Braille-character display device, and portable terminal including the same

• US 8,425,232 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Fukami, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAGE, EVAN RANDALL
• Application Number:
  US12/036,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20080206722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: 434113-114
• US Class Current: 434/113
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/02 Devices for Braille writing typewriters for Braille B41J3/32

Abstract

A Braille-character display device includes a movable pin array, a plurality of movable pin pressing parts, a Braille-character generating part and a movable pin controlling part. The movable pin array has a plurality of movable pins arranged in a matrix form. The plurality of movable pin pressing parts presses the plurality of movable pins, respectively. The Braille-character generating part generates Braille characters. The movable pin controlling part allows the movable pin pressing parts to press the movable pins corresponding to a pattern of the generated Braille characters.

Claims

1. A Braille-character display device, comprising:

a movable pin array having a plurality of movable pins arranged in a matrix form;

a plurality of movable pin pressing parts pressing the plurality of movable pins, respectively;

a Braille-character generating part generating Braille characters; and

a movable pin controlling part programmed to cause the movable pin pressing parts to press the movable pins corresponding to a pattern of the generated Braille characters and shift the pattern of Braille characters formed by the movable pins in a lateral direction to cause a flow of the Braille characters in the lateral direction,

wherein the movable pin array comprises three movable pin sub-arrays having three-pin arrays.

2. A Braille-character display device, comprising:

a plurality of movable pins;

a movable pin controlling part programmed to move the movable pins to create a pattern of Braille characters and shift the pattern of the Braille characters formed by the movable pins in a lateral direction to cause a flow of the Braille characters in the lateral direction, wherein

the plurality of movable pins are adjusted in height at not less than three levels to form one character, the movable pins moving successively in a vertical direction to form a sentence, and

a plurality of movable pins form one dot of a Braille-character.

3. The Braille-character display device according to claim 2, wherein

the plurality of movable pins forming one dot of a Braille-character include a three by three array of movable pins forming one dot of a Braille-character.

4. A Braille-character display device, comprising:

a movable pin array having a plurality of movable pins arranged in a matrix form;

a plurality of movable pin pressing parts pressing the plurality of movable pins, respectively;

a Braille-character generating part generating Braille characters; and

a movable pin controlling part programmed to cause the movable pin pressing parts to press the movable pins corresponding to a pattern of the generated Braille characters and shift the pattern of Braille characters formed by the movable pins in a lateral direction to cause a flow of the Braille characters in the lateral direction,

wherein the movable pin array includes three spaced rows of pin arrays generating three respective spaced rows of dots, the three spaced rows of dots collectively forming Braille-characters.

5. The Braille-character display device according to claim 4, wherein

the spaced rows of dots include pressed movable pins of raised heights forming the dots and not pressed lowered movable pins forming recessed spaces between dots.

6. A Braille-character display device, comprising:

a Braille-character generating part generating Braille characters; and

a movable pin controlling part programmed to cause the movable pin pressing parts to press the movable pins corresponding to a pattern of the generated Braille characters and shift the pattern of Braille characters formed by the movable pins in a lateral direction to cause a flow of the Braille characters in the lateral direction,

wherein a three by three array of movable pins form one dot of a Braille-character, the three by three array of movable pins including a central pin at a highest height, a set of corner pins at a lowest height, and a set of pins between the corner pins at an intermediate height between the highest height and the lowest height.

7. A Braille-character display device comprising:

a movable pin array having a plurality of movable pins;

a plurality of movable pin pressing parts pressing the plurality of movable pins; and

a movable pin controlling part programmed to cause the movable pin pressing parts to press the movable pins corresponding to a pattern of Braille characters,

wherein the movable pin array part comprises three movable pin sub-arrays.