WO1990007744A1

WO1990007744A1 - Portable electronic off-line data reading device

Info

Publication number: WO1990007744A1
Application number: PCT/FR1990/000002
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roland Georges Mas
Original assignee: Roland Georges Mas
Priority date: 1989-01-03
Filing date: 1990-01-02
Publication date: 1990-07-12
Also published as: JPH03503099A; FR2641393B1; EP0402457A1; FR2641393A1

Abstract

Portable off-line device for reading documents (texts and images) corresponding to several tens or hundreds of standard format pages on a single wide and flat screen. This device comprises a rigid support (1) on which the electronically controlled screen (2) is arranged, a source of electrical power (4) and an electronic memory unit (10) which is reprogrammable and/or removable and contains the data to be displayed for reading on the screeen (2). The screen and its electronic control device are arranged next to each other on the same board whose surface to thickness ratio, in cm2 and cm, is comprised between 1500 and 4000.

Description

AUTONOMOUS AND PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR READING INFORMATION

The present invention relates to a portable device for reading any written document comprising characters (letters, numbers, etc.) and / or images.

This device is the result of a new way of editing, publishing and distributing these documents.

Even today, in the vast majority of cases, the information that one wishes to keep or of which one can become aware only in deferred time, uses a material support on which the characters, drawings or signs are traced once for all .

This mode of dissemination implies that the information is physically and definitively linked to its material medium, which is used only once. In the case of books, newspapers, catalogs, etc., this medium is paper: The page of a Book, the leaf of a newspaper are used only once.

When you want to record a lot of information, you need a lot of pages, because an obvious link links the amount of information to be stored to the geometrically necessary surface. We quickly arrive at very large archiving or storage volumes, and considerable paper consumption.

A projection screen, whether it is a wall or portable screen or a cathode ray tube, constitutes a different approach: it can be used indefinitely to make visible an unlimited quantity of information. Just change the film, or the slides, or the magnetic tapes, etc. and we display on the single medium, the screen, The information recorded in an often illegible way otherwise, on the film or the tape. With this principle, the recording medium is dissociated from the reading or vision medium, and this evolution has made cinema and television possible.

But these projection systems are, even in the best cases, bulky, possibly Heavy, and difficult to transport, especially if they require a significant source of energy. As such, a newspaper or a Book is much more convenient to carry and can be read everywhere.

Finally, the discovery of Liquid crystals has made it possible to produce flat screens which are commonly used in calculators and electronic pocket games, watches and display devices, mini and microcomputers, etc.

Of course, these Liquid Crystal screens are used to make information visible, but The Reading function is actually secondary to the main functions fulfilled by the devices that include it (calculation function, games function, measurement function, etc.), the dimensions of these screens relative to the rest of the volume of the device are generally reduced.

Also known from document BE-A-905,383 is an electronic device for reading information contained in a memory using an electronic screen. This device, presented as handy and portable, in the manner of a book, is described in FIG. 1 as using a memory with magnetic support, such as an cassette recorder introduced by a lateral slot 4- of the device. This, which involves a system for reading Memory by deflecting a magnetic tape, as well as La juxtaposed arrangement in thickness of the screen and its control members, leads for the device to a thickness of 5 cm and a weight close to 4 kg. It is therefore, despite everything, a device that is not very easy to handle and that is difficult to transport on a regular basis by a user on the move.

The subject of the present invention is an autonomous and easily transportable device for reading information using a flat screen, which does not have the drawbacks of the previously mentioned prior art, thanks to a simpler and more rational design, using simple means to implement.

This autonomous and portable electronic device for reading information contained in a removable memory, comprising an electronically controlled display screen mounted on a support, a source of electrical energy and a display control assembly. screen of the data contained in the memory, is characterized in that the memory, of the electronic type, as well as the control unit function in a completely static way and in that the screen and its control unit are juxtaposed in a solid way on the same support to form a plate whose average thickness is close to that of the screen, the ratio between the surface of the screen expressed in square centimeters and the average thickness of the plate expressed in centimeters, being between 1500 and 4000, and preferably around 2500.

It is therefore the choice of a type of static memory, in connection with a flat screen juxtaposed with its control unit on the same support, which allows to reach a dimension and a maneuverability which make the device light, autonomous and portable. The object of the present invention consists of a flat screen device, always available and reusable, the exclusive function of which is reading and which, therefore, differs from all microcomputers, games, etc. mentioned above.

It makes it possible to rediscover the convenience of Reading and handling the Book or magazine, and even to improve them thanks to the use of recent technological advances in micro-informatics and electronic miniaturization.

Other particularities of the invention will appear in the light of the description of an embodiment presented by way of example, and illustrated by means of the appended drawing, in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an information reading medium according to the present invention;

- Figure 2 is a view of an electronic memory element intended to be used with the support of Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 1, the support consists of 2 parts: a support (D, in Light metal or plastic, rigid, on which is mounted an electronically controlled screen (2) and which comprises a network of very large number of tiny crystal cells liquids arranged in a ^'one or more layers so as to allow return of optionally color and / or effect of holograms, single-sided or double-sided;

- At the edge of the support (1), for example at the top, a slightly thicker part (3), intended to contain the source of electrical energy, namely a Cou several) micro-batteries (4) of the kind of those used in pocket calculators or the cameras, and / or a battery (5) of photocells. This same part (3) includes one or more push buttons (6): on-off, change of pages, magnifying glass control, etc. acting on an incorporated microprocessor (7) for reading and restoring information. Finally, the part (3) comprises the housing (8), receptacle for the electronic memory element, or "chip", carrying information. According to the invention, this electronic memory is entirely static and can be read without any movement of parts, nor translation, nor rotation, therefore without motor. Its size and weight are therefore reduced to a minimum.

This "chip" itself has two parts: an inert part (9) intended essentially for the legible inscription of the title, and the electronic memory (10) proper, for example of the R.O.H. type. (Read Only Memory), where the information would be saved, in the form suitable for computer processing, as in any microcomputer memory.

The body of this "chip" can be made of rigid plastic. Its overall size should be as small as possible (for example that of a metro ticket or at most that of a credit card). However, it must be sufficient for the title to be readable with the naked eye, and for the positioning of the "chip" in its housing (8) to be correct, in particular by making it possible to connect the studs (11) to the removable "chip" with

The corresponding receiving pads incorporated in

• the interior of the housing (8). Of course, the layout and the number exact constituents listed above and mentioned in Figures 1 and 2 are given as an indication and not limiting.

The standard general dimensions The most commonly used for reading support are of the order of 21x29.7 cm, but of course any support of different dimensions and shapes, larger or smaller, using the same basic principle, and The same types of components, should be considered as arising from the present invention.

According to the invention, the screen generally of the liquid crystal type is flat, from 3 to 5 mm for example with its support, and the total thickness of the device reaches 8 mm under the control assembly of the display. For a screen format of 21x25 cm and a total size of the plate forming the device of 21x29.7 cm. The average thickness of the device (by integrating the thicker part) is of the order of 5 to 6 mm which, for the format of 21x29.7 cm leads to a useful surface area for Reading (in cm ^ on thickness ( in cm) of the order of 2500, much higher than that found in other commercial devices using liquid crystal screens but intended for other functions.

For this parameter, other reports are possible while always retaining the maneuverability of the device and The Limits are for example between 1500 and 4000 or more.

The above features lead to countless industrial and commercial uses.

In fact, the invention can be applied to all types of written documents intended for wide circulation:

- newspapers and periodicals, magazines, - books (in particular school books, legal codes, etc.)

- collection of maps (road atlases, etc.), - catalogs (of spare parts, mail order ...),

- directories ⁽ telephone and other),

- bi bliographies,

- internal administrative documents, notes cj _e service reports,

- anue Ls ...

The above list, which is not exhaustive, is given to illustrate the intrinsic and universal interest of this reading mode. Since the capacity per unit area of electronic memories is not unlimited, it is clear that the size of the active part of the "chip" will depend on the number of pages to be stored. You can use several standard sizes corresponding a priori to a given maximum number of pages.

In the same vein, the need to split the content of a large directory or any large work into a small number of "chips" would very little decrease the gain in convenience compared to the systems available until day.

In order for the reader to be able to use the information reading medium, he must be able to obtain the corresponding "chips". We can use chains of distribution machines, scattered in points of sale, in administrations. Posts, within large companies etc. These distributors would be supplied with stocks of blank "chips" and activate them, by remote control, according to demand, at the rate of publication and from publishing centers.

It is also conceivable that modern word processing machines, in addition to their current outputs to the display screen and to printers, be provided with an encoder capable of activating this type of "chips", by remote control, to the place of supply.

The adoption of this type of information reading will result in a significant reduction in paper consumption (less deforestation), in a gain in space for distribution and archiving, but above all, and that is it the main characteristic expected, by a very great convenience of use.

For a newspaper, we can re-use each day, if desired, the "chip" of the day, provided of course to reactivate it in the appropriate dispensing device, which would lead to an additional source of savings, both matter and money.

Finally, the use of the Reading support is extremely simple:

The user who bought - or reactivated - from an appropriate distributor, the "chip" corresponding to the document he wants to consult, introduces this "chip" in Le Logement provided for this purpose in his Reading medium, that he can take everywhere with Him.

He presses the "START" button, then, at will, the "BEFORE" button for scrolling through the pages. Thanks to the built-in microprocessor software, the challenge pages will appear on the screen, one after the other, on command.

If the user is obliged to interrupt When it is read, it presses the "STOP" button. But when Resume is read, it is the last page read that will automatically reappear on the screen, avoiding a tedious search. If necessary, the user presses an "ENLARGEMENT" button, by successive keys to obtain increasing magnifications, or a neighboring button, also by successive keys, to obtain the opposite effect. He chooses the place of the page to enlarge by pressing other buttons: "LEFT", "RIGHT", "UP", "DOWN".

A "BACK" button allows you to scroll the pages in reverse and / or return to the first page.

In fact, the total number of buttons can be reduced to a minimum provided that certain simple codes are used: long or repeated presses, etc. as is the case for watches with multiple displays.

All these possibilities, which depend on the software, may be optional and not appear on all the different models of reading media.

In the same way, The information can appear in mono-color or in several colors, (simple colors for figures, graphics, etc. or true colors, according to the technology used).

After use, the reader stops the device. The photocells will eventually recharge the micro-batteries until the next use.

With such a system, the reader, carrying in his briefcase only one reading medium, and a few "chips", is able to take note, at will and anywhere, of

The equivalent of several thousand pages. In an especially interesting variant of implementation. The device which is the subject of the invention is supplemented by speech synthesizer software which transforms the signals of the memory into signals capable of actuating either a small loudspeaker placed on the control assembly, or an earphone of the type of those that we place on portable music players. In this case, the user can, if he wishes, "listen" to the information at the same time as it is displayed on the screen of the device.

Finally, in another equally interesting variant, a second screen is associated with the first and the back thereof, which allows the simultaneous display of two pages of the document being read.

Claims

1. Autonomous and portable electronic device for reading information contained in a removable memory, comprising an electronically controlled display screen (2) mounted on a support (1), a source of electrical energy (4) and a control unit for the display on the screen of the data contained in the memory, characterized in that the memory (10), of the electronic type, as well as the control unit operate entirely statically and in that the screen and its control assembly are juxtaposed in an integral manner on the same support (1) to form a wafer whose average thickness is close to that of the screen (2), the ratio between the surface of the screen expressed in square centimeters and the average thickness of the plate expressed in centimeters, being between 1500 and 4000, and preferably close to 2500.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the screen (2) is arranged so as to be able to display colors.

3. Device according to one of claims 1 to 2 characterized in that the screen (2) is of the liquid crystal type.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the liquid crystal screen (2) also comprises layers of transparent optical material allowing hologram effects.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4 above characterized in that it comprises software of a microprocessor (7) incorporated in the support (1) allowing magnifying effects on part of the page read, by simple action on one or more additional push-buttons (6) incorporated for this purpose in the support (1).

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it has another flat screen on the back of the rigid support, so as to keep visible a page other than that read on the front.

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it further comprises a speech synthesizer software for transforming the signals from the memory into signals actuating an acoustic speaker.