US 3,937,893 AGranted

Automatic telephone answering device

AssigneeWilly Muller

InventorsWilly Muller, Markus Moser

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Abstract

The invention concerns a device for automatically answering telephone calls, comprising an answering system, with a first magnetic sound recorder for recording and reproducing an answering text and a mechanical driving gear for the first magnetic sound recorder, with a storage system, which comprises a second magnetic sound recorder for recording and playing back the incoming message and a mechanical driving gear for a second magnetic sound recorder, with an action control switch and additional switches for selecting specific functions, with an electrical switching, amplifying and control system for an independent control of the work cycle of the device in its different functions, said control system comprising a mechanism for recording at least a marking signal on the first sound recorder and for the play-back of the recorded marking signal in order to switch the device from its operating condition of playing back the call answering text, to the operating condition of recording the incoming information or in case of a premature ending of the play-back of the call answering text.

Claims17

Dependent claims

Automatic telephone answering and announcement device comprising in operative electrical connection:

a. a first sound recorder (AW1) for recording, reproducing and answering oral text;
b. a second sound recorder (AW2) for recording and playing back incoming messages;
c. action control switch means (3);
and
d. additional selectivity switches (10, 11, 12, 13) for selecting specific functions;
e. a switching system (33, 40, 52, 54, 56, 65, 66);
f. amplifying system;
g. a control system for independent control of the work cycle of the device in its different functions, said control system (3) including third recording means to apply at least a marking signal on the first sound recorder (AW1) and for the playback thereof, whereby to switch the device from playing back the call answering text to recording the incoming message and to correct in event of a premature ending of the playback of the call answering text;
h. call detector means (27);
i. voice detector means (46) for incoming messages;
j. marking detector means (38) for detecting marking signals on the first recorder;
said action control means (3) and the additional switches (10, 11, 12, 13) as well as the call detector (27), the voice detector (46) and the marking detector (38) being interconnected to deliver binary message signals (ST1W), STWT, STAT, ASTE, ST, STO, RT, LT, AS, SP, MS);
k. a digital control means (67, 68, 69) comprising an integrated circuit, the inputs (67) of which are in connection with said action control switch (3), the additional switches (10, 11, 13) and the outputs of said respective detectors (27, 46 and 38) and the output of the digital control means (68) being connected with control inputs of an electrical switching means (33, 40, 52, 54, 56, 65, 66), whereby the digital control means, depending on its internal condition and that of the binary message signal, generates binary control signals (MTX, MTP, MAX, MAP, HF, NF, ZL1, ZL2, R1 to R8) for said electrical switching means requiring control;
1. driving means for the respective recorders;
and
m. a source of electrical power.

13 more elements

In a device connected to terminals for a telephone exchange line for the automatic answering of telephone calls having a first magnetic sound recorder for recording and reproducing an answering text and a drive mechanism for said first magnetic sound recorder;

a storage device containing a second magnetic sound recorder for recording and reproducing of arriving messages and a drive mechanism for said second magnetic sound recorder and an electric circuit and amplifying means adapted to be combined selectively by switching means including an operation control switch means and additional selectively operable switches for selecting specific functions, said electric circuit and amplifying means including a plurality of control means for control of the cyclic functions of the device in different modes of operations, said control means comprising means for recording at least one control signal on said first sound recorder and for reproducing said recorded control signal for the purpose of switching the device from reproduction of the answering text to recording the incoming call, the improvement comprising:
a call detector means connected to said terminals for the exchange line,
voice detector means for incoming messages connected to said terminals for the exchange line,
marking detector means connected to said first magnetic sound recorder for detecting said control signals on said first sound recorder, said operation control switch, the additional switches, the call detector means, the voice detector means and the marking detector means including output terminals for delivering binary control signals corresponding to the presence and absence of a respective event,
a digital control means in the form of a periodically clocked integrated circuit means having a plurality of input terminals each connected with a different one of the outputs of said operation control switch, additional switches, call detector means, voice detector means and marking detector means, and having a plurality of output terminals each connected with an input of a different one of said plurality of control means for control of the cyclic functions of the device, whereby the digital control means, depending on its internal state and that of the binary control signals at its input terminals, generates binary control signals for said plurality of control means for control of the cyclic functions of the device.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.