GB2213777A - Line indicators with textual display for copyists - Google Patents

Abstract

A line indicator 18, which is manually positionable over copy 21 to be entered by an operator into a selective input device such as a keyboard 12, is provided with a display 19 which indicates the text most recently entered into the input device. As shown, the display 19 mimics the conventional output display 14 of an electronic typewriter, and communication between typewriter and line indicator may be cordless (as shown in Fig 2) or via a connector (Fig 1, not shown). The display part 19 of the line indicator 18 is preferably transparent so that the text to be copied can be seen therethrough. It is stated that the device allows a typist to check the correctness of the matter typed without having to redirect the eyes away from the copy 21. <IMAGE>

Description

A DISPLAY DEVICE The invention relates to a display device and is particularly, but not exclusively concerned with a display device for use with computers and electronic typewriters of the kind having a screen mounted above the keyboard.

Hitherto with computers and electronic typewriters of the kind described above, information typed in by the user was displayed line-by-line on the screen. When copy-typing from a draft placed to one side of the typewriter it had been found inconvenient to turn the head away from the draft to the screen so as to view the matter displayed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a display device which will assist in reducing the aforesaid inconvenience and which will help to provide error free entry of data into computers and electronic typewriters.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a display device comprising a display screen movable over a surface and receiver means by which the display device can receive signals from a transmitter, the device being adapted to provide a display on the display screen in accordance with the signals received by the receiver means.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a display combination comprising a display device and a unit having a keyboard, the display device being separately movable over a surface and comprising a display screen and receiver means by which the display device can receive signals from a transmitter of the unit, the transmitter being adapted to produce the signals dependent upon which keys are operated on the keyboard and the display device being adapted to provide a display on the display screen in accordance with the signals received by the receiver means.

The display combination thus enables information input to the keyboard to be displayed at different locations using the display device. In the example of copy-typing from a draft, the display device can be placed on the draft and moved down it line-by-line with the display screen showing what is being typed to the typist who does not then have to turn away from the draft.

Preferably the display device is adapted to provide a display in the form of a line of characters.

A flexible connection may be provided between the transmitter and the receiving means, the signals being passed through the flexible connection. The display device may thus be positioned anywhere in the region of the unit limited only by the flexible connection. The flexible connection may have a connector thereon enabling it to be connected to or disconnected from the transmitter.

The unit may be arranged to operate a further screen, and may, for example, be a memory typewriter having a small L.C.D. screen, or a computer keyboard arranged to be connected to a monitor. In this case the connector may be arranged to join the flexible connection to a circuit of the unit which operates the further screen. In such a case, the typed matter may appear on both screens simultaneously.

Alternatively, the signals may be in the form of electromagnetic waves. In this case the display device may be positioned without being limited by the length of a flexible connection.

Preferably, the display device has a straight upper or lower edge so that it can be used, for example, after the fashion of a ruler beneath or above a line of a draft being copied.

The display device may be movable in any suitable manner but preferably the lower surface of the device is smooth and flat so as to be movable by sliding across a flat surface.

Three embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a display device in combination with a screen-type electronic typewriter, Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a second embodiment, and, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a display device according to a third embodiment of the invention.

An electronic typewriter 10 has the usual keyboard section 12, platen 13 and display screen 14. In use, matter typed in using the keyboard 12 appears line-by-line on the screen 14 and simultaneously enters the memory of the typewriter. At a convenient time, the matter held in the memory can be printed by the typewriter.

The circuit which includes screen 14 is suitably adapted to provide an output to a socket 15 on the casing of the typewriter or computer for connection to the display device indicated generally at 11. The socket 15 receives a plug 16 at one end of a flexible wire 17 of the display device 11, the other end of which wire is connected to a member 18 of the display device 11 having an elongate screen 19 thereon. Typically the screen 19 will have a width slightly greater than that of A4 paper (21cm). An upper edge 20 of the member 18 as viewed on the drawing is straight to enable the member to be used as a ruler beneath the lines of a draft 21 to be copied by the user.

Matter typed into the typewriter will appear on the screen 19 either simultaneously with or instead of matter appearing on screen 14. In that way, the user can see at a glance what is being typed into the typewriter without having to turn away from the draft to view screen 14.

The flexibility of wire 17 enables the member 18 to be positioned freely over the draft 21 and the depth of the screen 19 can be selected to provide a larger and clearer display of the typed-in matter than is possible with screen 14.

In Fig. 2 parts corresponding to parts in Fig. 1 have the same reference numbers. In Fig. 2 the wire 17 is omitted and the typewriter 10 is provided with a signal transmitter 30. The display device 11 is provided with a signal receiver 32 which is arranged to receive signals transmitted from the transmitter 30. The transmitter 30 may transmit electromagnetic wave signals such as radio frequency signals, light signals or infrared signals to the receiver 32.

The signals are generated by operation of the keyboard section 12 and when received at the receiver 32 are used to produce the typed-in text on the screen 19. The display device can be used in the same way as the device shown in Fig. 1 but with greater versatility.

Fig. 3 shows a display device similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but including a handle 34 projecting from its upper surface. The handle 34 is rounded for ease of grip and may be convenient to use in moving the display device 11.

The term "keyboard" used herein embraces touch-sensitive panels and the term "typewriter" includes a word processor.

The screen 14 may be of an L.C.D. or L.E.D. type or any other suitable form.

Claims (12)

1. A display device comprising a display screen movable over a surface and receiver means by which the display device can receive signals from a transmitter, the device being adapted to provide a display on the display screen in accordance with the signals received by the receiver means.

2. A display combination comprising a display device and a unit having a keyboard, the display device being separately movable over a surface and comprising a display screen and receiver means by which the display device can receive signals from a transmitter of the unit, the transmitter being adapted to produce the signals dependent upon which keys are operated on the keyboard and the display device being adapted to provide a display on the display screen in accordance with the signals received by the receiver means.

3. A display device as claimed in claim 1 or a display combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein the display device is adapted to provide a display in the form of a line of characters.

4. A display combination as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein a flexible connection is provided between the transmitter and the receiving means, the signals being passed through the flexible connection.

5. A display combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein the flexible connection has a connector thereon enabling it to be connected to or disconnected from the transmitter.

6. A display combination as claimed in claim 5, wherein the unit is arranged to operate a further screen and the connector is arranged to join the flexible connection to a circuit of the unit which operates the further screen.

7. A display device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 3, or a display combination as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the signals are in the form of electromagnetic waves.

8. A display device or display combination as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the display device has a straight upper or lower edge.

9. A display device or display combination as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the lower surface of the display device is smooth and flat so that the display device is movable by sliding across a flat surface.

10. A display device or display combination as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the display screen comprises a L.C.D.

11. A display device substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 1, Fig. 2, or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A display combination substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.