Sight and Sound Inc.

Western Publishing Company, Inc.

Other

Zeb Billings

Harold D Pierce

Martin R Moore, Sr

Conrad W Kish

Mark Johnson-Williams

Michael Henning

Patrick E Kusina

Deborah J Billings

A device for successively displaying a plurality of images includes a plurality N of overlying panels where N is at least 3. Each of the panels defines a longitudinal series of flexible slats and louvers between the slats, the slats being longitudinally longer than the louvers. Each of the slats of all underlying panels are interleaved longitudinally through the louvers of all overlying panels, the slats of each panel cooperatively defining one of the plurality of images. Each of the slats of an overlying panel is laterally narrower than the slats of all underlying panels. A knob is provided for moving in turn each of a subplurality N-1 of the plurality of panels a length at least equal to the length of a louver such that movement of a given panel in one longitudinal direction exposes the slats of an adjacently overlying panel and conceals the slats of the given panel underneath the slats of an underlying panel, and movement of the given panel in the opposite longitudinal direction exposes the slats of the given panel and conceals the slats of an adjacently overlying panel under the slats of the given panel.

Successive image display device

An audio-visual book includes a plurality of pages and a text portion on the plurality of pages. The text portion includes, on each of at least two of the pages, both a plurality of lines of text and a plurality of different predetermined graphic depictions related in concept to the subject matter of the text and interposed within the lines of text. A switching mechanism is disposed in predetermined relationship to the text portion and includes a plurality of individually actuable elements, each of the switches being associated with one of the graphic depictions. A digital sound generator, responsive to actuation of one of the switches, is provided for selectively effecting generation of a sound associated with the subject of the depiction associated with the one switch.

Interactive audio visual work

Interactive audiovisual board

An interactive audiovisual work for telling a story includes a story element selector for selecting one of a plurality of differing actuatable story elements to be active, a character selector for selecting one of a plurality of differing actuatable characters to be active, and an identifier, active after a story element is selected, for identifying the character intended to be selected to be active at a given time according to the story. A microprocessor, responsive to the story element selector, the character selector and the character identifier, causes the selected character to speak a first-level message associated with the selected story element if the selected character and the identified character are the same, and a second-level message associated with the selected character otherwise, the first-level message being more specific and closely related to the selected story element than the second-level message.

Interactive audiovisual apparatus

Electronic book

An electrical device characterized by alternative battery power supplies including an electrical circuit, a pre-installed first battery power supply disposed in a non-user-accessible portion of the device and a user-accessible compartment for receipt of a second battery power supply. The first supply is initially operatively connected to the circuit, and the presence of a second supply in the compartment operatively connects the second supply to the circuit to power the circuit regardless of the presence or absence of the first supply in the circuit. Preferably the first supply is mechanically operatively disconnected from the circuit when the second supply is in the compartment.

Electrical device with alternative battery power supplies

An electronic musical instrument has a variety of keys including the following: a plurality of song keys for initiating the playing of a respective preprogrammed song and terminating the playing of any preprogrammed song in process, a plurality of sound effect keys for temporarily interrupting the playing of any preprogrammed song in process, inserting a respective special sound effect, and then resuming playing of any preprogrammed song which was in process, a plurality of note keys for playing a respective musical note and terminating the playing of any preprogrammed song in process, and a plurality of instrument keys for selecting the voice of any preprogrammed song being played and any musical note thereafter played. The instrument also includes solid state apparatus for producing sound, and a microcontroller for sensing actuation of each of the keys and selectively causing the sound producing means to produce particular sounds in accordance therewith.

Electronic musical instrument with sound-control panel and keyboard

An audio-visual interactive puzzle includes a rigid puzzle form defining a predetermined number of form cutouts, an upper graphic disposed on the form upper surface, and a plurality of respective removable puzzle pieces, each having a peripheral configuration conforming to that of an associated form cutout and bearing a piece graphic. A flexible membrane bears on the underside thereof a plurality of conductors in predetermined relative disposition, and a plurality of respective lower graphics overlie the flexible membrane and underlie the form cutouts. A spacer includes respective spacer cutouts generally corresponding to and disposed to underlie the form cutouts, and a conductive ground plane underlies the spacer cutouts. An electronic sound generator generates respective predetermined associated sounds in response to the input signals applied thereto. The flexible membrane conductors, spacer and ground plane cooperate to form a touchpad including a touchpoint corresponding to each of the lower graphics electrically connected to the sound generator, thereby to selectively effect generation of the input signals to the sound generator.

Growing community of inventors

Hartland, WI, United States of America

Zeb Billings