US3705961A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Recorder-transcriber switching apparatus
Assignee: Lanier Electronic Laboratories Inc
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Filing: 1970-06-24
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Granted: 1972-12-12
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Expires: 1990-06-24
Abstract
Abstract An automatic standby device makes a recorder-transcriber unavailable to a subsequent dictator when the dictated but untranscribed tape in the recorder-transcriber exceeds a predetermined percent of its usable capacity. The device makes the recorder-transcriber automatically available for subsequent dictation when the amount of used percentage of capacity of the machine drops to a predetermined smaller percent of capacity, when all other available recorder-transcribers are in use, or when all other recorder-transcribers are full. Another feature is that every other pulse of a rectified standard 60-cycle per second current is utilized, with the pulses spaced by a time interval sufficient to allow the control circuits and mechanical movements in both the switching apparatus and recordertranscriber to effectively seize an available recordertranscriber prior to the next pulse. The dictate station energizes a stepping circuit when the handset is raised (off-hook condition) only after a predetermined delay to preclude the stepping circuit from responding to simultaneous off-hook signals from multiple dictate stations. Only a portion of the rectified 60-cycle voltage is utilized in the control circuits so that the maximum voltage capability of the transistor components in the circuits is not exceeded.
Inventors
- 👤 William M Nye
- 👤 Stanley W Jones
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 20:36
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B15/00; G11B15/02; G11B19/00; G11B5/00; G11B5/86
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
An automatic standby device for a system of multiple recorder-transcribers and multiple dictate stations comprising a plurality of recorder-transcribers, a plurality of dictate stations positioned at locations remote from said recordertranscribers, means operative to selectively interconnect a dictate station to a recorder-transcriber, sensing means operative in response to the amount of dictated but untranscribed tape in a recorder-transcriber reaching a predetermined per cent of the capacity of the recorder-transcriber; conditioning means operative in response to the operation of said sensing means for conditioning said recorder-transcriber to make it unavailable to be seized for subsequent dictation; and, override means operative in response to signals indicating that all other available recorder-transcribers are in use or full for making the recordertranscriber available for seizure for subsequent dictation irrespective of said operation of said sensing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
An automatic standby device for a system of multiple recorder-transcribers and multiple dictate stations comprising a plurality of recorder-transcribers, a plurality of dictate stations positioned at locations remote from said recordertranscribers, means operative to selectively interconnect a dictate station to a recorder-transcriber, sensing means operative in response to the amount of dictated but untranscribed tape in a recorder-transcriber reaching a predetermined per cent of the capacity of the recorder-transcriber; conditioning means operative in response to the operation of said sensing means for conditioning said recorder-transcriber to make it unavailable to be seized for subsequent dictation; and, override means operative in response to signals indicating that all other available recorder-transcribers are in use or full for making the recordertranscriber available for seizure for subsequent dictation irrespective of said operation of said sensing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The automatic standby device of claim 1 further including a manually operated standby switch for also making a recorder-transcriber unavailable for seizure; said override means being operative in response to said signals indicating all other recorder-transcribers are full or in use for making the recorder-transcriber available for seizure irrespective of said standby switch.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
127 words
An automatic standby device for a system of multiple recorder-transcribers and multiple dictate stations, comprising: a plurality of recorder-transcribers; a plurality of dictate stations; means operative to selectively interconnect a dictate station to a recorder-transcriber; first means operative in response to the amount of dictated but untranscribed tape in a particular one of said recorder-transcribers reaching a predetermined percent of the capacity of said particular recorder-transcriber; second means operative in response to said operation of said first means for Rendering said particular recorder-transcriber unavailable to be seized for subsequent dictation; and override means responsive to the condition of the remainder of said recorder-transcribers being in use or full to make said particular recorder-transcriber available for seizure for subsequent dictation irrespective of said operation of said first means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
127 words
An automatic standby device for a system of multiple recorder-transcribers and multiple dictate stations, comprising: a plurality of recorder-transcribers; a plurality of dictate stations; means operative to selectively interconnect a dictate station to a recorder-transcriber; first means operative in response to the amount of dictated but untranscribed tape in a particular one of said recorder-transcribers reaching a predetermined percent of the capacity of said particular recorder-transcriber; second means operative in response to said operation of said first means for Rendering said particular recorder-transcriber unavailable to be seized for subsequent dictation; and override means responsive to the condition of the remainder of said recorder-transcribers being in use or full to make said particular recorder-transcriber available for seizure for subsequent dictation irrespective of said operation of said first means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
92 words
Apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said second means comprises circuit means associated with each of said recorder-transcribers and operative to enable seizure of the corresponding recorder-transcriber when said circuit means is in a first condition and operative to render such recorder-transcriber unavailable for seizure when said circuit means is in a second condition, said circuit means being operative in response to said first means responding to the amount of dictated but untranscribed tape reaching said predetermined percent to be placed in said second condition to render such recorder-transcriber unavailable for seizure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said circuit means is operative to be placed in said second condition in response to said recorder-transcriber being in use.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said circuit means is operative to be placed in said second condition in response to all of the tape in said recorder-transcriber being dictated but untranscribed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
112 words
Apparatus as in claim 4 further comprising standby switch means operatively interconnected with each of said recorder-transcribers and operable to a first position in which the recorder-transciber associated with said standby switch means is normally available for said selective interconnection to a dictate station and operable to a second position wherein said circuit means assumes said second condition to render said recorder-transcriber unavailable for seizure by said selective interconnection said circuit means being operative in response to the condition of the remainder of said recorder-transcribers being in use or being full to assume said first condition to render said recorder-transcriber available for seizure irrespective of the position of said standby switch means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said circuit means is operative in response to a signal indicating that all other recorder-transcribers are in use or full to be placed in said first condition to enable seizure of the recorder-transcriber irrespective of the operation of said first means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
189 words
Apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said override means comprises a control circuit in communication with each of said plurality of recorder-transcribers, each of said recorder-transcribers being operative to place a first signal on said control circuit when the recorder-transcriber is unavailable to accept dictation and to place on said control circuit a second signal dissimilar to said first signal when such recorder-transcriber is available to accept dictation, standby switch means associated with each of said recorder-transcribers and selectively operable to a first position in which the recorder-transcriber is normally available to be seized for said selective interconnection to a dictate station and to a second position wherein said circuit means assumes said second condition to render said recorder-transcriber normally unavailable for seizure by said selective interconnection, said standby switch means when in said second position being operative to cause the circuit means of the recorder-transcriber associated with the standby switch means to be placed in said first condition in response to a first signal present on said control circuit and to be placed in said second condition in response to a second signal present on said control circuit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
106 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said second means of the recorder-transcriber associated with the standby switch means is operative when the dictated but untranscribed tape of such recorder-transcriber is less than said predetermined amount to enable control of said recorder-transcriber circuit means by said control circuit to occuR responsive to the position of said standby switch means, and further is operative in response to said operation of said first means when the dictated but untranscribed tape of such recorder-transcriber exceeds said predetermined amount to enable control of said recorder-transcriber circuit means by said control circuit to occur irrespective of the position of said standby switch.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3086086A
Cited
US3474455A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-12-12 | 1976-06-12 | 1976-12-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-12-12 | 1980-06-12 | 1980-12-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-12-12 | 1984-06-12 | 1984-12-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |