Dictaphone Corporation.

Other

Dictahone Corporation

Jeremy Saltzman

David B Chamberlin

John J Dwyer

Emil F Jachmann

Betsy L Hipp

Jy-Hong J Su

Nicholas A D'Agosto, Iii

Mark N Harris

Suzanne N Grey

A voice processing system and method whereby communication can be established between two parties without direct, personal contact between the two. It is a system whereby a caller receives a reply to a question or problem even though the parties are unable to directly contact one another and are not part of the same dedicated telephone system. This is accomplished by receiving the call, recording the inquiry and giving the caller an identification number. The other party will access the recorded call, record a reply to such call and the system will store the response so as to be accessible by the initial caller upon use of the assigned identification number.

Voice dictation consulting system and method

A system for storing and forwarding voice signals. The system provides for central, digital storage of voice signals for later access by addressee system users. When addresses access a previously stored voice signal they have the capability to incrementally construct a reply by 'toggeling' between a playback state, to listen to the previously stored signal and a record state to record at least a partial response. In another embodiment originators of voice signals have the capability to edit signals after storage.

Method and apparatus for storing and forwarding voice signals and

A method and apparatus for storing and forwarding voice signals wherein a user has increased control and flexibility in distributing voice signals. In one embodiment the originator of a stored voice signal may restrict an addressee's ability to forward a message to other users. In another, the originator may limit the addressee's ability to use the voice store and forward system until such time as the addressee responds to a stored voice signal.

Method and apparatus for storing and forwarding voice signals with

The network is particularly useful in office communications. The network includes a plurality of transceiver units, each of which can be used as a telephone, or as a dictation terminal, or optionally as an automatic telephone answering machine. The network includes a personal computer for performing various communications and communication control functions. A private branch telephone exchange ('PBX') can be included. Preferably, each transceiver unit includes a visual display for displaying messages. Messages can be sent from the computer to the transceiver units, or from one transceiver unit to another. The messages can be pre-set standard messages, or messages created uniquely. A telephone or PBX operator may send messages through the network reporting missed telephone calls, thus avoiding the need for written notes or other memoranda. The personal computer is used to send, forward, store and log messages. It can do telephone call accounting. It also can create, store, transmit to and receive from the transceiver units telephone directories for each transceiver unit. The computer also can keep a dictation log and a log of automatic telephone answering machine communications. It also can be used for ordinary computing or work processing functions simultaneously with its use in most of its other functions. The computer stores and retrieves information regarding appointments that the users of the network may have. Daily, weekly and monthly appointment calendars are provided for every user of the network. Then the user is given a reminder message through the network at a predetermined time prior to the appointment.

Communications network and method

A system for storage and forwarding of voice signals. The system includes apparatus for storage and retrieval of voice signals and telephone-like station sets for access to the stored signals. The station sets also include a display and the system transmits text messages corresponding to various stored signals to the station sets corresponding to the addressees of the various stored signals to inform the addressees that they have messages waiting. In one embodiment the text messages identify the originator or class of the voice signals. In another embodiment the station set will respond to an input by a user to automatically contact the apparatus for storage and retrieval of voice signals to retrieve a stored voice signal corresponding to a displayed text message.

Method and apparatus for visual indication of stored voice signals

A modular dictation/transcription system is described comprising a modular construction wherein the system is composed of a set of modules which are detachably connectable to each other. Connection or detachment of individual modules from the system configures the system to provide such functions as may be required while deleting such functions which are not necessary. Included within the modules are one or more recording/playback modules a display module and a telephone module. All of the modules interact with each other in accordance with preselectable functions to provide for a more efficient utilization of the dictation/transcription system. Clusters of the modules may be arranged as stations, with the stations connected by a digital communication link.

Modular dictation/transcription system

A method and apparatus for indicating the number of the particular message that has been reached on a bi-directionally movable record medium used with a record/playback device. A position count is incremented and decremented as the record medium moves in forward and reverse directions, respectively; and end-of-message counts representing the locations of the ends of messages relative to an arbitrary reference location of the record medium are stored. Information representing the number of each message whose end-of-message count is stored is provided; and the number of the message which has been reached is determined as a function of which stored end-of-message count is greater than the present position count and which stored end-of-message count is less than that position count. To prevent ambiguities in determining the number of the message which has been reached, as when a new, partially used record medium is loaded into the record/playback device and is reversed to a location which precedes the reference location (i. e. the starting point of the record medium when it is loaded into the device), the position count is preset to a predetermined count when the record medium is replaced. This predetermined count is sufficient to prevent decrementing of the position count below zero, which would be interpreted as being greater than any of the stored end-of-message counts, even if the full amount of the newly-loaded record medium moves in the reverse direction.

Method and apparatus for preventing ambiguity in displaying the number

A variable mode numerical display for a record/playback device normally displays a numerical count representing the present position of the record medium used with that device and is operable to interrupt this normal display so as to display the number of a message that was last-recorded or that is in position for playback or to display the number of an instruction that was last-recorded or that has been reached. Also, a bar graph display is comprised of plural visual display elements which are selectively energized as a function of the interval that separates successive pulses that are generated in conjunction with the movement of the record medium. The variable mode and bar graph displays are controlled by a processor.

Display including variable mode for a record and/or playback device

A record and/or playback device whose operating mode is controlled by processor apparatus which is responsive to the selected operation of various operating control switches. The processor apparatus includes a sensor for sensing when the device is in an inactive mode, such as a 'stop' mode, a timer for determining when the device has remained in this inactive mode for a predetermined time, and means responsive to the timer for disposing the device in a dormant condition in which it does not respond to the operation of the operating control switches. Furthermore, the processor apparatus comprises a microprocessor which includes a counter that is incremented when the record medium of the device is moved, and a memory for storing respective counts corresponding to locations of the record medium at which 'cue' signals are recorded. When the record medium is moved, as during fast-forward and rewind operations, the changing count of the counter is compared to the counts stored in the memory and, when this comparison is positive, the movement of the record medium is interrupted. Stored counts are deleted when information is recorded over a cue signal; and additional counts are inserted into the memory when additional cue signals are inserted onto the medium.

Record and/or playback device with cue signal indication and access

A storage medium in which previously recorded messages are stored is scanned for instruction signals representing the occurrences of instructions in those messages. Following the aforementioned scanning, if a message in condition to be played back includes an instruction, a suitable display is provided. Another display is provided if any further messages, not yet in condition to be played back, include instructions.

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Norwalk, CT, United States of America

Jeremy Saltzman