CA1283866C - Method and apparatus for controlling dictation on or transcription from recording units in a dictation system - Google Patents

Abstract

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING DICTATION ON
OR TRANSCRIPTION FROM RECORDING UNITS IN A
DICTATION SYSTEM

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A dictation system having two or more recording units, each selectively operable as a dictation unit or a transcription unit, and including a selector for selecting a respective unit for recording or transcription. A unit selected for recording dictation is enabled if a record medium therein is ready, or initialized, for recording;
otherwise the unit is enabled for transcription. While one unit operates to record dictation, the other may operate simultaneously to transcribe previously recorded dictation.
In a system having at least three recording units, at least two are identified with respective, particular identities and the third is designated a spare recording unit. After a predetermined amount of dictation has been recorded on any one of the identified recording units, further dictation destined for that identified unit is recorded on the spare unit, and the identity of the spare unit is changed over to be equal to the identity of the recording unit for which dictation had been intended. In such a system, the original identities of the at least two recording units are established in the order in which those units are initialized, or made ready, for dictation.

Description

~1 331-2260 ~3~

2 This invention relates to dictation systems and, 8 more particularly, to a method and apparatu5 for controlling ~ the selection and operation of plural recording units that 6 may be used for simultaneous recording and transcription of 6 dictation or that may be used for simultaneous recording of 7 dictation from several dictate stations.
8 Historically, dictation systems have been categorized as desk-top dictating machines, cencral 10 dictation syst~ms or portable dictating devices. A typical 11 desk-top dictating machine is provided with a record medium, 12 ¦; typically magnetic tape contained in a cartridge housing 13 I such as a standard cassette, a minicassette, a microcassette, or the recently introduced picocassette 15 ` described in ~nited States Patent No. 4,443,827 and assigned 16 ~ to the assignee of the present invention. Connected to the desk-top dictating machine is a microphone unit having hand 8 controls by which the user of the machine records dictation 19 ~ and controls movement of the record medium for the purpose 20 1 f reviewing dictation or rapidly advancing the record 21 medium to a desired location. Other conventional controls æ normally associated with the operation of a dictating 23 machine also are provided.
24 ~ After dictation is completed, transcription 26 I thereof requires the transfer of the record medium (or tape 26 cassette) from the dictating machine to a transcribing machine which must be compa~ible wlth each other ~e. g. they 28 must accept the same type of record medium and operate at 291 the same record/playback speed). Typically, the transcriptionist is provided with a head set and foot pedal 81 ¦1i switches which are connected either directly to the g2 ;' , 3~1-2260 1 transcribing machine, or by so-called private wire 2 connections, or by telephone connection~
8 As mentioned above, when using desk-top 4 dictating/transcribing machines, the record medium must be 6 removed from one machine and loaded into the other. If the ~ respective machines are disposed at significantly spaced 7 apart locations, such as in different offices or on 8 different floors of an office building, this transfer of 9 i record media is a substantial inconvenience, results in 10 1 inefficient office operation and may be accompanied by loss or misplacement of the record media. Even if the respective 12 j machines are located in close proximity, such as in adjacent 18 offices, the requisite transfer of record media still may 14 ~ result in marked reduction in office operation efficiency.
Cen~ral dictation systems, as are commercially 6 ~ available, avoid several of the aforenoted disadvantages lq attendant desk-top dictating/transcribing machines. For 18 example, in one type of central dictation system, a central 19 recorder is provided with an endless loop of magnetic tape and includes a dictate site and a separate transcribe site, 21 both of which may be operated simultaneously, as described æ in U. S. Patent No. 3,934,774. While such a central Q3 recorder avoids the need to transfer a record medium from a 24 dictating machine to a transcribing machine, such central 26 recorders generally are most efficient when used with 26 several dictators having access to the recorder from several 27 dictate stations~ Such a central dictation system is 28 relatively expensive and might not be cost efficient for 29 office operation in which the system is utilized by a 1 relatively small number of dictators and transcriptionists. I
,, i 81 Another type of central dictation system that 82 might be utili~ed more efficiently in a "small officen l; . ' , ~ -2- ~

8~8 l environm~nt, is described in ~. S.
2 Patents Nos. 4,071,857 and 4,636,888. These B systems are provided with a central recorder which operates 4 to record dictation on individual tape cassettes, a used ~ cassette being replaced by a fresh one to permit 6 transcription of the used cassette and further dictation on 7 the new cassette. While such a central recorder having 8 automatic cassette changing capabilities reduces the amount 9 of cassette manipulation that is attendant the aforementioned desk-top dictating/transcribing machines, ll there is, nonetheless, a need to load a used cassette into a 12 separate transcribing machine to facilitate the 18 transcription of recorded dictation.
~4 Therefore, thexe is a need for an efficient dictation system that minimizes the necessity to transfer a 16 recoxd medium from a dictating machine to a transcribing ~7 machine, yet is capable of being accessed by several 18 dictators in a so-called small office environment. Although ~9 prior art systems have been proposed in an attempt to address the small office environment, those systems do not ~1 offer sufficient flexibility. For example, one such prior æ art system contemplates the use of separate dictating and 23 transcribing units mounted in side-by-side relation, with 24 one unit being permanently designated the dictating unit and 2~ the other being permanently designated the transcribing 26 unit. Transcription still requires the transfer of a record 27 medium from the dictating unit to the transcribing unit.
28 Furthermore, use of this system to record dictation 29 simultaneously from more than one dictators on different ~ record media, or cassettes, is difficult if not impossible.
~1 Il ~31-226 1 OBJ~CTS OF THE INVENTION
2 Therefore, it is an object of the present 8 invention to avoid the aforenoted disadvantages attending 4 desk-top dictating/trarlscribing machines and central fi dictation systems.
6 Another object of this invention is to provide an 7 efficient, inexpensive dictation system that is particularly 8 adapted for use in a small office environment.
9 A further object of this invention is to provide 10 ' such a dictation system in which the transfer of a record medium from a dictate unit to a transcribe unit is minimized 12 I if not obviated.
13 I An additional object of this invention is to provide a dictation system that is relatively flexible and 15 ~ may be expanded to permit several dictators to dictate 16 simultaneously on respective record media.
17 Yet another object of this invention is to provide 18 ,~ a method and apparatus for controlling a dictation system of 19 the aforementioned type in which several recording units are provided, most being designated with particular, respective 2~ identities, for selection by a dictator; and in which a 22 spare unit subsequently is connected in place of a unit on which a predetermined amount of dictation has been recorded, 24 l~ the spare unit thereafter being designated with the same 26 particular identity as the unit it replaces, thereby 26 permitting continued dictation on a unit whose identity is 27 desired by a dictator.
28 ! A still further object of this invention is to 29 !' provide a method and apparatus for controlling the selection ~o ¦l of plural recording units as dictation or transcription 81 l' units.
82 l 1, i!

ll 331 2260 `l It is another object of this invention to provide 2 a method and appara~us for selecting the identities of 8 several recording units included in a dictation system for 4 the purpose of permitting the connection of remote dictators ~ to a unit having selected identityO
6 Various other objects, advantages and features of 7 the present invention will become readily apparent from the 8 ensuing detailed description, and the novel features will be 9 particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
11 In accordance with this invention, a dictation 12 system is provided with at least three recording units each operable to record dictation transmitted from one of several !' dictate stations that may be connected thereto. Each of the ~5 1 at least three recording units is identified with a 16 ¦ respective, particular identity; and any one of several 17 , dictate stations may be connected to a recording unit whose 18 l identity is selected by the dictator. When a predetermined 19 ' amount of dictation has been recorded on a recording unit, the identity of a spare recording unit is changed over to be equal to the identity of the unit on which the predetermined ~ amount of dictation has been recorded, whereby the spare 23 ' unit having its newly designated identity thereafter i5 24 ' connected to a dictate station having dictation destined for 2~ I a recording unit with that identity.
26 In accordance with one aspect of this invention, 27 if dictation continues to the recording unit on which the 28 predetermined amount of dictation has been recorded, both 2g 1I that unit and the spare unit are operated cimultaneously for 80 ~l a brief period of time, and thereafter the recording unit on 81 1I which the predetermined amount of dictation has been 82 !l recorded is inhibited for further recording, thereby leaving ¦!

, -5 1l 331-~260 8~

1 the spare unit having its newly designated identity for 2 I further recording.
8 I As a feature of this invention, if the dictator is 4 disconnected from the recording unit on which the ~ predetermined amount of dictation has been r~corded, the 6 disconnected recording unit is inhibited from subsequent 7 recording; and dictati~n that is thereafter destined for a 8 recording unit of the same identity is recorded on the spare 9 ' unit which now has that identity.
¦ In accordance with yet another aspect of this invention, only two recording units may be provided, each ~2 1 being operable as a dictation unit or as a transcription 13 unit. Preferably, selector and function control switches 14 ; are provided to enable at least basic operation of one or the other unit. When, for example, the first unit is ~6 selected for operation, the record medium therein may be ~7 initialized for dictation (e. g. previous dictation may be 18 erased therefrom); and that unit then may be conditioned for 9 use as a dictation unit. In the absence of such initialization and conditioning, the recording unit operates 21 as a txanscription unit.
æ As one feature of this ~spect of the invention, ~ first one recording unit may be initialized and conditioned 24 ' for operation as a dictation unit and then the other recording unit may be similarly initialized and conditioned, 26 thus permitting both units to operate as dictation units.
27 As yet another feature of this invention, a simple 28 1, selector switch is provided to select one or the other of 29 ' the aforementioned two recording units for operation as a 80 '~ transcription unit. This obviates the need to transfer a 81 ! record medium, such as a tape cassette, from the dictation 82 unit to the transcription unit for the purpose of j'l 3~ U
-~3~

1 transcribing previously recorded dicta~ion. The operational 2 states of the respective units may be changed over by simple 8 operation of the selector ~witch, thereby conditioning the 4 unit which had been operable previously as a dictation unit 6 now to operate as a transcription unit, and to oonditiorl the 6 unit which had been operated previously as a transcription 7 unit now ~o operate as a dictation unit. A remote dictate 8 station is connected to the unit which now is operable as a 9 dictation unit; and, likewise, a transcribe station (e. q.
headset and foot pedal) is electrically connected to the 11 , unit which now operates as a transcription unit. No 12 , physical re-wiring or interconnections are needed to effect lS I the aforementioned connections.
14 l~ As yet another feature of this invention, when 15 l~ three or more recording units are provided, the identities 16 1 of the respective units are designated as a function of the order in which the respective units are initialized for ! operation as dictation units.
19 ~ As a still further feature of this invention, two 20 I,; of the recording units are housed in stacked relation, one 21 ' atop the other, in a common console. A single set of 22 selector and function control switches is provided, these ~ I switches controlling the functions of one or the other unit, 24 i' depending upon which unit has been selected for 2~ transcription and which has been selected for recording.
26 As a still further aspect of the present 27 invention, both recording units in the aforementioned common 28 console may be operated as dictation units, with dictation 29 '¦ normally being recorded on the record medium of one unit until that medium has reached a predetermined recording 81 ll capacity, whereupon further dictation is recorded on the ~2 !I record medium of the other unit.
ll ' -7-)U

__ 2 The following detailed description,~given by way 8 of example and not intended to limit the present invention 4 solely to the embodiments described and illustrated herein, ~ will best be understood in conjunction with the accompanying 6 drawings in which:
7 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dictation 8 system in which the present invention finds ready 9 applicatiOn î
FIG. 2 is a front view of the dictation system ~ which is particularly adapted for use in a small office 12 ¦, environment and in which the present invention may be 13 ¦~ Utilized;
~ FIG. 3 is a flow diagram representing one aspect 15 ` of the present invention; and ~6 1 FIG. 4 is a flow diagram representing another 17 , aspect of this invention.
18 i DETAILED DESrRIPTION OF CERTAIN PREFERRED EM~ODIMENTS
19 ~ Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, there is illustrated one embodiment of a 2~ ; dictation system 10 in which the present invention finds 22 ready application. Dictation system 10 is comprised of two Q3 ' recording units 12 and 14 of substantially identical 24 construction, these recording units being supported one atop 26 the other in a common console or housing. Each recording 26 unit is provided with a record/playback deck of conventional 27 construction for the purpose of recording dictation on and 28 !' playing back dictation from a record medium. Preferably, 29 11~ the record medium is a magnetic tape housed in a cassette~
80 I such as a standard cassette, a minicassette, a microcassette 81 ¦ or a picocassette, all as mentioned above. In an 82 alterna1ive emoodiment, the record medium may comprise a I ~L~83~

solid-state storage device in which dictation is stored in 2 ¦ digital fonn. For convenience, and in order to simplify the 8 ¦ present explanation, the record medium is referred to herein 4 ¦ as a cassette or a magnetic tape; but i~ will be appreciated 6 ¦ that the aforementioned solid-state digital storage device 6 also is contemplated.
7 Recording unit 12 includes a cassette compartment 8 20 for receiving a cassette and for positioning that 9 cassette in proper disposition with respect to 10 I forward/rewind drive elements, a record/playback head, an 11 I erase head, a capstan and a pinch rollex. The cassette 12 I compartment is protected by a door that is opened in 1~ ll response to the manual actuation of an EJECT button 22.
14 ¦ Recording unit 14 includes a similar cassette compartment 30 lS ! protected by a door that is opened in response to the 16 ! operat~on of an EJECT ~utton 32.
17 I Recording unit 12 also is provided with an 18 1 operation display 24, a mode display 25 and a numerical 19 j; display 26. Likewise, recording unit 14 is provided with an 20 '~ operation display 34, a mode display 35 and a numerical 21 ¦' display 36. In both recording units, the operation display 22 24, 34 indicates the particular operation being carried out e3 1~ on a cassette utilized by the recording unit. For example, 24 the operation display may indicate when a cassette is n in 26 use", that is, when a remote dictate station is connected to that recording unit for the purpose of recording dictation 27 on the cassette utilized therewith. The operation display 28 also is provided with an ~end zone~ indicator which is 29 ~ energized (or illuminated) when a predetermined amount of ~0 I magnetic tape remains available for recording. For example, 81 j if a cassette is adapted to record thirty minutes of 32 I dictation, the end zone indicator is illuminated when only I _9~

l~ 331-2260 1 three minutes of tape remains available for recording.
2 Other indications may be provided to apprise the user of the 8 condition that the cassette on which dictation is beiny 4 recorded soon will reach the end of its tape.
6 Operation display 24, 34 also includes an 6 roperator" indicator which is illuminated when the attention q of a supervisory operator is needed. For example, when 8 dictation is recorded on a cassette that has been advanced g ¦! to its very end, the "operator" indicator is illuminated.
10 ¦I This indicator also may be illuminated when, for example, a cassette having a tape fault condition (e. g. the tape 12 ¦~ therein is jammed or broken) has been loaded into the 18 1` recording unit, or the recording unit has been selected for ~4 1' transcription or for dictation but a cassette has not been 15 ' loaded therein. Other conditions requiring the attention of ~6 ~ a supervisory operator also may be indicated by the 17 illumination of this "operatorn indicator.
18 In the preferred embodiment, the respective ~9 indicators which comprise operation display 24, 34 may include LED's, LCD's or other visual indicators known to 21 those of ordinary skill in the art.
22 Each recording unit 12, 14 also is provided with a 2g mode display 25, 35, respectively. Each mode display may be ~4 ! formed of LED's, LCD's, or the like to provide visual 26 ~ indications of the particular mode of operation that has 26 I been selected for the respective recording unit. For 27 example, when the recording unit has been selected for and 28 is enabled to operate in a dictation recording mode, the 2g mode display may illuminate the letter ~D" to indicate that 30 i1 the recording unit is enabled to record dictation.
8~ 11 Alternatively, if the recording unit is selected to operate 82 ' as a transcription unit, the mode display may illuminate the ,1 1, -10-ll 331-2260 I ~-~8~

1 letter ~T~ to indicate such transcriptiorl operation. Still ~ further, the mode display may include an "off line"
8 indicator which i5 illuminated when the recording unit is in 4 a non-operating mode in which neither dictation ~n nor 6 transcription from that unit may be effected. As will be 6 described below, the mode display preferably includes 7 identifying indicators to identify the recording unit as 8 unit "l", "2~ ~r ~3" in a multi-unit recording system.
9 I Recording units 12 and 14 also are provided with numerical displays 26 and 36, respectively. Each numerical 11 , display is formed of a four digit LED or LCD display (or the 12 1~ like) which indicates the length of dictation that has been 13 I recorded on or transcribed from a cassette. This indication 4 ! may be illustrated in minutes and tenths of minutes, 15 1l wherein, for example, a display of "035" represents three 16 i minutes and thirty seconds of dictation. When the recording uni~ is operated as a transcription unit, the numerical 18 display indicates the approximate number of lines of 19 ~I typewritten material that await transcription in a 20 ~, particular message, let~er, or the like. The numerical 21 display also may display, as a first digit, the letter "P"
æ which indicates the recording of a priority message. A
~ message of superior importance which should be transcribed 24 ! quickly is indicated by this prefix ~pt~. This prefix "P"
2~ may be displayed alternately with a numeral which represents 26 the number of priority messages remaining for transcription 27 on the tape. The remaining three digits represent the 28 , approximate number of typewritten lines in the message 29 awaiting transcription. As will be explained below, a 80 1~ "priority" message is represented by a special prefix code 81 j, that is recorded on the tape itself, this code being sensed 32 ! 1' li 331-2260 I

1 by the record/transcribe electronics included in dictation 2 system 10.
8 Dictation system lD, as illustrated in FIG. 1, i5 4 provided with a single keyboard that may be operated either ~ in conjunction with recording unit 12 or in conjunction with 6 recording unit 14. A unit selector switch 42 is provided 7 for selecting the desired recording unit to be operated.
8 For example, when selector switch 42 is disposed in its 9 first condition, that is, when the selector switch is moved 10 ¦, to its upper position, recording unit 12 is selected for 11 1 operation. The recording deck included in recording unit 12 12 ,! then may be operated as a function of the operation of ~3 1 function control switches 50, 56, 58, 62 and 64, as will be 14 ! described. Conversely, when unit selector switch 42 is 15 i disposed in its second condition, that is, when the selector 16 switch is moved to its lowermost position, recording unit 14 17 ! is enabled for operation in response to the actuation of the 18 aforementioned function control switches. ~nit selector 19 switch 42 preferably includes a third condition, corresponding to its center position ! which is used to 21 select recording unit 12 or recording unit 14 for operation 22 as a dictation unit. More particularly, if the unit 23 selector switch is operated from its first condition to its 24 ~ third condition, recording unit 12 is selected for operation 2~ as a dictation unit, provided that other initializing 26 parameters are established, as will be described.
27 Conversely, if the unit selector switch is operated from its 28 , second condition to its third condition, recording unit 14 2g ! is selected for operation as a dictation unit, provided the 80 ¦'l aforementioned initializing parameters have been 81, established.
~2 I;
!
~ 12-~ Dictation system 10 also includes a remote/local 2 selector switch 44 which is adapted to connect matching 8 impedances within the dictation system to be compatible with 4 transcribe apparatus that is connected directly to the ~ dictation system or with transcribe apparatu6 that is 6 disposed at a remote location and that is connected to the 7 dictation system via telephone lines, private wire lines, or 8 the like.
9 A cassette speed selector switch 46 also is 0 I provided, this switch being selectively operable by the user 11 I of dictation system 10 to select the appropriate 12 I record/playback speed of the magnetic tape upon which 13 ~ dictation is recorded and played back. Typically, the 14 ¦I magnetic tape is advanced at a speed of approximately 2.4 cm 1~ l, per second in a microcassette upon which thirty minutes of 16 1l dictation may be recorded. Alternatively, and for extended ~7 1` play, the record/playback speed may be established at 18 ii approximately 1-2 cm per second, resulting in a capacity of 19 1l sixty minutes of dictation. Cassette speed selector switch 20 ` 46 is operable to select the lower or higher cassette speed, 21 il depending upon whether extended capacity is desired. It has 22 been found, generally, that the fidelity of recorded a3 dictation is somewhat reduced when the cassette is operated 24 ! at its slower speed.
26 Dictation system 10 also is provided with 26 speaker/headset selector switch 48. Although not shown and 27 described and described in detail herein, it will be 28 appreciated that dictation system 10 includes an integral 29 ¦1~ speaker which may be connected, via suitable electronics, to 80 1 the playback head of recording unit 12 or recording unit 14, 8~ l' depending upon whether unit selector switch 42 is disposed 82 1l in its first or second condition, respectively. Reproduced 1l ~ 3~1-2260 .

~ 38$~

1 audio sounds are played back via this integral speaker when ~ speaker/headset selector switch 48 is operated to select the $ integral speaker for reproducing such sounds. The dictation 4 system also includes a suitable socket to which a headset ~ 100 is connected by means of a jack 102, and this headset is 6 connected, via suitable electronics, to the playback head of 7 recording unit 12 or recording unit 14 in the event that 8 speaker/headset selector switch 48 has been operated to g I select the headset for the reproduction of audible sounds.
10 , The function control switches included in 11 I dictation system 10 include a STOP switch 50. This switch 12 1 is manually operable to establish a "stop", or quiescent, 13 , mode of operation for the dictation system. Typically, 14 ' switch 50 may be operated to terminate a fast-forward or rewind mode of operation which, in turn, may be selected by 16 ' the operation of REWIND switch 56 or FAST-FORWARD switch 58.
17 ; The STOP switch also is operable to quiet an audible warning 18 sound or alarm that may sound at dictation system 10.
~9 REWIND switch 56 is adapted, when operated, to select a rewind operating mode for recording unit 12 or 21 recording unit 14, dependlng upon whether unit selector 22 switch 42 exhibits its first or second condition, as Q3 mentioned above. Likewise, the actuation of FAST-FORWARD
24 I switch 58 selects a fast forward mode of operation for the 26 ~ selected recording unit. When a recording unit is selected I for operation as a transcription unit, the actuation of 27 I REWIND switch 56 functions to rewind the magnetic tape while 28 scanning that tape for the occurrence of signals 29 I representing the ends of messages that had been dictated.
80 1 Dictation system 10 includes one or more microprocessors ~1 ! which, when supplied with so-called "chopper pulses" that 8~ l are generated as the magnetic tape is moved, responds to the il I1 331-226r) 1 occurrence of the end-of-message signals to determine the 2 location and length of each message. Depending upon whether 8 recording unit 12 or recordiny unit 14 has been selected as a transcription unit, numerical display 26 or 36 indicates ~ the length of the particular message then in position for 6 transcription.
7 When FAST-FORWARD switch 5~ is actuated, the ~ magnetic tape provided in the recording unit which has been 9 selected as a transcription unit is "searched" for access to 10 1I npriority" messages. When a priority message is 11 encountered, as when a recorded priority code is detected, 12 ll tape movement stops and playback of that message begins 13 l within a predetermined time (e. g. a few seconds). If no ~4 "priority" messages had been recorded on the tape, the first 15 ~ message which had been recorded will be played back.
~6 Preferably, FAST-FOR~ARD switch 58 is actuated after the 1~ magnetic tape has been fully rewound (and scanned). The 18 ` operation of FAST-FORWARD switch serves to rapidly advance 19 the magnetic tape in the forward direction until the first 20 ! "priorityl' message is reached. If no "priority" codes had 21 I been detected during the rewind operation, the actuation of ~ I
æ; FAST-FORWARD switch 58 serves merely to initiate the ~3 playback of the first message that had been recorded.
24 i~ ERASE switch 62, when actuated simultaneously with 2~ ¦ the actuation of REWIND switch 56, serves to energize the 26 ¦ erase head included in recording unit 12 ~or recording unit 27 1 14, depending upon the condition of unit selector switch 42) 28 ~ to erase dictation which had been recorded previously on the 29 magnetic tape in that unit. For enabling a desired 80 ¦i recording unit to operate as a dictation unit, such 81 ¦I nerasure" operation (i. e. the simultaneous operation of 32 1, REWIND switch 56 and ERASE switch 62) serves to 1' 331-~60 3~ l 1 ' initialize the recording unit. In the absence of ~uch 2 I initialization of the recording unit, that unit is inhibited from operating as a dictation unit. I
4 ! A CLEAR switch 64 is provided for the purpose of ~ I erasinq information stored in the display memory of 6 dictation system 10. Such information may represent the 7 I locations of previously recorded messages, the lengths of 8 such messages, the location of "priority" messages, and the 9 , like. The CLEAR switch should be actuated prior to 0 transcribing a newly-loaded cassette, and this switch also ~1 ~ should be actuated before a selected one of these recording 12 units is conditioned as a dictation unit. In this manner, 13 ~ information that had been derived from a previously recorded 14 or transcribed cassette is cleared from the display memory and does not interfere with the display of new information 16 derived from the cassette then being utilized.
17 Dictation system 10 also is provided with 18 additional controls 72, 74, 76 and 78. These controls are 9 designated volume control 72, tone control 74, playback speed control 76 and backspace control 78. Each control is 21 constructed as a slide switch and, in one embodiment, each 22 such switch produces an analog voltage that is used to control, or establish, a desired volume, tone, playback 24 speed or backspace, respectively. Alternatively, each slide 26 'ii switch may produce a discrete digital signal, depending upon 26 1 its position, to establish a respective volume, tone, 27 playback speed or backspace level. Thus, the magnitude of 28 the audible sounds which are reproduced by the integral 29 speaker of dictation system 10 or by headset 100 is adjusted by the setting of volume control 72. Likewise, the tone of 81 the reproduced audible sounds (i. e. the relative treble and 1~ 331-2260 1 ~2~

1 ¦ base level thereof) is established ~y the setting of tone 2 I control 74. The speed at which the tape is moved during a 8 ~ transcription operation, that is, the increrrlental difference 4 between the speed selected by cassette speed selector switch ~ 46 and the actual playback speed, is set and adjusted by 6 playback speed control 76. Finally, the incremental amount 7 of backspace that is produced when, for example, a playback 8 switch is released during transcription, is set and adjusted 9 by means of backspace control 78.
In addition to headset lO0, a conventional foot 11 1i pedal switch is connected to dictation system lO for the 12 1 purpose of controlling recording unit 12 or recording unit 13 1` 14, depending upon the condition of unit selector switch 42, ~4 ` for a transcription operation. Typically, the foot pedal 15 l switch includes a playback pedal, a rewind pedal and a 16 , fast-forward pedal, the selected operation of which 17 1 initiates a corresponding operation of the selected 18 `~ recording unit. When the playback pedal is actuated, the 19 ¦~ release thereof effects a brief rewinding of the tape by an amount determined by the setting of backspace control 78.
21 Consequently, upon the reactuation of the playback pedal, 22 the last few words which had been played back previously are ~3 played back once again.
24 Dictation system lO is connected by means of 26 private wire connections or by means of telephone 26 connections to one or more dictate stations 80. A suitable 27 switch control (not shown~ may be provided to interconnect 28 dictation system lO with several dictate stations, the ~9 1! switch serving to permit only one dictate station to be 80 ~I connected to recording unit 12 or to recording unit 14, 81 ll depending upon which of these recording units had been 32 jl selected as the dictation unit. Dictate station 80 is I~.
~ 17-Il 3~ 260 ~ 33~

1 provided with a handset 82, similar to a conventional 2 telephone handset to the extent that a microphone is 8 provided at one end thereof and a speaker is provided at the 4 other end to permit dictation to be transmitted to dictation ~ system 10 and to permit dictation to be audibly reproduced 6 for review by the dictator. ~andset 82 includes a dictate 7 control switch 84, as is conventional in telephone-type 8 dictate stations, this dictate control switch being operable 9 ' to initiate a "record" mode and a review/play mode Since ~0 the operation of dictate control switch 84 is conventional, 11 1 further description thereof is not provided.
12 1 Dictate station 80 also is provided with a desk 13 set B6 having a cradle 88 to receive handset 82.
14 I Preferably, cradle 88 includes a switch similar to a conventional telephone hook switch which indicates wh~n 16 handset 82 is "off-hook" or "on hook". Desk set 86 also 17 includes a unit selector switch 90 formed of, for example, four separate pushbutton switches 90-1, 90-2, 90-3 and 90-4.
9 Each pushbutton switch, when actuated, and subject to the ~o availability of a recording unit, connects dictate station 2~ 80 to a recording unit associated with a respective one of æ the pushbutton switches. In the embodiment wherein 23 dictation system 10 is provided with only two recording 24 ', units, pushbutton switches 90-1 and 90-2 select recording 2~ unit 12 or recording unit 1~, respectively, for connection 26 I to dictate station 80. If a selected r~cording unit is ~in 27 use", that is, if that recording unit has been selected for 28 operation as a transcription unit or if that recording unit 29 ' already is connected to another dictate station, or if the 80 ; selected recording unit is ~off line", the operation of the ~1 ' unit selector switch is ineffective to establish a 32 ' connection between dictate station 80 and the selected recording unit. Preferably, an "in use" indicator 331-22~0 I

1 is provided with each unit selector ~witch to indicate to 2 the user of dictate station 80 which recording units are "in 8 use", as aforementioned, Dictate station 80 may be used in 4 conjunction with a dictation system having four recor,ding 6 units, such as represented in FIG. 2, and for this reason 6 unit selector switch 90 is provided with four pushbutton q switches to permit the dictate station to be connected to 8 any one of such four recording units. Those recording units 9 ~ which are "in use" are indicated by respective n in use n visual indicators associated with respective ones of 111 pushbutton switches 90-1, 90-2, 90-3 and 90-4.
12 ` In the embodiment wherein only two recording units 13 il are provided, as illustrated in PIG. 1, unit selector switch ~4,l 90 may be omitted or, alternatively, may have no effect upon 151 ~he particular recording unit that is connected to dictate 16j station 80 when handset 82 goes "off-hook". That is, ~7 suitable dictation system controls are provided to connect 18, the dictate station only to the one recording unit which has 19 been selected for operation as the dictation unit, provided 20; that dictation unit is not already in use. In the 21' embodiment shown in FIG. 1, if both recording units 12 and 22; 14 are selected as dictation units, unit selector switch ~3 ; 90-1 may be operated to connect dictate station 80 to 24 recording unit 12 and unit selector switch 90-2 may be 26 operated to connect dictate station 80 to recording unit 14, 26 provided such recording units are not then "in use~.
27 Desk set 86 also is provided with switches 92, 94, 96 and 98 which are adapted to be manually actuated to 291 initiate the functions now to be described. PRIORITY switch 80~l 92, when actuated, serves to record the aorementioned 81 priority code on the magnetic tape included in the recording Il.

1 ~19-3~1-2260 1 unit to which dictate statio~ 80 is connected. As an 2 I example, the priority code may comprise a predetermined 8 I number of bursts (e. g. two bursts) of a tone signal which, 4 I when detected, is identified as the beginning of a ~ ¦ "priority~ message.
6 I INTERCOM switch 94, when actuated, serves to 7 ¦ establish a simple communication connection between handset 8 1 82 and similar communication apparatus (e. g. a similar 9 1 handset) located at the site of dictation system 10. The dictator thus may communicate directly with the 11 transcriptionist or a supervisory operator at that site.
12 FAST-FORWARD switch 96, when actuated, initiates a 13 fast forward operation o~ the magnetic tape in the recording 14 unit to which dictate station 80 is connected. The tape is driven in the fast-forward mode until the so-called 16 "farthest advance" point ~i. e. the point reached by a 17 dictator prior to rewinding the tape) is reached.
18 END switch 98, when actuated, serves to record a 19 predetermined tone signal on the magnetic tape. It is eY~pected that END switch 98 will be actuated upon the 21 completion of a message, such as a letter, and thus æ functions to record an end-of-message tone signal on the 23 magnetic tape. This end-of-message tone signal is 24 distinguished from a so-called "secrecy" tone signal that is ~6 , recorded when handset 82 is returned to cradle 88 (i. e. it 26 is placed in its "on-hook" condition) to disconnect dictate 27 station 80 from dictation system 10. The recording of such 28 a ~secrecy" code is conventional in central dictation 29 systems and serves to signify the completion of dictation by a dictator and prevents a subsequent dictator from effecting a rewind operation of the magnetic tape to access the ~2 message that had been recorded by the previous dictator.
Such a "secrecy" code normally is recorded at the ll 331-22~0 ~ 3~

1 end of the last-dictated message and, hence, is analogous to 2 the aforementioned end-of-message tone signal. However, the 8 end-of-message tone signal, when detected, does not prevent the magnetic tape ~rom being rewound further; and, thus, the ~ ¦ detection of the end-of-message tone signal does not prevent 6 ¦ the present dictator from reviewing his own previously 7 recorded messages.
8 The manner in which dictation system 10 operates 9 to designate one or the other recording unit as a dictation 0 I unit, or to designate both recording units as dictation ~1 I units, or to designate only one of the recording units as a 12 ! transcription unit will be described below in conjunction 13 with the flow diagram illustrated in FIG. 4. It is ~4 appreciated that dictation system 10 is provided with one or 15 1 more microprocessors which sense the operation of various 16 , ones of the selector and function control switches to 17 control the operation of the dictation system. Such 18 ; microprocessors also detect the operation of dictate station 19 , 80 to effect a connection between the dictate station and a recording unit and control the operation of the accessed 21 l; recording unit for the recording of dictation thereon.
22 1i Before describing such microprocessor control, reference is i, made to FIG. 2 in which two dictation systems 10 and 10' are 24 ~ illustrated, these two dictation systems being electrically 26 interconnected (not shown) as well as being physically 26 joined in side-by-side relation.
27 It will be appreciated that dictation ~ystems 10 28 and 10' are substantially identical; and the respective 29 1' component parts which comprise dictation system 10' are 80 I identified with primed reference numerals that have been 81 ~ used to identify like component parts of dictation system ~2 , Il 33~-2260 ~ eo~838~

1 10. In t~e interest of brevity, further duplicative 2 description of dictation system 10' is not provided.
8 When using dictation 6ystems 10 and 10' in the 4 configuration illustrated in FIG. 2, each recording unit 12, ~ 14, 12' and 14' may be designated with a particular 6 identity. For example, recording unit 12 may be identified 7 as the recording unit upon which brief letters are dictated.
8 Any dictator may select recording unit 12 for the recording 9 of such brief letters by operating, for example, unit 10 ~ selector switch 90-1 of his desk set 86 provided in dictate 11 I station 80. If recording unit 12 is enabled to operate as a 12 ~ dictation unit, and if this recording unit is not otherwise 13 ~ connected to an~ther dictate station, a dictator may connect 14 ! his dictate station 80 to recording unit 12 by lifting 15 , handset 82 from cradle 88 and by actuating unit selector 16 ` switch 90-1.
~7 Similarly, recording unit 14 may be identified as 18 the recording unit upon which only priority messages are 19 recorded. If this recording unit is not otherwise connected to a dictate station, any dictator in the overall system may ~1 ' connect his dictate station 80 to recording unit 14 for the 22 ` purpose of recording priority messages. In a similar ; manner, recording unit 12' may be identified as the 24 I recording unit by which notes or memos or legal briefs (or 2~ any other particular type of message) are recorded. The 26 remaining recording unit 14' preferably is identified as a 27 "spare" unit whose identity assumes (i. e. is made equal to) 28 1` the identity of recording unit 12, 14 or 12' whose cassette 2g ' has just been advanced into its end zone. That is, the , identi~y of the first recording unit 12, 14 or 12' which ~1 i first reaches a predetermined recording capacity is 32 I' transferred to recording unit 14'; and recording unit 14' I' ~ 2-~ 331-2~60 ~ 3~

1 then operates with its newly designated identi~y to record 2 subsequent dictation destined for a unit having that 8 identity. Once the cassette in the recording unit which has 4 reached its predetermined recording capacity is transcribed B (e. g. by selecting that recording unit for operation as a 6 transcription unit by operating unit selector switch 42 or 7 42'), that recording unit then may be desiqnated the "spare"
8 unit. Alternatively, if the cassette is removed from that 9 recording unit for transcription by another machine (not shown), that recording unit is designated the "spare" unit ~1 ¦ when a fresh cassette is loaded therein and is initialized 12 for dictation.
18 i The manner in which the identities of the respective recording units are assigned will be described 15 1 below in conjunction with the flow chart shownlin FIG. 4.
~6 Suffice it to say that if recording unit 12 is identified as 17 unit "1", recording unit 14 is identified as unit "2" and 18 ' recording unit 12' is identified as unit "3", then recording 19 unit 14', if enabled for dictation, is identified as the 20 n spare" unit. If the predetermined recording capacity first 21 is reached by unit ~1", then the identity of the "spare"
22 unit is changed over to unit "ln and previously identified ~3 unit "1" is rendered "off line" for further dictation. Once 24 ` the cassette in previously identified unit "1" is 26 transcribed, or if a new cassette is loaded therein, this 26 unit thereafter is identified as the ~spareW unit.
27 Conversely, if the predetermined recording capacity first is 28 reached by unit "2", the identity of the "spare~ unit is 29 ' changed over to unit ~2" and previously identified unit "2"
is rendered "off linen. Thus, it is seen that any of the ~1 l illustrated recording units may adopt any of the ~2 aforementioned identit.ies "1", "2", "3" or "spare"; and as 1,, 1 3~1-2260 ,, ~ 3~

1 dictation progresses, the changing over of identities, as 2 mentioned above, likewise will continue. The particular 8 identity of a recording unit may be viewed as mer~ly temporary; and the actual identity thereof may ehange ~ between "spare" and any of identities ~ 2" and ~3".
6 Hence, a dictate s~ation that is conneeted to unit "l" may 7 be connected to any one of the recording units illustrated 8 in FIG. 2. That is, the actuation of unit selector switch g 90-l will connect dictate station 80 to the recording unit 10 ' then identified as unit "l", this identity bei~g changed ll ij from one of the illustrated recording units to another ~rom 12 time to time.
13 ~ It will be appreciated that any three of the 14 1 illustrated recording units, that is, those units identified 15 ~ as units "l", "2" and "3", may be eonnected simultaneously 6 ' to three different dietate stations for the simultaneous ~7 ' recording of dietation thereon. If a dietate station 18 remains connected to a recording unit after a predetermined 19 ` amount of dietation has been recorded ~i. e. when the tape included in that recording unit has been advanced to its 21 ' "end" zone), the dictate station will be conneeted 22 simultaneously to that recording unit as well as to the 23 "spare" unit. If dictation eontinues, such eontinued 24 ' dictation will be recorded simultaneously on both units for 26 a brief interval of time. Thereafter, the recording unit in 26 which the predetermined amount of dietation has been 27 recorded will be disconnected from the dictate station, 28 leaving only the newly identified (but previously identified 29 1' "spare" unit) connected to that dictate station. The 80 !', previously identified, but now disconnected, recording unit 81 , remains in ar~ "off line" mode until the cassette therein i5 ~2 transcribed or until a fresh eassette is loaded and 1, 1' -2~-I

ll 331-22~0 1 initialize~. Thus, ~he previously identified recording unit 2 is inhibited from operating as a dictation unit un~il it is 8 initialized, as mentioned aboveO
4 In the absence of a Uspare'' unit, the ~ aforedescribed overlapping, or extension of dictation, on 6 two units simultaneously is inhibited. Rather, the 7 recording unit having the predetermined amount of dictation 8 recorded thereon merely is disconnected from the dictate 9 station and rendered "off line" a predetermined time after 10 1 the "end zone" of its cassette has been reached. If a 11 1, "spare" unit is provided in the overall dictation system, 12 ' and if the predetermined amount of dictation is recorded on 13 i unit "1" or "2" or "3", that particular identity is 14 transferred to the "spare" unit if the dictate station is 15 , disconnected from that unit. That is, simultaneous ~6 recording on the newly identified "spare unit" and the 7 previously identified unit will not occur if the previously ~8 ' identified unit is disconnected from the dictator.
19 ` Nevertheless, once disconnected, the previously identified unit is inhibited from recording further dictation until the 21 ! cassette therein has been transcribed or replaced.
22 Although the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 is 23 comprised of four recording units, the present invention is 24 equally applicable to, for example, three recording units 26 I tidentified as units "1", "2" and "spare~) and also to a 26 ¦ system in which six or eight recording units are provided.
27 I Furthermore, it will be appreciated that, if desired, the 28 "spare" unit in a 4-unit configuration may be selected as a 29 ' transcription unit, thus preventing that unit from recording 80 l~ dictation and from assuming the same identity as that of a 81 iI recording unit upon which a predetermined amount of 8~ 1 dictation has been recorded.
1.

1~ 331-2260 83~

11~ As will be explained ~elow, the identities "1", 2 ¦i "2", "3" and "spare" may be assigned to any of the 8 !i respective recording units 12, 14, 12' and 14', depending upon the order in which the units are initialized. For ~ example, if recording unit 14 is initialized first (i. e. if 6 the cassette therein is the first to be eras~d), it is q designated uni, "1". If recording unit 12' is the next to 8 be initialized, it is designated unit ~2n. If recording 9 unit 12 is the third recording unit to be initialized, it is designated unit "3". Finally, when recording unit 14' is ~1 initialized, it is designated the "spare" unit.
12 The manner in which the identity of a recording 1~ unit is transferred to a n spare~ unit once a predetermined 1~ amount of dictation has been recorded now will be described ~5 in conjunction with the microprocessor flow diagram 16 illustrated in FIG. 3. It will be appreciated that this 17 flow diagram represents one of several routines that may be 18 carried out by the microprocessor. This microprocessor may 19 be included in dictation system 10 or in dictation system 10' and is capable of executing other routines and 21 subroutines, one of such additional routines being described 22 below and the others forming no part of the present e3 invention per se.
~4 ~pon entering the routine lllustrated in FIG. 3, 2~ 1l inquiry first is made at 112 as to whether any of the 26 1 recordinq units which are operating as dictation units has a 27 predetermined amount of dictation recorded thereon.
28 Assuming such recording units are identified as units "1", 2g "2" and ~3", and further assuming that each recording unit is adapted to record up to thirty minutes of dictation, $1 inquiry 112 inquires as to whether unit "1" or unit "2" or ~2 unit "3" has twenty-seven minutes of dictation recorded 11 ~Lqf~3~

1 thereon. As mentioned above, as dictation on a magnetic 2 tape proceeds, chopper pulses are generated as the tape is 8 transportedO Such chopper pulses are counted, and a 4 predetermined count is obtained when a length of tape ~ corresponding to the recording of twenty-seven minutes of 6 dictation has been transported. The state of such a chopper 7 pulse counter is examined by inquiry 112. If this inquiry 8 is answered in the negative, the routine cycles, as 9 I illustrated, until this inquiry is answered in the 10 1 affirmative. At that time, instruction 114 is carried out 11 and the particular unit which has reached twenty-seven ~2 j minutes of dictation is identified. That is, the unit is 18 identified as unit "1" or unit "2" or unit "3", depending 1~ ! upon the particular identity thereof.
15 ~ The routine then advances to instruction 116, 16 whereupon an end zone warning signal, e. g. a suitable 17 warning tone, is generated and transmitted back to the 18 ` dictate station then connected to the identified unit.
19 Inquiry 118 then is made to determine if this dictate station has disconnected from the identified unit. If ~1 1 inquiry 118 is answered in the affirmative, the "spare" unit æ is identified, at 120, with the very same identity as the unit which has just reached its "end zone". That is, the 2~ ! identity determined by instruction 114 is transferred, at 2~ 120, to the "spare" unit. The routine then advances to 26 instruction 122, whereupon the previously identified unit is 2~ turned off and is rendered "off line". Then, as represented 28 1` by instruction 124, the newly identified unit is conditioned 2g ~ for subsequent or continued operation with its new identity.
80 1I That is, the "spareU unit now is identified as unit ~1" or 81 ¦¦ "2" or "3", depending upon the identity that has been ~2 11i Il -27-1~- 331-2260 ; !

1 determined at instruction 114. The routine ultimately 2 returns to inquiry 112.
8 If inquiry 118 is answered in the negative, that 4 is, if after reaching the ~end zone" of a cassette, dictate ~ station 80 remains connected to the identified recording 6 unit, inquiry is made at 126 to ascertain if a ~pare" deck 7 is provided ~or operation as a dictation unit. If this 8 inquiry is answered in the affirmative, instruction 128 is 9 carried out to initiate the operation of this "spare" unit.
10` Then, as represented by instruction 130, this "spare" unit ~1 1 is identified with the same identity (i. e. as unit "1" or 2 1 ~2" or "3"~ as has been identified at instruction 114. That is, the "spare" unit is designated with the same identity as ~4 the particular recording unit which has just reached its 15 ; n end zone n .
16 It is appreciated that, by reason of instructions 17 128 and 130, the recording unit which has just reached its 18 "end zone" and the newly identified "spare" unit operate 19 simultaneously and both record dictation that is transmitted from the dictate station that had been connected to the unit ~1 identified by instruction 114. Inquiry is made at 132 to 22 determine if both units had been operated simultaneously for ~3 a predetermined amount of time (e. g. for thirty seconds).
24 , If this inquiry is answered in the negative, inquiry then is 2~ made at 134 to ascertain if the dictatP station has been 26 disconnected from these recoxding units. I inquiry 134 is 27 answered in the negative, the illustrated routine cycles 28 through inquiries 132 and 134 until one of them is answered 29 in the affirmative. At that time, the routine ad~ances to instruction 122, which has been discussed above. Thus, if $1 ` the dictate station has disconnected from both units before ~2 j they operate simultaneously for a thirty second period, or J J ~

1 if the dictate station remains connected to both units for 2 this thirty second period, the unit which has just reached ~ its end zone is turned off and placed in an ~'off line" mode.
4 Then, if the dictate station remains connected to the ~ ~spare" unit with its newly designated identity, the 6 dictator may continue with his dictation on the newly 7 identified unit, as represented by instruction 124.
8 Let it be assumed th~t a "spare" unit is not 9 availabl.e for dictation. For example, if the "spare" unit ~0 had been assigned a newly designated identity previously, or 11 if the "spare" unit has been selected for operation as a 12 1I transcription unit, or if the "spare" unit is noff linen, 13 ~i inquiry 126 is answered in the negative. Then, although the 14 ll unit identified by instruction 114 has reached its "end 15 !` zone~, dictation thereon may continue. Inquiry is made, at 6 ' 136, if this continued dictation has reached the 29.5 minute mark. If this inquiry is answered in the negative, the ~8 1 illustrated routine cycles through this inquiry until either 19 the dictate station disconnects from this unit, as ascertained by inquiry 137, or until dictation thereon 21 ; reaches the 29.5 minute mark. At that time, a hang-up, or æ disconnect, warning signal is generated and transmitted to 23 the dictate station connected to this unit, as represented 24 !. by instruction 138, and the connection between that dictate 2~ station and this unit is broken, as represented by the 26 instruction "hang up" at l40. The illustrated routine Z7 eventually returns to inquiry 112.
28 It will be appreciated that, if desired, the 2g ¦~ particular numerical examples set out in, for instance, 80 1l inquiries 112, 132 and 136 may be varied, as desired. That 81 ! is, the ~end zone" region may be established as less than or 32 ~' greater than twenty-seven minutes of dictation; the period j, -29-1~

li 33~-22~0 1 for simultaneous recording on two uni~s may be less thar or 2 greater than thirty seconds and the time at which the 8 dictate station is disconnected from the recording unit may 4 be any desired time after the "~nd zone" is reached.
~ The manner in which the microprocessor included in 6 dictation system 10 (for example) operates to select 7 recording unit 12 or 14 for operation as a dictation unit or 8 a transcription unit, or for both recording units to operate 9 ' as dictation units now will be described in conjunction with the microprocessor routine illustrated by the flow diagram 11 j shown in FIG. 4. This flow diagram also represents the 12 1 manner in which the respective recording units 12, 14, 12' 3 ~ and 14' are identified as units "1", "2n, ~3" and "spare" to ~4 I facilitate the operation represented by the just-described ~5 ,` flow diagram shown in FIG. 3.
16 Turning now to the routine illustrated in FIG. 4, 17 let it be assumed that unit selector switch 42 exhibits its 18 ~ first condition to select recording unit 12 for keyboard 9 ~ operation. Inquiry 152 first is made as to whether a cassette has been loaded into this recording unit. As is 21 conventional, the recording unit may include a sensor switch 22 that detects the presence of a cassette loaded therein. If 23 ! this switch is actuated, inquiry 152 is answered in the 24 1 affirmative. However, i a cassette has not been loaded 2~ into recording unit 12, this inquiry is answered in the 26 negative. Thereupon, displays 24, 25 and 26 are blanked, as 27 represented by instruction 154, and the illustrated routine 28 ` cycles through inquiry 152 and instruction 154 until the 2g 1' presence of a cassette is detected.
When a loaded cassette is sensed in the recording 81 Ij unit selected by selector switch 42, inquiry 152 is answered 22 in the affirmative and inquiry is made, at 156, to ascertain ~l -30-ll 331-2260 1 if this recording unit has been selected ~o operate as a 2 transcription unit. If unit selector switch 42 exhibits its 3 first condition, then recording unit 12 is selected for 4 operation as a transcriptlon unit. Conversely,, if unit ~ selector switch 42 exhibits its second condition, then 6 recording unit 14 is selected for operation as the 7 transcription unit. Assuming that inquiry 156 is directed 8 to recording unit 12, and further assuming that unit 9 ¦ selector switch 42 exnibits its first condition, this 0 inquiry is answered in the affirmative. Accordingly, mode 11 ¦, display 25 is energized to indicate that recording unit 12 12 ¦; has been selected for operation as the transcription unit, 1 for example, the character "T" is displayed; the "in use"
14 indicator of operation display 24 is energized; and any ~5 i attempt to connect a dictate station to recording unit 12 is 16 met by a "busy~ signal which apprises the dictator that this 17 i recording unit is in use and cannot be accessed by him for 18 ` dictation. In addition, the indicator associated with unit ~9 j~ selector switch 90-1 at all of dictate stations 80 is 20 ` energized to provide a visual indication to each dictator 21 that this unit is "busy".
æ ! Thereafter, and as represented by instruction 160, a3 recording unit 12 is conditioned for transcription such that 24 the foot pedal (not shown) and headset 100 connected to 2~ dictation system 10 may be operated to transcribe dictation 26 that is recorded on the cassette included in recording unit 27 12.
28 The illustrated routine then is repeated, as 2g li represented by instruction 162, for recording unit 14. That 80 il is, inquiries 152 and 156 as well as instructions 158 and 81 ~ 160 are carried out to determine if a cassette is loaded ~2 !~ into recording unit 14, if this recording unit has been Il -31~

l~ 331-2260 ~ l3~
I

1 selected by unit selector switch 42 for a transcription 2 operation, and to provide a visual display of such a 3 selection, prevent a dictator from accessing this unit and 4 condition this unit for transcribing dictation that has been ~ recorded on the cassette therein.
fi Let it be assumed that inquiry 156 is answered in 7 the negative. That is, it is assumed that a cassette is 8 loaded into recording unit 12 (as an example, reference is 9 made to recording unit 12), but that unit selector switch 42 10 ~ does not exhibit its first condition. The unit selector 11 j; switch may exhibit either its second condition, whereby ~2 1 recording unit 14 is selected for use as a transcription ~3 i unit, or the selector switch may exhibit its third, or "off"
14 I condition, which selects neither recording unit for a transcription operation.
16 , If inquiry 156 is answered in the negative, inquiry next is made, at 164, to ascertain if the cassette 8 ' which has been loaded into recording unit 12 has been 19 erased. This inquiry is answered in the affirmative if ERASE switch 62 and REWIND switch 56 had been operated 21 ' simultaneously and the cassette of recording unit 12 had 22 been fully rewound (while being erased). It is recalled ~ I that such an erase operation cannot be carried out unless 24 unit selector switch 42 exhibits its first condition to 2~ permit basic operations (i. e. operations triggered ~y the 26 function control switches of dictation system 10) of 27 ~ recording unit 12. Thus, for inquiry 164 to be answered in 28 the affirmative, unit selector switch 42 would have had to 29 11 exhibit its first condition, the cassette loaded into recording unit 12 would had to have been erased and then the condition of the unit selector switch would had to have been 2 ~' changed from its first condition.

!

; -32-Il 331-~260 ~ 3~

1 A positive answer to inquiry 164 leads to inquiry 2 168 t~ ascertain if unit selector switch 42 exhibits its 8 third, or ~off" condition. It is appreciated that when 4 inquiry 168 is made, this unit selec~or switch may e~hibit ~ either its second or its third condition. If this inquiry 6 is answered in the affirmative, recording unit 12 is q conditioned for dictation and mode display 25 i5 energized 8 to provide a suitable visual indication, for example, the 9 character "D" is displayed. Recording unit 12 then may be 10 I connected to any dictate station to record dictation 11 1 therefrom. Thereafter, inquiry is made, at 174, to 12 1; determine if more than two recording units are included in ~3 ¦, the dictation system. For example, this inquiry is answered 14 Il in the affirmative in the event that the embodiment shown in 15 I FIG. 2 is present. However, assuming that the simple 2-unit 16 1 configuration shown in FIG. 1 is being utilized, inquiry 174 17 , is answered in the negative and, as represented by 18 1 instruction 162, the aforedescribed routine is repeated for 19 recording unit 14.
If the cassette loaded into recording unit 12 had 21 not been erased, but unit selector switch 42 exhibits its æ ~ second or third condition, inquiries 156 and 164 both are answered in the negative. Then, as represented by ' instruction 166, mode display 25 is energized to indicate 2~ I the ~off line" display. In addition, recording unit 12 is 26 ~ inhibited from being connected to dictate stations. An 27 ' attempt to access this recording unit is met by a ~busy"
28 , indication; and the visual indicator associated with unit 2g 1 selector switch 90-1 at each dictate station 80 is energized 80 ¦¦ to indicate that recording unit 12 is not accessible for 81 1' dictation. The routine then is repeated for recording unit 82 1 14, as represented by instruction 162.

I~ -33 " 331-2260 ~ 33~36~

1 If the cassette loaded into recording unit 12 had 2 been erased and if unit selector switch 42 had been changed 8 over from its first condition (to enable erasure of the 4 cassette) to its second condition, inquiry 156 is answered ~ in the negative, inquiry 164 is answered in the affirmative 6 and inquiry 168 is answered in the negative. Consequently, 7 and as represented by instruction 170, mode display 25 is 8 blanked. Moreover, recording unit 12 is not made available, 9 ' at this time, for access by a dictate station.
0 The foregoing routine then is repeated for ~1 1 recording unit 14.
12 Thus, it should be appreciated that both recording 13 ¦i units may be conditioned for dictation, or one may be ~4 ! conditioned for dictation while the other is conditioned for lS transcription. For example, after the cassette loaded into 16 recording unit 12 is erased, unit selector switch 42 may be 17 changed over to its second condition, resulting in inquiry 18 156 being answered in the negative, inquiry 164 being 9 answered in the affirmative and inquiry 168 being answered ~o in the negative. Then, when the illustrated routine is 2~ executed for recording unit 14, if the cassette loaded into 22 this recording unit is erased and then unit selector switch 23 42 is changed over to its third, or "off" condition, inquiry 24 156 is answered in the negative and inquiries 164 and 168 2$ ¦ both are answered in the affirmative. Subsequently, when 26 ¦ this routine is carried out once again for recording unit 27 12, inquiry 156 is answered in the negative and inquiries ~8 164 and 168 both are answered in the affirmative. As a 2g result, both recording unit 12 and recording unit 14 are 80 ll conditioned for dictation, as represented by instruction 81 I; 172, and both recording units may be accessed by res~ective 32 i dictate stations.
I;
.~

li 331-~260 ~ ~~3~
I
1 j When selecting or,e recording unit for dictation 2 ¦ and the other for transcription, ~he unit which is to 8 I operate as a dictation unit should be selected first. Then, 4 I once this unit is conditioned for dictation and mode display 6 25 is energized to indicate the character "D", as described 6 above, the other unit may be conditioned for transcription.
7 For example, if recording unit 12 is conditioned for 8 dictation, the character "D" remains displayed and the unit 9 ~ may be accessed by a dictate station until unit selector l` l ~0 ~ switch 42 is operated to its first condition. At that time, inquiry 156 is answered in the affirmative and the character 12 nT" is displayed by mode display 25.
18 The routine represented by the inquiries and 14 instructions extending between inquiry 152 and inquiry 174 comprises an initializing routine by which the respective 16 recording units 12 and 14 are initialized for operation as 17 dictation or transcription units. A similar initializing 18 routine is carried out for each recording unit included in, 9 for example, the 4-unit configuration shown in FIG. 2. Let it be assumed that three or more recording units (e. g. the 21 4-unit configuration shown in FIG. 2) are present in the æ dictation system. Let it be further assumed that one of ~3 these four recording units has been conditioned for 24 dictation in the manner described above. Inquiry 174 then ¦ is answered in the affirmative, and inquiry next is made, at 26 1 176, to ascertain if three of the recording units in the 27 system already had been conditioned for dictation. If this 28 inquiry is answered in the affirmative, the initializing 29 routine advances to instruction 192, whereupon the recording unit then being processed is designated the "spare~ unit.
81 Thus, all four recording units have been identified, and the ~2 microprocessor advances to another routine.

Il 331-~260 ~1 ~Z83866 1 However, if inquiry 176 is answered in the 2 negative, inquiry next is made, at 178, to determine if this 3 recording unit is the first uni~ in which the cassette has 4 been erased. If so, inquiry 178 is answered in the ~ affirmative and the initializing routine advances to 6 instruction 180 whereupon this recording unit is identified 7 as unit "1". Then, the initializing routine is repeated for 8 the next recording unit.
If inquiry 178 is answered in the negative, that 10 1` is, if the cassette in this recording unit is not the first 11 I to have been erased, inquiry next is made at 184 to ~ 1 determine if this cassette is the second cassette to be 13 erased. If so, the initializing routine advances to 14 1 instruction 186 and the recording unit in which this cassette is located is identified as unit "2". The 16 , foregoing initializing routine then is repeated.
7 If the cassette included in the recording unit 18 under examination is neither the first nor the second ~9 ' cassette to have been erased, inquiries 178 and 184 both are answered in the negative and inquiry is made, at 18B, to 21 ascertain if this cassette is the third cassette to have 22 been erased. If so, the initializing routine advances to k3 instruction 190 whereupon this recording unit is identified 24 ! as unit ~3n. The foregoing routine then is repeated for the 26 last of the recording units. However, if inquiry 188 is 26 answered in the negative, then this recording unit is 27 designated the ~spare" unit, as represented by instruction 28 192.
~9 ' Thus, it is seen that the identities of the respective recording units are designated in the same order 31 ,l (i. e. "1", "2", ~3~ and "sparen) as the cassettes therein 32 are erased. The order of erasure preferably is established Il .
-36~

Il 331-2260 .' 1 1 by the order in which a cassette is fully erased. F~r 2 example, the erasure of a cassette included in xecordins 8 unit 12 may be initiated before the erasure of a cassette 4 included in recording unit 14', but the cassette in 6 recording 14' may be rewound to its beginning prior to the 6 complete rewinding of the cassette included in recording 7 unit 12. As a result, the identity of recording unit 14' 8 may be designated with a higher order than the identity of 9 I recording unit 12. That is, recording unit 14' may be 10 ~ designated as unit n 1~ while recording unit 12 may be 11 I designated as unit n 2"; or recording unit 14' may be 12 , designated as unit "2" while recording unit 12 is designated 13 , as unit "3"; or recording unit 14' may be designated as unit 14 "3" while recording unit 12 may be designated as the "spare"
15 1 unit, 16 It will be appreciated that the identities which 17 '~ are established by the initializing routine shown in FIG. 4 ~8 Il are utilized by the routine illustrated in PIG. 3.
19 l~ While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to certain preferred 2~ embodiments, it will be appreciated that various changes and æ modifications may be made without departing from the spirit ~3 and scope of the invention. Some of these changes and 24 modifications have been mentioned above. Others will be 2~ apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. For ~6 example, in place of the illustrated dictate station 80, a 27 microphone having function control switches thereon, such as 28 illustrated in U. S. Patent No. 4,378,577, may be used.
29 Also, the record medium need not be limited solely to a cassette. Other record media, including the aforementioned solid-state digital storage devices, are contemplated.
82 !~ Also, the unit selector switch need not be limited solely to !~ ~31-2260 ~ 8~ 6 1 a 3-position switch, as represented by switch 42. A
2 respective selector switch associated with each recording 8 unit may be utilized, if desired, that selector switch 4 serving to select the recording unit for operation as a ~ dictation unit or as a transcription unit. It will be 6 recognized tha~ modifications in the f low diagrams 7 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 may be made in order to 8 accommodate and be compatible with changes that may be g ~l adopted for the dictation system. Furthermore, although not 10 ' illustrated in FIG. 4, the conditioning of recording unit 12 , or recording unit 14 for operation as a dictation or 12 1 transcription unit may, if desired, require the actuation of 13 CLEAR switch 64.
; It is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as including the foregoing as well as other 6 ' changes and modifications.

æ

21i X7 j' ~8 , 29 i, 81,

Claims (30)

1. A dictation system comprising:
at least three recording units, each operable in response to dictate control signals to record dictation transmitted thereto;
means for identifying each of said at least three recording units with a respective, particular identity:
at least one dictate station for providing dictated messages and dictate control signals;
switch means for connecting said at least one dictate station to a recording unit having a selected identity;
sense means for sensing when a predetermined amount of dictation has been recorded on one of said recording units; and change-over means responsive to said sense means for changing the identity of a preselected recording unit to be equal to the identity of said one recording unit, whereby said preselected recording unit thereafter is connected by said switch means to a dictate station as the recording unit having said selected identity.

2. The system of Claim 1 wherein said at least three recording units are identified as at least first, second and spare recording units; and wherein said change-over means changes the identity of said spare recording unit to said first or second recording unit dependent upon which of said first and second recording units has said predetermined amount of dictation recorded thereon.

3. The system of Claim 1 wherein four recording units are provided, said four recording units being identified as first, second, third and spare recording units; and wherein said change-over means changes the identity of said spare recording unit to said first or second or third recording unit, dependent upon which of said first, second and third recording units has said predetermined amount of dictation recorded thereon.

4. The system of Claim 1 further comprising detecting means for detecting continued dictation transmitted to said one recording unit after said predetermined amount of dictation has been recorded thereon;
conditioning means for conditioning said preselected recording unit for recording the continued dictation such that said one recording unit and said preselected recording unit record dictation simultaneously; and inhibit means for inhibiting a further recording operation of said one recording unit after a predetermined time period of simultaneous recording.

5. The system of Claim 4 further comprising means responsive to a disconnection of said dictate station from said one recording unit by said switch means prior to the expiration of said predetermined time period of simultaneous recording for operating said inhibit means to inhibit said one recording unit from subsequent recording.

6. The system of Claim 1 further comprising means responsive to a disconnection of said dictate station from said one recording unit after said predetermined amount of dictation has been recorded for conditioning said preselected unit for subsequent recording.

7. A dictate/transcribe system comprising:
at least first and second recording units, each being operable as a dictation unit or a transcription unit;
selector switch means for selecting one of said recording units to operate as a transcription unit and the other to operate as a dictation unit or to select both recording units to operate as dictation units;
medium sense means for sensing the presence of a record medium ready for recording in the respective recording units;
dictate enabling means for enabling a recording unit to record dictation if a record medium ready for recording is present therein and that recording unit has been selected for operation as a dictation unit;
transcribe enabling means for enabling a recording unit to transcribe dictation if a record medium is present therein and that recording unit has been selected for operation as a transcription unit; and inhibit means for inhibiting a recording unit from recording or transcribing dictation if a record medium is present therein but is not ready for recording and that recording unit has not been selected for operation as a transcription unit.

8. The system of Claim 7 wherein said selector switch means includes a first condition for selecting said first recording unit to operate as a transcription unit, a second condition for selecting said second recording unit to operate as a transcription unit, and a third condition for selecting whichever recording unit has a record medium ready for recording to operate as a dictation unit.

9. The system of Claim 8 further comprising erase means for erasing information from a record medium present in the recording unit selected by said selector switch means, and erase switch means for triggering said erase means and thereby make said record medium in said selected recording unit ready for recording.

10. The system of Claim 9 comprised of four recording units; and further comprising means for detecting when three of said recording units are enabled to record dictation, said selector switch means being additionally operative for selecting the third or fourth recording units to operate as a transcription unit; and means responsive to said erase means when said selector switch means selects said third or fourth recording unit for enabling that recording unit to operate as a dictation unit.

11. The system of Claim 10 further comprising identifying means for identifying the numerical order in which information is erased from the record media present in respective recording units and for designating corresponding identities of said recording units.

12. A dictation system, comprising:
at least three recording units, each being operable to record dictation on a record medium therein;
initializing switch means operable to bring the record medium in a selected recording unit to an initial condition for subsequent recording;
selector switch means for selecting a respective recording unit for initializing, the record medium therein;
identifying means for detecting the order in which the record media at said recording units are initialized and for designating said recording units with respective, particular identities;
sense means for sensing when a predetermined amount of dictation has been recorded on one of said at least three recording units; and change-over means responsive to said sense means for changing the identity of a preselected recording unit to be equal to the identity of said one recording unit, whereby the changed over recording unit is operable to record dictation destined for recording on a recording unit having the identity of said one recording unit.

13. The system of Claim 12 comprising four recording units arranged in two pairs; wherein said selector switch means comprises two selector switches, each connected to a respective pair of recording units and each having first and second conditions to select first and second recording units, respectively, in said respective pair; and wherein said initializing switch means comprises initializing switch devices, each connected to a respective pair of recording units and each being operable to initialize the recording medium in the recording unit of the respective pair that has been selected by the selector switch connected to that pair.

14. The system of Claim 13 wherein each said initializing switch device comprises erase switch means operable to erase information from the record medium in the recording unit selected by the respective selector switch.

15. The system of Claim 13 wherein each said selector switch additionally has a third condition; and wherein said identifying means comprises means responsive to a change in the condition of a respective selector switch from the first or second condition thereof to said third condition for designating the first or second recording unit, respectively, in a pair with a particular identity depending upon the order in which the respective selector switches are operated.

16. A method of controlling the connections of respective ones of plural recording units to dictate stations in a dictation system, some of said recording units being designated with predetermined identities and at least one recording unit being designated a spare unit, said method comprising the steps of:
sensing when a predetermined amount of dictation has been recorded by a recording unit which is connected to a dictate station;
designating the spare recording unit with the same particular identity as that of the connected recording unit;
and connecting the recording unit with the newly designated identity to a dictate station in place of said connected recording unit when a connection is to be made from a dictate station to a recording unit having said particular identity.

17. The method of Claim 16 in which said spare recording unit is designated with said particular identity when said dictate station is disconnected from said recording unit on which said predetermined amount of dictation has been recorded.

18. The method of Claim 16 in which both said spare recording unit and said connected recording unit having said particular identity are operated simultaneously to record dictation; and said connected recording unit having said particular identity is rendered inoperative to record further dictation after said dictate station is disconnected therefrom.

19. The method of Claim 18 wherein said connected recording unit having said particular identity is disconnected from said dictate station a predetermined time after it and said spare recording unit are operated simultaneously to record dictation.

20. The method of Claim 19 wherein said spare recording unit having the newly designated identity continues to record dictation from said dictate station until said dictate station is disconnected therefrom.

21. The method of Claim 16 wherein the identities of the recording units are designated by initializing each unit for the recording of dictation, detecting the order in which the recording units are initialized, and designating the recording units with respective identities in accordance with the order in which they are initialized.

22. The method of Claim 21 wherein said recording unit records dictation on a record medium, and each recording unit is initialized by erasing previously recorded dictation from the record medium therein.

23. A method of controlling recording on and transcription from at least two recording units in a dictation system, comprising the steps of:
selecting one of said two recording units for a transcription operation;
sensing which of said recording units has been selected for a transcription operation;
inhibiting the recording unit selected for a transcription operation from recording dictation;
detecting if the other of said recording units has been conditioned for a recording dictation; and enabling said other recording unit to record dictation if said other recording unit is conditioned therefor.

24. The method of Claim 23 wherein a recording unit is conditioned for recording dictation if previously recorded dictation has been erased therefrom.

25. The method of Claim 24 wherein said dictation system includes at least one selector switch having two conditions to select one or the other recording unit, respectively, for a transcription operation and a third condition; and wherein previously recorded dictation is erased from the recording unit selected by said selector switch.

26. The method of Claim 25 wherein said one recording unit is enabled to record dictation if previously recorded dictation is erased therefrom and said selector switch is changed over from said first condition to said third condition; and said other recording unit is enabled to record dictation if previously recorded dictation is erased therefrom and said selector switch is changed over from said second condition to said third condition.

27. The method of Claim 26 further comprising the step of detecting the condition of said selector switch.

28. The method of Claim 27 further comprising the step of displaying which recording unit is enabled to record dictation and which recording unit is selected for a transcription operation.

29. The method of Claim 27 further comprising the step of displaying that a recording unit is in use either when that unit has been selected for a transcription operation or when dictation is being recorded thereon.

30. The method of Claim 27 further comprising the steps of connecting a dictate station in said dictation system to a recording unit that is enabled to record dictation; and inhibiting a dictate station from being connected to a recording unit that is not enabled to record dictation.