Digital dictation system

• US 5,179,627 A
• Filed: 06/23/1992
• Issued: 01/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dictaphone Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dictaphone Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Eckert, Judith M., Vogel, Mark N., Gobel, Albert J. Jr., Sweet, Alan F.
• Primary Examiner(s): KEMENY, EMANUEL
• Application Number:
  US07/905,131
• Time in Patent Office: 203 Days
• Field of Search: 395/2, 379/75, 379/89
• US Class Current: 704/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/10 with dictation recording and playback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A digitally implemented central dictation system wherein users designated as dictators may input Voice Files for later retrieval and transcription by a second group of users designated as transcriptionists. A system Supervisor has the capability to monitor operation of the system and allocate system resources. The system further includes an optional Voice Mail capability.

Claims

1. A system for storage and retrieval of Voice Files, comprising:

a) input-output means for input and output of said Voice files;

b) input means for input of log-on signals and control signals by users;

c) storage and retrieval means for storing said input Voice Files and for retrieving said stored Voice Files for output;

d) control means for;

d1) responding to said log-on signals to identify users as dictators or as particular transcriptionists;

d2) controlling said storage and retrieval means to store at least some of said Voice Files input by said dictators designated as Dictation Jobs;

d3) responding to said log-on signals and control signals input by said transcriptionists to output said Dictation Jobs to selected ones of said transcriptionists in accordance with a predetermined scheduling algorithm, said algorithm determining output of said Dictation Jobs solely as a function of attributes and input sequences of said Dictation Jobs.

2. A System as described in claim 1 further comprising supervisory input-output means for providing access to said system to a supervisor, said supervisor monitoring the operation of said system and controlling the allocation of said system'"'"'s resources through said supervisory input-output means.

3. A system as described in claim 2 wherein said control means further comprises processor means for execution of software modules, and wherein further said software modules comprise a supervisor session module for facilitating said access by said supervisor and a voice session module for facilitating said input output of said Voice Files.

4. A system as described in claim 3 wherein said Supervisor session and said voice session are executed concurrently.

5. A system as described in claim 3 wherein said voice session module further comprises a user session submodule for managing the interface presented to a user through said input-output means, and wherein further said user session submodule is a process capable of multiple activations, whereby a multiplicity of users may input and receive said Voice Files.

6. A system as described in claim 1 wherein said control means is further for:

a) maintaining Job Records associated with at least some of said Dictation Jobs, said Job Records each comprising values of attributes for one of said associated Dictation Jobs;

b) maintaining job pool definitions defining job pools of said associated Dictation Jobs;

c) assigning said associated Dictation Jobs to said job pools when values of selected attributes maintained in said Job Records of said associated Dictation Jobs conform to at least one of said job pool definitions;

d) assigning at least one of said identified, particular transcriptionists to at least one of said job pools; and

,

e) outputting said Dictation Jobs assigned to said at least one job pool to said assigned transcriptionists, first in order of any priorities associated with said assigned Dictation Jobs in said Job Records, and, within a given priority, on a first-in-first out basis.

7. A system as described in claim 6 wherein said Job Records are maintained in accordance with control signals specifying said values of said attributes for said associated Dictation Jobs.

8. A system as described in claim 6 wherein said system maintains said job pool definitions and assigns said identified particular transcriptionists in accordance with information input by said supervisor.

9. A system as described in claim 8 wherein said Job Records are maintained in accordance with control signals specifying said values of said attributes for said associated Dictation Jobs.

10. A system as described in claim 9 wherein as said associated Dictation Jobs are input they are first assigned to a ready job pool and then assigned an appropriate one of said job pools, first in order of said any priorities associated with said Dictation Jobs in said Job Records, and within said given priority on a first-in-first out basis, only when the last of said assigned Dictation Jobs in said appropriate pool is output to a corresponding one of said assigned transcriptionists.

11. A system as described in claim 9 wherein as said associated Dictation Jobs are input they are first assigned to a ready job pool and then entered into an appropriate one of said job pools, first in order of said any priorities associated with said Dictation Jobs in said Job Records, and within said given priority on a first-in-first out basis, only when the last of said assigned Dictation Jobs in said appropriate pool is output to a corresponding one of said assigned transcriptionists.

12. A system as described in claim 10 wherein said control means for assigning assigns said associated Dictation Jobs, for which said values of said selected attributes conform to a plurality of said job pool definitions, into the first of said plurality of jobs pools in which the last of said assigned Dictation Jobs is output.

13. A system as described in claim 11 wherein said control means for assigning assigns said associated Dictation Jobs, for which said values of said selected attributes conform to a plurality of said job pool definitions, into the first of said plurality of jobs pools in which the last of said assigned Dictation Jobs is output.

14. A system as described in claim 1 wherein said storage and retrieval means store said Dictation Jobs as Voice Files and further comprises means for allowing said users to access said Voice Files.

15. A system as described in claim 14 further comprising:

a) means for responding to said log-on signals input by said dictators to allow said dictators to input Voice Files for digital storage; and

,

b) second means for responding to said control signals input by said dictators to allow said dictators to access a said Voice Files at selected access points in said Voice Files.

16. A system as described in claim 15 wherein said second means for responding further comprises means for responding to a move-to-beginning command signals to move said access points to the beginning of said Voice Files.

17. A system as described in claim 15 wherein said second means for responding further comprises means for responding to a move-to-end command signals to move said access point to the end of said Voice Files.

18. A system as described in claim 15 wherein said second means for responding further comprises means for responding to a fast forward command or fast backward signals to output sequences of tones, each tone to representing a predetermined increment of time in said Voice Files, then further responding to stop command signals to stop said sequences and move said access point corresponding forward or backward the number of said predetermined increments equal to the number of tones in said sequences.

19. A system as described in claim 15 wherein said second means for responding further comprises means for responding to a move-half-beginning command signal or a move-half-end command signal to corresponding move said access points halfway from their previous locations to the beginning or end of said Voice Files.

20. A system as described in claim 15 further including means for allowing said dictators to insert additional materials into said Voice Files at said access points.