Voice mail digital telephone answering device
DCFirst Claim
1. A digital telephone answering device (DTAD), comprising:
- a controller including means for performing operations of the DTAD in response to instructions stored in a memory;
a speech digitizer coupled to said controller for converting voice messages into digital representations of the voice messages; and
memory means coupled to said controller and to said speech digitizer for storing digital data, said memory means being logically and dynamically divided into a common storage area and a plurality of mailbox storage areas, only said common storage area storing digital representations of voice messages produced by said speech digitizer;
means for distinguishing between identified and unidentified voice messages;
said controller including means for storing both identified and unidentified voice messages in said common storage area, and for associating only identified voice messages stored in said common storage area with at least one mailbox storage area, whereby all of the voice messages are stored only once in said common storage area and only said identified voice messages are related to at least one specific mailbox storage area; and
logical assignment means for producing data indicating a logical assignment of respective identified stored voice messages to at least one of said plurality of mailbox storage areas, wherein said data indicating the logical assignments is stored in said at least one of said plurality of mailbox storage areas for enabling a specific user to access said respective identified stored messages which are logically assigned to a specific mailbox storage area.
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Abstract
A digital telephone answering device (DTAD) that allows messages to be forwarded to certain internal mailboxes. Random access memory (RAM) is flexibly and dynamically controlled by a microprocessor or controller. Audio signals in the form of voice messages are digitized and stored in the RAM. Messages can be sorted and allocated to specific mailboxes and made retrievable by pressing a button assigned to that mailbox. Messages can also be moved or re-assigned from a common message area to a certain mailbox or mailboxes. Outgoing messages are also stored in RAM and can be of sufficient number to have an outgoing message correspond to each incoming message storage area. The normal message recording and message playback functions of the DTAD may be activated after the call has been answered on the receiving side.
172 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A digital telephone answering device (DTAD), comprising:
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a controller including means for performing operations of the DTAD in response to instructions stored in a memory; a speech digitizer coupled to said controller for converting voice messages into digital representations of the voice messages; and memory means coupled to said controller and to said speech digitizer for storing digital data, said memory means being logically and dynamically divided into a common storage area and a plurality of mailbox storage areas, only said common storage area storing digital representations of voice messages produced by said speech digitizer; means for distinguishing between identified and unidentified voice messages; said controller including means for storing both identified and unidentified voice messages in said common storage area, and for associating only identified voice messages stored in said common storage area with at least one mailbox storage area, whereby all of the voice messages are stored only once in said common storage area and only said identified voice messages are related to at least one specific mailbox storage area; and logical assignment means for producing data indicating a logical assignment of respective identified stored voice messages to at least one of said plurality of mailbox storage areas, wherein said data indicating the logical assignments is stored in said at least one of said plurality of mailbox storage areas for enabling a specific user to access said respective identified stored messages which are logically assigned to a specific mailbox storage area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14)
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10. A digital telephone answering device (DTAD), comprising:
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a controller including means for performing operations of the DTAD in response to instructions stored in a memory; a speech digitizer coupled to said controller for converting voice messages into digital representations of the voice messages; a random access memory (RAM) coupled to said controller and to said speech digitizer, said RAM being logically and dynamically divided into a common storage area and a plurality of mailbox storage areas by said controller, only said common storage area storing digital representations of voice messages produced by said speech digitizer; and manual sorting means for assigning messages in said common storage area to at least one of said plurality of mailbox storage areas. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification