US 4,309,571 A · Telephone-adapter apparatus for a dictation unit

Abstract

Apparatus is provided for operating a dictation unit as a telephone-answering device. The dictation unit has a movable record medium upon which an announce message is recorded at a predetermined portion. Switching circuitry is selectively operable to condition the dictation unit to operate as a telephone-answering device, and a line coupler connects the dictation unit to a telephone line. An activate arrangement is operable when the dictation unit is conditioned to operate as a telephone-answering device to respond to an incoming ringing signal on the telephone line for activating the movable record medium to advance at a playback speed so as to transmit the announce message over the telephone line and, at the conclusion of the announce message, to advance to the next available recording portion thereon to record an incoming message. In a preferred embodiment, the dictation unit is operable either as a telephone-answering device or as a remote dictation machine wherein the record medium is advanced at a recording speed to record an incoming message thereon in response to an incoming telephone call. In the telephone-answering mode, the record medium is rewound to the beginning of the announce message thereon at the conclusion of each incoming telephone call, thus being in condition to transmit that same announce message in response to the next incoming telephone call. After the announce message is transmitted, the record medium is advanced rapidly past all previously recorded incoming messages until the next available recording portion is reached.

Claims27

Dependent claims

Apparatus for operating a dictation unit, having a movable record medium upon which dictated information normally is recorded, as a telephone-answering device wherein an announce message is recorded at a predetermined portion of said record medium;

said apparatus comprising switch means selectively operable to condition said dictation unit to operate as a telephone-answering device;
means for connecting said dictation unit to a telephone line;
activate means operable when said dictation unit is conditioned to operate as a telephone-answering device to respond to an incoming ringing signal on said telephone line for activating said movable record medium to advance at a playback speed so as to transmit said announce message over said telephone line and, at the conclusion of said announce message, to selectively advance said record medium at a relatively fast speed to the next available recording portion thereon to record an incoming telephone call message;
and rewind means operable at the completion of each incoming telephone call to return said record medium to the beginning of said announce message.

1 more element

Apparatus for use with a dictation unit having a record medium bi-directionally movable between a supply reel and a take-up reel, said dictation unit being connectable to a telephone line, said apparatus comprising selector means having a first state for operating said dictation unit as a telephone-answering machine and a second state for operating said dictation unit to record remote dictation transmitted thereto via said telephone line;

means for selectively recording an announcement message on a first portion of said record medium to be transmitted from said dictation unit over said telephone line when said dictation unit operates as a telephone-answering machine;
line seizure means responsive to an incoming ringing signal for seizing said telephone line regardless of the state of said selector means;
playback means for playing back said announcement message from said first portion of said record medium following the seizure of said telephone line if said selector means exhibits said first state;
recording means operative at the completion of said announcement message when said selector means exhibits said first state and operative in response to said seizure of said telephone line when said selector means exhibits said second state to advance said record medium from said supply reel to said take-up reel and then record a message received from said telephone line on the next sequentially available portion of said record medium;
rewind means for returning said record medium to the beginning of said announcement message following the completion of said received message if said selector means exhibits said first state;
and reset means for releasing said telephone line and for placing said dictation unit in a quiescent condition after said record medium is returned to said beginning of said announcement message or, if said selector means exhibits said second state, after the completion of said received message.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Telephone-adapter apparatus for a dictation unit

Life of this patent

Telephone-adapter apparatus for a dictation unit

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27