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Technology/Patents
Sourcing Network
We have developed a network of technology partners and long-term relationships with offshore manufacturing facilities. This network of chip foundries, component vendors and offshore contract manufacturers constitute an integral part of our value proposition and, along with our intellectual property, insure our leadership role as a solutions provider in our industry.
Our Intellectual Property
Voice-Express intellectual property includes many proprietary technology solutions, pending patent applications and four issued US Patents with 27 method, system and hardware claims dating back to 1993.
Recordable Products
Voice-Express® recordable units use patented ChipCorder® technology to record the natural analogs of human speech without digital synthesis. These products employ:
- High quality dynamic speakers
- Non-volatile memory (so messages are retained without depleting shelf-life or playback capacity. Messages are also retained for posterity even if batteries are replaced)
- Premium Aletec microphones for optimum sound quality
These recordable products are designed with a PLAY trigger suited for your particular application. Available triggers include:
- Push-button units play when the user presses the "play" button
- Slide-switch units play automatically from the fold in a card or other printed matter is opened
- Light or motion sensitive units play when they are exposed to light or if the light source is momentarily blocked by a passing object
One-Time-Programmable (OTP)
Our OTP circuits are perfect for short-run custom audio chip programs or where time is of the essence. If your project requires a single custom message recorded on 500 or more playback modules, or even if your requirements call for higher order quantities, but you can't spare the 35-45 days required to create a Mask ROM then an OTP is the right choice.
Our OTP modules:
- Come in 10, 20 and 40 second models
- Use high quality dynamic speakers
- Are designed with a PLAY trigger suited for the application.
Available triggers include:
- Push-button units play when the user presses the "play" button
- Slide-switch units play automatically from the fold in a card or other printed matter is opened
- Light or motion sensitive units play when they are exposed to light or if the light source is momentarily blocked by a passing object
About OTP Modules:
- OTP modules typically ship 21 days from your receipt of an approval sample
- To receive an approval sample you will need to provide an audio file as a .WAV file attachment to an e-mail, recorded at 44.1 kHz, 16 bit, mono.
- OTP chips use EEPROM memory that may be programmed once with a single audio message.
Mask Audio ROM
Our Mask ROM circuits are perfect for programs where order quantities are higher than 5,000, for audio of 60-seconds or longer, or for shorter audio lengths where order quantities exceed 10,000 or 15,000 units. If your orders are for small quantities but you plan on re-ordering the same audio, a Mask ROM might be appropriate.
About Mask ROM chips:
- Are custom chips where your audio is screened (masked) onto the uppermost layer of silicon of an integrated circuit (IC).
- Have a one-time tooling (masking) charge
- Masking adds 35-45 days to the 21-day standard production lead-time. (If you do not have the luxury of time, you might consider an OTP.)
- The chip may be designed to play a simple melody and drive a simple buzzer (piezo) or play high fidelity music at sampling rates of 8mHz or higher.
- You are not limited to playing a single file from beginning to end. With a Mask ROM you can play multiple audio files with a single or multiple switches (triggers). Multiple files can be played randomly or in sequence and re-pressing the "play" button can be designed to stop or pause playback or used to scroll forward to the next file.
- Mask ROMs are available in nominal audio lengths from 3 to 255 seconds.
Available triggers include:
- Push-button units play when the user presses the "play" button.
- Slide-switch units play automatically from the fold in a card or other printed matter is opened.
- Light or motion sensitive units play when they are exposed to light or if the light source is momentarily blocked by a passing object.
- To receive an approval sample you will need to provide an audio file as a .wav file attachment to an e-mail, recorded at 44.1 kHz, 16 bit, mono.
Voice-Express Patents
US Patents 5,425,078 5,490,206 5,570,414 6,356,626 and patents pending. Canadian Patent 2,167,576 and Japanese Patent 2919074. Voice Express® and Voice-Over® are registered trademarks and Voice WrapTM, Voice MakerTM, Voice PlusTM, and Pillow TalkTM are trademarks of Voice-Express Corporation, all rights reserved.
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