Digital audio transcription system
First Claim
1. A digital audio transcription system, comprising in combination:
- a. at least one selected source of audio signals to be recorded;
b. an analog-to-digital converter circuit for converting the audio signals to digital signals;
c. a computer including a memory for storing the digital signals provided by the analog-to-digital converter circuit and for allowing the stored digital signals to be played back;
d. record control means for signaling the computer to start recording the digital signals, and for signaling the computer to stop recording the digital signals, in order to define a recording session;
e. said computer being responsive to said record control means for storing the digital signals in said memory during each recording session, said computer creating at least one distinct file segment for storing each such recording session, said computer associating a date and time with each such distinct file segment;
f. a display coupled to said computer, said computer allowing the display to indicate virtual file entries corresponding to those periods of time on which the computer has stored at least one recording session from the selected source of audio signals;
g. playback selection means for allowing a user to select a desired virtual file entry from those virtual file entries indicated by the display; and
h. said computer being responsive to said playback selection means for identifying all file segments that were stored in memory on the desired entry date from the selected source of audio signals, and which collectively represent the selected virtual file entry.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A digital audio transcription system includes at least one source of audio signals to be recorded and a computer for storing digital signals corresponding to the audio signals for allowing the stored digital signals to be subsequently played back. Recording sessions are defined by signaling the start and stopping of the digital signals; and the computer associates a date and time with each file segment stored during a recording session. A playback selection allows a user to select a virtual file entry from file entries corresponding to the periods of time during which the computer has stored at least one recording session, with the computer being responsive to the playback selection to identify file segments stored in memory on the desired entry date from the selected source of audio signals, which collectively represent the selected virtual file entry.
65 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A digital audio transcription system, comprising in combination:
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a. at least one selected source of audio signals to be recorded;
b. an analog-to-digital converter circuit for converting the audio signals to digital signals;
c. a computer including a memory for storing the digital signals provided by the analog-to-digital converter circuit and for allowing the stored digital signals to be played back;
d. record control means for signaling the computer to start recording the digital signals, and for signaling the computer to stop recording the digital signals, in order to define a recording session;
e. said computer being responsive to said record control means for storing the digital signals in said memory during each recording session, said computer creating at least one distinct file segment for storing each such recording session, said computer associating a date and time with each such distinct file segment;
f. a display coupled to said computer, said computer allowing the display to indicate virtual file entries corresponding to those periods of time on which the computer has stored at least one recording session from the selected source of audio signals;
g. playback selection means for allowing a user to select a desired virtual file entry from those virtual file entries indicated by the display; and
h. said computer being responsive to said playback selection means for identifying all file segments that were stored in memory on the desired entry date from the selected source of audio signals, and which collectively represent the selected virtual file entry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A digital audio transcription system, comprising in combination:
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a. at least one selected source of audio signals to be recorded;
b. an analog-to-digital converter circuit for converting the audio signals to digital signals;
c. a computer including a memory for storing the digital signals provided by the analog-to-digital converter circuit and for allowing the stored digital signals to be played back;
d. record control means for signaling the computer to start recording the digital signals, and for signaling the computer to stop recording the digital signals, in order to define a recording session;
e. said computer being responsive to said record control means for storing the digital signals in said memory during each recording session, said computer creating at least one distinct file segment for storing each such recording session, said computer associating a date and time with each such distinct file segment;
f. a display coupled to said computer, said computer allowing the display to indicate virtual file entries corresponding to those periods of time on which the computer has stored at least one recording session from the selected source of audio signals;
g. playback selection means for allowing a user to select a desired virtual file entry from those virtual file entries indicated by the display, wherein said computer allows the display to depict a first graphical timeline representing the selected virtual file entry in the form of an entire period'"'"'s worth of recording sessions from the selected source of audio signals for the desired period of time, and wherein the first graphical timeline includes indicia designating each point in time when recording was stopped and restarted; and
h. said computer being responsive to said playback selection means for identifying all file segments that were stored in memory on the desired entry date from the selected source of audio signals, and which collectively represent the selected virtual file entry. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A digital audio transcription system, comprising in combination:
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a. at least one selected source of audio signals to be recorded;
b. an analog-to-digital converter circuit for converting the audio signals to digital signals;
c. a computer including a memory for storing the digital signals provided by the analog-to-digital converter circuit when the selected source of audio signals is to be recorded, said memory also allowing the stored digital signals to be accessed for playback;
d. a display coupled to said computer, said computer allowing the display to have a first screen appearance for controlling recording operations and to have a second screen appearance for controlling playback operations, the second screen appearance differing from the first screen appearance;
e. display control means for toggling the display between the first screen appearance and the second screen appearance, depending upon whether a user desires to control recording operations or playback operations;
f. record control means operative when said display has the first screen appearance for signaling the computer to start and stop the recording of digital signals in said memory;
g. playback control means operative when said display has the second screen appearance for signaling the computer to access stored digital signals for either playback or copying. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A digital audio transcription system, comprising in combination:
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a. at least one selected source of audio signals to be recorded;
b. an analog-to-digital converter circuit for converting the audio signals to digital signals;
c. a computer including a memory for selectively storing the digital signals provided by the analog-to-digital converter circuit;
d. record control means for signaling the computer to start recording the digital signals, and for signaling the computer to stop recording the digital signals, in order to define a recording session;
e. said computer being responsive to said record control means for storing the digital signals in said memory during each recording session, said computer creating at least one distinct file segment for storing each such recording session; and
f. an external storage medium coupled to said computer for archiving digital signals recorded by the memory of said computer, said computer copying at least portions of a current file segment to said external storage medium for archival purposes at regular intervals. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. A digital audio transcription system, comprising in combination:
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a. at least one selected source of audio signals to be recorded;
b. an analog-to-digital converter circuit for converting the audio signals to digital signals;
c. a computer including a memory for selectively storing the digital signals provided by the analog-to-digital converter circuit;
d. record control means for signaling the computer to start recording the digital signals, and for signaling the computer to stop recording the digital signals, in order to define a recording session;
e. said computer being responsive to said record control means for storing the digital signals in said memory during each recording session, said computer creating at least one distinct file segment for storing each such recording session;
f. said computer monitoring the time length of each file segment being stored during a current recording session, said computer opening a new file segment for storing an additional portion of a current recording session after the currently opened file segment reaches a predetermined time length, whereby recording sessions that exceed the predetermined time length create a plurality of file segments during each such recording session; and
g. said computer creating a unique file segment name for each file segment stored in said memory, each such file segment name including the date of recording and the start time at which the digital signals recorded by such file segment were first recorded. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A digital audio playback system for listening to previously recorded digital audio files, such digital audio files each being comprised of file segments, each of such file segments having a date and time associated therewith, said digital audio playback system comprising in combination:
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a. a storage device containing prerecorded digital audio files;
b. a computer for accessing said prerecorded digital audio files;
c. a digital-to-analog converter circuit coupled to said computer for receiving digital audio signals accessed by said computer for converting the digital audio signals to electronic audio signals;
d. a sound generator coupled to said digital-to-analog converter circuit for reproducing audible signals based upon the converted electronic audio signals;
f. a display coupled to said computer for allowing a user to display digital audio file entries corresponding to those periods of time during which at least one recording session was recorded;
g. playback selection means for allowing a user to select a desired digital audio file entry from those file entries indicated by the display; and
h. said computer being responsive to said playback selection means for identifying all file segments that were stored on the selected entry date, and which collectively represent the selected virtual file entry, wherein said computer allows the display to depict a first graphical timeline representing the selected virtual file entry in the form of an entire period'"'"'s worth of recording sessions from the selected source of audio signals for the desired period of time. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification