Abstract: A system and method for recording voice messages received in an automated message exchange system. Voice messages are digitized by the message exchange system at the time they are received. At a convenient time determined by the computer of the message system, such digitized voice messages are converted back to a verbal audio signal for recording on a conventional cassette tape recorder. Other digital information stored in the message exchange system may also be verbalized for recording on the tape recorder in association with the corresponding voice message. An interface unit starts the cassette tape recorder when the message exchange system is ready to begin taping a message, conveys a signal to the message exchange system confirming that the tape recorder is operating properly, and then conveys the verbal audio signal to be recorded from the message exchange system to the cassette tape recorder.

Abstract: An information network and method for providing a nationwide audio text network, including electronic billing, useful for a wide variety of applications is disclosed. The information network utilizes a telephone message delivery system coupled to phone lines, typically the "800" area code common carrier lines, to receive incoming calls, to interactively respond thereto as controlled by a computer and to communicate with the computer to provide information to and obtain information from a database maintained by the computer. In addition to being coupled to the telephone message delivery system, the computer is typically also coupled to one or more dedicated or dial up lines so as to be capable of obtaining electronic credit card authorization or changes, and is further coupled so as to control the routing of an incoming call, to redirect the call to a live operator or to other equipment, or to outgoing lines to any desired destination.

Abstract: A multimode scrambling system for video signal transmission systems is described. The system provides for baseband video scrambling controlled by a central originating computer facility. The scrambling of each field of a video changes on a per field basis. The video signal is scrambled in several modes including vertical interval scrambling, alternate line inversion, bogus sync pulse generation, video compression and video offset techniques. A scrambling sequence is sent by a unique algorithm, sent during the vertical interval to each system decoder. The algorithm is reordered for each of a plurality of fields of the video signal and the reordering position is identified by a unique synchronization pulse transmitted during the vertical interval of the video signal. Additional security measures are provided to inhibit a subscriber from avoiding a transmitted disable command, or an attempt to invade the subscriber decoder mechanical packaging security.