CA1122714A

CA1122714A - Portable keyboard device

Info

Publication number: CA1122714A
Application number: CA321,644A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Cyril Endfield
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-02-23
Filing date: 1979-02-16
Publication date: 1982-04-27
Also published as: NL7901432A; DE2906943A1; AU524088B2; SE7901453L; LU80971A1; BE874334A; CH631276A5; AU4444679A; ZA79886B; HK10983A; FR2418493A1; FR2418493B1; DE2906943C2; SG63782G; JPS6360410B2; SE439075B; DK161415B; JPS54125924A; DK75479A; DK161415C

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Disclosed herein is a portable electronic word-processing unit comprising a manually operable input keyboard, an internal power supply, a display device; output means to enable the word-processing unit to be connected to a printer: and electronic components including memory means and a micro-processor interconnected and programmed so as to receive from the keyboard signals corresponding to alpha-numeric characters and instructions for processing the characters, edit the character signals, feed signals to the display device for display of characters as an edited text, and store the edited text and print format instruction signals available for transmission through the output means. In a preferred embodiment, the keyboard has at least five keys and the micro-processor is programmed to record the signals produced by operation of any one key or a combination of up to a maximum of five keys to generate a coded signal representing a particular alpha-numeric character or processing instruction.

Description

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A PORTABLE KEYBOARD DEVICE
This invention relates to portable keyboard devices and it particularly relates to a portable electronic word-processing unit.
Known, non-portable word-processors are electronic keyboard devices which can manipulate, or process text input to the device as alpha-numeric characters from a keyboard in response to a programme and instructions input to the device via the keyboard and pass the processed text on to printing or other devices.
Any word-processor should include the features of:-a "cursor", to enable any part of the text stored in a memory to be displayed, "editing", to enable the insertion, deletion or correction of text, and 5 "print formatting", for the control of a printer for the "lay-out"
of edited text when it is printed, such as left and right margin justification and/or tabulation and/or margin indenting and/or end of page pause.
The term "non-portable" is meant, in the context of this description, to be a device which is not self-powered and is not capable of being operated whilst held in the operator's hand.
A portable electronic keyboard device is known in the form of a portable teletype machine which will store alpha-numeric character text and typing instructions input to themachine in much the same way as a conventional teleprinter, ~12Z~l~

the machine also having the facility to allow any text in the display to be deleted before it is stored. This facility does not make such a machine a word-processor within ~he meaning of this description.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable electronic word-processing unit capable of editing~and storing input alpha-numeric text and of controlling the printed format of the edited text when the word-processing unit is connected to a printer.
According to the present invention, a portable electronic word-processing unit comprises a manually operable input keyboard, an internal power supply, a display device, output means to enable the word-processing unit to be connected to a printer, and electronic components including memory means and a micro-processor interconnected . and programmed so as to receive from the keyboard signals corresponding to alpha-numeric characters and instructions for processing the characters, edit the character signals, feed signals to the display device for display of characters as an edited text, and store the edited text and print format instruction signals available for transmission through the output means.
In a preferred embodiment, the keyboard has at least five keys and the micro-processor is programmed to respond to signals produced by operation of any one key or a combination of up to a maximum of five keys to generate a . , '. , ~ . . :, ., ' coded signal representing a particular alpha-numeric character or processing instruction.
The invention is illustrated, by way of example, on the accompanying drawings of a six key portable word-processing unit, wherein:-Fig. l is a plan view of a unit in accordance with theinvention, Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the unit of Fig. l, ~-Fig. 3 is a block circuit diagram for the unit, and Figs.4a ~o d are charts illustrating key-operator codes for alpha-numeric characters and punctuation.
The word-processing unit l shown by Figs. l and 2 has a main body part generally in the form of a truncated square pyramid.
The rear face 3 of this pyramid is essentially planar and is intended to be used as a rest for the heel of an operator's hand. The opposite face 4 carries four keys 5, 6, 7 and 8 arranged to be operated solely by the first, index, ring and little fingers respectively of the operator's hand. A side face 9 of the body pyramid 2 carries two ~urther keys lO and ll, each to be operated by the operator's thumb.
With these two "thumb" keys lO and ll, two five-key keyboards are produced, each being operable by movement of the fingers and thumb of an operator's right hand without relative movement between that hand and the rest 3. A

suitable five-keyed keyboard being described in United Kingdom Patent Specification No.1496522.
The front face 4 of the main body has a forwardly and upwardly sloping extension 12 that carries an alpha-numeric display 13 that can show characters produced byselective operation of any one key or a combination of up to a maximum of five keys.
Each key consists of a button mounted to operate a conventional micro-switch and, as shown by Fig. 1, the finger keys 5, 6, 7 and 8 are each set in ellipsoidally concave insets in the front face 4. These insets serving to guide and help retain the appropriate finger against the respective finger-key.
As shown by Fig. 2 the rear face 3 of the main body part also contains an O~-OFF switch 14, a Charger Socket 15 and a Data Socket 16.
The electronic circuit for the unit is illustrated in block diagram by Fig. 3 which shows a CMOS 8 bit micro-processor /uP (RCA type CDP 1802) to which are connected the six key keyboard 2, an 8192 byte CMOS RAM memory (8x Toshiba Type TC 5047P), a 12 character alpha-numeric LED display (Litronix Type DL 1416), a 2048 byte CMOS EPROM memory (Intersil Type lM 6604) and an input/output circuit 17 connected to the DATA socket 16. The input/output circuit is to enable the word-processing unit to communicate with an external device such as a printer. Other external devices could be a TV or monitor visual display unit or a /

caseette recorder to provide additional magnetic storage.
The unit is powered from a re-chargeable battery pack 18 connected to the Charger Socket 15. The O~/OFF switch 14 generally controls the supply of power (voltage) to the device with the exception of the RAM memory which has a direct connection to the battery pack 18, by-passing the O~/OFF switch. This effectively renders the RAM memory non-volatile. Thus data can be retained in the RAM memory with the un~t switched-off as long as sufficient power remains in the battery pack (this can be up to three weeks).
A resident programme is stored in the EPROM memory that enables the word-processing unit to operate in the manner to be hereinafter described. The programme per se is not thought to be unique and does not form part of the present invention. It is believed that sufficient information will be given in the description to enabl~ a suitable programme to be written.
In use, the processor~ P scans the keyboard micro-switches and starts to assemble a character when any key is depressed (operated). This process continues until all the keys in a particular character code have been released, at which point the assembled code is converted to ASCll, 7 bit code and stored in the memory RAM.
Characters assembled and stored in the memory RAM
form a text that can be accessed by keying various control-code characters in order to cause any selected part of the ~ZZ7~

text to be displayed on the display 13, the "cursor", to edit the text stored in the memory (RAM), or to store print formatting instructions.
The unit's resident programme provides most of the aforesaid editing and print formatting facilities found in conventional, non-portable word processors.
The resident programme detects low battery voltage and warns the operator with a message (CHARGE-ME) on the display 13. The resident programme also enables the word-processing unit to communicate, via suitable inerfaces, with a number of external devices such as a Daisy wheel printer, a TV or monitor screen display, a dictaphone micro-cassette drive or a Modem/accoustic coupler. The programme permitting operator-defined areas of text stored in the memory RAM to be transmitted through the input/output circuit 17 to an external device connected to the DATA
socket 16. In the case of a printer or screen display, the programme automatically formats the text, justifies left and right margins and sets tabs.

2~ The programme also enables text to be read into the memory RAM from an external device connected to the DATA
socket.
In scanning the keyboard micro-switches, the micro-processor~ P is programmed to respond to operative strokes of the keyboard. An operative stroke being defined as the acts of operating and then releasing a single key or the acts of operating the keys of a selected keys-combination, either simultaneously or sequentially, andthen releasing the operated keys, the stroke being completed when the or all the operated keys have been released. Completion of an operative stroke being the condition for the processor to store an assembled code representing a particular character.
Fig. 4 illustrates a particularly suitable operator code for use with the keyboard device. The arrangement of the keys corresponding to a given pattern of five points of which a point or points combination lies on the outline of the majority of the alphabet letters of a given type face, the relationship between unique signals produced by operating selected keys or key-combinations and the alphabet letters represented thereby being such that, for such majority of the alphabet, there is a graphic correlation between a letter and the point or points-combination occupied by the key or keys-combination for an operative stroke required to generate the unique signal repre~enting that letter.
The figure shows a series of 31 five-point patterns being the maximum number of ways of combining five points.
Each point represents the nominal position of one key being, from left to right, the thumb key 10, the index finger key 5, the middle finger key 6, the ring finger key 7 and the little finger key 8 respectively.
A black point represents a key to be operated and the ., :, . . .

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alphabet letter or other character represented by that particular point or points-combination is shown in its pictographic relation, wherever this is possible, with that point or points-combination. These characters that can be entered into the word-processor unit by simple operation of the five keys lO, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are referred to asthe alphabet register.
For this alphabet register, operation of the thumb key lO alone signals a SPACE; finger keys 5, 6 and 7 signals a FULL STOP, finger keys 5, 7 and 8 a ~MMA, keys lO
5, 6 and 8 an APOSTROPHE and finger keys5, 6 and 8 a DASH.
The other thumb key ll is a control key, the operation of which puts the unit into a punctuation and numeric register.
The points codes for punctuation and numbers are also given by Fig. 4. It will be seen that the number codes follow the conventional deaf and dumb sign number system.
Qperation of this thumb control key ll in combination with the four finger keys 5, 6, 7 and 8 provides another five-key keyboard and this second keyboard is used to input control or processing instructions to the word-processing unit. The control instructions liste~d below are given by means of codes based on the equivalent a~lphabet letter codes.
For convenience these are denominated by the letter underlined, for example D the code signal produced by Qperation of the th~mb control key 11 with finger keys 5 and 6.

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CO~TROL KEY COMBINATION DISPLAY
Register switch Key 11 Upper case:
single character Y; Keys 11, 6, 7 Upper case lock P, Keys 11, 5, 6, 7, 8 Unlock upper case Y, P
Single space forward F, Keys 11, Display advances by 5, 6, 7 one space.
Continuous forward read Y, F Display reads forward continuously.
Single space backward K, Keys 11, Display goes back one 7 space.
Continuous backward read Y, K Display reads backwards continuously.
Halt H, Keys 11, Display movement stops.

15 Single character deletion D, Keys 11, Character on right of ~~, 6 display is erased and is replaced by the next character (or space) in the memory.
Continuous deletion Y, D Above process repeats automatically.
Instant deletion W, W, Keys 11, Memory deleted between 5, 7, 8 signs ~ and ~ .
Insertion I, Keys 11, Flashing symbol ~ on right of display.
Cancel insertion Y, I Above display ceases.
Carriage return C, Keys 11, 25 Tabulate R, Keys 11,5, ~

Margin in ', Keys 11, 5, 7 (flashing).
6, 8 . .
' " '' ' ' ' ~lZZ714 10.
CONTROL KEY COMBINATION DISPLAY
-Cancel margin in Y, ' ~ (flashing) Start .printing sign L, Keys 11, 7 5, 8 Stop print sign Y, L <

Short zip Z, Keys 11, 6, Display jumps ahead - 8 by 128 characters or next ? sign, whichever i s shorter zip .

Long zip Y, Z Display jumps to next ~ .
~ .
10 ~ Short jump-back J, Keys 11, 7, Display jumps back 8 to previous Long jump-back Y, J START ( of memory ) .

Print: (single space) X, Keys 11, PRINT.
- 6, 7, 8 Print ( double space ) Y PRINT .
It is believed that the operator code illustrated by Fig.4 is easi~Ly memorized because a 1 t h ou g h the individual graphic correlation between a selected key or keys-combination for a given alphabet letter might be changed, there is an overall graphic correlation that e n ab 1 e s the majority of the 20 alphabet letters to be}so represented andthisp~vides alearning framework.
:~ It has been found that use of such an operator code is an effective aid in the use of the word-processing unit because it is easily and speedily memorable.
The use of what is basically a five key keyboard, the 25 additional thumb key providing a second five key keyboard, with t~e word-processing unit of the invention has the advantages of providing a simpler, smaller and cheaper - .

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construction than that of a conventional keyboard because the need for a separate key for each character or control instruction is obviated and the speed of use of this keyboard is comparable with a conventional keyboard as the fingers do not need to be mo~ed from one key to another and the thumb has only to move between two keys and does not have to move when alphabet letters are being inputted to the unit.
Although a right-hand keyboard device has been described and illustrated, it is apparent that a "mirror-image"
left-handed device could equally well be produced.

.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-

1. A single hand portable word-processor, being a device which can comfortably be held by one of an operator's hands to be operated only by the other or supported against a surface to be operated only by one hand, comprising the following components in the one housing:-(i) a micro-processor and, connected to said micro-processor;
(ii) a manually operable input chord keyboard having only four finger keys and at least one thumb key;
(iii) an alpha-numeric display device;
(iv) output means to enable said word processor to be connected to a printer;
(v) memory means; and (vi) an internal power supply connected to supply power to all the aforesaid components; the micro-processor having the facility of responding to signals produced by operation of a chord of keys, comprising any combination of one to a maximum of five keys, to generate coded signals respectively representing each alpha-numeric character of a particular alpha-numeric system, having a total number of characters greatly in excess of the number of keys, and representing processing instructions, the micro-processor also having the facility to process the character signals in response to the instruction signals, feed signals to the display device, for display of processed characters as an edited text, and to the memory means, to store the edited text, and to store print-format instruction signals available for transmission through the output means.

2. A word-processor as defined in claim 1, wherein each one of said four finger keys is positioned so as to be preferentially operated by a respective one of the fingers of an operator's hand and the thumb key is conveniently positioned to be operated by the operator's thumb.

3. A word-processor as defined in claim 2, wherein two thumb keys are provided, each key being conveniently positioned to be operated by the operator's thumb.

4. A word-processor as defined in claim 3, wherein a casing for the word-processor includes a main body part having front and rear face portions sloping upwardly and inwardly, at least one upwardly and inwardly sloping side face portion, said four finger keys being located on said front face portion and said thumb key or keys being located on said sloping side face portion and orientated for actuation in a different direction from said finger keys.

5. A word-processor as defined by claim 4, wherein each of said keys is a micro-switch and said finger keys are each set in an ellipsoidally concave insert in said front face;
the insert serving to guide and help retain the appropriate finger against the respective finger key.

6. A word-processor as defined by claim 5, wherein said front and rear faces are so orientated and spaced from each other that, with the heel of an operator's hand on the rear face, the fingers will naturally extend onto the respective four finger keys.

7. A word-processor as defined by claim 6, wherein said alpha-numeric display device is located in a forward part of said casing on a forwardly and upwardly sloping surface adjoining said front face.