Dictation/transcription method and arrangement

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said segmenting step (b) includes the step of: generating from the characteristics of said dictation signal a signal for segmenting the received voice dictation signals.

Claim 6

The method of claim 3 wherein said assigning step (c) includes the step of: assigning an unassigned transcriber terminal to a first voice dictation segment from a dictator terminal having no assigned transcriber terminal.

Claim 7

The method of claim 4 wherein said assigning step (c) further includes the steps of: determining the busy status of each assigned transcriber terminal in said assignment table and assigning a transcriber terminal to a voice dictation segment from a dictator terminal having no assigned transcriber terminal by selecting a non-busy transcriber terminal presently assigned to another dictation terminal.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5 wherein said assigning step (c) further includes the steps of: checking and storing in a done time table entries identifying the time when each assigned transcriber terminal is no longer busy transcribing and assigning a transcriber terminal to a voice dictation segment from a dictation terminal having no assigned transcriber by selecting a transcriber terminal having the earliest time entry in said done time table.

Claim 9

The method of claim 3 wherein said assigning step (e) further includes the step of: assigning a non-busy transcriber terminal presently unassigned or assigned to a second dictation terminal to a voice dictation segment from said dictation terminal when each transcriber terminal assigned to said dictation terminal is busy.

Claim 10

The method of claim 7 wherein said assigning step (c) further includes the steps of: checking and storing in a done time table entries identifying the time when each assigned transcriber terminal is no longer busy transcribing and assigning a transcriber terminal to a voice dictation segment from a dictation terminal by selecting said non-busy transcriber terminal having the earliest time entry in said done time table.

Claim 11

The method of claim 3 wherein said method further includes the step of: clearing the assignment of a transcriber terminal to a dictation terminal in said assignment table when said assigned transcriber terminal has completed the transcribing of an assigned voice dictation segment and no additional voice dictation segments exist from the assigned dictation terminal.

Claim 12

The method of claim 3 wherein said segmenting step (b) includes the step of: generating from the characteristics of the voice dictation signal a signal for segmenting the received voice dictation signals.

Claim 13

A dictation transcribing system comprising a plurality of dictation terminals each operable by a user for transmitting voice dictation signals to one or more remote locations, a plurality of transcriber terminals at remote locations each operable by a user for transcribing voice dictation signals received from the dictation terminal, means for switching voice dictation signals from said dictation terminal to said first or second transcriber terminals, and means for controlling said switching means characterized in that said system further comprises means connected to each dictation terminal for partitioning said voice dictation signals into time sequential voice dictation segments and said controlling means includes storing means responsive to a signal from each transcriber terminal for storing an entry identifying the time when each assigned transcriber terminal is no longer busy transcribing and means responsive to said partitioning means for assigning and transmitting each of said voice dictation segments to one of said transcriber terminals by selecting the transcriber terminal having the earliest time entry in said storing means.

Claim 14

A dictation transcribing system comprising a plurality of dictation terminals each operable by a user for transmitting voice dictation signals to one or more remote locations, a plurality of transcriber terminals at remote locations each operable by a user for transcribing voice dictation signals received from the dictation terminal, means for switching voice dictation signals from said dictation terminal to said first or second transcriber terminals, and means for controlling said switching means characterized in that said system further comprises means connected to each dictation terminal for partitioning said voice dictation signals into time sequential voice dictation segments and said controlling means includes storing means responsive to a signal from each transcriber terminal for storing an entry identifying the time when each assigned transcriber terminal is no longer busy transcribing and means responsive to said partitioning means for assigning and transmitting each of said voice dictation segments to one of said transcriber terminals by selecting the transcriber terminal having the earliest time entry in said storing means.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 11 wherein said controlling means further includes an assignment table means for storing which transcriber terminals are assigned a voice dictation segment from which dictation terminals, means for determining the busy status of each transcriber terminal and means for assigning and transmitting a voice dictation segment from a dictation terminal to a non-busy transcriber terminal assigned to said dictation terminal.

Claim 16

The invention of claim 12 wherein said controlling means further includes means for assigning a non-busy transcriber terminal presently unassigned or assigned to a second dictation terminal to receive a voice dictation segment from said dictation terminal when each transcriber terminal assigned to said dictation terminal is busy.

Claim 17

The invention of claim 13 wherein said controlling means further includes means for assigning and transmitting to a non-busy transcriber terminal a voice dictation segment from a dictation terminal by selecting said non-busy transcriber terminal having the earliest time entry in said storing means.

Claim 18

A dictation transcribing system comprising a plurality of dictation terminals each operable by a user for transmitting voice dictation signals to one or more remote locations, a plurality of transcriber terminals at remote locations each operable by a user for transcribing into transcription signals the voice dictation signals received from the dictation terminal, a plurality of display means remote from said transcriber terminals for displaying said transcription signals transmitted from said transcriber terminals, means for switching voice dictation signals and transcription signals among said dictation terminals, said transcriber terminals, and said display means and means for controlling said switching means characterized in that said dictation terminal includes means for generating an address signal specifying the display means of said system to display said transcription signals and said controlling means includes means responsive to said address signal for selecting a display means for receiving said transcription signals.

Claim 19

A dictation transcribing system comprising a plurality of dictation terminals each operable by a user for transmitting voice dictation signals to one or more remote locations, a plurality of transcriber terminals at remote locations each operable by a user for transcribing into transcription signals the voice dictation signals received from the dictation terminal, a plurality of display means remote from said transcriber terminals for displaying said transcription signals transmitted from said transcriber terminals, means for switching voice dictation signals and transcription signals among said dictation terminals, said transcriber terminals, and said display means and means for controlling said switching means characterized in that said dictation terminal includes means for generating an address signal specifying the display means of said system to display said transcription signals and said controlling means includes means responsive to said address signal for selecting a display means for receiving said transcription signals.