Telephone apparatus capable of inputting character data

• US 4,532,378 A
• Filed: 08/03/1984
• Issued: 07/30/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kunii, Takeshi, Nakayama, Yasunobu, Sato, Yasuji
• Primary Examiner(s): George, Keith E.
• Application Number:
  US06/637,343
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 A, 179/2 C, 179/2 DP, 179/84 VF
• US Class Current: 379/93.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 11/08 by operating selected combinations of multifunction keys
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 11/12 by operating a key a selected number of consecutive times whereafter a separate enter key is used which marks the end of the series
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 11/20 Dynamic coding, i.e. by key scanning H03M11/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision

Abstract

A telephone apparatus which can input character/symbol data. The apparatus has a keyboard including a plurality of numeral keys each assigned to characters/symbols, a mode change key for switching numerical mode to character/symbol mode, or vice versa and a special key for executing a predetermined sequence. After the apparatus has been set to the character/symbol mode, the numeral keys assigned for the characters/symbols and the special key are operated in the predetermined sequence, thereby inputting character/symbol data. The data are applied to a electronic calculator CPU, are outputted in the form of character/symbol pattern signals from a character generator, and are displayed by a display section in the predetermined sequence.

Claims

1. A telephone apparatus capable of inputting character/symbol data comprising:

telephone network means connected to a handset and terminals connected to a telephone exchange station;

keyboard means having numeral keys each assigned to a plurality of characters/symbols and a mode switching key for switching between a numeral mode and a character/symbol, said keyboard means including a key having a switching instruction function which causes preparation for an additional character/symbol to be displayed with the next depression of one of said numeral keys;

controller means connected to the telephone network means and the keyboard and including memory means for storing keyed in data, said controller means for;

(1) setting a desired mode as the mode switching key is operated, (2) selecting for display one of the character/symbols assigned to one of said numeral keys which has been depressed after said mode setting means has been set to the character/symbol mode, (3) changing the character/symbol selected for display in said function (2) to a different character/symbol associated with the same numeral key in response to each repeated depression of the same numeral key previously depressed, (4) selecting for display one of the characters/symbols assigned to another of said numeral keys which has been depressed immediately after said one numeral key, (5) preparing for an additional character/symbol to be displayed with the next depression of one of said numeral keys in response to depression of said switching instruction function key when said additional character/symbol is associated with the same one of said numeral keys as the character/symbol just entered, and (6) holding in said memory means a representation of said character/symbol selected by said functions (2)-(4); and

display means, connected to said controller means, for displaying said character/symbols whose representation is stored in said memory means.

2. A telephone apparatus capable of inputting character/symbol data comprising:

telephone network means connected to a handset and terminals connected to a telephone exchange station;

keyboard means having numeral keys each assigned to a plurality of characters/symbols, and a mode switching key for switching between a numeral mode and a character/symbol mode, said keyboard means including a single key having a switching instruction function which switches, with each depression, a character/symbol being displayed in a character/symbol mode to a different character/symbol associated with the same numeral key; and

controller means connected to the telephone network means and the keyboard, said controller means for;

(1) setting a desired mode as the mode switching key is operated, (2) selecting for entry one of the characters/symbols assigned to one of said numeral keys which has been depressed after the mode setting means has been set to the character/symbol mode, and (3) changing the character/symbol selected for entry in said function (2) to a different character/symbol associated with the same numeral key in response to each repeated depression of said single switching instruction function key.

3. A telephone apparatus capable of inputting character/symbol data comprising:

telephone network means connected to a handset and terminals connected to a telephone exchange station;

keyboard means having numeral keys each assigned to a plurality of characters/symbols and a mode switching key for switching between a numeral mode and a character/symbol mode, said keyboard means including a key having a switching instruction function which causes preparation for an additional character/symbol to be displayed with the next depression of one of said numeral keys; and

controller means connected to the telephone network means and the keyboard, said controller means for;

(1) setting a desired mode as the mode switching key is operated, (2) selecting for entry one of the character/symbols assigned to one of said numeral keys which has been depressed after said mode setting means has been set to the character/symbol mode, (3) changing the character/symbol selected for entry in said function (2) to a different character/symbol associated with the same numeral key in response to each repeated depression of the same numeral key previously depressed, (4) selecting for entry one of the characters/symbols assigned to another of said numeral keys which has been depressed immediately after said one numeral key, and (5) preparing for an additional character/symbol to be entered with the next depression of one of said numeral keys in response to depression of said switching instruction function key when said additional character/symbol is associated with the same one of said numeral keys as the character/symbol just entered.

4. A telephone apparatus capable of inputting characters/symbol data comprising:

telephone network means connected to a handset and terminals connected to a telephone exchange station;

keyboard means having numeral keys each assigned to a plurality of characters/symbols and a mode switching key for switching between a numeral mode and a character/symbol mode, said keyboard means including a single key having a switching instruction function which switches, with each depression, a character/symbol being displayed in a character/symbol mode to a different character/symbol associated with the same numeral key; and

controller means connected to the telephone network means and the keyboard and including memory means for storing keyed in data, said controller means for;

(1) setting a desired mode as the mode switching key is operated, (2) selecting for display one of the characters/symbols assigned to one of said numeral keys which has been depressed after the mode setting means has been set to the character/symbol mode, (3) outputting a character/symbol pattern signal representing character/symbol selected, (4) holding in said memory means the character/symbol pattern signal from said outputting function (3), (5) selecting another character/symbol than the character/symbol selected by said selecting function (2), said another character/symbol being assigned to the same key, by operating the same key and then operating said single switching instruction function key, and (6) outputting a character/symbol pattern signal representing said another character/symbol selected and (7) holding in said memory means said character/symbol pattern signal from said outputting function (6); and

display means connected to said controller means, for displaying said outputted character/symbol pattern signals stored in said memory means.