Abstract: A loudspeaker has a pot-shaped permanent magnet having an aperture in its axial pole. A light source in a translucent colored plastic plug is housed in the aperture. The light source is driven in accordance with the frequency and strength of the signal fed to the speaker. A translucent colored membrane or filter is glued to the speaker cone.

Abstract: A function controller functions as an automatic telephone answering system in an audio/video component system and serves to control the volume level of an audio amplifier in the A/V system by detection of a telephone ringing signal as well as other functions normally associated with an automatic telephone answering system, such as code designated switching using DTMF circuitry.

Abstract: A telephone message recording device for recording messages from a caller on an incoming telephone line, including a recording memory for recording of calls and incoming messages, an announcement memory, a detector responsive to incoming telephone calls and producing a start signal for the announcement memory, a voice detector switch for detecting whether there are voice signals on the incoming line and supplying a start signal to the recording memory and a pair of numeric displays indicating that a call or calls have been received, one display for indicating the number of calls received and a second display for indicating the number of calls which have been recorded on the recording memory. First and second counters are provided for the displays formed by two-digit BCD counters whose output signals are applied via multiplexers and drive circuits to the associated display.

Abstract: An automatic telephone answering and recording device is capable of selecting, in accordance with a length of time for pushing an "absent" button, either the case where the device operates automatically after a first or a second incoming ringing signal or the case where the device does not constitute the closed circuit of a telephone line while an answer tape is driven, by one round, for confirmation and the device merely returns a ringing back tone to a calling party. Also, the device adopts a control system controlled by the program stored in a microcomputer thereby to distinguish two cases each of which is formed dependent on a length of time for pushing the "absent" button, respectively.

Abstract: A control system for use with telephone terminal equipment comprises a timer which generates a dummy control signal upon elapse of a preset period of time from the instant of time when operation of an automatic telephone answering apparatus starts. A dummy ringing signal generated in response to the dummy control signal is applied to the telephone terminal equipment connected through a relay to the public telephone circuit. Then, the terminal equipment responds to the dummy ringing signal to operate to be connected with the calling party side.

Abstract: A mass polling system is situated in a central office of a telephone system, and does not employ toll machines or trunk lines leading to toll machines. The mass polling system ensures that a charge record is generated before the beginning of a recorded announcement, during the period while the caller is receiving an audible ring signal. Preferably, the charge record is generated at the initiation of the audible ring signal. In this way billing errors due to early caller disconnect are reduced or eliminated. The mass polling system is responsive to a billing disable command which prevents the mass polling system from causing charge records to be generated when the mass polling system is out of service.

Abstract: An optical pickup device comprises a light beam source, an objective lens system for causing a light beam emitted from the light beam source to impinge upon a record medium and for receiving a reflected light beam from the record medium, and intermediate lens system composed of a single lens element for causing the light beam emitted from the light beam source to be slightly converged and to enter into the objective lens system and for receiving the reflected light beam transmitted through the objective lens system. A beam splitter separates the reflected light beam transmitted through the objective lens system and the intermediate lens system from the light beam emitted from the light beam source, and a photodetector detects the reflected light beam separated by the beam splitter. Spherical aberration induced by the intermediate lens system in the light beam passing through the intermediate lens system and the objective lens system to the record medium is cancelled at the objective lens system.

Abstract: A telephone terminal or a combined telephone-dictation terminal is disclosed. Such telephone apparatus includes a handset having a microphone and a speaker together with a speakerphone having a microphone and a speaker. Such telephone apparatus also includes a hook switch, which detects on-hook and off-hook conditions of the handset, a speakerphone switch, and a control mechanism, which is responsive to the hook switch and the speakerphone switch. The control mechanism may successively enable and disable at least one of the speakerphone microphone and the speakerphone speaker in response to successive operations of the speakerphone switch during the on-hook condition.

Abstract: In an automatic call distributor system, calls waiting in a queue to receive attendant service are informed of the expected waiting time prior to connection to an attendant. This permits callers to defer a call if the queue is excessively long and they can place the call at a later time. The announcements are periodically updated to reassure customers that they are, in fact, progressing in the queue. Customers are given the opportunity to leave a message such as a telephone number if they do not wish to wait. Advantageously, such an arrangement avoids a situation wherein a customer impatiently disconnects just before being served or waits too long unexpectedly because of absence of information on remaining waiting time.

Abstract: A remote control unit controls at least one additional device such as a facsimile system through a telephone answering device. The telephone answering device is engaged with telephone lines upon reception of a ringing signal, and an outgoing message and an instruction message are sent out. A calling party can record an incoming message in a recorder in the telephone answering device if desired. However, when the calling party wishes to drive an additional device, a remote control signal corresponding to the desired additional device is sent in accordance with the instruction message. Then, the desired additional device can be driven, and other data can be transmitted or received. If the calling party sends the wrong remote control signal and therefore drives the wrong additional device, the calling party can reset the wrong device and drive the correct device by sending the correct remote control code, without hanging up the telephone.

Abstract: A telephone answering device with an amplication feature during outgoing message has a blank portion for a couple of seconds between first outgoing message and second outgoing message. If a calling party speaks his name during the blank portion, his voice is amplified in the region of the device to be answered by any people around it. If the calling party does not speak his name, however, a second outgoing message will be produced after the blank portion. After a beep tone, the calling party can leave his message on the incoming message tape.

Abstract: An optical information recording and reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing information on and from an optical recording disk having an optically detectable guide track divided into a plurality of sectors is disclosed. When a sector to or from which a data is to be recorded or reproduced is a defective sector or a non-use sector because of updating, a special pattern signal is recorded on the defective sector or the non-use sector, and if the recorded special pattern signal is detected in the reproduction cycle, that sector is determined as a defective or non-use sector and recording or reproducing on or from that sector is inhibited.

Abstract: A device is described for determining a centring error of a track-shaped information structure in an optical record carrier relative to an axis of rotation of a turntable. The device comprises at least one radiation source and at least one radiation-sensitive detection system with at least two detectors. The output signals of the detectors provide an indication of the direction in which the radiation from the radiation source which is diffracted in a first radial order b(-1) by the information structure. This in turn gives an indication of the position of the center of the track structure. This device enables optical record carriers without center hole to be used.

Abstract: A telephone answering device using voice synthesizer as an outgoing message generating device, which playbacks outgoing message through built-in loudspeaker for confirmation in standby mode, even if occasional incoming call is received during confirmation of outgoing message, makes reset instantly then transmits outgoing message from its beginning to the calling party.

Abstract: An optical disk player is provided with a casing or base which need not be substantially larger than a square inscribed by the circular perimeter of the compact disk which it plays by causing the optical pick-up to radially scan the disk along a path at a predetermined angle to the sides of the square, preferably at about 45.degree. thereto. At the outermost position of the pick-up, its object lens is centered at the outermost track on the disk, and a corner of the casing conveniently accommodates the portion of the pick-up which then necessarily extends outwardly beyond the outermost track.

Abstract: A magneto-optical information system writes and erases information on and from a magneto-optical information recording medium under application of a bias-magnetic-field to the recording medium according to writing and erasing command signals. A differential amplifying circuit differentially processes the writing and erasing command signals to produce a differential output signal, and a constant current power amplifying circuit produces a stable drive current according to the differential output signal. A bias-magnetic-field generating coil is driven by the stable drive current so that a stable bias-magnetic-field is applied to the information recording medium according to the differential output signal.

Abstract: A photo-pickup wherein a light emitting portion, a surface acoustic wave generating portion, a lens portion, a light receiving portion and a control portion are integrally integrated on a base plate formed on its surface with a light transmission path. The light emitting portion propagates a light beam to the light transmission path. The light beam propagating in the light transmission path is first deflected within a plane of the light transmission path by surface acoustic wave propagating on the light transmission path and propagated towards the lens portion. The lens portion is provided to project the light beram outside from the light transmission path and effect two-dimentional focusing of the projected beam and adjustment of focal position. The light receiving portion comprises a combination of a plurality of light receiving elements disposed at suitable intervals from the projected position of the light beam to receive a reflected light of the light beam.

Abstract: A record/play unit and a tape controller in an automatic telephone answering device with a paging function that sets an incoming message tape in a record mode in response to a beep tone generated upon completion of the sending of a first, normal, outgoing message and a second outgoing message for providing a paging procedure to a caller when an incoming message is not recorded by the caller after the beep tone is generated. The controller thereafter drives an engaging section in response to a special code sent by the calling party. The engaging section temporarily disengages the device from the telepone lines and then engages the device with the telephone lines again. Subsequently, a DTMF oscillator is operated to dial a prestored telephone number.

Abstract: An automatic telephone answering device includes a generator for a voice synthesized acceptance message for collect calls. The acceptance message is generated in one of several modes of operation of the answering device, selected by a user. Preferably, the acceptance message is generated only in a fixed time message receiving mode.

Abstract: A reset system for a telephone answering machine which, in the event of power failure, or disconnection from the power source, will reset the telephone answering machine when power is restored to the condition it was in prior to the power failure. The system is applicable to both single tape machines in which the outgoing announcement and incoming messages are all recorded on one magnetic tape, and dual tape machines in which the outgoing announcements are recorded on one magnetic tape and the incoming messages are recorded on a second magnetic tape. The system of the invention serves to determine whether there were incoming messages on the incoming message tape when the power failed and if so, the end of the last recorded incoming message is located so that when power is restored the incoming message tape can be set to the same position it was in when power was lost.