There are many individuals who would benefit the most from a doll having unique specific features that are fitting to a particular individual such as someone in the military, nursing home, children, a special person, spouse, graduate, or even a special occasion and the like, with the doll being typically given as a gift and can either be preprogrammed with a specific audio message and/or visual image by the giver or the doll can be given to the recipient generically, thus allowing the recipient to program their own desired audio message and visual image to the doll. Thus, the doll of the present invention has enhanced meaning to either the owner of the doll or the recipient of the doll with the added sensory perceptions of audio and sight perception uniqueness. This has been partially recognized in the prior art starting with U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,841 to Becker et al., that discloses a customizable doll with interchangeable faces that are removably engaged to the doll head by way of a magnetic sheet having an adhesive on at least one surface for affixing the picture onto, wherein the magnetic sheet is removably engaged to the blank doll face. Becker et al., does suggest the use of a voice recording mechanism and nothing more as to any enabling specifics of the voice recording mechanism such type, the electronics involved, controls, power, positioning, recording times and the like, in addition, Becker et al., of necessity destroys the picture for any other use as adhesive is applied to the photograph making it non removable.
Continuing, in looking at the prior art in this area in U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,586 to Benner disclosed is a doll with a transparent envelope having a single opening at the top of the envelope wherein the doll has a hair piece that covers the envelope opening. The advantage of Benner is in not destroying the picture as does Becker et al., however, the picture only being loosely retained in the envelope slot and subject to dislodging from the envelope slot if the doll were inverted. Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,224 to Gintling disclosed is a photographic face doll with a removable face pocket that is transparent on both sides and removably engagable to the doll face with an adhesive fastener that allows the face pocket to be reversed for two different pictures to be displayed, in addition the pocket is sealable to prevent the pictures from disengaging from the pocket. Thus, Gintling avoids the shortcomings of Becker et al., destroying the picture or of Benner potentially losing the picture should the doll be inverted. Next, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,584 to Perryman disclosed is a doll with interchangeable pre made faces each disposed within a plurality of head slip covers that are removably engagable by a closable hook and loop fastener slit that is vertically positioned at the rear of the head slip cover. The drawback of Perryman is in the need for the multitude of head slip covers adding bulk and cost in addition to the lack of personalization of the facial expression that Becker et al., Benner, and Gintling all accomplish through the use of an actual selected photograph of an individual.
Next, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,900 to Pearson disclosed in an educational doll with changeable face elements that are removably engagable from a blank doll face by the use of hook and loop fasteners. However, as in Perryman, Pearson lacks the ability to personalize the facial expression of the doll through the use of an actual selected photograph of an individual by the use of several generic facial expressions created in fabric that are not specific to any particular individual. Continuing, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,791 to Taylor disclosed is a replaceable photographic face doll wherein the replaceable face is inserted in the doll's bonnet that has an opening that circumvents the doll's facial opening, with the bonnet's peripheral edge receiving the picture by the use of an elasticized material. Problems with Taylor are in the lack of protection for the photo as it is simply retained on its outer edge where there is exposure to bending, liquids, abrasion, and the like that can result in a high potential for damage to the photo. Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,266 to Frank et al., disclosed is a method of using a psychotherapeutic doll that has a plurality of interchangeable facial elements that are used to express a patient's emotional state in correspondence with a transparent pocket type backpack wherein an indicia is deposited within the pocket of a time in their life that relates to the emotional state projected onto the doll face. In Frank et al., the faces are attached to the doll head by the use of an elastic band, with the faces being already provided; see FIG. 3, thus true personalization is not really possible of the doll for the user, much the same as in Perryman and Pearson.
Next, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,466 to Catizone disclosed is a doll having a facial portion that includes a cut out opening using tape and a drawstring to enclose a photograph that is sandwiched in between a backing material on a back side and a transparent plate on an exposed side. Catizone doesn't really supply a photo protection system as the photo can slide around between the backing and the plate and with the plate being taped to the fabric cut out that makes the photo not easily changeable nor protected from liquids, folding, creasing, and tape adhesive, adding to the potential for damage to the photo, same as in Becker et al., and Taylor. Continuing, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,900 to Hodge disclosed is a photo doll that includes a displaceable panel having a predetermined fixed face and disposed underneath the panel is a series of photo holder leaves being similar to a wallet multiple photo holder that is attached to the doll body by a hook and loop fastener. The problem with Hodge is in the photo holder leaves such that when they are exposed, i.e. when the panel is removed the photos in the leaves are not retained meaning that they can slide out of their holders and be lost or damaged see FIGS. 3 and 4, causing problems similar to Benner as previously discussed. Next, in U.S. Design Pat. No. D466,565 to Borgaro et al., disclosed is a doll with a photographic face and template wherein the doll face and template has similar sizing as a matched set, however, as this is a design patent, there is no disclosure as to how the photo is retained or protected. Further, in U.S. design Pat. No. D437,123 to Leon disclosed is a figurine photograph holder, wherein the figurine has a flat round face portion for holding a photograph, and again as in Borgaro et al., there is no disclosure as to how the photo is retained or protected.
Yet further, in looking more towards the talking doll prior art, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,336 to Diamond et al., disclosed is a doll that can have an audio output based upon an optical sensing of a selected marker placed in front of the doll thus indirectly enabling the doll to “read and speak” using technology similar to bar code scanning technology, wherein the selected word is coded as a series of scan lines that the doll circuitry can convert to audible sounds with the purpose being for educational learning. Further, in this area of prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,359 to Crump disclosed is a memorial novelty doll, wherein the doll is of a physical similarity to a person with the doll containing a voice tape recording means disposed within, with the primary purpose being to have a deceased person's voice play back within a doll that has a physical likeness to the deceased person. In looking at a sound module itself, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,327 to Tarlow et al., disclosed is a miniature sound module primarily for greeting cards that adds the re-recording feature thus allowing an individual to personalize a recording on the sound module. Continuing, in the talking doll arts in U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,561 to Pracas disclosed is a talking doll that utilizes a digital sound recording module that has as activation points remotely wired to various parts of the doll body, such that one doll hand is squeezed for recording, another doll hand is squeezed for playing back in addition to the combination of touching the doll's hand and leg for activation/deactivation of the voice module, also with an “on” light appearing as an earring on the doll. Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,602 to Rose a talking doll is disclosed that is responsive to an external signal allowing a conversation with the doll by use of radio signals to activate the dolls programmed response.
What is needed is a doll that can be personalized to a particular individual eliciting responses from multiple human senses to enhance the experience to the possessor of the doll. This can be accomplished through customizable audio output of the doll in conjunction with a selected visual image for the doll face, wherein the picture is protected from the external environment, is not damaged at all in its transparent enclosure, and is only replaceable with a special tool to protect from inadvertent removal of the visual image from its protectable holder, however with the visual image not having any permanent damage from residing in its protectable holder. In addition, the doll can have an overall image or theme associated with it related to the doll's clothing that can further personalize the doll's affiliation with a particular individual by pleasurably stimulating the senses of sight, sound, and touch.