Modular dictation/transcription system

• US 4,817,127 A
• Filed: 08/08/1986
• Issued: 03/28/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dictaphone Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dictaphone Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Grey, Suzanne N., Chamberlin, David B., Jachmann, Emil F., Dwyer, John J., Saltzman, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Thomas W.
• Application Number:
  US06/895,006
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/68, 379/69, 379/70, 379/71, 379/72, 379/73, 379/74, 379/75, 379/76, 379/77, 379/78, 379/79, 379/80-88, 379/90, 379/110, 379/387, 379/419, 379/427, 379/428, 379/436, 379/442, 369/25, 369/26, 369/27, 369/28, 369/29
• US Class Current: 379/88.11
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 25/06 using web-form record carriers, e.g. tape
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/125 the apparatus comprising a plurality of recording/reproducing devices, e.g. modular arrangements, arrays of disc drives

Abstract

A modular dictation/transcription system is described comprising a modular construction wherein the system is composed of a set of modules which are detachably connectable to each other. Connection or detachment of individual modules from the system configures the system to provide such functions as may be required while deleting such functions which are not necessary. Included within the modules are one or more recording/playback modules a display module and a telephone module. All of the modules interact with each other in accordance with preselectable functions to provide for a more efficient utilization of the dictation/transcription system. Clusters of the modules may be arranged as stations, with the stations connected by a digital communication link.

Claims

1. A modular dictation/transcription system comprising a plurality of physically independent modules each being connectable to one another to form an integral structure, said system comprising:

a recording/playback module for recording and playing back messages;

a display module connected to said recording/playback module for providing visual indications of data relating to the recording and playing back of messages in response to information particularly relating to selected ones of said messages recorded on said recording/playback module; and

a telephone module connected to said recording/playback module for establishing a telephone link between the recording/playback module and a remote station on a telephone network.

2. A modular dictation/transcription system according to claim 1 further comprising means in each of the modules for communicating information bi-directionally between modules.

3. A modular dictation/transcription system comprising a plurality of physically independent modules each being connectable to one another to form an integral structure, said system comprising:

a first recording/playback module for recording and playing back messages;

a second recording/playback module connected to said first recording/playback module for recording and playing back messages;

a display module connected to said first recording/playback module for providing visual indications of data relating to the recording and playing back of messages in response to information particularly relating to selected ones of said messages recorded on said recording/playback modules; and

a telephone module connected to said first recording/playback module for establishing a telephone link between the first and second recording/playback modules and a remote station on a telephone network.

4. A modular dictation/transcription system according to claim 3 further comprising means in each of the modules for communicating information bi-directionally between modules.

5. A modular dictation/transcription system comprising a plurality of physically independent modules each being connectable to one another to form an integral structure, said system comprising:

a first recording/playback module for recording and playing back messages;

a second recording/playback module connected to said first recording/playback module for recording and playing back messages; and

display module connected to either said first or said second recording/playback module for providing visual indications of data relating to the recording and playing back of messages in response to further information particularly relating to selected ones of said messages recorded on said recording/playback modules.

6. A modular dictation/transcription system according to claim 5 further comprising means in each of the modules for communicating information bi-directionally between modules.

7. A modular dictation/transcription system comprising a plurality of physically independent modules each being connectable to one another to form an integral structure, said system comprising:

a recording/playback module for recording and playing back messages; and

a telephone module connected to said recording/playback module for establishing a telephone link between the recording/playback module and a remote station connected to a telephone network;

wherein,

said system further comprises means in each of said modules in said system for communicating information bidirectional between each of said modules and any other module in said system.

8. A telephone module, including a handset, adapted for use in a modular communication system with one or more physically independent record/playback modules, the telephone module comprising:

telephone interface means for connecting the telephone module to a telephone line;

function select means manually operable to select a desired one of predetermined functions of the telephone module including voice communication with another module;

means for communicating information bi-directionally between the telephone module and each of the record/playback modules used therewith; and

,

control means for controlling the operation of the telephone module in response to the function select means and for communicating control information to at least one of the record/playback modules to control the record/playback module to record or playback messages over the telephone line when particular functions are selected and to record or playback messages over the handset when other particular functions are selected.

9. A telephone module according to claim 8 wherein said function select means includes programmable keyboard means for selecting programmable functions.

10. A telephone module according to claim 9 further comprising a display showing which of said functions programmed for said keyboard means has been selected.

11. A recording/playback module adapted for use in a modular dictation/transcription system with one or more other physically independent modules, each being connectable to the recording/playback module, the recording/playback module comprising:

audio recording means for storing and retrieving messages;

means for communicating information bi-directionally between the recording/playback module and each of said one or more other modules used therewith;

means for controlling the operation of the audio recording means either in response to information received from said one or more other modules used therewith or in response to control signals input by a user, whereby said recording/playback module may be operated either in said modular dictation/transcription system or as a stand-alone unit; and

wherein,

said information relates to the configuration status of said one or more other modules.

12. A recording/playback module according to claim 11 wherein one of said other modules is a second recording/playback module.

13. A recording/playback module according to claim 11 wherein said means for communicating information comprises a data bus.

14. A recording/playback module according to claim 11 wherein said means for communicating information comprises a serial communications link.

15. A recording/playback module adapted for use in a modular dictation/transcription system with one or more other physically independent modules, each being connectable to the recording/playback module, the recording/playback module comprising:

audio recording means for storing and retrieving messages;

means for communicating information bi-directionally between the recording/playback module and each of said one or more other modules used therewith;

means for controlling the operation of the audio recording means either in response to information received from said one or more other modules used therewith or in response to control signals input by a user, whereby said recording/playback module may be operated either in said modular dictation/transcription system or as a stand-alone unit; and

wherein,

said means for communicating information comprises a data bus to which said recording/playback module and each of said one ore more other modules are connected, and microprocessor means included in said recording/playback module and in each of said one or more other modules for directing the transmission and reception of said information between said recording/playback module and said one or more other modules.

16. A recording/playback module according to claim 15 wherein said microprocessor means included in said recording/playback module responds to said information to be transmitted to select a predetermined one of said other modules which is to receive said information.

17. A recording/playback module according to claim 15 wherein said microprocessor means included in said recording/playback module is operative for polling modules of said system to detect which of said modules has information to be transmitted to said recording/playback module.

18. A recording/playback module according to claim 15 wherein said microprocessor means included in said recording/playback module senses when plural ones of said other modules seek to transmit information to said recording/playback module and enables a selected one of said other modules to transmit said information in accordance with an arbitration of signals on said data bus.

19. A display module adapted for use in a modular dictation/transcription system with one or more physically independent modules including a recording/playback module, said display module comprising:

a display;

means for communicating information bi-directionally between the display module and the recording/playback module;

control means for controlling the display in response to information received from said recording/playback module; and

wherein,

said control means is further for communicating control information to said recording/playback module in response to search control signals input by a user of said dictation/transcription system so as to control said recording./playback module to playback a selected type of recorded message.

20. A display module adapted for use in a modular dictation/transcription system with one or more physically independent modules including a recording/playback module, said display module comprising:

a display;

means for communicating information bi-directionally between the display module and the recording/playback module;

control means for controlling the display in response to information received from said recording/playback module, and wherein,

each module of said system includes a microprocessor, the microprocessor of said display module communicating via said communicating means with the microprocessors of said one or more other modules for presenting data of dictation/transcription functions for display.

21. A modular dictation/transcription system comprising a plurality of physically independent modules each being connectable to one another to form an integral structure, said system comprising:

first and second recording/playback modules each for recording and playing back messages;

a telephone module connected to either said first or said second recording/playback module for establishing a communications link between the recording/playback modules and a remote station on a telephone network; and

means in each of said physically independent modules for communicating information bi/directionally between modules such that any one of said physically independent modules may transmit or receive information to or from another of said modules independently of other of said modules used therewith.