# US 4,396,804 A · Telephone answering device with automatic rewind

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- Number: US 4,396,804 A
- Document ID: US4396804A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/126,911
- Filed: 1979-07-11
- Granted: 1983-08-02
- Earliest claimed: 1977-10-22
- Inventors: Kazuo Hashimoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4396804A

## CPC

- G11B 31/00: Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus (with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 {; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00})
- G11B 15/44: Speed-changing arrangements; Reversing arrangements; Drive transfer means therefor
- G11B 27/10: Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
- G11B 27/22: Means responsive to presence or absence of recorded information signals
- H04M 1/6515: {using magnetic tape (H04M1/6505 takes precedence)}
- G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)

## Abstract

An automatic telephone answering device with simultaneous drive for the outgoing message tape (T-1) and the incoming message tape T-2 has a disadvantage in that the calling party's voice cannot be recorded within a section of T-2 (T2-1, T2-3) which is driven simultaneously with the first half (T1-1, T1-3) of T-1. To prevent this disadvantage, T-2 is to be automatically rewound within the wasted section (T2-1 and T2-3). Then, it records the calling party's voice on the section (T3-1 and T3-2). The instant rewinding distance depends on the tape volume on the tape reel but the above rewinding section is not overrun to the previous recording section (T3-1 and T3-2). So, it must have minimum blanks l1, l2, . . . ln.

## Claims

### Claim 1

In a telephone answering device comprising; Means responsive to a calling signal for engaging a telephone line, means to transmit an out-going message from an out-going message tape (T-1) to said line,
means to record an incoming message from said line on an incoming message tape (T-2), tape driving means for simultaneously driving both said tapes in response to said calling signal responsive means being triggered, means of generating a beep-tone when said out-going message (T-1) is driven to a predetermined point,
switching means to switch between FORWARD and REWIND drive for said incoming message tape (T-2),
time control means which is energized by the beep-tone generating means and which causes REWIND driving of T-2 for a certain pre-determined time by said switching means, means of generating a particular signal while said time control means is energized, means of sending said particular signal to a calling party through said telephone line, means responsive to said time control means being de-energized to cause said switching means to switch to forward drive in a recording mode and
stopping means for both said tapes (T-1 and T-2) triggered by a signal from the out-going message tape (T-1) which releases the engagement of said telephone line and resets the telephone answering device to stand-by.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A telephone answering device in accordance with claim 1 characterized by adjustment of said time control means to prevent overlapping of an incoming message with a prior incoming message irrespective of diameter of rewound incoming message tape (T-2).