Apparatus, system and method for recording and/or retrieving audio information

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method is provided for recording and retrieving voice information into a label attachable to a product. The voice information provides a more readily identifiable indicator of the characteristics or contents of the product than conventional written information or labels attached to the product. The label can be accessed from voice information submitted into or from a remote programmer attachable to, or in communication with, the label.

1. A method for audio labeling products with a reusable label, comprising:
 releasibly securing a label bearing an audio recorder to a first product;  
 sending a first verbal message concerning said first product to said label;  
 recording said first verbal message in said recorder;  
 subsequently retrieving said first verbal message in audio format from said recorder;  
 releasing said label from said first product and thereafter releasibly securing said label to a accord product;  
 while erasing said first verbal message, sending a second verbal message concerning said second product to said label;  
 recording said second verbal message in said recorder; and  
 subsequently retrieving said second verbal message in audio format from said recorder.  
 
     
     
       2. The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said recording step comprises inputting an electrical signal corresponding to said first and second verbal messages into an addressable array of storage elements. 
     
     
       3. The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said retrieving step comprises:
 outputting a stored first and second electrical signal corresponding to said first and second verbal messages from so addressable array of storage elements; and  
 converting said first and second electrical signals to signals similar to said first and second verbal messages.  
 
     
     
       4. An instructional apparatus, comprising:
 a bar code label attachable to a product;  
 recording means capable of recording a vocal message into a storage device corresponding to said bar code label, wherein said recording means comprises a voice recorder capable of recording said vocal message as telephone quality voice input; and  
 retrieving means capable of reproducibly retrieving said vocal message indicative of an identifiable characteristic associated with said product, wherein 
 said retrieving means comprises a speaker operable to re-produce and vocalize said recorded vocal message as telephone quality voice output.  
 
 
     
     
       5. An instructional apparatus, comprising:
   a voice recorder capable of recording a vocal message as telephone quality voice input;        a memory medium storing the vocal message prerecorded as telephone quality voice input; and        a playback terminal linked by a transmissive path to the memory medium, wherein the playback terminal is adapted to reproducibly retrieve the vocal message from the memory medium upon receiving from a bar code reader a bar code signal corresponding to the vocal message, wherein the bar code signal results from scanning of a bar code label attachable to a product, and wherein the vocal message is indicative of an identifiable characteristic associated with the product.     
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the memory medium is located at a site remote from that of the playback terminal, and wherein the transmissive path comprises a radio-linked or infrared-linked path. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the memory medium comprises one or more compact disks. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the vocal message is prerecorded by a manufacturer of the product. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the vocal message comprises a voice familiar to a user of the product. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the identifiable characteristic associated with the product comprises the content of the product. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a speaker coupled to the playback terminal, wherein the speaker is operable to reproduce and vocalize the vocal message as telephone quality voice output. 
     
     
       12. A method for providing product information, said method comprising:
   recording a vocal message as telephone quality voice input;        receiving a bar code signal from a bar code reader, wherein the bar code signal results from scanning of a bar code label attachable to a product; and        retrieving the prerecorded vocal message corresponding to the bar code signal from a memory medium, wherein the vocal message is prerecorded as telephone quality voice input, and wherein the vocal message is indicative of an identifiable characteristic associated with the product.     
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein said retrieving comprises receiving the vocal message from the memory medium over a radio-linked or infrared-linked path to a remote location. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the memory medium comprises one or more compact disks. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the vocal message is prerecorded by a manufacturer of the product. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the vocal message comprises a voice familiar to a user of the product. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the identifiable characteristic associated with the product comprises the content of the product. 
     
     
       18. An instructional apparatus, comprising:
   a voice recorder capable of recording a vocal message as non-synthesized audio signal;        a memory medium storing the prerecorded, non-synthesized audio signal; and        a playback terminal linked by a transmissive path to the memory medium, wherein the playback terminal is adapted to reproducibly retrieve the audio signal from the memory medium upon receiving from a bar code reader a bar code signal corresponding to the audio signal, wherein the bar code signal results from scanning of a bar code label attachable to a product, and wherein the audio signal is indicative of an identifiable characteristic associated with the product.     
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the memory medium is located at a site remote from that of the playback terminal, and wherein the transmissive path comprises a radio-linked or infrared-linked path. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the memory medium comprises one or more compact disks. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the audio signal is prerecorded by a manufacturer of the product. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the identifiable characteristic associated with the product comprises the content of the product. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising a speaker coupled to the playback terminal, wherein the speaker is operable to reproduce and make audible the audio signal as telephone quality audio output. 
     
     
       24. A method for providing product information, said method comprising:
   recording a vocal message as non-synthesized audio signal;        receiving a bar code signal from a bar code reader, wherein the bar code signal results from scanning of a bar code label attachable to a product; and        retrieving the prerecorded, non-synthesized audio signal corresponding to the bar code signal from a memory medium, wherein the audio signal is indicative of an identifiable characteristic associated with the product.     
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24 , wherein said retrieving comprises receiving the audio signal from the memory medium over a radio-linked or infrared-linked path to a remote location. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the memory medium comprises one or more compact disks. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the audio signal is prerecorded by a manufacturer of the product. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the identifiable characteristic associated with the product comprises the content of the product. 
     
     
       29. An instructional apparatus comprising:
   a bar code reader operable to scan a bar code label attachable to a product and produce a corresponding bar code signal;        a voice recorder capable of recording a vocal message as telephone quality voice input;        a listening station comprising a speaker and coupled to the bar code reader, wherein the listening station is adapted to receive the bar code signal from the bar code reader, to receive the vocal message corresponding to the bar code signal, and to reproduce and vocalize the vocal message, wherein the vocal message is prerecorded as telephone quality voice input, and wherein the vocal message is indicative of an identifiable characteristic associated with the product; and        a retrieval system remotely coupled to the listening station, wherein the retrieval system comprises a memory medium storing the vocal message, and wherein the retrieval system is adapted to reproducibly retrieve the vocal message from the memory medium and transmit the vocal message to the listening station.     
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the retrieval system is remotely coupled to the listening station using a radio-linked or infrared-linked path. 
     
     
       31. The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the memory medium comprises one or more compact disks. 
     
     
       32. The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the vocal message is prerecorded by a manufacturer of the product. 
     
     
       33. The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the vocal message comprises a voice familiar to a user of the product. 
     
     
       34. The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the identifiable characteristic associated with the product comprises the content of the product. 
     
     
       35. An instructional apparatus, comprising:
   a bar code reader operable to scan a bar code label attachable to a product and produce a corresponding bar code signal;        a voice recorder capable of recording a vocal message as non-synthesized audio signal        a listening station comprising a speaker and coupled to the bar code reader, wherein the listening station is adapted to receive the bar code signal from the bar code reader, to receive the non-synthesized prerecorded audio signal corresponding to the bar code signal, and to re-produce and make audible the audio signal, wherein the audio signal is indicative of an identifiable characteristic associated with the product; and        a retrieval system remotely coupled to the listening station, wherein the retrieval system comprises a memory medium storing the audio signal, and wherein the retrieval system is adapted to reproducibly retrieve the audio signal from the memory medium and transmit the audio signal to the listening station.     
     
     
       36. The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the retrieval system is remotely coupled to the listening station using a radio-linked or infrared-linked path. 
     
     
       37. The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the memory medium comprises one or more compact disks. 
     
     
       38. The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the audio signal is prerecorded by a manufactures of the product. 
     
     
       39. The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the identifiable characteristic associated with the product comprises the content of the product.