Automated announcement system - Patent Review 5541981

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An automated announcement system for playing messages, comprising:

storage means for storing a plurality of messages and at least one schedule for playing said messages;

input means for inputting said messages and said schedule to said storage means;

an output device for playing selected ones of said messages; and

programmable control means coupled to said storage means, said input means and said output device for receiving said messages and said schedule from said input means, for storing said messages and said schedule in said storage means, and for selecting individual ones of said messages for playing by said output device in accordance with said schedule, said programmable control device being operable to play said messages other than in accordance with said schedule in order to maintain a predetermined minimum interval between messages played by said output device.

2. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said schedule comprises a desired play frequency for each of said messages beginning at a desired start time, said play frequency and start time being independently selectable for each of said messages.

3. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said programmable control means is operable to temporarily inhibit the playing of messages by said output device in order to maintain said predetermined minimum interval.

4. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of said predetermined minimum interval is selectively variable.

5. An announcement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said output device is an audio device.

6. An announcement system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said output device is a display device.

7. A method for playing messages, comprising the steps of:

inputting and storing first and second messages;

inputting and storing a schedule for playing said first and second messages;

playing said first message in accordance with said schedule;

in the event that said schedule requires said second message to be played within a predetermined minimum interval following the playing of said first message, inhibiting the playing of said second message; and

in the event that said schedule does not require said second message to be played until said predetermined minimum interval has expired, playing said second message.

8. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one of said playing steps comprises the step of playing said message on an audio output device.

9. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 7, where said one of said playing steps comprises the step of displaying said message on a display device.

10. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 7, where said inhibiting of the playing of said second message is effective only for the duration of said predetermined minimum interval, said second message being made available for playing following the expiration of said interval.

11. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 7, wherein said schedule comprises a desired play frequency for each of said first and second messages beginning at a desired start time, said play frequency and start time being independently selected for each of said first and second messages.

12. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the step of varying the length of said predetermined minimum interval.

13. An automated announcement system for playing messages, comprising:

storage means for storing a plurality of messages and at least one schedule for playing said messages;

input means for inputting said messages and said schedule to said storage means;

an output device for playing selected ones of said messages; and

programmable control means coupled to said storage means, said input means and said output device for selecting individual ones of said messages for playing by said output device in accordance with said schedule, said programmable control means being operable to establish a priority between conflicting messages scheduled to be played at the same time and to selectively play or inhibit the playing of said conflicting messages in accordance with said priority.

14. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said programmable control means establishes said priority based on the number of times each of said conflicting messages has already been played.

15. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least one of said messages is designated a priority message and is played before another one of said messages when scheduled play times for said messages conflict.

16. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 13, wherein said programmable control means establishes said priority based on relative deficits in the number of times each of said conflicting messages has already been played as compared with the number of times each of said conflicting messages would have been played in the absence of other conflicting messages.

17. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said schedule includes a desired play frequency for each of said messages and a desired minimum interval between messages played by said output device.

18. A method for playing messages, comprising the steps of:

inputting and storing a plurality of messages;

inputting and storing a schedule for playing said messages;

periodically reviewing said schedule to determine whether one or more messages are to be played;

in the event that said schedule requires only one message to be played, playing said message; and

in the event that said schedule requires more than one message to be played, establishing a priority between or among conflicting messages and selectively playing or inhibiting the playing of said conflicting messages in accordance with said priority.

19. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 18, wherein the step of establishing a priority between or among conflicting messages includes the steps of:

determining the number of times each of said conflicting messages has already been played; and

establishing said priority based on said determination.

20. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 18, wherein the step of establishing a priority between or among conflicting messages includes the steps of:

determining the number of times each of said conflicting messages has already been played;

determining the number of times each of said conflicting messages would have been played in the absence of other conflicting messages; and

establishing said priority based on relative deficits in the number of times each of said conflicting has already been played as compared with the number of times each of said conflicting messages would have been played in the absence of other conflicting messages.

21. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 20, wherein said relative deficits are computed as ratios between the number of times each of said conflicting messages has already been played and the number of times each of said conflicting messages would have been played in the absence of other conflicting messages, and wherein the step of establishing said priority based on said relative deficits comprises the steps of comparing said ratios and selecting for playing the one of said conflicting messages having the lowest ratio.

22. An automated announcement system for playing messages, comprising:

storage means for storing a plurality of messages and volume level data relating to said messages;

input means for inputting said messages and said volume level data to said storage means;

an output device for playing said messages at a controllable volume level; and

programmable control means coupled to said storage means and said output device for selecting said messages for playing by said output device and for controlling said volume level in accordance with said volume level data.

23. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 22, wherein at least a portion of said storage means comprises a magnetic storage device for storing said messages in digital form.

24. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said volume level data is the same for all messages stored in said storage means.

25. A method for playing a message, comprising the steps of:

inputting and storing a message;

inputting and storing volume level data relating to said message;

retrieving said stored message;

retrieving said stored volume level data; and

playing said message at a volume level determined by said retrieved volume level data.

26. A method for playing a message, comprising the steps of:

storing a message;

storing volume level data relating to said message;

retrieving said stored message;

retrieving said stored volume level data;

playing said message at a volume level determined by said retrieved volume level data; and

modifying said stored volume level data.

27. A method for playing a message as claimed in claim 26, wherein said modifying step comprises the steps of modifying said stored volume level data in accordance with a group of parameters comprising the day and the time of day, and changing said volume level in accordance with said modified volume level data.

28. A method for playing a message as claimed in claim 26, wherein said modifying step comprises the steps of determining the approximate number of people for whom said message is being played, modifying said stored volume level data in accordance with said number of people, and changing said volume level in accordance with said modified volume level data.

29. A method for playing a message as claimed in claim 26, wherein said modifying step comprises the steps of determining an approximate ambient noise level in the area within which said message is played, modifying said stored volume level data in accordance with said ambient noise level, and changing said volume level in accordance with said modified volume level data.

30. A method for playing as claimed in claim 25, further comprising the steps of inputting, storing and retrieving an additional message and playing said additional message at the same volume level determined by said stored volume level data.

31. An automated announcement system for playing messages, comprising:

storage means for storing a plurality of messages and desired scheduling parameters for playing said messages, said scheduling parameters including a plurality of first scheduling parameters which are respectively applicable to individual ones of said messages and a second scheduling parameter which is applicable to all of said messages;

an output device for playing selected ones of said messages; and

programmable control means coupled to said storage means and to said output device for selecting individual ones of said messages for playing by said output device in accordance with said first and second scheduling parameters.

32. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 31, wherein at least one of said first scheduling parameters is selected from the group consisting of a daily start time, a daily stop time, an announcement repeat interval, and a weekly schedule.

33. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 31, wherein said second scheduling parameter is selected from the group consisting of a required minimum interval between messages played, a maximum daily number of messages played, a day of the week for deleting messages played on a weekly schedule, and a maximum allowable duration for each message.

34. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 31, further comprising an input device coupled to said programmable control means for inputting said first and second groups of scheduling parameters for storage in said storage means.

35. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 34, wherein said input device comprises a telephone set, said telephone set also being operable to allow messages to be input for storage in said storage means.

36. A method for playing messages, comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of messages;

storing a plurality of first scheduling parameters which are respectively applicable to individual ones of said messages;

storing a second scheduling parameter which is applicable to all of said messages; and

playing said messages in accordance with said first and second scheduling parameters.

37. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 36, wherein at least one of said first scheduling parameters is selected from the group consisting of a daily start time, a daily stop time, an announcement repeat interval, and a weekly schedule.

38. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 36, wherein said second scheduling parameter is selected from the group consisting of a required minimum interval between messages played, a maximum daily number of messages played, a day of the week for deleting messages played on a weekly schedule, and a maximum allowable duration for each message.

39. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 36, further comprising the step of modifying at least one of said first and said second scheduling parameters.

40. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 36, further comprising the step of recording a message for storage using a telephone set.

41. An automated announcement system for playing messages, comprising:

a storage device for storing a plurality of messages;

an output device for playing selected ones of said messages;

a programmable control device coupled to said storage device and to said output device for selecting individual ones of said messages for playing by said output device; and

an input device coupled to said programmable control device for programming said control device using control commands and passwords;

wherein said programmable control device is responsive to at least first and second different control commands and to at least first and second different passwords, said first control command being recognized by said control device only after said first password has been entered using said input device and said second control command being recognized by said control device only after said second password has been entered using said input device.

42. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 41, wherein said first control command is selected from the group consisting of recording a message, reviewing an existing message, deleting an existing message, changing a message play schedule, and changing a message play frequency.

43. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 42, wherein said second control command is selected from the group consisting of recording a perpetual or priority message, reviewing a perpetual or priority message, deleting a perpetual or priority message, and supplying system initialization data.

44. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 41, wherein said second control command in recognized by said control device only after both of said first and second passwords have been entered using said input device.

45. An automated announcement system as claimed in claim 44, wherein said first control command is a general system function and said second control command is a reserved management function.

46. A method for playing messages, comprising the steps of:

recording and storing a plurality of messages;

inputting a first password and a first control command enabled by said first password;

inputting a second password and a second control command enabled by said second password but not by said first password, said second password being different from said first password and said second control command being different from said first control command; and

playing selected ones of said messages in accordance with said first and second control commands.

47. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 46, wherein said first control command is selected from the group consisting of recording a message, reviewing an existing message, deleting an existing message, changing a message play schedule, and changing a message play frequency.

48. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 47, wherein said second control command is selected from the group consisting of recording a perpetual or priority message, reviewing a perpetual or priority message, deleting a perpetual or priority message, and supplying system initialization data.

49. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 46, wherein said second control command is recognized only after both of said first and second passwords have been input.

50. A method for playing messages as claimed in claim 49, wherein said first control command is a general system function and said second control command is a reserved management function.

51. An announcement system for playing messages, comprising:

a storage device for storing a plurality of messages;

an output device for playing selected ones of said messages;

a control device coupled to said storage device and to said output device for selecting individual ones of said messages for playing by said output device;

a microphone coupled to said output device for allowing a live announcement to be made using said output device; and

an interface circuit connected between said microphone and said control device for inhibiting the playing of a message when said microphone is in use.

52. An announcement system as claimed in claim 51, wherein said interface circuit comprises a current sensing circuit for sensing the current flowing between said microphone and said output device.

53. An announcement system as claimed in claim 52, wherein said current sensing circuit comprises an opto-isolator.

54. A method for playing a message through an output device having a microphone for making live announcements, comprising the steps of:

storing a message;

playing said message in accordance with a predetermined schedule;

detecting when said microphone is in use; and

inhibiting the playing of said message when said microphone is in use.

55. A method for playing a message as claimed in claim 54, wherein the step of detecting when said microphone is in use is carried out by detecting the current flowing between the microphone and the output device.

56. A method for playing a recorded audio message as claimed in claim 54, further comprising the step of resetting said schedule for said inhibited audio message.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various types of programmable announcement and reminder systems have been developed to play recorded audio messages at scheduled times or on scheduled dates. Examples include store announcement systems which use recorded announcements to inform customers of special sale events and other promotions (in some cases by interrupting background music that is normally played over store loudspeakers), and personal reminder systems which play recorded messages to remind the user of important dates or obligations. Generally, these systems utilize magnetic tape as the storage medium for the recorded messages, together with some type of memory or addressing system for advancing the tape to the proper position when a desired message is to be played. In some systems, messages are scheduled to be played at specific times or on specific days, while in other systems messages are played at predetermined intervals throughout the day. In the latter type of system, the interval between successive messages may be variable.

In the relatively simple types of programmable announcement and reminder systems described above, the possibility of conflicts between messages which are scheduled to be played at the same time does not ordinarily arise. In some systems, for example, fixed time slots are provided for the recorded messages, either on the magnetic tape itself or in the memory or control circuitry used to control the movement of the tape. Since a time slot assigned to one message ordinarily cannot be used for another, conflicts or overlap between messages cannot occur. Although it is possible in some systems to schedule more than one message to be played during the same time slot, the messages are usually short enough that they can all be played in sequence during the same time slot without overlapping the next time slot. Again, therefore, the possibility of conflicts between messages is eliminated.

Although announcement and reminder systems of the types described above are useful in some instances, a need exists for a more versatile type of automated announcement system which allows for more flexible scheduling of announcements and is not constrained to operate with fixed time slots or short message lengths. For example, it may be desirable to schedule different announcements to occur at different intervals (e.g., every 10 minutes for one type of announcement and every hour for another type of announcement), and to begin and end these announcements at different times of the day. It may also be desirable to establish general scheduling parameters that apply to all announcements, such as a minimum time interval between successive announcements and a maximum number of announcements that can be stored at a given time. Moreover, it may be desirable to change these scheduling parameters from time to time. Under these circumstances, it may be difficult or impossible to anticipate and prevent conflicts between messages when the messages are initially recorded or scheduled.

Other features that would also be desirable in an automated announcement system are similarly not found in the systems proposed previously. For example, it may be desirable to require the use of security passwords to operate the system, so that only authorized users can record and schedule messages and perform other system functions. An extensive menu of scheduling and control options would also be desirable in order to provide users with maximum flexibility in scheduling individual announcements and in configuring the system as a whole to meet the demands of specific applications. It would be desirable to be able to connect an automated announcement system to an existing paging or public address system that allows live announcements to be made through a microphone or telephone, such as a conventional public address amplifier or a telephone private branch exchange (PBX), while avoiding interference between the live and recorded announcements. Finally, it would be desirable to have the capability of playing audio messages over a paging or public address system while providing corresponding information on a visual display, or to realize the flexible scheduling features of the above-mentioned audio announcement system in a system which only displays messages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing disadvantages and limitations of the prior art are substantially avoided by the automated announcement system of the present invention. In one aspect, the invention relates to an automated announcement system which comprises a storage device for storing a plurality of recorded audio messages, an audio output device for playing selected ones of the recorded messages, and a programmable control device coupled to the storage device and to the audio output device for selecting individual ones of the recorded audio messages for playing by the audio output device in accordance with a predetermined schedule. The programmable control device is operable to modify the predetermined schedule in order to maintain a predetermined interval between messages played by the audio output device.

In another aspect, the present invention is directed to an automated announcement system comprising a storage device for storing a plurality of recorded audio messages, an audio output device for playing selected ones of the recorded audio messages, and a programmable control device coupled to the storage device and to the audio output device for selecting individual ones of the recorded audio messages for playing by the audio output device in accordance with predetermined scheduling parameters. The programmable control device is operable to establish a priority between conflicting messages that are to be played at the same time, and to selectively play or inhibit the playing of the conflicting messages in accordance with the established priority.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an automated announcement system comprises storage means for storing a plurality of recorded audio messages and volume level data related to the messages, and an audio output device for playing the recorded audio messages at a controllable volume level. The automated announcement system also comprises a programmable control device coupled to the storage means and to the audio output device for selecting the recorded audio messages for playing by the audio output device and for controlling the volume level of the messages in accordance with the stored volume level data.

In a still further aspect of the present invention, an automated announcement system comprises storage means for storing a plurality of recorded audio messages and desired scheduling parameters for playing the audio messages, with the scheduling parameters including a plurality of first scheduling parameters which are respectively applicable to individual ones of the recorded audio messages and second scheduling parameters which are applicable to all of the recorded audio messages. The automated announcement system further comprises an audio output device for playing selected ones of the recorded audio messages, and a programmable control device coupled to the storage device and to the audio output device for selecting individual ones of the recorded audio messages for playing by the audio output device in accordance with the scheduling parameters.

In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, an automated announcement system comprises a storage device for storing a plurality of audio messages, an audio output device for playing selected ones of the recorded audio messages, a programmable control device coupled to the storage device and to the audio output device for selecting individual ones of the recorded audio messages for playing by the audio output device, and an input device coupled to the programmable control device for programming the control device using control commands and passwords. The programmable control device is responsive to at least fir