Hand held data entry unit
First Claim
1. A data entry unit comprising:
- a matrix of cells arranged in M columns and N rows, each of said cells being adapted to correspond to an item of data,means to sequentially illuminate each of said M columns in a continuous cyclic fashion,a manually actuable set of at least N switches, each of said N switches serving to actuate one of N selection circuits that is coupled to a separate one of said N rows,enabling means correlated to said illumination of one of said M columns and to the manual actuation of one of said N switches to select the data represented by the one of said cells determined by said illuminated column and said manually selected row, andmemory means for retaining said selected data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A data entry unit has a board on which a matrix of cells are arranged, for example, twelve columns by four rows. When turned on, each column is sequentially illuminated in a continuous cyclic fashion. The illumination of a column indicates that the data associated with each of the four cells in that column is enabled. A handle attached to the board has at least four switches on it that can be readily manipulated by four fingers of the user'"'"'s hand. When a column is illuminated, closing one of the four switches will complete the selection of the data in the corresponding one of the four cells of the illuminated column. This data may be stored of displayed or both. Each cell can be designed to correspond to two separate items of data, such as lower and upper case letters. In such a case, a further thumb actuated switch in the handle provides user selection for one of the two data phases of the cell.
80 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A data entry unit comprising:
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a matrix of cells arranged in M columns and N rows, each of said cells being adapted to correspond to an item of data, means to sequentially illuminate each of said M columns in a continuous cyclic fashion, a manually actuable set of at least N switches, each of said N switches serving to actuate one of N selection circuits that is coupled to a separate one of said N rows, enabling means correlated to said illumination of one of said M columns and to the manual actuation of one of said N switches to select the data represented by the one of said cells determined by said illuminated column and said manually selected row, and memory means for retaining said selected data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A data entry unit comprising:
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a matrix of cells arranged in M columns and N rows, each of said cells being adapted to correspond to an item of data, first means to sequentially enable each of said M columns in a continuous cyclic fashion and to provide a sensory signal indicating which of said M columns is enabled, a manually actuable set of at least N switches, each of said N switches when actuated serving to enable a separate one of N selection circuits that is coupled to a separate one of said N rows, coincident means responsive to the enabling of one of said M columns and to the manual actuation of one of said N switches to select the data represented by the one of said cells determined by said enabled column and said manually selected row, and memory means for retaining said selected data. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification