Method and device for recording and replaying audio communications
First Claim
1. A system for recording and replaying messages, comprising:
- logging means for concurrently recording audio signals in analog form from a message channel;
encoding means for converting the audio signals of messages on the channel into corresponding digital signals;
memory means for wraparound storage of the digital signals corresponding to portions of the audio signals, recorded by the logging means;
write means for writing the digital signals into the memory means;
recall means for selectively recalling the digital signals from the memory means; and
decoding means for converting the digital signals recalled from the memory means into analog audio signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device according to the invention is compatible with conventional magnetic tape loggers. Such a device is termed a message repeater, and it records and replays audio signals forming messages on a message channel, such as a telephone line or a radio channel. The message repeater includes circuits for converting the audio signals on a particular channel into corresponding digital signals and circuits for storing the digital signals. The message repeater also includes circuits for selectively recalling the signals that were stored and circuits for converting the signals that were recalled into analog audio signals. Messages on the selected message channel may be recorded and later replayed by the message repeater. Preferably, the message repeater includes a display with indications of the relative locations and lengths of the stored messages as well as a cursor or index. Furthermore, the message repeater preferably permits a selected message to be saved, thereby allowing the selected message to be replayed at the convenience of the operator. Additionally, the message repeater advantageously has fault detection circuits for determining if a fault has occurred in the other circuits.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A system for recording and replaying messages, comprising:
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logging means for concurrently recording audio signals in analog form from a message channel; encoding means for converting the audio signals of messages on the channel into corresponding digital signals; memory means for wraparound storage of the digital signals corresponding to portions of the audio signals, recorded by the logging means; write means for writing the digital signals into the memory means; recall means for selectively recalling the digital signals from the memory means; and decoding means for converting the digital signals recalled from the memory means into analog audio signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 44)
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10. A method for recording and replaying audio messages which are concurrently being recorded on an analog logger, comprising the steps of:
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selecting a particular one of the channels of said logger on which audio signals are provided; converting the audio signals on the particular channel into corresponding digital signals; storing the digital signals corresponding to a portion of the messages recorded on the logger in memory means in wraparound form; selectively recalling digital signals from the memory means; and converting the digital signals recalled from the memory means into analog audio signals. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 28, 29, 30)
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19. An apparatus for recording and replaying audio signals concurrently being recorded on an analog logger, comprising:
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encoding means for converting the audio signals on a selected channel of the logger into corresponding digital signals; memory means for wraparound storage of the digital signals corresponding to a portion of the audio signals recorded by the logger; recall means for selectively recalling the digital signals from said memory means; decoding means for converting the digital signals recalled from said memory means into analog audio signals; clock means for producing signals representative of time; and display means, responsive to said clock means, for displaying indications representative of present time of day and time at which a message was received. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for recording and replaying audio signals concurrently being recorded on an analog logger, comprising the steps of:
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converting the audio signals on a selected channel of the logger into corresponding digital signals; storing the digital signals corresponding to a portion of the audio signals recorded by the logger in a memory means in wraparound format; selectively recalling the digital signals from the memory means; and converting the digital signals recalled from the memory means into analog audio signals; wherein the steps of converting the audio signals and storing are accomplished substantially simultaneously with the steps of recalling and converting the digital signals. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 45)
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27. An apparatus for recording and replaying audio signals concurrently being recorded on an analog logger, comprising
encoding means for converting the audio signals on a selected channel of the logger into corresponding digital signals; -
memory means of finite storage capacity for storing the digital signals corresponding to a portion of the audio signals recorded by the logger and for replacing the oldest stored digital signals with current digital signals after the storage capacity is reached; recall means for selectively recalling the digital signals from the memory means; decoding means for converting the digital signals recalled from the memory means into analog audio signals; and means for selectively saving a particular message comprised in the stored digital signals, even after the storage capacity is reached.
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31. A method for recording and replaying audio signals concurrently being recorded on an analog logger, comprising the steps of:
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converting the audio signals on a selected channel of the logger into corresponding digital signals; storing the digital signals corresponding to a portion of the audio signals recorded by the logger in memory means of finite storage capacity and replacing the oldest stored digital signals with current digital signals after said storage capacity is reached; selectively recalling the digital signals from the memory means; converting the digital signals recalled from the memory means into analog audio signals; and selectively saving a particular message. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. An apparatus for recording and replaying audio signals concurrently being recorded on an analog logger, comprising:
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encoding means for converting the audio signals on a selected channel of the logger into corresponding digital signals; memory means for storing the digital signals corresponding to a portion of the audio signals recorded by the logger in wraparound form; recall means for selectively recalling the digital signals from the memory means; decoding means for converting the digital signals recalled from the memory means into analog audio signals; and display means for displaying indications of the messages comprised of the digital signals stored in the memory means. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. An apparatus for recording and replaying audio signals concurrently being recorded on an analog logger, comprising:
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encoding means for converting the audio signals on a selected channel of the logger into corresponding digital signals; memory means for wraparound storage of the digital signals corresponding to a portion of the signals recorded by the logger; recall means for selectively recalling the digital signals from said memory means; decoding means for converting the digital signals recalled from the memory means into analog audio signals; means for selectively checking for proper operation of at least one of the encoding means, the memory means, the recall means, and the decoding means; and display means, responsive to the checking means, for providing an indication if improper operation is detected. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification