SE439075B - BERBAR ELECTRONIC WORD PROCESSING UNIT - Google Patents

Description

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable electronic word processing unit which is capable of editing and storing input alphanumeric text and controlling the print format of the edited text when the word processing unit is connected to a printer.

According to the invention, the portable electronic word processing unit comprises a manually operable input keyboard; an internal energy source; a text display device; output means for connecting the word processing unit to a printer; and electronic components, comprising memory means and a microprocessor connected and programmed to receive signals from the keyboard, which correspond to alphanumeric characters and instructions for processing the characters, editing the character signals, feeding the signals to the text screen for display of the characters as an edited text and store the edited text and instruction signals for the output format for transmission through the output means.

In a preferred embodiment, the keyboard has at least five keys and the microprocessor is programmed to respond to signals generated by operating any key or a combination of up to a maximum of five keys, to generate an encoded signal representing a particular alphanumeric signs or a treatment instruction.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, which show a portable word processing unit with six keys.

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a unit according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows an end view of the unit in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of the unit.

Figures ha-d are diagrams showing key operator codes for alphanumeric characters and punctuation.

The word processing unit 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 has a main part, which is substantially in the shape of a truncated, square pyramid.

The back 3 of this pyramid is substantially flat and is intended to be used as support for the operator's wrist. The opposite side M carries four keys 5, 6, 7 and 8, which are arranged to be operated exclusively by means of the index finger, the middle finger, the ring finger and the little finger, respectively, on the operator's hand. A side surface 9 of the pyramid body 2 carries two further keys and 11, which are intended to be operated by means of the operator's thumb.

These two keys l0 and ll provide two five-key keyboards, each of which can be operated by movements of the fingers and thumb of an operator's right hand without relative movement between the hand and the support 3. A suitable five-key keyboard is described in British Patent Specification 1H96,522.

The front H of the main body has a forward and upwardly sloping extension l2, which carries an alphanumeric text screen 13, which can display characters created by selectively operating any key or a combination of up to a maximum of five keys.

Each key consists of a button, which is arranged to actuate a conventional microswitch. As shown in Figure 1, the finger keys 5, 6, 7 and 8 are each placed in an ellipsoid-shaped, concave depression in the front 4. These depressions serve to guide and hold the fingers against the respective keys.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the rear side 3 of the main part also comprises an on-off switch 14, a charging socket 15 and a data socket 16.

The electronic circuit of the unit is shown in block diagram form in Figure 3, showing an 8-bit CMOS microprocessor pP (RCA type CDP 1802), to which the six-key keyboard 2 is connected; a CMOS RAM for 8192 bytes (direct memory, 8x Toshiba type TC 50U7P); a text screen 13 with light emitting diodes for l2 alphanumeric characters (Litronix type DL 1416); a CMOS EPROM memory for 2048 bytes (Intersil type 1M 660U); and an input / output circuit 17, which is connected to the data socket 16.

The input / output circuit 17 is arranged to enable the word processing unit to communicate with an external device, e.g. a printer. Other external devices may be a TV or monitor display unit or a cassette recorder for providing additional magnetic storage.

The unit is driven by a rechargeable battery stack 18, which is connected to the charging socket 15. The on / off switch 14 controls the supply of supply voltage to the device with the exception of the RAM, which has a direct connection to the battery stack 18 next to / off switch. This makes the RAM memory non-volatile. Thus, data can be retained in RAM when the unit is turned off, as long as sufficient energy remains in the battery stack, which can be the case for up to three weeks.

A resident program is stored in the EPROM memory, which enables the word processing unit to operate in the manner described below. The program itself is not unique and does not form part of the present invention. Sufficient information should be provided in the description in order for a suitable program to be written.

In operation, the processor scans the keyboard microswitch and starts generating a character when any key is pressed or affected. This process continues until all the keys in a special character code have been released, at which moment the composite code is converted to ASC11 7-bit code and stored in the memory RAM.

The characters that are composed and stored in the memory RAM form a text that is accessible by typing in various control code characters to display an arbitrary, selected part of the text on the text screen 13, the "mark"; for editing the text stored in the RAM; or for storing font format instructions.

The unit's resident program provides most of the above-mentioned editing and printing form found in conventional non-portable word processing units.

The resident program detects low battery voltage and warns the operator with a message "CHARGE ME" on the text screen 13. The resident program also enables the word processing unit to communicate via a suitable interface with a number of external devices, e.g. a wheel printer, a TV or monitor screen, a microcassette in a dictation machine, or a modem / acoustic connector. The program allows the transmission of text surfaces, specified by the operator and stored in the memory RAM, through the input / output circuit 17 to an external device, which is connected to the data socket 16. When a printer or display unit is connected, the program provides automatic formatting of the text, setting of left and right margins and setting of tabs.

The program also enables the reading of text in the memory RAM from an external device, which is connected to the data socket.

When scanning the keyboard microswitch, the microprocessor pP is programmed to respond to operational actions on the keyboard. An operational action on the keyboard is the action and then the release of a single key or keys in a selected key combination, either simultaneously or in sequence, the action being completed when the key or all the operated keys have been released again. Completion of an operational action is the condition for the processor to store a composite code, which represents a special character.

Figure U shows a particularly suitable operator code for use with the keyboard device. The arrangement of the keys corresponds to a given pattern of five points, of which a point or a point combination lies on the contour of most of the letters of the alphabet in a given style, the ratio between the special signals generated by maneuvering selected keys or key combinations and the letters thus represented are such that for most of the alphabet there is a graphical relationship between a letter and a dot or dot combination, which is occupied by the key or key combination for an operational action required to generate the special signal, which represents this letter.

The figure shows a series of 31 five-point patterns, which is the maximum number of ways for combining five points. Each point represents the position of a key, namely from left to right the thumb key 10, the index finger key 5, the long finger key 6, the ring finger key 7 and the little finger key 8.

A black dot represents a key to be affected, and the letter or character represented by this particular dot or dot combination is displayed where possible in its pictorial relation to that dot or 791314-53-6 6 dot combination. The characters that can be entered in the word processing unit by simply operating the five keys 10, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are called the alphabetical register.

In this alphabetical register, the operation of only the thumb key 10 indicates an MBLLAN SPACE; the operation of the finger keys S, 8 and 7 a FULL STOP; the operation of the finger keys 5, 7 and 8 a COME; the operation of the keys 10, 5, 6 and 8 an APOSTROF; and the operation of the finger keys 5, 8 and 8 a STRETK.

The second thumb key ll is a control key. When this key is activated, a punctuation and number register is switched on in the unit. The dot codes for punctuation and numbers are also shown in Figure 4. The number codes seem to follow the conventional deaf-mute character system.

Operation of this thumb control key II in combination with the four finger keys 5, 6, 7 and 8 provides another keyboard with five keys, and this second keyboard is used for entering control or processing instructions in the word processing unit. The control instructions set out below are given by means of codes, which are based on the equivalent letter codes.

These codes are indicated by the underlined letter, e.g. Q, the code signal produced by the actuation of the thumb control key 11 and the finger keys 5 and 6.

CONTROL KEY COMBINATION - TEXT SCREEN Index switch Key ll - Upper shift: Z; the keys ll, - single characters 6, 7 Reading of upper shift 2; the keys ll, -, 6, 7, 8 Resetting the upper X, 2 - shifts Single steps forward §; the keys ll, - The text screen forward, 6, 7 is stepped one step.

Continuous reading X, E The text screen reads forward continuously forward.

Single steps backwards gg the keys ll, The text screen goes 7 back one step.

CONTROL Continuous reverse reading Content Deletion of single characters Continuous deletion Immediate deletion Delete insertion Carriage return Tabulate Marginal indentation Delete marginal indentation Write start character Write stop sign Short jump Long jump Short rebound Long rebound Write (single INTERVENTION) Write , § §; the keys ll, 8 Q; the keys ll,, 6 ll, lw the keys ll, _ .. the keys ll, the uu- keys ll; 6, 8 I h <ml- wh fl mhp the keys 8 9 ll, 1% mn *, L ll, (DIN; the keys 8 Lä the keys 8 J ll, h <-nu v 09 'I the keys 7, 8 11, l < GUX 7901453-6 TEXT SCREEN The text screen continuously reads backwards.

The movement of the text screen is stopped.

Characters to the right of the displayed character are deleted and replaced by the next character or space in the memory.

The above process is repeated automatically.

The memory is erased between the characters> and <.

Flashing symbol EE to the right of the text screen.

The above indication ceases.

E A> (flashing). <(flashing). > <The text screen jumps 128 characters forward or to the next character \, whichever gives the shortest jump.

The text screen jumps to the next>.

The text screen jumps back to the previous>.

START (of memory).

WRITE WRITE 7901453-6 8 The operator code shown in Figure 4 should be easily memorized, because although the individual graphical relationship between a selected key or key combination for a given letter can be changed, there is a total graphical relationship that makes it possible to represent most of the letters in this way, and this provides a learning framework._ It has been found that the use of such an operator code is an effective aid in the use of the word processing unit, since the code can be learned easily and quickly.

The use of what is basically a five-key keyboard, in which an extra inch key provides a second five-key keyboard, together with the word processing unit according to the invention provides a simpler, smaller and cheaper construction than the one is obtained with a conventional keyboard, since there is no need for a separate key for each character or control instruction and the speed of use of this keyboard is comparable to the speed of a conventional keyboard, since the fingers do not need to be moved from one key to another and the thumb only needs to be moved between two keys and does not need to be moved when letters are entered into the device. Although a keyboard device for a right hand has been shown and described, it is obvious that the keyboard can still be mirrored to fit a left hand.

Claims (7)

79131453-6 9 PATENT CLAIMS A word processing unit comprising the following parts, namely a manually operable input keyboard, a central processor connected to receive from said keyboard signals generated by operating the same, memory means connected to the central processor and controlled therefrom, display means which are connected to the central processor, output means which are connected to the central processor and which are arranged for connecting the word processing unit to a printer and the like, and an energy source which is connected to all the above-mentioned parts, k characterized in that the word processing unit is portable in the hand, that the keyboard (2) is a chord keyboard with four finger keys (5, 6, 7, 8) and at least one thumb key (10 or 11) and is arranged to generate alphanumeric character signals and order instruction signals by operating individual keys and combinations (or chords) between two and all keys, that they The central processor is a microprocessor (pP) which is connected to the memory means (RAM, EPROM) and which is programmed to receive character signals from the keyboard and to store said signals as text in the memory means, further to receive order signals from the memory means. the keyboard and edit and edit the stored text in accordance with the order in question, to supply signals to the display means (13) for displaying the processed and edited text and to store the edited text and print design instructions for later transmission through the output means (17) , and that it comprises a housing (1) for housing all the above-mentioned parts, whereby an operator can hold the word processing unit in one hand and operate the keys only with his other hand or can support the word processing unit on a surface while the person in question operates the word processing unit with just one hand. Word processing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a second thumb key (11) and that the microprocessor is programmed to respond to character signals generated by operating the first thumb key ( 10) or any of the finger keys (5, 6, 7, 8) either individually or in combination and that it gives orders for signals generated by operating the other thumb key individually or in combination with one or more of the finger keys. _ Word processing unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that each of the four finger keys (5, 6, 7, 8) is arranged so that it is preferably maneuvered by the index finger, the middle finger , the ring finger or the little finger and that the thumb key or each thumb key (10, 11) is arranged so that it is conveniently operated by means of the operator's thumb. H. Word processing unit according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the housing (1) has a main part (2) which is substantially in the form of a truncated, square pyramid, the front side (U) of which carries the four the finger keys (5, 6, 7, 8), and a side surface (9) of said pyramid carries the thumb key or both thumb keys (10, 11). _ A word processing unit according to claim 4, characterized in that each of the four finger keys (5, 6, 7, 8) is inserted in an ellipsoidal concave recess in the front (4) of the housing (1). Word processing unit according to claim U or claim 5, characterized in that the rear surface (3) of the housing (1) is substantially flat and forms an angle to thereby serve as a support for the palm of the hand. an operator when the person in question is operating the word processing unit. 7. A word processing unit according to any one of claims H-6, characterized in that the housing (1) has a forward and upwardly sloping extension (12) extending from the front part of the housing and supporting the display means (13). . IN