Method and apparatus for displaying indications of instructions in previously recorded messages

In a device wherein previously recorded messages are played back by a transducer from a bi-directionally movable record medium on which end-of-message and instruction signals are recorded, display apparatus comprising:

• scanning means for scanning said record medium in a first direction to detect the recorded end-of-message signals and instruction signals;
• memory means for storing a representation of each detected end-of-message signal and for storing a representation of each detected instruction signal recorded on said record medium within a message whose end is marked by one of said end-of-message signals;
• sensing means cooperable with said memory means for sensing whether said message recorded on the record medium juxtaposed said transducer contains one of said instruction signals, and for further sensing whether any subsequent message recorded on said record medium to be reached when said record medium is moved in a second direction contains an instruction signal;
• and indicating means for producing and displaying a first indication when the message juxtaposed said transducer contains one of said instruction signals and displaying a second indication when a subsequent message remaining to be played back contains an instruction signal.

In an audio playback device wherein previously recorded audio messages are played back from a movable record medium, and wherein end-of-message signals are recorded designating the end of one message and the beginning of another, and instruction signals are recorded designating the location of an instruction message, display apparatus for indicating the presence of an instruction signal within a message positioned for playback and for indicating the presence of an instruction signal within a subsequent message to be played back, comprising:

• drive means for driving said record medium in a reverse direction for scanning said record medium to detect said end-of-message and instruction signals, and for driving said record medium in a forward direction to play back said messages and to advance said record medium from one message location to another;
• detecting means operable at least during the scanning of said record medium for detecting said end-of-message and instruction signals;
• count means for generating a count as said record medium is driven, the count representing the relative present position of said record medium;
• and programmed processor means operable during the scanning of said record medium to store at an addressed memory location the count of said count means when an end-of-message signal is detected, to store at said addressed memory location an instruction signal representation when an instruction signal is detected, and to increment the memory location address prior to the storage of said count and said instruction signal representation, said programmed processor means being operable after said record medium has been scanned to sense an instruction signal representation stored in the memory location at which is stored the count representing the end of the message which is in position to be played back, whereby a first indication is provided of the presence of an instruction signal within said message in position to be played back, and to sense an instruction signal representation stored in any memory location at which is stored the count representing the end of a message that has not yet been in position to be played back, whereby a second indication is provided of the presence of an instruction signal within a subsequent message to be played back.