Abstract: A telephone answering device wherein an outgoing messsage can be repeatedly played back from the beginning in response to a predetermined special signal sent out by a calling party. In case of a call to the device through a telephone operator, the calling party can listen to the whole outgoing message again by sending the special signal after the telephone operator puts him through. The calling party can then confirm that it is his desired called party's number. Further, if a foreign calling party is not able to understand thoroughly the outgoing message in the original language after only one playback, he can listen to the outgoing message again.

Abstract: Conventional telephone answering devices incorporated in or combined with a telephone set are now generally used. However, one type of conventional telephone set has a plurality of buttons, for instance, speed dialing, mute, flash or redial buttons, and further the telephone answering device incorporated in the telephone set has also many buttons for controlling the device. The user therefore is confused at the sight of a number of buttons and hesitates to use the device. Most conventional telephone answering devices can be remotely operated from a remote location by using the number keys, and asterisk and pound sign keys of a pushbutton telephone so as to rewind, fast forward, or record an outgoing or incoming message.

Abstract: A VCR operation system, wherein it is possible to perform a backspace function by operation of a switch button during record or playback. During record or playback of a VCR with a rotary head, if a user wants to play back scenes which he has just watched, he only has to push the switch button, and the tape is rewound for a predetermined period of time, or while the switch button is being pushed. Then the tape is automatically set to a playback mode so that the user can watch the last recorded or played back scenes. In response to another operation of said switching button, the VCR is set to a record or playback mode again. It is also possible to arrange such that the tape position at the time of switching button is memorized and the VCR is set to the record or playback mode again when the tape reaches the memorized position during playback.

Abstract: An automatic paging system which can handle a calling for both subscribers of conventional (old) beepers without a message display function and new type beepers wherein a message, such as his telephone number, from a calling party can be displayed, when the paging number of a subscriber is automatically performed at a voice mail center through a paging center. A discriminator determines, according to an outgoing message from the paging center, whether the old or new type beeper is to be called. In case of the old type beeper, the line is disengaged after about 10 seconds, and in case of the new type beeper with message display capability, the line is disengaged after the calling party sends out the message to be displayed on the beeper.

Abstract: A call forwarding device forwards calls from a calling party via private equipment B operating in a call forwarding mode to a predetermined called party identified by a preprogrammed telephone number. The device is remotely controllable by the calling party over the telephone lines to cancel the call forwarding mode of the device and to reprogram the call forwarding telephone number.

Abstract: According to conventional telephone call forwarding devices, after a party at a telephone set A calls a party at a set B, a set C calls set D to forward the call, and when set D responds to set C, an alternate loop is formed between A and D. In some of said conventional devices, even when a general calling party calls set C, set B can autodial set A whose telephone number was memorized. However, nothing else can happen if set A doesn't answer the call after automatic dialing. The present invention makes it possible to store a plurality of telephone numbers of telephone sets of calling parties, A, A-1, A-2, A-3 . . . and automatically and successively to dial the stored telephone numbers of A-1, A-2, A-3 . . . even when A doesn't answer the call, so that the highly practical effectiveness can be obtained.

Abstract: A VCR control system using a computer, wherein a list of all programs which were recorded in accordance with an individual program table within a predetermined period of time during a user's absence is displayed once on a display. If a user has no time to play back all the recorded programs in the order of the individual program table after he returns to his home, the order of playback can be specified or changed. This makes it possible for the user to watch the programs within a given period of time in the specified order by rewinding or fast forwarding the VCR according to that order.

Abstract: In response to a first outgoing message from a telephone answering device in an original language, such as English, if a calling party from a country speaks in doubt or he cannot answer it quickly, his voice is analyzed to determine what language it is in order to send him a second outgoing message in his own language, or else a second outgoing message in the original language is sent out promptly to prevet the calling party from hanging up. The foreign calling party thus can understand the second outgoing message and leave his message on an incoming message tape. It is possible to use the present invention not only in a telephone answering device, but also in a general banking system or in question and answer telephone equipment.

Abstract: An automatic telephone answering and recording device, wherein if an incoming call is received when an incoming message tape is full or an owner fails to set the telephone answering device to an automatic answering mode prior to leaving, the telephone line is nevertheless engaged to operate the telephone answering device. Then an outgoing message for answering only, such as "Please call back later", is generated by a voice synthesizer and sent out to a calling party, so that the calling party can understand the situation and know what to do.

Abstract: As an alternate to two separate video tape recorders are operated to perform dubbing or the like, the present invention provides a double video cassette tape recorder for dubbing, wherein one of two video tapes is inserted at an upper position and another tape at a lower position in the same or separate cassette by front loading, and the two tapes can be separately or simultaneously driven to record and play back using a common capstan and cylinder heads for each tape in the limited space of housing. The double video cassette tape recorder for dubbing according to the present invention does not take up space for installation, and the inside mechanism can be used commonly to conventional VCR to save cost.

Abstract: Telephone terminal equipment has circuitry for preventing malicious and nuisance transmission of information by detecting during reception of an incoming call whether or not any person is present around the equipment. Information from a calling party is received without any limit when no person is around the equipment. An owner can remotely operate the equipment to set the limited number of paper or to release the limit for receiving information as he desires.

Abstract: In a telephone answering device, artificial intelligence sends an outgoing message to the caller upon receipt of an incoming call. When the caller responds, the artificial intelligence determines whether the caller's voice is registered with the device, and if so, particular messages are played to the caller. If the caller's voice is not registered, the caller is notified by the device, and he may receive his specific message by sending a touch tone code (e.g., telephone number) from his telephone.

Abstract: A sheet cutter apparatus includes circuitry for detecting when the blades of the cutter are in an "open" position with their cutting edges separted from each other, and a timer that is initiated when the blades are first opened. If the blades remain open for an excessive period of time, determined by the timer, a warning alarm is generated to remind personnel to close the blades, so that no injuries to fingers, etc., will occur.

Abstract: A telephone answering device having immediate playback function, wherein incoming messages from calling parties are successively recorded after sending of an outgoing message, and the recorded incoming messages can be successively played back immediately from a beginning position of an incoming message tape without rewinding when a user operates the device manually or remotely to save time for the user.

Abstract: A telephone answering device having an immediate playback function, wherein incoming messages from calling parties are successively recorded on an incoming message tape after sending of an outgoing message, and the recorded incoming messages can be successively played back immediately from the beginning of the incoming message tape, without rewinding, when a user operates the device manually or by remote control.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automatic telephone answering device with an automatic switching mechanism for switching between an automatic answering mode and a two-way conversation recording mode. When a telephone is put into an off-hook condition for a direct conversation with a calling party while the automatic answering mode is in a standby condition or in operation, such an off-hook condition is detected by a current detector and the conversation is recorded on a recording tape without any limitation of time. When the telephone is put into an on-hook condition during the recording of the conversation, the current detector or a voice signal detector is operated to stop the recording operation, and then the device is automatically brought into a standby condition for the next call.

Abstract: An automatic telephone answering device has a timer energized when the device is set in a mode other than an automatic standby mode. A time-out output from the timer upon elapse of a preset timer's time and an output corresponding to a ringing signal are supplied to an AND gate. The device is controlled to automatically make an engaging loop circuit in response to an output from the AND gate and works as a telephone answering device to answer a call.

Abstract: An automatic telephone answering device having a conversation recording function has at least one tape cassette operative in a telephone answering mode to reproduce an outgoing message to a calling party and to record incoming messages in a standard manner, in response to an incoming call when the cassette is in a first position in the device. When the cassette is removed from the device, inverted reinserted so that the cassette is in a second position, the device is automatically operative in a conversation recording mode to record conversations between the calling and called parties. If more than a predetermined period of time elapses between the end of a conversation and the start of the next conversation or turning over of the cassette to provide a standby mode, an alarm is triggered.

Abstract: In an automatic telephone answering and recording device which detects a pause between words during recording the outgoing message tape to identify the end of the outgoing message and switch the incoming message tape T-2 to record an incoming message, if there is a pause that occurs within a couple of seconds from the start of the tape during recording of the outgoing message, the incoming message tape T- 2 is not switched on. However, if there is a pause after a couple of seconds from the start, the incoming message tape T-2 is turned on to record an incoming message. This makes it possible for a general user to record the outgoing message through a microphone or from a distant location without concern that any inadvertent hesitation in the outgoing message will turn on the incoming message tape T-2 early.

Abstract: A system for automatic telephone answering picture/sound recording and a device therefor records both a television program and an incoming message from a calling party on a common video tape. Upon detection of a telephone ringing signal, the telephone line is engaged and then, to effect picture/sound recording of a telecast, the video tape is set in a standby mode, and at the same time an outgoing message is transmitted. Upon completion of the transmission of the outgoing message, the standby mode is cancelled to operate the recording section and then the incoming message is recorded on the video type. Further, restoration to a standby mode is made after the message recording is completed.