FR2763411A1 - Fabrication of electronic currency conversion calculators for mass production - Google Patents

Abstract

The method allows production of electronic currency conversion calculators in high volume with adaptation to different currencies easily incorporated into the manufacturing process. The adaptation occurs during the integrated circuit manufacture stage, where the calculator circuit is integrated with a programmable non-volatile memory. Electrically erasable PROM is the preferred implementation of the non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory stores the currency conversion rate for recall during each conversion calculation. The calculator may be extended to include a dual display, one for each currency amount, or may allow calculations and accumulation of totals.

Description

- 1 - The present invention relates to a manufacturing process which allows

  create different electronic money converters, from very large series manufacturing

of miniature calculating machines.

  This invention will be particularly useful during the European monetary union planned for January 1, 1999, to diffuse simple, reliable, and economic electronic monetary converters. Every European citizen will find themselves on this date, confronted with the dual use of their traditional currency, and the new

currency: Euro.

  Modern industry now allows the mass production at low cost of electronic miniature calculating machines which we will refer to as "calculators". This is due to the development of technologies for fine engraving of printed circuits which allow connectors and keyboards to be engraved directly, technologies of high integration of electronic circuits which make it possible to automatically deposit a microprocessor on a printed circuit, or displays on glass. , and plastics techniques

  which allow quick assemblies and selected shapes.

  In fact we find in small and large distributions a quantity of different models of calculators, but with a relative uniformity of operations. Most calculators include a memory part programmable by the user with a set of keys generally noted M +, M-,

  Mrc. This memory makes it possible to store and recall a number.

  You can use a calculator to convert sums at a rate. Just display this rate by typing it on the keyboard, and store it by pressing the M + key. It can then be easily recalled by the Mrc key, to multiply or divide a sum to be converted. But if the calculator is off, this rate is deleted. It will have to be reintroduced and remembered to perform again

quick conversion calculations.

  - 2 - The principle of the invention is as follows. The memory part of the calculator consists of a circuit called "random access memory", or "RAM". This electronic configuration makes it possible to store information in the form of changes in voltage levels ordered and then read in the circuits. But when the memory supply is cut off, all the levels become low, and the stored information is erased. By replacing the random access memory, or RAM, by an electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory, or EEPROM, the information survives the power cut, and can thus be used to memorize a rate, with the durability of the programmed data and frozen more than 10 years warranty. The calculator thus modified keeps the conversion rate independently of the user's manipulations. Simply multiply or divide sums by this rate to view conversion results

back and forth.

  The modification of the industrial process to go from RAM to EEPROM in a production line of economic calculators is limited to the exchange of the etching mask of this memory, during the integration of the circuit. Technology

  EEPROMS is known and is the subject of manufacturing routines.

  We finalize their electrical programming at the chosen rate.

  Other modifications of the calculator manufacturing process can be added to the device according to the invention. Burning a more sophisticated microprocessor can allow the product device to calculate the result of a currency conversion to the nearest three decimal places, round up and down to the nearest half cent, and display the result to the nearest two decimal places. A plastic molding and a specific assembly can make it possible to propose two screens for the contiguous display of a sum of money and its conversion result. Plastic molding and engraving of a specific printed circuit can allow the keyboard to be improved in simplicity and ergonomics. Patterns of shapes

  useful and innovative can be created.

23 2763411

Claims (1)

CLAIM   Manufacturing process which makes it possible to obtain series of electronic monetary converters from production lines in very large series of miniature calculating machines called "calculators", characterized by replacement, during the step of integrating the electronic circuit of the calculators, burning memory circuits (which lose their information when they   are no longer supplied with power), by etching electrically programmable read-only memory circuits (which keep their data when they are no longer supplied with power, and permanently retain a pre- program).