Patent EP-0092083-B1 (EP)
Title: Electronic message sender for transmitting and/or recording messages on a telephone line
IPC: H04M1/65
Filed: 1983-03-31
Granted: 1987-02-04
Abstract: 1. An electronic message transmitter for transmitting and/or recording messages in the form of analogous electronic signals through a telephone line, in which message transmitter the messages are adapted to be stored in digital form in a text data storage assembly (2) and the read-in/read-out of the message data is performed by a control unit (1) containing a microprocessor, and in which, between the input/output for message data and the text data storage assembly (2), an analog/digital-digital/analog converter  (4) as well as a serial/parallel-parallel/serial converter (5) are arranged, said electronic message transmitter comprising an interval detecting assembly (7) for detecting an interval in the message to be recorded, and further comprising an assembly (6, 8) by means of which, upon the recording of the message, the length of the interval is determined stored an then, upon transmission of the message, an interval of the length as stored, is inserted in the at the corresponding location, characterized in that the text data storage assembly (2) is composed of set-value memories at least part of which are formed by electrically programmable and resettable set-value memories (EEPROM), that the intervaldetecting assembly (9) detects, in the digital data of a message to be recorded or transmitted, the beginning or the end of an interval, and that an interval length counter (6) is provided which, upon the recording of a message, is started in forward direction by an interval-commencing signal and is stopped by an end-of-interval signal whereby, in the text data storage assembly (2), the beginning of the interval is stored and thereafter during the forward motion of the counter (6), the reading of data is interrupted and, at the end of the forward motion, a signal characterizing the counted length of the interval, is emitted and stored by the interval length counter (6) and, during transmission of the message, the interval length counter (6) is preadjusted by the signals for the beginning and the length of the interval, to a value corresponding to the stored length of the interval, and is driven in reverse direction whereby, during reverse motion of the interval length counter (6), the read-out of data arriving from the text data storage assembly (2) is interrupted and the interval length counter (6) selects an assembly (8) for generating digital interval signals which are transmitted to the parallel/serial converter, and whereby, at the end of the reverse motion, an end-of-interval signal is emitted, and that the current supply to the message transmitter is established through the telephone line, whereby a device (10) comprising a pulse stage (Ü-T1) connected to the telephone line and selected by the control unit (1), serves for generating programming and/or reset voltages for the programmable and resettable set-value memories (EEPROM), said pulse stage (U-T1) generating out of the electirc energy supplied through the telephone line programming and/or reset pulses in the form of separate pulses of predetermined length of time.