Patent US3657488A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3657488A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Recording and reproducing system for work time study
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1969-03-28
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Granted: 1972-04-18
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Expires: 1989-03-28
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a work study recording system by which a work study engineer can analyze an operator''s performance of a job consisting of a number of operations. The system has facilities for recording timing signals at the start and finish of each operation; measuring the intervals between successive timing signals and automatically recording the results in coded form; recording additional auxiliary coded information; recording spoken information; and playing back the recorded information.
Inventors
- 👤 Laurence Howard Pountney
- 👤 Clifford Roy Amsbury
- 👤 Stanley John Antliff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 21:21
CPC Classifications
G; G04; G04F; G04F10/00; G04F10/04; G07; G07C; G07C3/00; G07C3/08; G07C3/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
A recording system for work study recording in the analysis of an operator''s performance of a production process or other job consisting of a number of separate operations, said recording system comprising: means whereby spoken information may be recorded, means whereby timing signals corresponding to the commencement and termination of each separate operation may be recorded mechanically operable means whereby further auxiliary coded information may be recorded, means for automatically measuring the elapsed time intervals between successive timing signals, means for automatically producing coded signals containing information completely representative of the actual measured elapsed time interval between the just previous two successive timing signals and means for recording said coded signals whereby each set of recorded coded signals directly indicate the just previous measured elapsed time interval between successive timing signals even though the means for recording may only be actuated during a portion of the total elapsed time.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
A recording system for work study recording in the analysis of an operator''s performance of a production process or other job consisting of a number of separate operations, said recording system comprising: means whereby spoken information may be recorded, means whereby timing signals corresponding to the commencement and termination of each separate operation may be recorded mechanically operable means whereby further auxiliary coded information may be recorded, means for automatically measuring the elapsed time intervals between successive timing signals, means for automatically producing coded signals containing information completely representative of the actual measured elapsed time interval between the just previous two successive timing signals and means for recording said coded signals whereby each set of recorded coded signals directly indicate the just previous measured elapsed time interval between successive timing signals even though the means for recording may only be actuated during a portion of the total elapsed time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A recording system as in claim 1 wherein the further auxiliary coded information comprises a number representative of a rate at which the operator is working during an operation and a number indicative of a particular operation or process.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A recording system as in claim 1 wherein the further auxiliary coded information comprises a number representative of a numbeR indicative of a particular operation or process.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A recording system as in claim 1, wherein the further auxiliary coded information comprises a number representative of a rate at which the operator is working during an operation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A recording system as in claim 1, wherein the recording system is part of a tape recorder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A recording system as in claim 1, wherein the means whereby spoken information may be recorded comprises a microphone used in conjunction with recording means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
60 words
A recording system as in claim 6 wherein said means whereby spoken information may be recorded further comprises low pass frequency filter means connected to receive speech signals from the microphone and to transmit the filtered signals through gate means and to transmit the filtered signals through gate means and signal mixing means to means adapted to record said signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
A recording system as in claim 7 wherein the gate means has first and second inputs, the first input being connected to receive signals from the filter means, and the second input being connected to receive inhibiting signals whereby the gate means may block the transmission of signals from the filter means to the signal mixing means while binary coded signals are being recorded.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
A recording system as in claim 7 wherein the signal mixing means has first and second inputs, the first input being adapted to receive signals from the gate means, and the second input being adapted to receive binary coded signals, and wherein said signal mixing means has an output adapted to pass said signals to means adapted to record said signals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A recording system as in claim 1, wherein the means for measuring elapsed time comprises a pulse generator operatively connected to a counter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A recording system as in claim 10 wherein the pulse generator comprises a crystal oscillator circuit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A recording system as in claim 10 wherein the pulse generator comprises a Wien bridge oscillator circuit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A recording system as in claim 10, wherein the counter is adapted to produce digital output signals in binary-coded decimal form.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A recording system as in claim 13 wherein the mechanically operable means comprises a second counter also adapted to produce digital output signals in binary-coded decimal form.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
A recording system as in claim 10 wherein the means for producing coded signals comprises gating means for receiving the digital output signals from the first-mentioned counter and for producing a plurality of coded signals the frequencies of which are dependent upon said digital output signals from the first-mentioned counter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
63 words
A recording system as in claim 15 wherein there is a third counter for storing further coded information and for producing output signals in binary-coded decimal form and wherein the gating means is also connected to receive the output signals from this third counter and to produce coded signals the frequencies of which are dependent upon said output signals from the third counter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
66 words
A recording system as in claim 15 where there is provided frequency dividing means connected to receive pulses from the pulse generator and to produce a plurality of frequency signals whose frequencies are harmonics of the lowest frequency, said gating means being connected to receive said frequency signals so as to produce said coded signals in response to the digital output signals from the first-mentioned counter.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
60 words
A combined recording and reproduction system comprising a recording system as in claim 15 and further comprising: a replay circuit for receiving recorded signals previously recorded by the recording equipment and including a plurality of frequency filters, each adapted to transmit only those signals having a frequency substantially equal to a respective one of the frequencies of the coded signals.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
A combined recording and reproduction system as in claim 18, wherein said replay circuit further comprises: a plurality of rectifyinG means connected to receive the signals transmitted by respective filters, each rectifying means being operatively connected to a respective device having a bistable output.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
130 words
A recording system for use in work-time studies, said system comprising: audio means for producing audio signals representing voice comments relating to the work operations under study, start and stop mark switch means for producing marking signals corresponding to the starting and ending of a particular work operation, time interval measuring means operatively connected to said mark switch means for measuring the time duration between successive marking signals, time coding means for producing a plurality of coded elapsed time signals representative of the measured time duration, auxiliary information coding means for producing a plurality of coded auxiliary information signals representative of information related to the work operations under study, and recording means for effecting recording of said audio signals, said coded elapsed time signals and said coded auxiliary information signals.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
130 words
A recording system for use in work-time studies, said system comprising: audio means for producing audio signals representing voice comments relating to the work operations under study, start and stop mark switch means for producing marking signals corresponding to the starting and ending of a particular work operation, time interval measuring means operatively connected to said mark switch means for measuring the time duration between successive marking signals, time coding means for producing a plurality of coded elapsed time signals representative of the measured time duration, auxiliary information coding means for producing a plurality of coded auxiliary information signals representative of information related to the work operations under study, and recording means for effecting recording of said audio signals, said coded elapsed time signals and said coded auxiliary information signals.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
45 words
A recording system as in claim 20 wherein said recording means comprises a single channel magnetic tape recorder and said audio means includes gate means connected to said mark switch means for preventing recordation of said audio signals when said coded signals are being recorded.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
40 words
A recording system as in claim 20 wherein: said time interval measuring means comprises a digital counter connected to a clock source of pulses and providing binary coded decimal digital output signals for each digit of the measured time duration.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
81 words
A recording system as in claim 22 wherein said time coding means comprises: a plurality of groups of logic gate means connected to respective digital outputs of said digital counter and to sources of signals having different frequencies for selectively passing a combination of signal frequencies corresponding to the binary coded decimal digital output for the respectively corresponding digit of the measured time duration, and summing means for combining said combination of signal frequencies for concurrent recording by said recording means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
69 words
A recording system as in claim 22 wherein said auxiliary information coding means comprises: means for generating and storing digital signals corresponding to said auxiliary information, and a further group of gate means connected to digital output signals from said means for generating and to said sources of signals having different frequencies for selectively passing a combination of signal frequencies corresponding to said auxiliary information to said summing means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
52 words
A recording system as in claim 24 including means for sequentially scanning and opening said groups of gates in unison in response to said marking signals thereby sequentially gating bursts of frequency coded signals to said recording means representing each successive digit of the measured time duration and of said auxiliary information.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
A recording system as in claim 24 wherein said clock source of pulses includes a plurality of frequency dividers and wherein said sources of signals having different frequencies comprises connections to outputs of said plurality of frequency dividers.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-04-18 | 1975-10-18 | 1976-04-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-18 | 1979-10-18 | 1980-04-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-18 | 1983-10-18 | 1984-04-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |