Abstract A cash register alarm and recording system is provided which continuously records the audible and/or visual environment in the vicinity of a cash register or other high value location on one channel of a continuous loop tape. A time code is continuously recorded on a second channel of the tape. In the event of an attempted robbery from the cash register operated either by the thief himself or under coercion by an attendant clerk an automatic police alarm device dials the police department and transmits a voice alarm message giving the location of the cash register and the fact that there is an occurrence of a threatened robbery. Simultaneously with the initiation of the alarm message a recorder timer begins its timing cycle. The message of the timing cycle is approximately half the length of the continuous loop tape. At the end of the timing cycle the recorder stops the loop recorder and the contemporaneously produced video scenes and/or sounds, including conversations in the vicinity of the cash register for the period before, during and after the robbery event are preserved.
A police alarm and robbery recording system for a telephone subscriber station comprising: a. Continuous-loop taping means for continuously recording over a cyclic time interval events occurring in the area of said subscriber station; b. a silent alarm generator adapted to generate an alarm signal during an alarm condition, timing means activated by said alarm signal for terminating the recording of events by said continuous-loop tape recording means at the end of a predetermined time period, said time period being shorter than said time interval; c. means for recording a time reference signal on said continuous-loop tape recorder; and d. an alarm caller operatively connected to said generator for causing a number to be dialed from said telephone station at the beginning of said time period and for transmitting prerecorded business identifying information to said system dialed number.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A police alarm and robbery recording system for a telephone subscriber station comprising: a. Continuous-loop taping means for continuously recording over a cyclic time interval events occurring in the area of said subscriber station; b. a silent alarm generator adapted to generate an alarm signal during an alarm condition, timing means activated by said alarm signal for terminating the recording of events by said continuous-loop tape recording means at the end of a predetermined time period, said time period being shorter than said time interval; c. means for recording a time reference signal on said continuous-loop tape recorder; and d. an alarm caller operatively connected to said generator for causing a number to be dialed from said telephone station at the beginning of said time period and for transmitting prerecorded business identifying information to said system dialed number.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said continuous-loop tape recording means is an audio tape loop recorder with associated microphone having at least two simultaneously recordable channels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said continuous-loop tape recording means is a television tape loop tape recorder with associated camera and microphone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said continuous-loop tape recording means comprises: a. an audio tape loop recorder with associated microphone having at least two simultaneously recordable channels; and b. a television loop recorder having associated camera and microphone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising means for recording the number dialed by said alarm caller on said continuous-loop tape recording means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system as defined in claim 1 includes a cash register operatively combined with said silent alarm generator causing the latter to generate at least one electrical signal as a consequence of a preselected mode of operation of said register.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system as defined in claim 6 wherein said cash register and said generator are adapted to generate a second electrical signal for cancelling said telephone prerecorded information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system as defined in claim 1 wherein there is provided a radio receiver adapted to be tuned to a time signal broadcast program, said radio being connected to said means for recording a time reference signal on said continuous-loop tape recorder.