Abstract:
A telephone message exporting system for permitting exporting of collected messages to printed form or electronic form for later review by a user includes an answering machine having multiple telephone and answering machine features coordinated by a central processing unit. Programming converts digital messages into a printable form. A printer is provided to permit selective printouts of the messages left.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/447,814, filed Feb. 14, 2003. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to telephone answering machines and more particularly pertains to a new telephone message exporting system for permitting exporting of collected messages to printed form or electronic form for later review by a user. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   The use of telephone answering machines is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,783 issued to Assis on Aug. 26, 1997 describes a connection of several separate devices including a computer to digitize and display or print messages. Another type of communications machine is U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,901 issued to Adler et al. on Jan. 29, 2002 describes a networked parasitic user interface terminal to display information obtained through a communications link with a remote processor. U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,940 issued to Ratz on Oct. 30, 2001 discloses another networked phone system hard-wiring multiple telephones to a computer. 
   While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a single device that works in a self-contained manner to produce written messages translated from incoming telephonic messages as desired by a user. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally comprises an answering machine having multiple phone and answering machine features coordinated by a central processing unit. Programming converts digital messages into a printable form. A printer is provided to permit selective printouts of the messages left. 
   There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
   The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a new telephone message exporting system according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 3  thereof, a new telephone message exporting system embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
   As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the telephone message exporting system  10  generally comprises a telephone answering machine  20  having a main housing  22 . A central processor  24  is positioned in the main housing  22 . An outgoing message storage assembly  26  is positioned in the main housing  22  for storing an outgoing message to be played when the answering machine  20  responds to an incoming call. The outgoing message storage assembly  26  is operationally coupled to the central processor  24 . An incoming message storage assembly  28  is positioned in the main housing  22  and operationally coupled to the central processor  24  for storing an incoming message from a caller as a stored audio message. A written translation program  30  is operationally coupled to the central processor  22  and the incoming message storage assembly  28  for translating the stored audio message into a written message. A printer  32  is positioned in the main housing  22  and operationally coupled to the central processor  24  for printing out the written message. 
   A user input means  34  is operationally coupled to the central processor  24  for controlling operational functions of the central processor  24 . In an embodiment, the user input means comprises a plurality of operational keys  36  or buttons. Alternately, dials or word recognition software may be used to permit a user to input information to the central processor to perform the various functions of the invention as desired by the user. These functions include the ability to program the central processor  22  to cause automatic deletion of the stored audio message from the incoming message storage assembly upon printing of the written message translated from the stored audio message. 
   In an embodiment, a memo storage assembly  40  is operationally coupled to the central processor  22  for storing audio memoranda as a stored audio memo. In this embodiment, the written translation program  30  is operationally coupled to the central processor  22  and the memo storage assembly  40  for translating the stored audio memo into a written memo. The stored incoming messages may also be translated to writing in this embodiment as desired by the user. 
   Preferably, the collected messages and memos can be reviewed aurally and then selectively deleted or saved in the same fashion as currently existing answering machine systems. Printing of messages can be achieved for saved messages or current messages collected. 
   In an embodiment, an electronic form translation program  44  is operationally coupled to the central processor  22  and the incoming message storage assembly  28  for translating the stored audio message into an electronic data file for exporting to an electronic device. A data transfer port  46  is operationally coupled to the central processor  22  for facilitating exporting the electronic data file. The data transfer port  46  may be an infra-red data transfer port or a networking port for hard-wiring a connection to the invention. 
   Preferably, a paper supply  48  is coupled directly to or positioned substantially within the main housing  22  to provide paper to the printer of the invention. The paper supply  48  may employ a roll of paper or an input tray supplied with sheets of paper. 
   The telephone answering machine may further incorporate a telephone headset, cordless handset, speed dialing, speakerphone, multiple line features, dialing from memory, telephone charging capability, and other such features currently known and incorporated into telephones. 
   Except where they are mutually exclusive, the features described above may be combined in various combinations to form additional embodiments of the invention. 
   In use, the answering machine is connected to a telephone line to receive incoming messages. The messages are stored digitally in a form that is selectively output to the user in aural or written form depending on the preference of the user. 
   With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
   Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.