Method of retrieving messages at selected times from a digital audio tape

Claim 1

A method for searching a digital audio tape (DAT) for a message, the steps comprising: a) providing audio to a digital audio tape, b) dividing the tape into fixed time increments by writing on the tape one file mark for each time increment, wherein varying amounts of audio are contained in each time increment, c) creating a record session table that stores the time audio is recorded on the digital audio tape relative to the time increments, d) scanning the record session table to find audio at a selected time, e) positioning the tape at its location corresponding to the selected time, and f) playing the digital tape.

Claim 2

A method for searching a digital audio tape (DAT) for a message, the steps comprising: a) providing audio to a digital audio tape, b) dividing the tape into fixed time increments by writing on the tape one file mark for each time increment, wherein varying amounts of audio are contained in each time increment, c) creating a record session table that stores the time audio is recorded on the digital audio tape relative to the time increments, d) scanning the record session table to find audio at a selected time, e) positioning the tape at its location corresponding to the selected time, and f) playing the digital tape.

Claim 6

A method for searching for a message on a digital audio tape (DAT) that has the capability of receiving audio from a plurality of channels when recording in a digital audio logger, the steps comprising: a) recording audio in a primary partition of the DAT, b) dividing the primary partition of the DAT into file marks, equally spaced in time and not in distance where each file mark represents a period of varying amounts recording, c) creating a record session table in a secondary portion of the DAT that correlates the presence of audio and absence of audio on a plurality of channels, d) scanning the record session table to find the file mark numbers for a given period, and e) determining the file mark for a selected time.

Claim 7

A method for searching for a message on a digital audio tape (DAT) that has the capability of receiving audio from a plurality of channels when recording in a digital audio logger, the steps comprising: a) recording audio in a primary partition of the DAT, b) dividing the primary partition of the DAT into file marks, equally spaced in time and not in distance where each file mark represents a period of varying amounts recording, c) creating a record session table in a secondary portion of the DAT that correlates the presence of audio and absence of audio on a plurality of channels, d) scanning the record session table to find the file mark numbers for a given period, and e) determining the file mark for a selected time.