Multi-line recording device having reduced processing and storage requirements

• US 6,731,723 B1
• Filed: 09/29/1998
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Garey, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US09/163,263
• Time in Patent Office: 2,044 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/38, 379/45, 379/88.13, 379/114.05, 379/199, 379/214.01, 379/88.1, 379/88.07, 379/93.08, 348/14.13, 704/503
• US Class Current: 379/88.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form

Abstract

An apparatus and method for recording at least two separate incoming signals which reduces computational complexity and memory requirements of the recording device. In one embodiment, the apparatus records and stores the first arriving signal using a high-compression algorithm to reduce memory requirements. Upon receipt of a second signal concurrent with the first arriving signal, the apparatus records and stores the second signal using a second compression algorithm with a lower compression ratio. The second algorithm requires less hardware or processor resources while still providing a moderate degree of compression in relation to the first algorithm. Upon completion of receipt of the first arriving signal, the second signal which was compressed using the second algorithm is decoded and then re-encoded using the first high-compression algorithm. This further reduces memory storage requirements without requiring additional hardware or processor capability. It is contemplated that one embodiment of the subject invention comprise a two line telephone answering machine.

Claims

1. A multi-line telephone answering machine for recording incoming messages comprising:

a first data port configured to receive messages;

a second data port configured to receive messages;

a first encoder configured to encode messages at a first rate of compression;

a second encoder configured to encode messages at a second rate of compression less than said first rate;

memory for storing messages encoded by either of said first encoder and said second encoder; and

a controller configured, upon receipt of a message from either of said first and second data ports, to control said first encoder to encode said message and store it in said memory responsive to a condition in which the first encoder is idle, and to control said second encoder to encode said message and store it in said memory responsive to a condition in which the first encoder is busy.

2. The multi-line telephone answering machine of claim 1, further comprising a decoder, wherein said controller is further configured to control said decoder to decode a message encoded by said second encoder and to control said first encoder to re-encode said message responsive to a condition in which said first encoder is idle.

3. A recording device for recording two or more signals comprising:

at least two data ports configured to receive signals;

a switch having at least two inputs and at least two outputs, wherein at least one of said inputs is connected to one of said data ports, and another of said inputs is connected to another of said data ports;

a high-compression encoder coupled to one of said outputs of said switch;

at least one low-compression encoder coupled to one of said outputs of said switch; and

memory coupled to said high compression encoder and said low-compression encoder and configured to store signals compressed by either of said encoders; and

a controller configured to control said switch to selectively route an incoming signal to said high-compression encoder responsive to an idle condition of said high-compression encoder and to one of said low-compression encoders responsive to a busy condition of said high-compression encoder.

4. The recording device of claim 3, wherein said controller is configured to control said high-compression encoder to re-encode a message encoded by one of said low compression encoders responsive to an idle condition of said high compression encoder.

5. The recording device of claim 3 wherein said recording device comprises a telephone answering machine.

6. The recording device of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of said signal represents video information.

7. The recording device of claim 3, further including a decoder to de-compress a message encoded by one of said low-compression encoders.

8. The recording device of claim 3, wherein one of said low-compression encoders is configured to perform ADPCM coding.

9. A recording device configured to record two or more data streams comprising:

at least two data input lines for receiving the data streams; and

a processor configured to receive the data streams arriving over said at least two data input lines, said processor configured to (1) select a first high-compression algorithm to compress a data stream responsive to a first available capacity condition, and a second lower-compression algorithm to compress the data stream responsive to an unavailable capacity condition;

(2) compress the data stream using the selected algorithm; and

(3) decode and re-encode a data stream encoded by said second algorithm responsive to a second available capacity condition.

10. The recording device of claim 9, further including memory to store a compressed data stream.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein said data streams comprises video data and audio data.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein said processor comprises one or more digital signal processors.

13. A method for recording two or more signals comprising:

receiving a first signal;

compressing said first signal using a first compression algorithm to create a first compressed signal;

storing said first compressed signal;

receiving a second signal during receipt of said first signal;

deferring compression of said second signal using said first compression algorithm;

processing said second signal to create a second processed signal;

storing-said second processed signal;

detecting completion of receipt of said first signal; and

responsive to said detecting step, retrieving said second processed signal and performing compression on said signal using said first compression algorithm.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said processing of said second signal comprises compressing said second signal using a second compression algorithm.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said processing of said second signal comprises compressing said second signal at a compression ratio which is lower than that achieved by said first compression algorithm.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said signal comprises a voice message.

17. A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for recording at least two data inputs, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first signal;

compressing said first signal at a first compression ratio responsive to a first available resource condition;

as an alternative to the previous step, compressing said first signal at a second compression ratio lower than said first compression ratio responsive to an unavailable resource condition;

storing the compressed signal resulting from either of the previous compressing steps;

responsive to a second available resource condition, performing the following steps;

retrieving a signal compressed at said second compression ratio;

decoding said retrieved signal;

compressing said signal at said first compression ratio; and

storing the compressed signal resulting from said previous step.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein said program storage device is embodied in a telephone answering device.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein an available resource condition is the condition in which an electronic microprocessor is available to compress a signal at said first compression ratio, and an unavailable resource condition is the condition in which an electronic microprocessor is unavailable to compress a signal at said first compression ratio.

20. A device for recording two or more signals comprising:

means for receiving a first signal;

means for compressing said first signal at a first compression ratio to create a first compressed signal;

means for storing said first compressed signal;

means for receiving a second signal;

means for compressing said second signal, in the event that said first compressing means is busy compressing said first signal, at a second compression ratio to create a second compressed signal, wherein the second compression ratio is less than the first compression ratio; and

means for storing said second compressed signal.

21. The device of claim 20, further including:

means for detecting completion of receipt of said first signal; and

means, responsive to said completion of receipt of said first signal, comprising;

means for de-compressing said second compressed signal to create a de-compressed second signal;

means for re-compressing said de-compressed second signal at said first compression ratio to create a re-compressed signal; and

means for storing said re-compressed signal.

22. A method of receiving calls on a two or more line answering device comprising:

receiving a call over one of said two or more lines concurrent with a request from another line of said two or more lines for remote message retrieval by a message recipient; and

alerting said message recipient during said concurrent request for remote message retrieval of concurrent said receipt of said call.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said method further includes connecting said message recipient calling for remote message retrieval with said call.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

screening said call to determine a source of said call.