Automatic telephone answering device with simultaneous message reception and transmission

Claim 2

In the art of automatic telephone answering devices, the method of permitting an incoming message signal from a caller to be recorded simultaneously with the transmission of a recorded answer signal to the caller, the steps comprising: a. recording the answer signal, b. simultaneously; reproducing and transmitting the recorded answer signal to the caller; re-recording on a first recording medium the answer signal transmitted to the caller; and on a second recording medium recording the incoming message signal, and re-recording the answer signal transmitted to the caller to produce a recorded composite signal, c. reproducing the re-recorded answer signal and the recorded composite signals, d. inverting the reproduced answer signal, e. combining the inverted answer signal and the reproduced composite signal so that the answer and inverted answer signals are cancelled out in the resultant signal, and f. applying the resultant signal to a speaker to audibly reproduce only the incoming message signal.

Claim 3

In the art of automatic telephone answering devices, the method of permitting an incoming message signal from a caller to be recorded simultaneously with the transmission of a recorded answer signal to the caller, the steps comprising: a. recording the answer signal, b. inverting the recorded answer signal, c. simultaneously: reproducing and transmitting the recorded answer signal to the caller; recording the inverted answer signal on a first recording medium; and on a second recording medium recording the message signal and re-recording the transmitted answer signal to produce a recorded composite signal; d. reproducing and combining the recorded inverted answer signal and the recorded composite signal to cancel out the answer and inverted answer signals in the resultant signal, and e. applying the resultant signal to a speaker to audibly reproduce only the incoming message signal.

Claim 4

In the art of automatic telephone answering devices, the method of permitting an incoming message signal from a caller to be recorded simultaneously with the transmission of a recorded answer signal to the caller, the steps comprising: a. recording the answer signal, b. inverting the recorded answer signal, c. simultaneously: reproducing and transmitting the recorded answer signal to the caller; recording the inverted answer signal on a first recording medium; and on a second recording medium recording the message signal and re-recording the transmitted answer signal to produce a recorded composite signal; d. reproducing and combining the recorded inverted answer signal and the recorded composite signal to cancel out the answer and inverted answer signals in the resultant signal, and e. applying the resultant signal to a speaker to audibly reproduce only the incoming message signal.

Claim 5

Automatic telephone answering apparatus comprising: a. terminal means adapted to be connected to a telephone line, b. answering record means storing a recorded answering signal and adapted to be connected to said terminal means, c. recording/reproducing means for simultaneously recording both an incoming message signal applied to said terminal means from said telephone line and also the answering signal reproduced from said answering record means, d. first switch means responsive to a call signal at said terminal means for coupling said answering record means to said terminal means and to said recording/reproducing means, whereby said answering signal is transmitted to said telephone line via said terminal means and also to said recording/reproducing means simultaneously to be re-recorded on a first and second recording medium, and whereby said incoming message signal is transmitted to said recording/reproducing means to be recorded on one of said recording media to form a composite recorded signal with one of the re-recorded answering signals, e. speaker means, f. phase inverter means for inverting the other of said re-recorded answering signals reproduced from said recording/reproducing means, and g. second switch means for coupling to said speaker means, the inverted answering signal and the composite signal reproduced from said recording/reproducing means, so that the answering signals are cancelled out, whereby only the message signal is reproduced by said speaker means.

Claim 6

Automatic telephone answering apparatus comprising: a. terminal means adapted to be connected to a telephone line, b. answering record means storing a recorded answering signal and adapted to be connected to said terminal means, c. recording/reproducing means for simultaneously recording both an incoming message signal applied to said terminal means from said telephone line and also the answering signal reproduced from said answering record means, d. first switch means responsive to a call signal at said terminal means for coupling said answering record means to said terminal means and to said recording/reproducing means, whereby said answering signal is transmitted to said telephone line via said terminal means and also to said recording/reproducing means simultaneously to be re-recorded on a first and second recording medium, and whereby said incoming message signal is transmitted to said recording/reproducing means to be recorded on one of said recording media to form a composite recorded signal with one of the re-recorded answering signals, e. speaker means, f. phase inverter means for inverting the other of said re-recorded answering signals reproduced from said recording/reproducing means, and g. second switch means for coupling to said speaker means, the inverted answering signal and the composite signal reproduced from said recording/reproducing means, so that the answering signals are cancelled out, whereby only the message signal is reproduced by said speaker means.

Claim 7

Automatic telephone answering apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said recording/reproducing means comprises a single magnetic tape recorder having two record/reproduce heads and a tape having two corresponding tracks, whereby said answering signal is re-recorded alone on one of said tracks and together with said message signal on the other of said tracks.

Claim 8

Automatic telephone answering apparatus as defined in claim 3, further comprising signal level adjuster means for making the level of the inverted answering signal equal to that of the answering signal component of said composite signal.