Dictation recording and transcribing system with variable playback sequence

• US 4,468,751 A
• Filed: 05/11/1981
• Issued: 08/28/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lanier Healthcare LLC (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Lanier Worldwide Incorporated (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Inventors: Plunkett, Luther C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Gareth D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Jameson
• Application Number:
  US06/262,176
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 369/25, 369/26, 369/27, 369/29, 360/137, 360/55, 360/92, 360/69, 360/72.1, 360/72.2, 360/1, 360/12, 360/13, 360/14, 360/27, 364/900, 364/200, 179/6.04, 179/6.05, 179/6.01
• US Class Current: 360/55
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40

Abstract

A central dictation and transcribing system including a plurality of dictate stations (16) and a plurality of transcribe stations (17) in which recorded dictation is recorded in the form of digitized samples. A plurality of selectively operable controls (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46) are used to rearrange the reproduced order of dictation heard by the transcriber by inserting, deleting, and moving segments of previously recorded dictation. All final dictation heard by the transcriber is continuous and in an order determined by operation of the controls. The structure includes memory (11, 12) for storing the digitized samples and a map memory (40) for storing a plurality of address pairs (127, 128) indicative of when normal sequential reproduction of digitized samples from the main memory is to be altered. A predetermined jump code (98) is stored at each location in the main memory to indicate that a change of sequence is to be made from that address and reference to the map memory should be made. The samples to and from the dictate stations and transcribe stations are pipelined over data buses (20, 29) in a time division multiplex arrangement (60).

Claims

1. A dictation recorder selectively operable for recording dictation during a recording mode and for playing back recorded dictation during a playback mode, comprising:

an addressable memory array for storing digital signals and jump codes in addressable locations;

an analog to digital converter for providing digital output signals in response to analog dictation input signals during said record mode;

a digital to analog converter for providing reproduced analog signals in response to being provided with digital signals from said memory array;

a control map memory for storing pointing vectors, each of said pointing vectors corresponding to an addressable location in said memory array at which a predetermined jump code is stored and a beginning address of a sequence of addressable locations;

a memory array address controller operative in said record mode for storing said digital output signals in a first sequence of addressable locations of said memory array;

said controller being selectively operable during said record mode for storing a first jump code at a particular address N within said first sequence of addressable locations and for providing a first pointing vector for storing in said control map memory in response to receipt of an insert signal provided by a dictator to indicate an insertion of dictation;

said controller being further responsive to said insert signal during said record mode for storing said digital output signals in a second sequence of addressable locations in said memory array, all addresses of said second sequence of addressable locations being different from all addresses of said first sequence of addressable locations;

said controller being further responsive during said record mode for storing a second jump code at a last address of said second sequence of addressable locations and for providing a second pointing vector for storing in said control map memory in response to receipt of an end of insert signal provided by the dictator to indicate the end of said insertion of dictation,

said second pointing vector corresponding to address N+1 in said first sequence of addressable locations.

2. A dictation recorder as recited in claim 1, wherein

said controller is responsive during said playback mode to initially provide stored digital signals from said first sequence of addressable locations of said memory array to said digital to analog converter;

wherein said controller is further responsive during said playback mode to said first jump code at said address N in said first sequence of addressable locations to read said first pointing vector from said control map and to thereafter provide stored digital signals from said second sequence of addressable locations to said digital to analog converter; and

wherein said controller is further responsive during said playback mode to said second jump code at said last address of said second sequence of addressable locations to read said second pointing vector from said control map and to thereafter provide stored digital signals beginning with said address N+1 from said first sequence of addressable locations.

3. A recorded dictation playback apparatus for playing back a prerecorded sequence of dictation with a subsequently recorded insert sequence of dictation being reproduced at a preselected insertion point in said prerecorded sequence, comprising:

an addressable memory array for storing digital signals corresponding to said prerecorded sequence and said insert sequence in addressable locations;

a digital to analog converter for providing reproduced analog dictation signals in response to being provided with said digital signals;

means for storing a predetermined digital first jump code at an addressable location of said memory array corresponding to said preselected insertion point in said prerecorded sequence;

means for storing a predetermined digital second jump code at an addressable location of said memory array corresponding to the end of said insert sequence;

a control map memory for storing a first pointing vector corresponding to a beginning address of said insert sequence and for storing a second pointing vector corresponding to an address of a portion of said prerecorded sequence subsequent to said preselected insertion point; and

a memory array address controller operative to address said memory array and to provide stored digital signals corresponding to said prerecorded sequence to said digital to analog converter,

said controller being responsive to said first jump code in said prerecorded sequence to read said control map memory to obtain said first pointing vector to address said memory array, and to provide stored digital signals corresponding to said insert sequence to said digital to analog converter, and

said controller being responsive to said second jump code in said insert sequence to read said control map memory to obtain said second pointing vector to address said memory array, and to provide stored digital signals corresponding to said prerecorded sequence subsequent to said insertion point.

4. A dictation recorder selectively operable for recording dictation during a recording mode and for playing back recorded dictation during a playback mode, comprising:

an addressable memory array for storing digital dictation signals in a plurality of sequences of contiguous addressable locations, each of said sequences beginning at a beginning address and ending at an addressable location containing a predetermined jump code;

an analog to digital converter for providing said digital dictation signals in response to analog dictation input signals during said record mode;

a digital to analog converter for providing reproduced analog signals in response to being provided with said digital dictation signals from said memory array;

a control map memory for storing pointing vectors, each of said pointing vectors including a jump code address at which said predetermined jump code is stored and a beginning of one of said sequences of addressable locations;

a memory array address controller operative in said record mode for storing said digital dictation signals in said sequences of said addressable locations of said memory array;

said controller being selectively operative during said record mode in response to receipt of a dictation control signal provided by a dictator for storing said predetermined jump code at a particular addressable location corresponding to the point at which said dictation control signal was provided, and for providing the address of said particular addressable location for storage in said control map memory as said jump code address of one of said pointing vectors;

said controller being operative during said playback mode to provide stored digital dictation signals to said digital to analog converter from one of said sequences of addressable locations of said memory array beginning at said beginning address until an occurrence of said predetermined jump code; and

said controller being further responsive during said playback mode to each occurrence of said predetermined jump code to read a particular one of said pointing vectors from said control map memory which contains said jump code address associated with said particular addressable location at which said jump code is stored, and thereafter to sequentially provide said stored digital dictation signals to said digital to analog converter from a subsequent one of said sequences of addressable locations beginning at said beginning address of said particular one of said pointing vectors.

5. A dictation recorder as recited in claim 4, wherein said dictation control signal is a delete signal, and

wherein said controller is selectively operative during said record mode in response to receipt of an end signal provided by a dictator after said delete signal for providing the address of one of said addressable locations corresponding to the point at which said end signal was provided for storage in said control map memory as said beginning address of said particular one of said pointing vectors.

6. A dictation recorder as recited in claim 4, wherein said dictation control signal is an insert signal,

wherein said particular addressable location corresponding to the point at which said insert signal was provided is a first particular addressable location,

wherein said particular one of said pointing vectors is a first pointing vector, and

wherein said controller is selectively operative during said record mode in response to receipt of an end signal provided by a dictator after said insert signal for storing said predetermined jump code at a second particular addressable location corresponding to the point at which said end signal was provided, and for providing the address of said second particular addressable location for storage in said control map memory as said jump code address of a second pointing vector.

7. A dictation recorder as recited in claim 6,

wherein said controller is further operative during said record mode in response to receipt of said insert signal for providing the address of one of said addressable locations corresponding to the point at which said insert signal was provided for storage in said control map memory as said beginning address of said second pointing vector.

8. A dictation recorder as recited in claim 6,

wherein said controller is further operative during said record mode in response to receipt of said insert signal for providing an address of an addressable location in said memory array available for storage of said digital dictation signals, for storage in said control map memory as said beginning address of said first pointing

9. A dictation recorder as recited in claim 4, wherein said dictation control signal is a move signal,

wherein said particular addressable location corresponding to the point at which said move signal was provided is a first particular addressable location,

wherein said particular one of said pointing vectors is a first pointing vector,

wherein said controller is selectively operative during said record mode in response to receipt of an end signal provided by a dictator after said move signal for storing said predetermined jump code at a second particular addressable location corresponding to the point at which said end signal was provided, and for providing the address of said second particular addressable location for storage in said control map memory as said jump code address of a second pointing vector, and

wherein said controller is selectively operative during said record mode in response to receipt of a move insert signal provided by a dictator afer said end signal for storing said predetermined jump code at a third particular addressable location corresponding to the point at which said move insert signal was provided, and for providing the address of said third particular addressable location for storage in said control map memory as said jump code address of a third pointing vector.

10. A dictation recorder as recited in claim 9, wherein said controller is further operative during said record mode in response to receipt of said move signal for providing the address of one of said addressable locations corresponding to the point at which said move signal was provided for storage in said control map memory as said beginning address of said third pointing vector.

11. A dictation recorder as recited in claim 9,

wherein said controller is further operative during said record mode in response to receipt of said end signal for providing the address of one of said addressables location corresponding to the point at which said end signal was provided for storage in said control map memory as said beginning address of said first pointing vector.

12. A dictation recorder as recited in claim 9,

wherein said controller is further operative during said record mode in response to receipt of said move insert for providing the address of one of said addressable locations corresponding to the point at which said move insert signal was provided for storage in said control map memory as said beginning address of said second pointing vector.