Portable travel expense tabulator

• US 4,192,006 A
• Filed: 08/07/1978
• Issued: 03/04/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harry H. Hausdorff
• Original Assignee: Harry H. Hausdorff
• Inventors: Hausdorff, Harry H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Malzahn, David H.
• Application Number:
  US05/931,363
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 364/715, 364/705, 364/464, 364/467, 364/401, 364/408, 364/900
• US Class Current: 708/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/025 adapted to a specific application
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/10 using counting means or digital clocks

Abstract

A portable travel expense tabulator having the appearance of a conventional electronic hand-held calculator has a keyboard including a set of numerical input keys and a set of expense designating input keys. The device also includes a paper tape supply and takeup and a print-out device. By pressing appropriate numerical keys and an expense key, one can print on the tape the symbol for the type of expense along with the dollar amount. A summation of the expenses is carried in an electronic memory. Additional inputs include an exchange rate designator which can be preset at a monetary exchange rate. Local currencies are keyed in by the numerical keys and are converted to dollars before print-out. Also, mileage expenses may be computed and printed by mileage and cents-per-mile inputs. Dates may also be printed on the tape by means of the keyboard input.

Claims

1. A portable travel expense tabulator capable of recording, printing and storing records of various expenses commonly incurred on business trips, said tabulator comprising:

a set of numerical input keys, each of said numerical input keys having a numerical representation associated therewith;

a set of expense designating input keys, each of said expense designating input keys having a symbolic travel expense representation associated therewith;

control circuitry responsive to actuation of said numerical input keys and said expense designating input keys;

a recording device including a memory and a printer controlled by said control circuitry for recording and printing numerical inputs from said numerical input keys with associated travel expense representations from said expense designating input keys,

and means associated with said printer for storing printed records,

said control circuitry including means for selectively electrically coupling said numerical input keys and said expense designating input keys to said recording device.

6. A portable travel expense tabulator as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said printer of said recording device is a paper tape print-out device.

7. A portable travel expense tabulator as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said memory includes a first temporary memory for recording input from said set of numerical input keys and a second summation memory for recording a summation of all input from said set of numerical input keys,

said control circuitry including means for electrically coupling said first temporary memory to said second summation memory so that all numerical input in said first memory is transferred to said second memory to be stored therein.

8. A tabulator as claimed in claim 7 further including means for visually displaying numerical input in said second summation memory, said control circuitry including means for selectively connecting said second summation memory to said means for visually displaying.

9. A portable travel expense tabulator as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 and including a date key, said control circuitry being responsive to a numerical input from said numerical input keys and said date key to record a date, said control circuitry including means for selectively electrically coupling said date key to said recording device.

10. A portable travel expense tabulator as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 and including a rechargeable portable power supply.

11. A portable expense tabulator as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 further including means for visually displaying input from said numerical input keys, said control circuitry including means for electrically connecting said numerical input keys to said means for visually displaying.

2. A portable travel expense tabulator comprising:

a keyboard including first and second sets of input keys, said first set of keys providing a numerical input and said second set of keys providing a symbolic expense designating representation;

control circuitry responsive to actuation of said first and second sets of input keys;

a recording device including a printer and a memory controlled by said control circuitry for tabulating and printing an expense record with actuation of said first and second sets of input keys;

means for providing a record tape supply to said printer so that said expense record is printed on said record tape; and

a record tape takeup for storing said printed record tape when an expense record has been recorded thereon,

said control circuitry including means for selectively electrically coupling said first and second sets of input keys to said recording device.

4. A portable travel expense tabulator as claimed in claim 2 or 3 and including an adjustable exchange rate designating means for presetting a monetary exchange rate reference, said control circuitry being responsive to said monetary exchange rate reference for recording and printing said numerical inputs in predetermined monetary units, said control circuitry including means for selectively electrically coupling said exchange rate designating means to said numerical input keys for adjusting the input from said numerical input keys in accordance with a predetermined value corresponding to said predetermined monetary units.

5. A portable travel expense tabulator as claimed in claim 2 or 3 and including keys providing numerical mileage and cents-per-mile inputs to said control circuitry, said control circuitry being responsive to those inputs to record and print the product of those inputs as an expense, said control circuitry including means for calculating the product of said mileage and said cents-per-mile inputs and electrical connection means for providing said product to said recording device.

3. A portable travel expense tabulator comprising:

a set of numerical input keys, each of said numerical input keys having a numerical representation associated therewith;

a set of expense designating input keys, each of said expense designating input keys having a symbolic travel expense representation associated therewith;

a recording device including a printer and a memory for recording and printing numerical inputs from said numerical input keys with associated travel expense designations from said expense designating input keys;

means associated with said printer for storing printed records, and

control circuitry for receiving a numerical input from said numerical input keys and responsive to subsequent actuation of an expense designating input key to control recording and printing of said numerical input with an expense designation by said recording device, said control circuitry including means for selectively electrically coupling said numerical input keys and said expense designating input keys to said recording device.

12. A portable travel expense tabulator capable of recording, printing and storing records of various expenses commonly incurred on business trips, said tabulator comprising:

a set of numerical input keys, each of said numerical input keys having a numerical representation associated therewith;

a set of expense designating input keys, each of said expense designating input keys having a symbolic travel expense representation associated therewith;

control circuitry responsive to actuation of said numerical input keys and said expense designating input keys;

a recording device including a memory and a printer controlled by said control circuitry for recording and printing numerical inputs from said numerical input keys with associated travel expense representations from said expense designating input keys,

and means associated with said printer for storing printed records,

said control circuitry including means for selectively electrically coupling said numerical input keys and said expense designating input keys to said recording device, and

an adjustable exchange rate designating means for presetting a monetary exchange rate reference, said control circuitry being responsive to said monetary exchange rate reference for recording and printing said numerical inputs in predetermined monetary units, said control circuitry including means for selectively electrically coupling said exchange rate designating means to said numerical input keys for adjusting the input from said numerical input keys in accordance with a predetermined value corresponding to said predetermined monetary units.

13. A portable travel expense tabulator capable of recording, printing and storing records of various expenses commonly incurred on business trips, said tabulator comprising:

a set of numerical input keys, each of said numerical input keys having a numerical representation associated therewith;

a set of expense designating input keys, each of said expense designating input keys having a symbolic travel expense representation associated therewith;

control circuitry responsive to actuation of said numerical input keys and said expense designating input keys;

a recording device including a memory and a printer controlled by said control circuitry for recording and printing numerical inputs from said numerical input keys with associated travel expense representations from said expense designating input keys,

and means associated with said printer for storing printed records,

said control circuitry including means for selectively electrically coupling said numerical input keys and said expense designating input keys to said recording device,

said numerical keys including keys providing numerical mileage and cents-per-mile inputs to said control circuitry, said control circuitry being responsive to said numerical mileage and cents-per-mile inputs to record and print the product of those inputs as an expense, said control circuitry including means for calculating the product of said mileage and said cents-per-mile inputs and electrical connection means for providing said product to said recording device.