Abstract: Apparatus for interfacing a plurality of telephone trunks with a record playback apparatus carrying a plurality of recording media which may be selectively engaged with a transport. The particular recording medium engaged with the transport is determined by the particular one of the plurality of trunks upon which an incoming call is received. One embodiment provides to the calling party a particular recording medium for the remote recording of dictation. A second embodiment provides a particular prerecorded message in response to the particular trunk upon which the incoming call is received and records incoming messages on a common recording medium.

Abstract: A telephone answering apparatus including an electronic clock and calendar for maintaining data representative of the time of day and date when an incoming message is received, a speech synthesizer for generating a synthesized vocal audio signal stating the time of day and date, and a recorder for recording the synthesized audio signals on a recording media contiguous to the incoming message. The preferred embodiment uses a programmed digital microcomputer which detects a ringing condition on the telephone line, conditions a recorder containing a prerecorded outgoing recorded message to play back the message to the calling party, conditions the speech synthesizer to generate the audio signals stating the time of day and date, and conditions the recorder to record on the recording media both the synthesized speech and an incoming message received over the telephone line so that the called party upon review of his messages may determine the time of day and date when a particular call was received.

Abstract: A system for the remote transcription of recorded dictation comprising a remote transcription unit and a machine control unit capable of controlling a plurality of dictation recorders and transmitting recorded dictation signals from a selected one of the plurality of dictation recorders for transcription by the operator of the remote transcription unit. The remote transcription unit generates a guard tone together with any commands which require a recording media motion function. The machine control unit provides the recording media motion function for so long as the guard tone is continued to be received, and terminates the recording media motion function in the event that the guard tone is interrupted. The speed of playback of recorded dictation may be controlled by the operator at the remote transcription unit, which transmits a command to the machine control unit corresponding to the desired speed of playback selected.

Abstract: A central dictation and transcribing system including a plurality of dictate stations (16) and a plurality of transcribe stations (17) in which recorded dictation is recorded in the form of digitized samples. A plurality of selectively operable controls (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46) are used to rearrange the reproduced order of dictation heard by the transcriber by inserting, deleting, and moving segments of previously recorded dictation. All final dictation heard by the transcriber is continuous and in an order determined by operation of the controls. The structure includes memory (11, 12) for storing the digitized samples and a map memory (40) for storing a plurality of address pairs (127, 128) indicative of when normal sequential reproduction of digitized samples from the main memory is to be altered. A predetermined jump code (98) is stored at each location in the main memory to indicate that a change of sequence is to be made from that address and reference to the map memory should be made.

Abstract: Apparatus for rendering a dictation recorder selectively operable by a dictator at one of a plurality of dictate stations including automatic signal generating circuitry at the dictate station for generating a sequence of station identifier signals uniquely associated with the particular dictate station, and manual signal generating circuitry operable by the operator for generating a second sequence of signals. Receipt of a predetermined number of signals in the station identifier and manual sequences renders the recorder operable by the dictator in a conventional manner. Control lines carry the sequences of signals to the dictation recorder. A decoder at the dictation recorder decodes the signals appearing on the control lines and prevents operation of the dictation recorder until receipt of the appropriate number of signals which identifies both the dictate station and other information manually entered by the operator.

Abstract: A dictation system including means for manually or automatically providing a sequence of identifier signals, a decoder for decoding the identifier signals, and inhibiting means for rendering a dictation recorder inoperable in the absence of a predetermined sequence of identification signals. Control lines carry identifier signals which are electrically identical to control signals used to control the dictation recording functions of the dictation recorder. Identification signals may be generated automatically, by a keyboard, or by the dictate station normal function control switches. A decoder decodes the identification signals appearing on the control lines. Inhibiting means prevent the dictation recorder from recording dictation until receipt of a predetermined sequence of identification signals.

Abstract: A recording system for recording dictation originating at a plurality of dictate stations with a plurality of recorders and which provides for communication and monitoring functions between the dictate stations and a central control unit. In addition, the recording system provides for communication and monitoring functions between the central control unit and a plurality of transcriber stations at which the transcribing of dictation from a plurality of recorders is occurring. The monitoring functions include the monitoring of dictation being recorded by a selected recorder and of dictation being transcribed from a selected recorder and the communication functions include communication between a selected dictate station or a selected transcriber station and the central control unit.

Abstract: A system for providing input electrical signals, for processing the electrical signals to provide digital information, and for recording the processed electrical signals so that they may be retrieved from the system and the information recorded digitally visually presented by the system. The system is particularly well adapted for use with a multiple station dictation system in which the digital information embodied in the processed electrical signals includes the station from which a particular piece of dictation originated and the identification of the person who dictated it, the recorder upon which the dictation was recorded, information relating to the chronological order in which the dictation has been completed, and the length of the dictation. The system further provides means for recording this information on the tape at the end of each piece of dictation and for storing this information in a central storage.

Abstract: An encoder for manually or automatically providing a sequence of identifier signals and a decoder for same, in a remote dictation system. A pair of control lines (10, 10' and 11, 11') carry the identifier signals which are in part identical to signals used to control dictation recording functions of the remote recorder. A sequential counter (31) and a matrix of switches (32) provide an automatic sequence of signals to a set of transistors (15-18) and diodes (19, 20, 22) which establish the control line voltages. These devices are alternately connected (70-75) to shift registers (61, 62) which accept keyboard signals entered from a keyboard (60). Timing circuitry (65, 66, 68, 69, 99, 117) controls the shifting of keyboard signals in and out of the registers. A combination of comparators (150-153) and gates (170, 171) decode the control line voltages and provide inputs to decoding (169, 172, 176) and timing (191, 195) circuitry which provides a binary number to a memory device (250).

Abstract: A system for providing input electrical ;signals, for processing the electrical signals to provide digital information, and for recording the processed electrical signals so that they may be retrieved from the system and the information recorded digitally visually presented by the system. The system is particularly well adapted for use with a multiple station dictation system in which the digital information embodied in the processed electrical signals includes the station from which a particular piece of dictation originated and the identification of the person who dictated it, the recorder upon which the dictation was recorded, information relating to the chronological order in which the dictation has been completed, and the length of the dictation. The system further provides means for recording this information on the tape at the end of each piece of dictation and for storing this information in a central storage.