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Method for editing in hand held recorder

 Norbert P. Daberko et al
A method and system for editing messages within a recording system includes a handheld recorder having flash memory and a plurality of memory address pointers for storing messages. The flash memory has a plurality of sequential memory blocks, each memory block has a plurality of memory ...
Inventors: Norbert P. Daberko, Richard K. Davis, Richard D. Bridgewater
Assignee: Norris Communications Corp.
Primary Examiner: Scott Richardson

U.S. Classification
704/278; 365/27

International Classification
G10L 900

View patent at USPTO

Citations

Patent NumberTitleIssue date
4468751Dictation recording and transcribing system with variable playback sequenceAug 28, 1984
4627001Editing voice dataDec 2, 1986
4942598Telephone answering machine in paging systems with automatic number identification based message operationsJul 17, 1990
5126543Integrated hand microphone with barcode reader and dictation controlsJun 30, 1992
5126987Information reproducing apparatusJun 30, 1992
5267155Apparatus and method for computer-assisted document generationNov 30, 1993
5296688Apparatus and method for recording progress notesMar 22, 1994
5394445Telephone call screening and answering deviceFeb 28, 1995
5398220Portable dictation recording device having a mechanism for transmitting recorded dictation to a remote deviceMar 14, 1995
5477511Portable documentation systemDec 19, 1995
5491774Handheld record and playback device with flash memoryFeb 13, 1996
5519808Transcription interface for a word processing stationMay 21, 1996
5542115Paging method and apparatusJul 30, 1996
5610774Audio sound recording/reproducing apparatus using semiconductor memoryMar 11, 1997

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A system for editing messages in a recorder system, comprising:

a handheld recorder having flash memory for storing messages in message segments, the flash memory having a plurality of sequential memory blocks, each memory block having a plurality of memory locations, the messages being stored as message segments, wherein related message segments are logically related to each other using memory address pointers, and wherein a first message segment of each of the messages are linked to each other using the memory address pointers to thereby facilitate movement between the messages;
means for selecting an edit point within a message at which the message is to be edited, the edit point being at a first location within the message defining an end point of a first message segment;
means for generating an edited message, the edited message comprising a second message segment;
means for storing said second message segment in a second memory block;
means for altering said memory address pointers to insert the address of the second message segment;
means for playing said message segments in the flash memory in accordance with said ordered sequence by accessing the message segments corresponding to the addresses contained in the memory address pointers so that the message segments are played sequentially.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said second message segment comprises a message fragment to be inserted into said message at the edit point, said means for altering the memory address pointers comprises means for connecting the address of the edit point to a beginning of the second memory segment and the end point of the second memory segment to an address after the edit point, and said means for playing comprises means for sequentially playing said first message segment to said edit point, playing said second message segment, and playing said message after the edit point sequentially to form a continuous message.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said edited message generating means comprises means for playing said message said edit point to a second edit point and means for removing a segment of said message between said edit point and said second edit point, said memory address pointers altering means comprising means for connecting the address of said edit point to the address of said second edit point, and wherein said playing means comprises means for playing said first message segment and a remainder of the message after said second edit point to thereby form a continuous message.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said edit point is at an address at a beginning of a message in the flash memory and said second edit point is at an address at an end of the message in the flash memory so that the entire message is deleted from the flash memory.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said handheld recorder further comprises a microcontroller for generating message editing commands, and a single, manually operable rocker pad mounted upon said handheld recorder and connected to the microcontroller.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the handheld recorder further comprises means for moving a plurality of previously recorded messages stored in nonsequential memory blocks in the flash memory so that the plurality of messages are located in sequential memory blocks within the flash memory.

7. A method for editing messages in a recorder system, comprising:

providing a handheld recorder having flash memory for storing messages in message segments, the flash memory having a plurality of sequential memory blocks, each memory block having a plurality of memory locations, the messages being stored as message segments, wherein related message segments are logically related to each other using memory address pointers, and wherein a first message segment of each of the messages are linked to each other using the memory address pointers to thereby facilitate movement between the messages;
selecting an edit point within a message at which the message is to be edited, the edit point being at a first location within the message defining an end point of a first message segment;
generating an edited message, the edited message comprising a second message segment;
storing said second message segment in a second memory block;
altering said memory address pointers to insert the address of the second message segment;
playing said message segments in the flash memory in accordance with said ordered sequence by accessing the message segments corresponding to the addresses contained in the memory address pointers so that the message segments are played sequentially.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said second memory segment comprises a message segment to be inserted into said message at the edit point; said altering the memory address pointers comprises connecting a beginning address of the edit point to an address of a beginning of said second message segment and an address of an end of the second message segment to an address of the message after the edit point; and wherein playing the edited message comprises sequentially playing said first message segment up to said edit point, playing said second message segment, and playing the remainder of the message after said edit point to form a continuous message.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein editing comprises playing said message from said edit point to a second edit point, and removing said second message segment between said edit point and said second edit point; said altering said memory address pointers comprises connecting said address of said edit point in said message to said address of said second edit point; and wherein playing the message segments comprises playing the first message segment and the message after the second edit point to form a continuous message.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein selecting the edit point comprises pausing play of the message at said edit point and entering an edit mode.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said first edit point comprises an address at a beginning of a message and said second edit point comprises an address at an end of a message so that the entire message is deleted from the flash memory.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first edit point comprises an address at the beginning of a first message in the flash memory and said second edit point comprises an address at the end of a last message in the flash memory so that all of said messages within said flash memory are deleted.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising moving previously recorded messages located in nonsequential memory blocks within the flash memory to sequential memory blocks within the flash memory.

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