Multi-modal data input/output apparatus and method compatible with bio-engineering requirements

• US 4,070,649 A
• Filed: 12/01/1976
• Issued: 01/24/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Said Sanford J Wright By Said Peter Anderson and Said Ralph Grimes
• Original Assignee: Said Sanford J Wright By Said Peter Anderson and Said Ralph Grimes
• Inventors: Anderson, Peter T., Wright, Sanford J. Jr., Grimes, Ralph S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo H.
• Application Number:
  US05/746,611
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 340/146.3 SY, 340/324 R, 340/324 M, 340/365 R, 235/92 R, 235/61.7 B, 235/156, 235/92 CP, 235/92 T, 178/18-20, 58/152 R, 58/50 R
• US Class Current: 382/188
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 47/00 Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece clockwork cases for special purposes G04B37/12; clocks with magnifying glass built in the face G04B39/00; time-pieces in which parts or cases produce special effects, e.g. aesthetic effects, G04B45/00, particularly with inscriptions or pictures moved by hand G04B45/003, with specially shaped cases or parts G04B45/0069; combination of writing or drawing implements with devices for indicating time B43K29/087; combined with cameras, projectors, or photographic printing apparatus G03B29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 13/02 at preselected times, e.g. alarm clocks
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/007 combined with a calculator or computing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0225 User interface arrangements, e.g. keyboard, display; Interfaces to other computer systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/12 Details of acquisition arrangements; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/98 Detection or correction of errors, e.g. by rescanning the pattern or by human intervention; Evaluation of the quality of the acquired patterns

Abstract

Apparatus and method for sensing, recognizing, displaying, processing and storing motion generated symbolic information including a hand held, mark-forming writing instrument having motion sensing means and a wrist mounted display communicating with the writing instrument through character recognition circuitry to simultaneously display information formed by the writing instrument. An information control and storage circuit is included capable of operating in any one of several possible modes to receive, store and cause the display of information thereby permitting a multiplicity of functions heretofor requiring a vastly greater number of physical components. In particular, this highly portable apparatus readily and broadly compliments the kinesiology of writing instruments and composures that accompany human thinking and problem solving. The operational modes include horological display, data calculation, reminder message storage and display, and financial account storage.

Claims

1. A method for detecting, recognizing and displaying information created by hand movement of a human being while in a customary writing posture, comprising the steps of

a. forming a permanent visible record of symbols on a writing surface by the movement of a writing instrument supported by a human hand;

b. converting the symbolic and non-symbolic movement of the writing instrument relative to the writing surface into an electrical signal representative of the hand movement;

c. identifying symbolic motion by producing electrical signals representative of only those electrical signals produced in step (b) which are validly representative of one in a predetermined set of symbolic motions;

d. visually displaying the symbols represented by the electrical signals produced in step (c) on an electronic visual display separate and distinct from the visible record formed in step (a); and

e. mounting the visual display in a position for viewing without disturbing the normal writing posture and without disturbing continued hand movement by mounting the visual display on the wrist of one arm of the human whose other arm is producing the symbolic movement.

28. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said motion sensing means is electrically connected by an electrical conductor with said electronic symbolic motion identification means.

2. Apparatus for recording, recognizing and displaying information created by hand movement of a human being while in a customary writing posture, comprising:

a. mechanical writing means supported by a human hand for forming a permanent visible record of the movement of the human hand upon a mark receiving surface over which the writing means is moved;

b. motion sensing means responsive to human hand movement for converting symbolic and non-symbolic movement of the human hand relative to a reference point into an electrical signal representative of the hand movement;

c. electronic symbolic motion identification means communicating with said motion sensing means for producing symbol indicating electrical signals representative of only those electrical signals produced by said motion sensing means which are validly representative of one of a predetermined set of symbolic hand motions; and

d. electronic visual display means supported on a human wrist for converting said symbol indicating electrical signals to a visible display, said display corresponds to but is separate from said visible record and is positioned for viewing without disturbing the normal writing posture and without disturbing continuous hand movement, said electronic visual display means including wrist support means for removably supporting said electronic visual display means on the wrist of one arm of a human whose other arm is supporting said mechanical writing means.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said mechanical writing means includes an elongated housing member configured to be supported in a human hand as a writing instrument, said motion sensing means being mounted at one end of said elongated housing, said electronic symbolic motion identification means being contained entirely within said elongated housing member.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, further including an electronic horological means for producing signals representative of time, said electronic visual display means being selectively electrically connectable with said electronic horological means to visually display symbols representative of the time.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said wrist support means includes a wrist encompassing strap.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said electronic symbolic identification means is mounted within said elongated housing member.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said electronic horological means includes date indicating circuit means for producing electrical signals representative of the day of the year, said electronic visual display means being selectively electrically connectable with said electronic horological means to visually display symbols representative of the time and date.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, further including a message reminder circuit means connected with said horological means, said electronic visual display means and said electronic symbolic motion identification means for producing reminder messages upon a preselected time and date, said message reminder circuit means including a message storage means for storing electrical signals from said motion sensing means representative of displayable message information and associated future time and dates upon which it is desired that the stored message be displayed on said electronic visual display means and date/time comparison means for comparing signals from said electronic horological means representative of the present time and date with the signals stored in said message storage means to cause the stored signals representative of displayable message information to be displayed on said electronic visual display means upon detection of a predetermined relationship between the signals representative of the present time and date and the stored date and time signals associated with the stored displayable message information.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said message reminder circuit means includes an audible signal means connected with said date/time comparator means for producing an audible signal upon detection of said predetermined relationship.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said electronic symbolic identification means is physically supported by said wrist support means.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said mechanical writing means may be selectively supported by said wrist support means.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said predetermined set of symbolic hand motions include a predetermined set of symbolic hand strokes and wherein said motion sensing means includes transducer means for producing digital stroke signals representative of said symbolic hand strokes, and wherein said electronic symbolic motion identification means includes stroke storage means for storing said successive digital stroke signals representative of the output of said transducer means during successive time intervals, and stored stroke comparator means for producing a stroke valid signal when a predetermined number of said stored digital stroke signals are equal.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said electronic symbolic motion identification means includes a character recognition circuit means connected with said stored stroke comparator means for responding to predetermined sequences of successive digital stroke signals indicated to be valid by the occurrence of stroke valid signals to produce a character signal representative of one of a predetermined set of symbolic characters each of which is uniquely identified by a predetermined sequence of successive digital stroke signals.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said electronic symbolic motion identification means includes clock means for defining equal successive timing intervals of approximately two milliseconds during which said stroke storage means senses and stores the digital stroke signals produced by said transducer means and wherein said stroke storage means includes four shift registers for storing four successive digital stroke signals representative of the digital electronic signals produced by said transducer means during the four preceding 2 millisecond intervals, said stored stroke comparator means including output means for producing a stroke valid signal when at least four out of the current digital stroke signal produced by said transducer means and the digital stroke signals stored in said shift registers are equal.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, further including calculator circuit means for responding to sequences of character signals representative of numbers and mathematical operators to produce answer signals representative of the results of performing the mathematical operations upon the numbers contained in the sequence of character signals.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15, further including an answer comparator means connected with said calculator circuit means and said electronic visual display means and activated upon the display by said electronic visual display means of said answer signal to compare said answer signal with subsequent symbol indicating electrical signals to produce an erase signal for erasing said electronic visual display means when equality exists between said answer signal and said subsequent symbol indicating electrical signals and for causing an error indication symbol to be displayed by said electronic visual display means when said subsequent symbol indicating electrical signal is not equal to said displayed answer signal.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 15, further including electronic horological means for producing date and time signals representative of the current date and time, message storage means connected to said character recognition circuit means for storing signals representative of a displayable message formed from sequences of characters and for storing a date and time representative signal associated with each said displayable message, and date/time comparator means for comparing said time and date signals produced by said electronic horological means with said stored date and time representative signals to produce a message display signal causing said electronic visual display means to display the associated displayable message whenever equality exists between said stored date and time representative signal and said date and time signal produced by said electronic horological means.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, further including information control and storage means for storing signals after being visually displayed by said electronic visual display means.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein said information control and storage means includes financial account control and storage means for storing sequences of character signals representative of negotiable instrument transactions including payee, payor, amount and date representative signals formed by said motion sensing means, said account control and storage means including balance storage means for storing a signal representative of a checking account balance;

calculator circuit means connected with said account control and storage means for producing a new checking account balance signal resulting from additions or subtractions from the amount represented by the signal stored in said balance storage means, accounting control circuit means connected with said electronic symbolic motion identification means and said balance storage means for storing new checking account balance signals produced by said calculator circuit means in said financial accounting storage means whenever signals are received from said electronic symbolic motion identification means representative of checking account deposits and negotiable instrument transactions.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said account output control and storage means further includes output means for transferring all of the signals representative of negotiable instrument transactions stored in said financial account control and storage means.

21. An electronic banking system including the apparatus defined in claim 20 and further including a negotiable instrument clearing terminal means for electronically producing a balanced checking account statement, said negotiable instrument clearing terminal means including cleared instrument storage means for storing signals representative of negotiable instruments which have been presented for payment and have been paid, account justification circuit means for receiving and comparing signals from said output means representative of negotiable instrument transactions stored in said account control and storage means with signals stored in said cleared instrument storage means representative of negotiable instruments which have been presented for payment and have been paid, visual display forming means for producing a visual display of all negotiable instrument transactions wherein the negotiable instrument has not been presented for payment.

22. Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said information control and storage means further includes electronic horological means for producing signals representative of time, message reminder circuit means connected with said horological means, with said electronic visual display means and with said electronic symbolic motion identification means for producing reminder messages upon a pre-selected time and date, said message reminder circuit means including a message storage means for storing signals representative of displayable messages and associated future times and dates upon which it is desired that the stored displayable message be displayed by said electronic visual display means, and date/time comparison means for comparing signals from said electronic horological means representative of the present time and date with the signals stored in said message storage means to cause the stored signals representative of the displayable message to be displayed on said electronic visual display means upon detection of a predetermined relationship between the signals representative of the present time and date and the stored date and time signals associated with the stored displayable message information.

23. Apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein said information control and storage means includes a mode selector means for selectively connecting said account control and storage means, said calculator circuit means, said electronic horological means and said message reminder circuit means to said electronic visual display means and to said electronic symbolic motion identification means.

24. Apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein said electronic visual display means includes a mode display and said information and control storage means includes a mode word storage means connected with said mode selector means and said mode display means to cause the mode display to indicate which of said account control and storage means, said calculator circuit means, said electronic horological means or said message reminder circuit means is connected with said electronic visual display.

25. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said electronic symbolic motion identification means includes a programmed read only memory, a random access memory, a microprocessor and interconnecting circuit means for connecting said programmed read only memory, said random access memory and said microprocessor into a physical unit sufficiently small to be supported on a human wrist.

26. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said motion sensing means and said electronic symbolic motion identification means communicate by means of modulated electromagnetic radiation.

27. Apparatus as defined in claim 26, wherein said electronic symbolic motion identification means includes transmitter/receiver circuit means for radiating electromagnetic radiation, said motion sensing means includes passive transponder means for modulating and retransmitting the electromagnetic radiation received from said transmitter/receiver circuit means, transponder control means for changing the modulation of said passive transponder means dependent upon the movement of said mechanical writing means, further wherein said transmitter/receiver circuit means receives and converts the modulated electromagnetic radiation from said passive transponder means to produce said symbol indicating electrical signals.

29. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said mechanical writing means includes an elongated housing member and a writing surface contacting tip connected with one end of said elongated housing member through an offset support such that motion of said tip relative to a writing surface while said tip is in contact with the writing surface will generate torsional forces in said offset support.

30. Apparatus as defined in claim 29, wherein said motion sensing means includes transducer means for converting said torsional forces into electrical signals representative of hand movement.