DE2254023A1 - AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE ANSWERING DEVICE - Google Patents

Description

Automatic telephone answering device.

The invention relates, to ^{Fig. 7,} to automatic telephone answering apparatus and, more particularly, to apparatus which is automatically responsive to record the time at which a caller's message is recorded.

Common automatic telephone answering devices play a reply message to the caller and only record his message, however, they cannot record the time when the caller's message is recorded. It is the result of Al3 when using such devices For example, warehouses or the like. It is not clear at what time orders were received are, in the case in which the delivery time of the requested items depending on the time the order is placed is specified. This can lead to unnecessary difficulties with the Customers. On the other hand, if a caller hears the reply message but is speaking directly to the person wants to speak, he can leave the message that he'll call back in a few hours.

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However, since the subscriber does not know the time at which the caller left his message it is not possible for him to know when the caller will next call. The two described Cases represent disadvantages of the known devices.

The present invention aims to remedy the above mentioned drawbacks of conventional automatic telephone answering devices, and to provide a novel and improved apparatus of this type.

It is thus a purpose of the invention to provide an automatic To provide telephone answering apparatus in which the time is known at which a message has been recorded by a caller.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide an automatic telephone answering device in which the time of a caller's message can be recorded without the To extend the total working time unnecessarily and without impairing the speaking time in any way.

Yet another purpose of the invention is to provide an automatic telephone answering device in which the recording tape can be effectively used to save the time of recording the message.

According to a feature of the invention, an automatic telephone answering device is provided which has a starting device which responds to a call signal, a time control device which is started by the starting device to determine a total working time, a playback device operated by the starting device for playing back a response message for a caller that previously

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has been recorded on a response tape, first recording means for recording a caller's message on a recording tape after the reply message has finished playing, and a second recording device for recording the time on the recording tape during the operation of the first recording device having. .

The stated purposes as well as further purposes, features and advantages of the invention are evident from the The following description emerges in which the invention with reference to the drawing -: - for example explained is.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an automatic telephone answering device according to the invention.

Figs. 2 to 4 show embodiments of the device according to the invention.

If in the embodiment according to FIG a call signal arrives at the connection terminal 11 to the telephone circuit, it is from a Rectification circuit 12 via a contact y11 of a relay Y1 and coupling capacitors C1 and C2 rectified and introduced into a timing control circuit 13. After three to ten seconds from the point in time from at which the call signal arrived, the relay Y1 is operated, so that it is the relevant Contacts ■ switched in such a way that they are latched State. ·

The contact yii connects by a switching process the telephone circuit with the primary winding of a transformer 14. A motor circuit is made by a Contact y12 is closed and an electric motor M1 becomes started, whereby a response tape T1 is set in motion to which a reply message was previously

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has been drawn. Then, the reply message previously recorded on the reply tape T1 becomes a Magnetic head H1 reproduced and amplified by an amplifier 15. The amplified reply message will via a relay contact y21, the transformer 14, the relay contact y11 and the connection terminal 11 of the telephone circuit to the caller.

When the endless response tape T1 has generally made one revolution, an electrically conductive foil 18 provided on the tape short-circuits an electrode 19. Since a relay contact y13 is closed while the relay Y1 is operated, when the electrode 19 is short-circuited, an electric current flows through a relay YZ, the relay contact y13 and the electrode 19, so that the relay Y2 is operated to be switches its relevant contacts. The relay Y2 is then in the latched state as a result of the closing of a contact y23 and remains in its working state.

The secondary winding of the transformer 14 is connected to an amplifier 16 by switching the relay contact y21. A power supply source 20 is switched from the motor M1 to a motor M2 by switching a relay contact y22. Therefore, the rotation of the motor M1 is stopped and the motor M2 starts. Even if the power is off to the motor M1, the response tape T1 according to a short time running of the rotating operation of the flywheel of the capstan roller of the tape drive mechanism further, namely to the time at which the electrically conductive film passes 18 through the electrode and to the Magnetic head H1 passes, after which it comes to a standstill.

When the motor M2 is started by the operation of the relay Y2, the recording tape begins to T2

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Record the caller's message to run. The message from the caller coming through the connection port 11 of the telephone circuit, the relay contact y11, the transformer 14 and the Relay contact y21 is running, is amplified by the amplifier 16 and by a magnetic head H2 on a Recording tape T2 recorded.

An unillustrated contact y23 of a magnetic head scanner 21 is made by working of relay Y2 actuated so that it is started. When a magnetic head H4 against the recording part 22A of a voice clock 22 is pressed, it moves in the direction indicated by an arrow 23 direction indicated. In the recording section, time information is previously given on the relevant rotary drums recorded, for example "3 o'clock" on a rotating drum 221, "O" on rotary drum 222, and "9 minutes" on rotary drum 223. Therefore, the conversation recorded in this way is played back in the order of the rotary drum 221, 222 and 223, when the magnetic head H4 is scanned, the reproduced conversation is from the amplifier 16 and recorded by the magnetic head H2 on a second track t22 of the recording tape T2.

The caller's message is then recorded, and when the predetermined time from the timing circuit has passed, the relay becomes Y1 reset so that the relevant contacts are reset. Therefore the relay Y2 is also through the resetting of the relay contact y13 is reset, so that the relevant contacts are reset. The device is now in the waiting state again. The recording tape T2 can be used without being used a first and a second track are used,

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but in this case with a track to record the message and the time, where, for example the time record is raised one octave so that the time record and the message record are easy to distinguish.

Various embodiments of the conversation timer are described in detail below.

The talk timer (voice clock) according to FIGS. 2 and 3 indicates the time by rotating a display plate 26 with which an engaging rod 21 is engaged in response to the rotation of rotary drums 251, 252, 253 rotatably mounting the display plates 26 to display the time, hour and minutes on the outer periphery of the rotary drum 251, 252 and 253, as shown in FIG. A recording part 28 is disposed on the outer periphery of the rotary drums 25 "» 252 and 253 so that the recording part 28 is scanned by a magnetic head H5, with the result that the recorded time is reproduced.

The talk timer of Fig. H has a construction in which a display part 30 for displaying the time on turntables 291, 292 and 293 and a recording part 51 for recording the time are provided. Then, the recorded time is reproduced by scanning the recording part 31 with a magnetic head H6.

From the above description it is understood that the time is recorded in the automatic telephone answering apparatus, so that the disadvantages of conventional devices are eliminated. It is also to be understood that since the time is recorded during the playback of the reply message, the efficiency of the reply process is good

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and the talk time is not impaired, so that the call costs ^ are not unnecessarily increased. Further, to understand the message and the time daßjda simultaneously on a first and a second track of the same track recording tape de _v s are aufgezeiclrinet, no ribbon is wasted, so that the tape is effectively utilized.

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Claims (1)

Patent claims e Automatic telephone answering device with a starter device based on a call log responds, a, time control device, which is started by the starting device and determines a total working time, and one of the starting device actuated playback device for playing back a response message for the Caller previously recorded on an answer tape, characterized by a first record means for recording a caller's message on a recording tape after completion the playback of the response message and a second recording device for recording the time on the recording tape while the first recording means is operating. 2, device according to claim 1, characterized in that the recording tape is a first and a second track for recording the time and message. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the recording tape has a track to record the time and message by delaying or raising it by an octave. BATH ORIGINAL 309820/0688 Blank page '