OPTICAL DATA ENTRY AND DISPLAY SYSTEM

• US 3,760,373 A
• Filed: 12/20/1971
• Issued: 09/18/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maurice R. Bartz
• Original Assignee: Maurice R. Bartz
• Inventors: Bartz, Maurice R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Henon, Paul J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nusbaum, Mark Edward
• Application Number:
  US05/209,911
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 340/172.5,336,224 235/157 315/169TV 250/213A,22M
• US Class Current: 345/183
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0386 for light pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/14 Semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes

Abstract

Data in the form of characters to be entered into a data processing system are traced by a light pen on a tablet consisting of an array of light emitting diodes forming segments of a pattern containing all the segments necessary to form all desired characters. All of the diodes in the array are sequentially pulsed on and off at such a high rate that the resulting light pulses are invisible to the human eye, but are sensed by the light pen which transmits corresponding electrical pulses to a register which stores the segments corresponding to the traced character. After a complete character is stored, it is displayed on the tablet by continuously energizing the same diodes corresponding to the segment pattern stored in the register. After the displayed character is verified as a correct character, the contents of the register are decoded and transmitted to a central processing unit. When the receipt of the character is acknowledged by the central processing unit, the system is reset for the entry of another character. If the displayed character is incorrect, the display and register are erased, and the character is re-entered.

Claims

1. An optical data entry and display system comprising;

a. a first array of light sources disposed in a configuration capable of representing any character belonging to a predetermined set of characters;

b. clock means for cyclically energizing said sources so that said sources emit pulses of light;

c. manually operable data entry means for tracing a desired character from said predetermined set, said data entry means including a light detector for sequentially sensing the light pulses emitted from selected ones of said sources corresponding to said desired character;

d. circuit means coupled to said data entry means and to said array for continuously energizing said selected ones of said light sources to continuously display a standardized image of said character on said display; and

e. decoder means coupled to said data entry means for producing an output code representing the identity of said character.

2. An optical data entry and display system as defined in Claim 1 wherein said circuit means comprises:

a. storage means connected to said data entry means for storing said desired character; and

b. means coupled between said storage means and said array for continuously energizing said selected sources corresponding to said stored character.

3. An optical data entry and display system as defined in Claim 2 wherein said data entry means comprises a light pen, and said light sources are light emitting diodes.

4. An optical data entry and display system as defined in claim 2 further comprising a central processing unit for processing said character, and switch means for transmitting said output code to said central processing unit.

5. An optical data entry and display system as defined in claim 4 further comprising means responsive to a signal from said central processing unit for resetting said storage means.

6. An optical data entry and display system as defined in Claim 4 comprising an additional array of light sources coupled to said central processing unit for displaying the result of the processing of a plurality of characters transmitted to said central processing unit.

7. An optical data entry and display system as defined in Claim 2 wherein said storage means comprises a shift register having a number of stages equal to the number of said light sources for storing signals representative of the selected light sources.

8. An optical data entry and display system as defined in Claim 7 wherein said storage means further comprises a static register coupled between the output of said shift rEgister and said means for continuously energizing said selected sources, and means coupled to said clock means for gating a complete character from said shift register to said static register.

9. An optical data entry and display system as defined in Claim 2 further comprising a second array of light sources identical to said first array, and wherein said storage means comprises register means for simultaneously storing first and second characters corresponding to the selected sources in both arrays, and means for simultaneously energizing the selected sources in both arrays to simultaneously and continuously display said first and second characters.

10. An optical data entry and display system as defined in claim 9 further comprising a central processing unit for processing said characters and means for serially transmitting output codes representing the identity of the displayed characters to said central processing unit.

11. An optical data entry and display system as defined in Claim 10 further comprising means responsive to a signal from said central processing unit for resetting said register means.