U.S. patent number RE31,649 [Application Number 06/292,175] was granted by the patent office on 1984-08-21 for combined telephone index and keyboard for dialer.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Marcamor, Inc.. Invention is credited to Robert M. Brodbeck.
United States Patent |
RE31,649 |
Brodbeck |
August 21, 1984 |
Combined telephone index and keyboard for dialer
Abstract
A telephone card index, having a switch connected to the card
finder for initially locking on to a memory section of a
miniprocessor.[., a.]..Iadd.. .Iadd.A .Iaddend.key aligned with
each name line of the card locates the exact memory address of the
number to be called with pre-recorded dial signals at the memory
address for an individual name line, .[.permits.]. .Iadd.permitting
.Iaddend.automatic telephone dialing of the selected number. A
keyboard in the circuit, with a display.Iadd., .Iaddend.permits
adding, changing or recalling the recorded number at each
address.
Inventors: |
Brodbeck; Robert M. (Littleton,
CO) |
Assignee: |
Marcamor, Inc. (Denver,
CO)
|
Family
ID: |
26967195 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/292,175 |
Filed: |
August 12, 1981 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
851149 |
Nov 14, 1977 |
04164630 |
Aug 14, 1979 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
379/354;
379/356.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M
1/27495 (20200101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04M
1/2745 (20060101); H04M 1/274 (20060101); H04M
001/274 () |
Field of
Search: |
;179/9B,9BD,9CS,9BB
;340/147A,365VL |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Brigance; Gerald L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lewis, Jr.; Ancel W.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Telephone index and combined switch arrangement for memory
stored dialing data for automatic dialing telephones
comprising:
(a) a housing having an entry keyboard switch means thereon for
entering numbers to be stored and display means for displaying the
number entered by said entry keyboard.[.,.]..Iadd.; .Iaddend.
(b) multiple card index means for a visual listing of names and
telephone numbers, each card including individual lines for
individual numbers arranged in the same position on the cards,
wherein said card and lines are divided into a plurality of
left-hand lines and a plurality of right-hand lines, said left-hand
and right-hand lines being substantially equal in number, and
further including a cover positioned over said cards and finding
means on said cover for positioning an individual card for visual
display of the card's content;
(c) card switch means including an individual .[.contract.].
.Iadd.contact .Iaddend.associated with each card index and
activated by positioning said finding means to display the
particular card to thereby close said card switch means completing
a circuit for said card including a common lead and a common bus
bar associated with said finding means and an individual lead for
each card, said card switch means being initially energized when
said cover is closed;
(d) selector switch means including a left-hand and a right-hand
series of push buttons with one button in said left-hand series for
and adjacent to each of said left-hand lines and one button in said
right-hand series for and adjacent to each of said right-hand lines
so that said selector switch means is activated by a push button to
close a circuit for a particular line positioned on an individual
card to thereby complete a first circuit associated with the card
contained data and close a second circuit associated with a
particular line on a card to retrieve and automatically dial a
telephone number stored at a location in the memory associated with
said particular line; and
(e) a visual display panel means on said housing adjacent said
cover for displaying the number dialed by actuating said card
switch and selector switch. .Iadd. 2. In a telephone index and
combined switch device for memory stored dialing data for automatic
telephone dialing, the combination comprising:
multiple card index means including a plurality of cards one on
another for visual listing of names and telephone numbers, each
card including individual lines for individual names and telephone
numbers, a cover positioned over said cards, and finding means on
said cover for positioning an individual card for visual display of
the card's content;
card switch means activated by positioning said finding means, said
card switch means initially latching onto a memory block of data
representing an individual card when said cover is closed, said
latching being completed via said card switch means when the cover
is closed whereby, with a first card selection and with said cover
closed, the latching for the first card selected remains in effect
until said finding means is moved to a second card selection and
said cover is closed; and
selector switch means including a number of pushbuttons equal to
the number of lines on one of said cards, one of said pushbuttons
associated with each of said lines, each said pushbutton connected
in a second circuit corresponding to a particular line and a
particular selected card which, upon activation of a selected
pushbutton, is effective to retrieve and automatically dial a
telephone number stored at a location in a memory corresponding
with the telephone number of the particular line that has been
selected. .Iaddend..Iadd. 3. In a telephone index and combined
switch device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said card switch
means has a a circuit-completing portion carried by said cover.
.Iaddend..Iadd. 4. In a telephone index and combined switch device
as set forth in claim 2 wherein said card switch means includes a
common bus bar, a contact for each card, and a circuit-completing
portion that is movable conjointly with said finding means for
electrically connecting said common bus bar to successive contacts
for an individual selected card according to the position of said
finding means. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 5. In a telephone index and
combined switch device as set forth in claim 2 including a housing
having an entry keyboard switch means thereon for entering numbers
to be stored and display means for displaying the number entered by
said entry keyboard. .Iaddend..Iadd. 6. In a telephone index and
combined swich device as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said
cards and lines are divided into a plurality of left-hand lines and
a plurality of right-hand lines, said right-hand lines being
substantially equal in number. .Iaddend..Iadd. 7. In a telephone
index and combined switch device as set forth in claim 2 including
visual display panel means on said housing adjacent said cover for
displaying the number dialed by actuating said card switch means
and selector switch means. .Iaddend.
Description
PRIOR ART
Many telephone users find an automatic dial telephone system very
desirable. Some systems have been proposed, but all seem to be
deficient in some respect. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,813,931 to DeForest,
there is described an early attempt to provide an automatic dialer.
The device uses a mechanical arrangement for rotating the dial ring
of a dial telephone. Such a system is not satisfactory for touch
tone systems, for example. Another mechanical dialing device is
described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,830,129 using card shaped plates with
wavy grooves to laterally move a follower to proportionally rotate
the dial ring of the telephone.
A .[.scroll, shaped.]. .Iadd.scroll-shaped .Iaddend.magnetic memory
tape is used in Kuehnle U.S. Pat. No. 3,495,299. The scroll is
provided with visual addresses for the stored telephone numbers.
The construction uses a longitudinal scroll for a series of
sections, each section of which includes plural transverse names
and numbers. A traveling head is moved to the transverse name line
to permit .[.retrieve.]. .Iadd.retrieval .Iaddend.of the dial
signal on magnetic scroll. The scroll must be .[.longitudinal.].
.Iadd.longitudinally .Iaddend.moved to permit scanning for a
particular section.
The Brafman U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,645 describes a system for
automatically dialing from a repertoire of numbers in sequence.
This may include a recorded message sender. The processor is
described for completing various functions according to the results
from the called number. However, the dialing is sequentially from
the list of numbers in a repertoire.
A double scroll arrangement is shown in Mosley.[.,.]. et al U.S.
Pat. No. 4,029,908. One scroll contains visible names and telephone
.[.number.]. .Iadd.numbers.Iaddend., while the other scroll is a
magnetic tape with signals which correspond to the desired number
on the visible scroll. The tapes of both scrolls must be
synchronized and remain synchronized for operation. Both scrolls
are manually and conjointly moved.
The circuitry and switching arrangement of an automatic dialing
telephone is shown in Connelly et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,722 using
a switch unit of 11 manually operable 10 way (or lead) switches. A
number may be pre-set by the switches and a push .[.bottom.].
.Iadd.button .Iaddend.actuates .[.a.]. digital tone signals or
impulses corresponding to the pre-set number.
THE PRESENT INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a
.[.retrieve.]. .Iadd.retrieval .Iaddend.system combined with a card
telephone index, which simply and quickly arranges the retrieve of
a pre-recorded number, corresponding to the visible name display in
the index, for single button actuation of an automatic dialer for
the retrieved number. Also.[.,.]. included in the unit is a
keyboard for introducing, retrieving or erasing numbers in a memory
bank for the automatic dialing system.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
Included among the objects and advantages of the invention is to
provide an easily used card index for telephone numbers and names,
combined with an automatic dialing system for telephones, for
locating a pre-recorded telephone number in a memory bank and
actuating the dialing system with a single button.
Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple card
telephone index having switch means for initially locating and
latching to a multiple name group in a memory bank of an automatic
dialing system.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multiple card
telephone index having manual moving switch means for immediately
locating a multiple name group in a section in a memory bank and
locking the circuitry on that section until the switch means is
moved on contacts.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a multiple card
telephone index .[., and.]. having single push button switch means
actuating a dial means for each address line on the card being
displayed.
A further object of the invention is to provide a card telephone
index interconnected with an automatic dialing system, with an
integral enter, retrieve and erase keyboard system.
Another additional object of the invention is to provide a flip
card telephone index integrated with an automatic telephone dialer
to initially latch on a group or block of addresses in a memory
bank corresponding to each card and.[.,.]. actuated by impulses
from a memory bank on initiation by a single button for each
equivalent address line on the cards of the index.
A still additional object of the invention is to provide a rotary
card telephone index integrated with an automatic telephone dialer
to initially latch on a group or block of addresses in a memory
bank corresponding to each card and actuated by an impulse from a
memory bank on initiation by a single button for each equivalent
address line on the cards of the index.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A multiple card index of telephone numbers is arranged with switch
means to initially latch circuitry to a section of a bit storage
means containing the addresses of a group or block of names, with
each address of each group having an equivalent address which is
coupled to an actuating button. It provides a double switch
arrangement where the first switch latches on a group or block in
the storage means and .Iadd.a .Iaddend.plurality of switches
arranged so that each switch activates data retrieve means from the
equivalent line in every group or block, so as to impress the dial
impulses on a telephone line entered on that line in that group.
The groups are feasibly arranged alphabetically, and each group or
block may be provided with a number of specific addresses, for
example.Iadd., .Iaddend.8, 10, 12, 14-20 or more. In one specific
card index, seven cards are arranged with five split lines for
addresses and thus ten actuating .[.button.].
.Iadd.buttons.Iaddend.. This provides for 70 telephone numbers,
generally listed alphabetically. In another form, a flip card index
uses 18 cards and 20 lines (each with a button) to provide for 360
telephone numbers. In a rotary card index having 26 cards and 20
names per card, 520 telephone numbers may be listed for automatic
dialing. For practicality the number of actuating buttons (or lines
per card) should be held to a low number, but the number of cards
may be increased to any desired number; for example.Iadd.,
.Iaddend.the letters B, C, H, M, R, S and W generally provide the
largest sections of a telephone directory (listed by last name, of
course) and thus multiple cards could be used for them (as B-1,
B-2, etc.), giving any number of possible names with telephone
numbers. The memory means must, however, be large enough to
accommodate the number of spaces on the cards.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Additional and further objects and advantages and methods of use
will appear obvious from the following description and appended
drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the invention, using a
.[.bottom.]. .Iadd.button .Iaddend.triggered flip card telephone
index associated with a keyboard and display means.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 with flip card
index in open position showing the actuating buttons for equivalent
address lines of the cards, visually giving the name, and perhaps
the telephone number, of the telephone of the party to be
automatically dialed.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail of one form of an index trigger with
an associated latching switch means.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the contacts of the switch
means of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the trigger and
switch means of FIG. 4 taken along section lines 5--5.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a modified form of card index having
a center sliding finder for the cards of the index.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a rotary card index for integration
with a processor, memory bank and automatic dial means for a
telephone.
FIG. 8 is an exploded, schematic view of one end of a rotary card
index showing a rotary switch contact means for the common contact
of all cards of the index.
FIGS. 9 and 10 show the rotary switch means providing the other
contact for each card to complete a circuit to a processor and each
individual group of the data storage corresponding to the card in
visual position.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a housing shown generally by
numeral 10, having sides 11 and 12, front 13 and back 14 provides a
container for the components of the invention. A flip card
telephone index 15 is mounted in the top of the housing and it
includes the slide, card finder 16 and a trigger bar 17 which opens
the index to the card indicated by the slide 16 on the unit. A card
index locator 18 indicates a particular card for the positioning of
the slide 16. Such card indexes are common, with the use of notched
cards, normally progressively notched from one side to the other,
or the end adjacent the slide bar, so that a slide having a tab
will lift all the cards above the particular desired card leaving
the card, for example card 19 of FIG. 2, exposed when the lid or
door 15 is raised. The card 19 includes a plurality of left-hand
line areas and right-hand line areas, the left-hand and the
right-hand lines being equal in number. The trigger bar 17 releases
the latch to permit the spring loaded door to open. A keyboard
(shown generally by numeral.[.) 20.]. .Iadd.20) .Iaddend.is.[.,.].
also.[.,.]. provided in the top of the housing including a series
of keys for the digits 1-9 and a zero key immediately under the 1.
A button marked MC is for Memory Clear and adjacent thereto is a MR
button for Memory Retain. Below the lower set of keys is a C button
for Clear, CE button for Clear Entry and an E button for Enter. A
display window 22 above the keyboard provides a display of the
figures entered by the keyboard. Such display, as is commonly
known, may be in LED (Light Emitting Diode) and LCD (Liquid Crystal
Display) or any other desired visual display mode of the numbers
entered by the keyboard. A small housing projection 23 above the
keyboard includes three signals, including power on light 24, power
mode of the unit 25, which may indicate that the unit is not in
operating condition, and signal light 26 to indicate a misdial.
Another visual display panel 28 is provided adjacent to the signal
lamps to indicate the number actually dialed by the automatic
dialing system, and preferably it displays as the number is dialed
or may display a retrieved number for recall purposes.
The switch arrangement for initially latching onto a block of data,
represented by the data on each particular card, is illustrated in
FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 wherein the slide finder 16 includes a contact 30
on its base which is arranged to switch contact elements mounted in
position to contact the contact 30 when the code index cover is
closed. The switch elements include a common contact 31, and a
series of contacts 32 which are arranged with one contact for each
card.[.,.]. in the stack of cards in the card index. The common
contact 31 includes a single lead 31' which connects with the
circuitry of a micro processor, memory autodialer, etc., and each
individual contact 32 includes its own lead 32' which also is
connected to the circuitry aforementioned so that movement of the
slide 32.[.,.]. also.[.,.]. moves the contact 30 to complete a
circuit equivalent to the particular card. This provides
electronically finding the circuit of the block of data which
corresponds to the particular card indicated by the slide 16. The
circuit is latched to the memory by known latch circuits and it
remains latched until the cover is closed and the slide moved. A
particular telephone number, a shown on the card 19, may be
retrieved and transmitted to an automatic dialer.[.,.]. by pressing
the button corresponding to the line of that particular card. As
shown in FIG. 2, the buttons are 1-4 to represent four left-hand
lines on one half of the card, and 5-8 to represent four right-hand
lines on the other half of the card.
Each card in the stack of cards represents a block of data, which
may include a series of words, that is.Iadd., .Iaddend.each word is
12 to 64 bits, each word and numbers are represented by one of the
lines of the card. The stored data at each address represents the
telephone number of the person or firm visually represented on the
card, with the telephone number being entered into the memory bank
through the keyboard in .[.computor.]. .Iadd.computer
.Iaddend.language, and the number to be entered shown in display
22. The unit may be connected to a telephone line, represented in
FIG. 1 by line 1.Iadd., .Iaddend.which, of course, includes plural
conductors as is common in the art.
The unit includes an information processing and storage system for
information fed into the unit through the keyboard 20, as is common
in the .[.computor.]. .Iadd.computer .Iaddend.art. A memory, or
storage, usually stores data in digital information and this may be
retrieved, processed into dial impulses and transmitted to the
telephone switching unit. The storage may be of either a moving
surface device or an entire electronic device, as is well known in
the art. In either case the data to be stored, as representing the
desired telephone numbers.Iadd., .Iaddend.is stored in blocks, with
each block representing a single card in the card index. For
example, as shown in FIG. 3, the slide finder is on the letter E,
and when the slide is moved to that position, the contact 30
contacts the common contact bar 31 and the single contact.[.,.].
(32) of the E position. By means of a latching circuit, the circuit
to the memory block is latched to that information block of the
memory bank representing the E card, such latching circuits being
common. The latching circuit is arranged to maintain the circuitry
latched onto that memory block until the slide is moved to a
different set of contacts. The block will be maintained in the
circuit even though the cover 52 is raised and the contact 30 is no
longer in contact with the common contact 31 and the individual
card contact. With the cover in the upright position, the name of
the person desired (whose last name begins with E) may be readily
found on one of the lines on the card, and the button of that line
is pushed to actuate a memory retrieve and an automatic dial
mechanism. As pointed out above, the retrieve means is a commonly
known device in the electronic microprocess and memory art. And
automatic dialers are well-known in the art, for example U.S. Pat.
Nos. 3,899,645 and 4,032,722 described before.
As shown in FIG. 6, a modified card index is illustrated wherein
the cover 15a includes a center slot 40 and a letter index 41
therealong, so that the slide 16a moves along the center slot 40
indicating the alphabet letter of the card to be displayed when the
unit's cover is opened. This particular slide includes a cross bar
42 having turned under ends 43 on both sides which are arranged to
hold the cards, having a portion the width of the slide ends 43,
and to release those cards where the width is less than the slides.
This is a common type of card index. The slide 42 provides a
sliding contact similar to 30 for contacting a common contact 31a
by the end 43 on that side, and contacting the individual contacts
32a on the opposite side by the other turned under end 43. The
cards are provided with cutout portions on the sides to permit the
slide to raise and lower without contacting a portion of the stack
of cards. Thus card 19a has a cutout running almost its full length
so that its contact with end 43 only occurs under the .Iadd. card
.Iaddend.19a exposing the card A. In the same manner, card 19a' has
a shorter cut out, so that the contact 43 slides under the card
listing both the cards 19a and 19a' exposing the B card. The
remainder of the unit operates in the manner as described for FIGS.
1 and 2.
The device of FIG. 7 includes a housing 20c .[.in manner.].
.Iadd.as .Iaddend.shown in FIG. 1, including the display means
14c.Iadd., .Iaddend.a keyboard 20c (with display) and an
individual, card-line, pushbutton set 50. The card index, shown in
general by numeral 51, is a rotary card index which includes a
plurality of cards 52, 53, 54, etc..Iadd., .Iaddend.secured to a
shaft 56 mounted in a housing 57 and including a turning knob 58.
Such units are known in many forms and shapes. Each card (FIG. 9)
includes a conductor 60 running along its base arranged to be in
connection with a contact at one side for the individual card
contact lead and a common contact at the opposite side. This forms
the switch circuitry to a block in memory, and a line button
provides a switch for the individual address of data in the block.
The card includes a conductor projection 61 (at each side of the
card bottom) which is to be mounted in a card holder 62 (on the
shaft) and the projection 61 includes a lead 61a to an individual
contact 62. Each card is mounted in the fixture and a lead (not
shown except for card 52) goes to the individual contact for that
particular card location. The contacts are brush contacts which
spiral inwardly around 360.degree.. The wire contacts 62 are
arranged to contact one single contact of the series of contacts 64
mounted on the housing in a stationary position, and the row of
contacts 64 are so positioned that the card which is held in
upright position (in a visible position to observe the lines on the
card) has its individual contact in communication with its contact
64. Release notches may be provided to insure that the shaft is
stopped exactly at the point where a brush contact is in electric
contact with the stationary contact 64 on the housing. In this
manner, one end of the card has its brush contact in contact with
only one of the contacts on the housing. Leads from those
individual contacts extend to the processor as afore explained. The
common contact may be a ring 66 (FIG. 8) in sliding contact with
each card end on the end of the shaft 56, holding the cards so that
all of the ends of the card conductors are in contact with the ring
contact 66. A wire or brush contact 67 extends from the end of the
shaft, and it in turn contacts a stationary ring contact 68 mounted
on the housing. The ring is provided with a lead 69 extending to
the processor to complete the circuit with the individual contacts
of the cards at the opposite end. In this manner the circuit is
completed when a particular card is moved into upright position, so
that its brush contact is in contact with one point contact 64 at
one end of the shaft and the common lead on the other end.Iadd.,
.Iaddend.and completes the circuit to a micro-processor. The
completed circuit actuates the processor to the block of data
represented by that particular card. The name and/or telephone
number as indicated visually on the particular line of the card is
then actuated by depressing one of the buttons 60 on the button
console 50. As in the above example, one button is arranged for
each line. Also, the movement of the rotary card index to the stop
position forms a circuit for the particular card in upright
position, through the brush arrangement specified above, and a
latch circuit is instituted so that the processor latches onto the
block of information in the memory. The individual word or data is
then retrieved by depressing the line button, which actuates a
dialer to impress dialtones on the telephone line to which the unit
is attached.
The unit is arranged to display any number in the memory bank,
merely by adjusting the card selector to the proper position to
display the desired card, and by depressing the memory display
button. Pressing the button of the particular line.[.,.]. displays
the telephone number in the visual display 28 (FIG. 1). This
insures that a correct number is in the memory bank, being the same
as shown by the visual display on the card. When it is necessary to
change a number, the same processes may be instituted to show the
number in the data bank on display 28.[.,.]. and.Iadd., .Iaddend.by
depressing the Memory Clear.Iadd., .Iaddend.that data is cleared
from the memory bank. The correct number may then be added by
depressing the proper buttons on the keyboard 20 (which is shown
the display 22), and then depressing the enter button when the
number is complete. This impresses the correct number in proper
computer language in the correct place in the memory bank. Also,
when it is desired to enter a new number into the memory, the
particular card is displayed by the card finder, and the memory
retrieve is depressed for the individual line. .[.If the memory
line is, a new number may be entered..]. If a number shows in the
display 28 then the line is not blank and the information may be
corrected. This procedure assures that the line in the memory is
the same as the card information. Also, a rechargeable battery may
be included in the unit to insure that the memory is not erased in
the event that the line voltage from the telephone line is
accidentally cut off. Also the two visual displays may, of
course.Iadd., .Iaddend.be replaced by a single display, as
desired.
In many instances it is highly desirable to be able to redial a
number (where the first dialing is to a busy line). A redial button
labeled RD, below the No. 8 line button of FIGS. 1 and 2, may
reactivate the dialer to the last number to which the switches are
set. This permits multiple redialing without changing the switches,
or resetting them. The memory readout of the particular setting is
accomplished by pressing the MR button, to visually display the
number to which the switches are set.
The device has high utility where a number of individual numbers
are called on a frequent basis. For example, purchasing agents
usually frequently call a series of telephone numbers, and they
will find that the unit is highly effective since the automatic
dialing relieves the stress of dialing each and every number on a
repetitive basis. Another high use is a telephone answering service
which may have several hundred numbers, which are generally called
on a very frequent basis. In such a case, the rotary card index
would be highly useful, since such a unit could be made to store
several thousand telephone numbers. It is, also, important to note
that in the event a user calls one particular number, for example
his own home number, the indicators.[.,.]. for the flip card
index.[.,.]. may be moved to the initials of his last name.[.,.].
and.Iadd., .Iaddend.since the line number is known, the button of
that line may be depressed to actuate the dialer without actually
opening the cover 15. Thus, it is seen that the invention provides
a simple, easy to use index and switch arrangement for an automatic
dialing mechanism having a memory bank for numbers to be
called.
* * * * *