Electronic reminder system

Abstract

An electronic reminder system is described for recording a plurality of different spoken messages on a record medium, which messages are to be played-back at a specific point-of-time for each message. The system comprises a microphone for recording the spoken messages, a keyboard for inputting data representing the specified point-of-time at which the respective spoken message is to be play-back, a real-time clock for measuring time in a real-time manner and for producing an output corresponding to such real-time measurement, control means controlled by the clock for signaling automatically the arrival of each specified point-of-time at which a recorded spoken message is to be played back, and a speaker for effecting the play-back of the spoken message.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic reminder system, comprising: means for receiving a record medium on which a plurality of different spoken messages are each to be recorded and to be played-back at a specified day, hour and minute point-of-time for each message; a microphone for recording the spoken messages; manual time selector means for inputting the specified day, hour and minute point-of-time at which the respective spoken message is to be played-back; a real-time clock for measuring time in a real-time manner and for producing an output corresponding to such real-time measurement; control means controlled by the output of said clock for signaling automatically the arrival of each specified point-of-time at which a recorded spoken message is to be played-back; play-back means including a speaker for effecting the play-back of such spoken messages; and a "Play" key for effecting the play-back of the respective recorded message after its specified point-of-time has arrived. 
     
     
       2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said manual time selector means comprises a keyboard including plurality of depressible keys for inputting the specified point-of-time; an "In" key effective, when depressed, to enable the recording medium to record a spoken message at a section thereof identified by the inputted point-of-time; and an "Out" key effective, when depressed, to enable the record medium to play-back a spoken message from a section thereof identified by the inputted point-of-time. 
     
     
       3. A system according to claim 1, further including a selector switch presettable to an Automatic Mode for automatically signalling the arrival of each specified point-of-time at which a recorded message is to be played back, and for automatically effecting the play back of the respective recorded message upon the arrival of its specified point-of-time; or to a Manual Mode for automatically signalling the arrival of each such specified point-of-time and for enabling the play-back of the respective recorded message; said system further including a manipulatable element which, when manipulated while the selector switch is preset in the Manual Mode, effects the play-back of the respective recorded message after its specified point-of-time has arrived. 
     
     
       4. A system according to claim 1, further including a display unit for displaying the real-time as measured by the clock, said control means including means effective, upon the inputting of a specified point-of-time, to display said latter time instead of the real-time measurement. 
     
     
       5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said record medium includes a message track divided into a plurality of addressable recording sections each for magnetically recording one of said messages. 
     
     
       6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said control means comprises a memory having a stored location for each of said addressable recording sections of the message track; means for storing each inputted point-of-time in the storage location of the memory corresponding to the addressable recording section in which the respective message is to be recorded; comparing means for periodically comparing the output of the real-time clock with the specified point-of-time stored in said memory for determining the arrived of each specified point-of-time at which a recorded message is to be played-back; a signal device actuated by said comparing means for signalling the arrival of a specified point-of-time at which a recorded message is to be played back; and drive means for driving the record medium to the addressable recording section on which is recorded the message corresponding to the arrival specified point-of-time. 
     
     
       7. A system according to claim 6, wherein said comparing means comprises a comparator; means for introducing the output of the real-time clock into the comparator; and a general scan circuit periodically initiated by the clock to effect a general scan operation wherein all said memory locations are scanned and their stored points-of-time contents are sequentially introduced into the comparator for comparison with the real-time clock output; said control means further including a flagging circuit for flagging those memory storage locations which correspond to the real-time clock output. 
     
     
       8. A system according to claim 6, further including an "Out" control member manipulatable by the user for introducing into the comparator an inputted specified point-of-time, rather than the output of the real-time clock, for comparison with the points-of-time stored in the memory storage locations, said flagging circuit being effective to flag those memory storage locations which correspond to the inputted specified point-of time. 
     
     
       9. A system according to claim 7, wherein said control means further includes a flag-search circuit operated at the end of each operation of the general scan circuit for searching the flagged memory storage location; and an arithmetic logic unit effective, when a flagged memory storage location is found, to control the record medium drive means to advance the record medium to the addressable recording section of the message track corresponding to the flagged memory storage location. 
     
     
       10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said general scan circuit comprises an address counter periodically initiated by the real-time clock for scanning all said storage locations of the memory, said flag-search circuit including means for holding the address counter at the address corresponding to a flagged memory storage location until the arithmetic logic unit controls the drive means to advance the record medium to the recording track section corresponding to the flagged memory storage location. 
     
     
       11. A system according to claim 9, wherein said record medium further includes a Mark Track for recording signals marking each of said addressable recording sections of the message track, said control means further including an up-down counter stepped by said mark track signals to thereby produce a continuous indication of the addressable recording section in recording-play-back position, said arithmetic logic unit being effective to compare the flagged memory storage location with the address in the up-down counter to control the drive means to advance the record medium to the recording section of the message track corresponding to the flagged memory storage location. 
     
     
       12. A system according to claim 11, wherein said control means further includes a circuit effective, upon the completion of the play-back of all the recorded messages corresponding to a specified point-of-time, to perform an empty-recording-section search wherein an empty storage location of the memory is searched, the address counter is held at the address thereof, and the arithmetic logic unit is enabled to control the drive means to advance the record medium to the recording section corresponding to the address of the empty storage location. 
     
     
       13. A system according to claim 12, further including an "In" Control member which, when manipulated, also initiates said empty-recording-section search. 
     
     
       14. A system according to claim 1, wherein said record medium is a magnetic recording tape.