metadata associated with the audio file. Audible tones may also be used to communicate commands that delineate the beginning and/or end of a file broadcast.

Transferring audio files

Decorative object that produces a complimentary shadow design

Growing community of inventors

Hong Kong, China

Ma Lap Man