CHARACTER GENERATOR

• US 3,704,343 A
• Filed: 10/05/1971
• Issued: 11/28/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lawrence K. Howard
• Original Assignee: Lawrence K. Howard
• Inventors: Howard, Lawrence K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Claffy, Kathleen H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Richardson, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US05/186,697
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18,20,21,23R,30,79,80,81,87 179/9R,9K 340/365R,365S
• US Class Current: 178/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/17 using hand-held instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/98 having a plurality of control members, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/50 by generating or selecting currents of predetermined frequencies or combinations of frequencies

Abstract

A manually operated device for generating alphanumeric character information for an output device such as a printer or a display or a transmission line. An insulating plate with one or more character units, each comprising inner and outer sets of four contact segments, with the operator moving a stylus or finger over the plate and segments to selectively actuate control circuits for the output device. An eight bar character including four bars forming a rectangle and four bars radiating from the center to the corners of the rectangle.

Claims

1. In a character generator for producing electronically coded alphanumeric data for transmission to an output device, the combination of:

a plate with a surface of electrical insulating material;

at least one character unit carried in said plate, said character unit having electrical conductors at the surface of said plate comprising a first set of four inner segments and a second set of four outer segments disposed about said first set;

output circuit means for coupling each of said segments to the output device in controlling relation; and

control means for selectively energizing said output circuit means to actuate the output device as the operator traces a pattern over the surface of said plate.

2. A character generator as defined in claim 1 wherein the segments of said first set are disposed in a cruciform pattern with a first axis, and the segments of said second set are disposed in a cruciform pattern with a second axis, and with said second axis oblique to said first axis.

3. A character generator as defined in claim 2 wherein each of the outer segments overlaps two of the inner segments, with a gap between outer segments providing an insulated access path to the inner segments.

4. A character generator as defined in claim 1 including an additional segment carried in said plate adjacent an outer segment to provide an advance signal for advancing the output device to the next character position.

5. A character generator as defined in claim 1 including a plurality of said character units carried in said plate adjacent one another.

6. A character generator as defined in claim 5 including an additional segment carried in said plate about said character units to provide an advance signal for advancing the output device to the next character position.

7. A character generator as defined in claim 1 wherein said control means includes a stylus with an electrical conductor for contacting selected segments as said stylus is moved over the surface of said plate.

8. A character generator as defined in claim 7 including a printer having a printing element for each segment of said first and second sets and means for actuating each element in response to a control signal produced by said stylus contacting a corresponding segment of a character unit.

9. A character generator as defined in claim 1 wherein said control means includes a switch for each segment, with a switch being operated as the pattern is traced over the corresponding segment.

10. A character generator as defined in claim 9 including a tone generator having a different tone for each segment of said first and second sets and means generating a specific tone on an output line in response to a control signal produced by a switch operation in said control means.

11. A character generator as defined in claim 1 wherein the alphanumeric data comprises characters in an eight bar matrix including four bars forming a rectangle and four bars radiating from the center to the corners of the rectangle, with said four outer segments of a character unit corresponding to the four rectangle forming bars and with said four inner segments corresponding to the four radiating bars.