U.S. patent number 3,670,322 [Application Number 05/064,439] was granted by the patent office on 1972-06-13 for programmable keyboard.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-G.m.b.H.. Invention is credited to Rainer Mallebrein.
United States Patent |
3,670,322 |
Mallebrein |
June 13, 1972 |
PROGRAMMABLE KEYBOARD
Abstract
A programmable keyboard having a plurality of information input
elements constituted by small cathode-ray tubes connected to
present a display of the type of information to which they
relate.
Inventors: |
Mallebrein; Rainer (Singen,
DT) |
Assignee: |
Licentia
Patent-Verwaltungs-G.m.b.H. (Frankfurt, DT)
|
Family
ID: |
5742934 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/064,439 |
Filed: |
August 17, 1970 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Aug 16, 1969 [DT] |
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P 19 41 671.8 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
345/175;
341/22 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
3/0238 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
3/023 (20060101); G06f 003/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;340/324R,324A,334,337,365 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Caldwell; John W.
Assistant Examiner: Curtis; Marshall M.
Claims
I claim:
1. In a data processing system including a programmable keyboard
composed of a plurality of individual key elements for writing
information into the data processing system, which system includes
means for storing a representation of the information to which each
key element is to relate, the improvement wherein each said element
comprises an individual cathode-ray tube having a visible image
producing screen and the system includes an electrical connection
connected between said storing means and said elements to receive
signals corresponding to said representations for causing an
indication of the information to which said representations relate
to appear on selected ones of said screens, said electrical
connection comprising: an image memory connected for receiving,
under control of the system, selected ones of said representations
to produce image data corresponding to the indication to appear on
at least one said screen; circuit means connected between said
memory and said tubes for producing on said screen the indication
determined by said image data produced for the respective tube; and
a plurality of switch means connected in the processing system and
each operatively associated with a respective one of said tubes to
be actuated by an operator's finger contact on said tube for
providing to the system an identification of the tube with which
said switch means is associated; whereby actuation of each said
switch means initiates delivery into the system of data
corresponding to the identification of its associated tube.
2. An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein each said tube is
mounted to be displaced by finger pressure in a direction
perpendicular to the surface of its display screen.
3. An arrangement as defined in claim 2 further comprising a
plurality of actuation members each mounted on a respective one of
said tubes, and wherein said switch means comprise a plurality of
switches each arranged to be actuated by the actuation member of a
respective tube when said tube is displaced.
4. An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein each said tube
includes an electrically conductive coating disposed on a screen
surface and connected to said switch means and a power source
connected to the coating, said switch means being arranged to
initiate an electrical signal when said coating is contacted by an
operator's finger which connects said coating to ground.
5. An arrangement as defined in claim 4 wherein said coating is
transparent.
6. An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said circuit means
comprise beam deflection voltage means connected in parallel to all
of said tubes and beam intensity control means having a plurality
of individual controlled outputs each connected to a respective
tube.
7. An arrangement as defined in claim 6 wherein said circuit means
further comprise means connected to said tubes for cylindrically
producing a voltage having a staircase waveform to control the tube
beam deflection so as to permit each tube to produce characters at
different points on its screen.
8. An arrangement as defined in claim 4 wherein said switch means
comprise, for each said tube, a glow-lamp, said conductive coating
is connected to an electrode of said glow-lamp, the other electrode
of said glow-lamp being connected to earth via a resistance and the
secondary winding of a transformer, and said switch means for each
said tube further comprises a photoelectric device arranged to be
illuminated by said glow-lamp as long as an a-c circuit firing said
glow-lamp is established by touching said conductive coating.
9. An arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein said memory is an
image repetition memory which cyclically and repetitively emits the
image data associated with the indication to appear on said at
least one tube screen, and said circuit means further comprise a
character generator connected between said memory and said
deflection voltage means.
10. An arrangement as defined in claim 1 further comprising coding
means connected between said switch means and the data processing
system for producing an individual signal identifiable by the
system upon the actuation of each respective switch means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to input devices for data processing
systems and particularly to a programmable keyboard for such
purpose.
A programmable keyboard is a device for feeding control
instructions and/or data into a data processing device, such as an
electronic computer, which can determine the inscription and thus
the significance of each individual key. Such a keyboard offers
very flexible input possibilities and can have a reduced number of
keys, compared with keyboards whose keys have fixed meanings, so
that higher typing speeds result.
Such a programmable keyboard--the designation "key" is here to be
understood in the broad sense to relate to a finger-operated
signalling means--is known in the form of a character-writing
electron beam tube in whose screen there are inserted small wires
which function as "keys" to produce a signal when contacted by a
finger which acts to detune an electric bridge. The tube is able to
write characters onto the screen in the vicinity of such a wire,
which characters indicate the significance of the respective
wire-key.
While such keyboards function satisfactorily, the single tube is
relatively large and expensive to produce. Even a minor malfunction
might necessitate replacement of the tube. Moreover, the actuated
area of the tube is not readily distinquishable from the areas
adjacent thereto.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to overcome or
minimize these drawbacks and difficulties.
Another object of the invention is to improve the construction of
programmable keyboards.
The present invention provides a programmable keyboard which has a
small depth, which can be economically fabricated, and which may be
so designed that an actuated key is depressed and clearly distinct
from the non-depressed keys and can also be locked in this position
if desired, and in which individual malfunctioning keys can be
easily replaced.
A programmable keyboard in which the meaning of the individual keys
is determined by a data processing device is characterized,
according to the present invention, in that each of the individual
keys is in the form of a cathode-ray tube.
According to one embodiment of the invention, each cathode-ray
screen tube can be depressed, by finger pressure, in a direction
perpendicular to the screen surface. In this case it is desirable
to connect each cathode-ray screen tube to a mechanical member
which actuates a switch when the tube is depressed.
In another embodiment of the invention, the screen surface, or
another screen viewing surface, of each cathode-ray screen tube is
provided with an electrically conductive, particularly a
transparent, coating which triggers a signal when the surface is
contacted.
In further accordance with the present invention,
character-producing beam deflection voltages are fed to all
cathode-ray screen tubes in parallel while the intensity modulation
voltages for the beams are individually fed to the tubes. Moreover,
staircase voltages are fed to the cathode-ray screen tubes to
produce rows and/or columns of characters.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is partly a schematic elevation view of a portion of a
programmable keyboard according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the keyboard of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a circuit
arrangement used with the keyboard of the invention.
FIG. 4 shows the upper part of a cathode-ray tube with a
transparent, conductive coating and serving as a key, there also
being shown a finger of an operator, and circuits connected to the
coating.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows a portion of a keyboard in approximately its actual
size. The keyboard is composed of a plurality of small cathode-ray
tubes 1 each having an associated tube socket 2 supported by a
U-shaped bar 3. Each bar 3 rests on a compression spring 4 which
can be compressed by a few millimeters and which is fastened to the
center of the bar, the other end of the spring resting on, and
being immovable with respect to, a stationary U-shaped bar 5. The
stationary bar 5 carries, between its upper ends, a microswitch 6
disposed inside bar 3 and arranged to be actuated by means of a key
peg 6a extending therefrom. Each tube socket 2 bears a plug 2a for
actuating the associated key peg 6a and electrical connections
2b.
The front plate 1a of each tube 1, which is just above the tube
screen, extends slightly above a cover plate 7, the tubes being
guided in circular cutouts 7a in the cover plate 7. Each tube 1 can
be pressed downward a few millimeters against the force of spring 4
by slight finger pressure on its front plate 1a, the associated
plug 2a then also pressing the key peg 6a disposed therebelow
downward so that the associated microswitch 6 is actuated.
In FIG. 3 there are shown the portions of tubes 1 which contain
deflection plates 1x, 1y in one row and in another row those
portions containing the tube beam intensity modulation grids 1h,
not all the tubes of a keyboard being represented. The
microswitches 6, which are actuated by depressing the associated
tube, are also shown schematically in a row, again less than all of
the microswitches being shown.
By closing a microswitch 6 a voltage is applied to one input line
of coding matrix 8 which generates a preferably digital code
identifying the closed microswitch 6. This code is conducted
through a parallel-series converter 9 and into a line 10 and
through this line 10 to an electronic computer.
The computer determines which meaning a signal produced by each
depressed key is to have and controls the inscribing of characters
on the tube screens of a desired number of keys so that the meaning
of each such key is indicated to the operator by the characters
appearing on the screen of the associated tube 1, whereupon the
operator can depress the key whose tube screen presents the
appropriate indication.
As is known an image repeat memory is required for the simultaneous
visual indication of a plurality of characters on the screen of a
cathode-ray tube, which memory emits the data required for writing
all of the characters on the screen in a cyclic, repetitive manner
to provide a flickerfree representation of the characters. The
image repeat memory may be a part of the computer memory, but often
it is advisable to use a separate memory 11, which receives
information representing data from the computer through a line 12
and an electronic coupling system 13. Memory 11 may be, for
example, a feedback coupled delay line memory which cyclically and
repetitively emits the data for writing all of the characters for
the tubes.
In order to write each character, memory 11 indicates, by
delivering a code to character generator 14, which character is to
be written. The character generator 14 then emits a sequence of x
and y deflection voltages to the deflection amplifiers Vx and Vy
which effect the "stylus-type" writing of the character, character
generator 14 also generally activating an intensity modulation
control for writing the individual characters, which control is
effected by an intensity modulation control circuit 15.
The characters to be written must furthermore be positioned on the
screen. When only one line of characters is to be written, this can
be accomplished by a staircase voltage fed to horizontal deflection
amplifier Vx to produce a stepwise horizontal shift after each
character has been written. In the circuit of FIG. 3 a staircase
voltage generator 16 is provided for this purpose, this generator
being cyclically and repetitively controlled by the signals from
the image repeat memory 11.
In the operation of the circuit of FIG. 3, the output voltage of
the x deflection amplifier Vx are fed in parallel to the x
deflection plates 1x of all of tubes 1 and the output voltage of
the y deflection amplifier Vy are fed in parallel to the deflection
plates 1y of all of the tubes. This means that character writing
beam movements corresponding to the respective total contents of
the image repeat memory 11 take place simultaneously in all tubes
1. The intensity modulation control grids 1h of tubes 1, however,
are individually connected to the intensity control circuit 15 and
the intensity control circuit 15 also receives signals from the
image repeat memory 11 which determine on which tube 1 a character
whose code is just being emitted from memory 11 is to appear. The
other tubes are then blanked by the intensity modulation circuit
15.
It is quite clear that the characters could be written in a column,
i.e. vertically, on the screens of tubes 1 if the staircase voltage
generator 16 were connected to y deflection amplifier Vy and,
moreover, that a number of rows can be written on the screen when a
staircase voltage generator is connected to each of amplifiers Vx
and Vy, both generators being controlled by image repeat memory 11.
In order to write two horizontal rows, for example, the staircase
voltage generator connected to amplifier Vy would need have only
two voltage steps which are selectively produced at the proper time
under the control of image repeat memory 11.
The key designations which can be represented on the screen of
tubes 1 are not limited to alphanumeric characters.
As is known, it is also possible to produce certain different types
of graphic representations on a screen when suitable digitally
controlled beam control generators, such as vector generators in
particular, are used. Such representations may thus appear as
programmed key designations on all or some of the keys in the form
of symbols, e.g. switching symbols or track diagram symbols.
Thus the computer, when it executes or is to begin a program
needing the cooperation of a human operator, can inscribe
significances in the form of characters, signs, or graphic
representations on a desired number of the tube-keys by feeding
corresponding data to the repeat memory, and the operator can
initiate an operation according to the meaning of a tube-key by
depressing it.
FIG. 4 shows the upper part of a cathode-ray tube serving as a key
which can be actuated, instead of depressing the tube, by merely
touching its upper face with a finger. The head-part of the glass
bulb 1 of the tube, including the front plate 1a, is coated with a
thin layer 17 of a transparent, conductive material such as
zinc-oxide. A metal ring 18, which surrounds and contacts the layer
17 on its cylindrical part, is connected via wire 19 to an
electrode of a glow-lamp 20. The other electrode of the glow-lamp
20 is connected, via a resistance 21, to the secondary winding 22
of a transformer 23-22. The other end of winding 22 is connected to
earth. The primary winding 23 of the transformer 23-22 is connected
to an a-c power supply. The glow-lamp 20 is, together with a
phototransistor 24, encased in a light-tight casing 25.
When a finger 26 of the operator touches the layer 17 on the upper
surface 1a of the tube, an a-c circuit is established from earth
via the resistance (as symbolized by 27) of the operators body, the
layer 17, ring 18, wire 19, glow-lamp 20, resistance 21, winding
22, to earth. The glow-lamp 20 fires and illuminates the
phototransistor 24 causing it to emit a signal to terminal 28,
which is connected to one input line of coding matrix 8. When
finger 26 is taken away from the surface 1a, the said a-c circuit
is interrupted, glow-lamp 20 extinguishes, and the signal of
phototransistor 24 ceases. Of course, another photoelectric device
could be used instead of phototransistor 24.
It will be understood that the above description of the present
invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and
adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within
the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.
* * * * *