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.

Abstract: An automatic microcomputer controlled telephone answering machine which uses a single magnetic tape for both the outgoing message (OGM) and the incoming messages (ICM). The OGM is pre-recorded on the tape near the origin position of the tape. Then, whenever an incoming telephone call is received, the machine is first set to a playback mode and the OGM is sent to the calling party over the telephone line. The tape is then advanced at high speed past any previously recorded ICM's to the first vacant location on the tape. The ICM from the caller is then recorded at that location. When the call is completed, the machine rewinds the tape back to the origin position and awaits the next call. The tape includes a data section at the origin position which precedes the start of the OGM.

Abstract: An adapter circuit and system for coupling a telephone answering machine to two telephone lines. The adapter may be set so that the telephone answering machine will answer one or the other of the telephone lines, as determined by setting a mode selector switch to an "automatic" position; so that the telephone answering machine will answer only one of the telephone lines as determined by setting the mode selector switch to a "Line #1" position, or so that the telephone answering machine will answer only the other of the telephone lines by setting the mode selector switch to the "Line #2" position.

Abstract: Recording apparatus which may be in the form of a telephone answering machine which responds to ring signals received over a telephone line to answer a call and proceed through its normal answer sequence. A modem is connected to the apparatus, and if at any time during the answer sequence a data signal carrier is detected by the modem indicating the presence of data signals, a control signal is introduced to the apparatus to disable the internal VOX circuitry which does not respond to data signals, so as to enable the apparatus to continue to record the data signals for so long as the data signal carrier is detected. When the data signal carrier is no longer detected, the apparatus switches back to its normal mode.

Abstract: A telephone answering system in which the calling party may record a message of any length within the recording capabilities of the message tape, and is not limited to any predetermined message time interval. The system is controlled by a microcomputer, and includes circuitry such that the microcomputer only responds to actual voice signals, so that the message recording interval is terminated when the calling party stops talking for a particular time interval, regardless of whether a tone signal or a busy signal then appears on the telephone line.

Abstract: A telephone answering machine with remote control capabilities which responds to remote control signals received over the telephone line after the termination of an announcement interval (T.sub.1) to play back previously recorded messages over the telephone line to the calling party. The machine is susceptible to a number of controlled operations such as the playback of all previously recorded messages, playback of new messages only, remote changing of the announcement, remote backspacing control, selective erasure of the messages after playback, providing an indication to the calling party as to whether any new messages have been recorded since his last remote operation, and other controlled operations to be described.

Abstract: A telephone answering system which may be set to respond only after a predetermined number of rings have been received and which is automatically set to respond only after a greater number of rings are received in the event the message tape is full or broken. The system is controlled by a microcomputer, and includes circuitry such that the microcomputer responds to an indication that the message tape is not operational automatically to set the system to respond to a greater number of rings. This causes the casual caller to hang up, which is desired since the message tape is no longer capable of recording his message, but it still enables the owner to remote the system and have it read back the messages on the message tape.

Abstract: A telephone answering system with remote control capabilities which responds to a control signal received over the telephone line during an announcement interval (T.sub.1) or during a message recording interval (T.sub.2) to play back messages over the telephone line to the calling party. The system is susceptible to a number of controlled operations such as the playback of all previously recorded messages, playback of new messages only, remote changing of the announcement, remote backspacing control, selective erasure of the messages after playback, providing an indication to the calling party as to whether any new messages have been recorded since his last remote operation, and other controlled operations to be described.

Abstract: A telephone ring detector system which finds particular utility in a telephone answering unit, since it responds only to ring signals on the telephone line to activate the system, and it is unresponsive to dialing pulses which would otherwise cause a spurious activation of the telephone answering unit. The system of the invention differentiates the ring signals from dialing pulses by detecting whether or not the telephone line to which the telephone answering unit is connected is in an "on-hook" or "off-hook" hook condition, and by providing an output in response to an incoming signal only when the telephone is in the "on-hook" condition. This assures that the signal detected on the telephone line is not a series of dialing pulses, since the dialing pulses occur only when the telephone line is in the "off-hook" condition.

Abstract: A circuit and system is provided in a telephone answering system and which monitors direct current voltage levels on the telephone line to distinguish between valid ring signals and dial pulses so that the telephone answering system will not attempt to answer when a local telephone is being dialed for an outgoing call. The circuit and system of the invention also responds to direct current voltage differentials on the telephone line, independent of the actual direct current voltage level, to cause the telephone answering system to return immediately to its automatic answer position in the event the calling party hangs up, or in the event the called party picks up, during the announcement interval (T1), or during the message recording interval (T2).

Abstract: A remote repeat message control for a telephone answering system is provided, by which a person may cause his telephone answering system to repeat any message read to him over the telephone line by the system. In order for the user to gain access to and activate his telephone answering system from a remote point to receive the recorded messages, he dials the telephone number of his system and, after the system has answered, and after the announcement has been transmitted to the caller, he transmits a predetermined digital code over the telephone line from a remote control unit. At the end of each message transmitted to the user over the telephone line, a dual tone is transmitted by the telephone answering system to the user. The user can then cause the machine to repeat the previous message by again transmitting the digital code over the telephone line within a predetermined time interval.