Data entry means

Claim 2

In a data entry device for generating a plurality of electrical output signals in accordance with data entered into said device, the combination comprising a channel member including a plurality of channels; a separate light emitting diode disposed in operative relation to each channel; radiation-sensitive means disposed transversely of the channels so that said radiation-sensitive means may be illuminated by radiation emitted from different light emitting diodes and passing through the respective channels; a plurality of shutter means each having at least one portion which may be displaced into one of said channels to block radiation in said channel; a plurality of separate data gating means each having a separate output on which electrical signals representative of data entered into the device may appear, and also having at least two input means; sequential control means for generating a plurality of control signals and applying said signals to sequentially energize said light emitting diodes, said signals also being applied sequentially to one of the input means on each of said data gating means; and means for applying signals generated by said radiation-sensitive means in response to radiation impinging on said means from various ones of said light emitting diodes to a second input means of each of said data gating means.

Claim 3

The data entry device of claim 1, in which the sequential control means includes signal generating means for generating a train of timing signals and a ring counter for utilizing said timing signals to sequentially energize said light emitting diodes and to apply timing signals sequentially to one of the input means on each of the data gating means.

Claim 4

In a data entry device for generating a plurality of electrical output signals in accordance with data entered into said device, the combination comprising a channel member including a plurality of channels; a radiation-emitting element disposed in operativE relation to each channel; radiation-sensitive means disposed transversely of the channels so that said radiation sensitive means may be illuminated by radiation emitted from different radiation-emitting elements and passing through the respective channels; a plurality of shutter means each having at least one portion which may be displaced into one of said channels to block radiation in said channel; a plurality of separate NAND gates each having a separate output on which electrical signals representative of data entered into the device may appear, and also having at least two input means; sequential control means for generating a plurality of control signals and applying said signals to sequentially energize said radiation-emitting elements, said signals also being applied sequentially to one of the input means on each of said NAND gates; and means for applying signals generated by said radiation-sensitive means in response to radiation impinging on said means from various ones of said radiation-emitting means to a second input means of each of said NAND gates.

Claim 5

In a data entry device for generating a plurality of electrical output signals in accordance with data entered into said device, the combination comprising a channel member including a plurality of channels; a radiation-emitting element disposed in operativE relation to each channel; radiation-sensitive means disposed transversely of the channels so that said radiation sensitive means may be illuminated by radiation emitted from different radiation-emitting elements and passing through the respective channels; a plurality of shutter means each having at least one portion which may be displaced into one of said channels to block radiation in said channel; a plurality of separate NAND gates each having a separate output on which electrical signals representative of data entered into the device may appear, and also having at least two input means; sequential control means for generating a plurality of control signals and applying said signals to sequentially energize said radiation-emitting elements, said signals also being applied sequentially to one of the input means on each of said NAND gates; and means for applying signals generated by said radiation-sensitive means in response to radiation impinging on said means from various ones of said radiation-emitting means to a second input means of each of said NAND gates.

Claim 6

In a data entry device for generating a plurality of electrical output signals in accordance with data entered into said device, the combination comprising a channel member including a plurality of channels; a radiation-emitting element disposed in operative relation to each channel; radiation-sensitive means disposed transversely of the channels so that said radiation-sensitive means may be illuminated by radiation emitted from different radiation-emitting elements and passing through the respective channels; a plurality of shutter means each having at least one portion which may be displaced into one of said channels to block radiation in said channel; a plurality of separate data gating means each having a separate output on which electrical signals representative of data entered into the device may appear, and also having at least two input means; sequential control means for generating a plurality of control signals and applying said signals to sequentially energize said radiation-emitting elements, said signals also being applied sequentially to one of the input means on each of said data gating means; means for applying signals generated by said radiation-sensitive means in response to radiation impinging on said means from various ones of said radiation-emitting means to a second input means of each of said data gating means; a plurality of second gating means, each having an output on which output signals representative of data entered into the data entry device may be applied to a utilizing device, each of the plurality of second gating means also having at least two input means, to a first of which an output signal from a corresponding one of the data gating means is applied; and sample pulse generating and gating means for applying a timed sequence of a number of sample pulses equal to the number of second gating means to a second input means of each of said second gating means.

Claim 7

In a data entry device for generating a plurality of electrical output signals in accordance with data entered into said device, the combination comprising a channel member including a plurality of channels; a radiation-emitting element disposed in operative relation to each channel; radiation-sensitive means disposed transversely of the channels so that said radiation-sensitive means may be illuminated by radiation emitted from different radiation-emitting elements and passing through the respective channels; a plurality of shutter means each having at least one portion which may be displaced into one of said channels to block radiation in said channel; a plurality of separate data gating means each having a separate output on which electrical signals representative of data entered into the device may appear, and also having at least two input means; sequential control means for generating a plurality of control signals and applying said signals to sequentially energize said radiation-emitting elements, said signals also being applied sequentially to one of the input means on each of said data gating means; means for applying signals generated by said radiation-sensitive means in response to radiation impinging on said means from various ones of said radiation-emitting means to a second input means of each of said data gating means; a plurality of second gating means, each having an output on which output signals representative of data entered into the data entry device may be applied to a utilizing device, each of the plurality of second gating means also having at least two input means, to a first of which an output signal from a corresponding one of the data gating means is applied; and sample pulse generating and gating means for applying a timed sequence of a number of sample pulses equal to the number of second gating means to a second input means of each of said second gating means.

Claim 8

The data entry device of claim 4 in which the channels of the channel member are assigned to data, control and strobe information, and in which the gating of the sample pulses is controlled by strobe, control and data signals.

Claim 9

In a data entry device for generating a plurality of electrical output signals in accordance with data entered into said device, the combination comprising a channel member including a plurality of channels; a radiation-emitting element disposed in operative relation to each channel; radiation-sensitive means disposed transversely of the channels so that said radiation-sensitive means may be illuminated by radiation emitted from different radiation-emitting elements and passing through the respective channels; a plurality of shutter means each having at least one portion which may be displaced into one of said channels to block radiation in said channel; a plurality of separAte data gating means each having a separate output on which electrical signals representative of data entered into the device may appear, and also having at least two input means; sequential control means for generating a plurality of control signals and applying said signals to sequentially energize said radiation-emitting elements, said signals also being applied sequentially to one of the input means on each of said data gating means, said sequential control means including signal generating means for generating a train of timing signals and counter means for utilizing said timing signals to sequentially energize said radiation-emitting elements, and to apply timing signals sequentially to one of the input means on each of the data gating means; means for applying signals generated by said radiation-sensitive means in response to radiation impinging on said means from various ones of said radiation-emitting means to a second input means of each of said data gating means; a plurality of second gating means, each having an output on which output signals representative of data entered into the data entry device may be applied to a utilizing device, each of the plurality of second gating means also having at least two input means, to a first of which an output signal from a corresponding one of the data gating means is applied; sample pulse generating means operatively connected to the signal generating means for generating a train of sampling pulses; and sample pulse gating means for gating the train of sample pulses produced by the sample pulse generating means to produce a timed sequence of output sample pulses, equal in number to the number of second gating means, for each data entry operation of the data entry means, said output sample pulses being applied to second input means of said second gating means to produce timed sequential output signals.

Claim 10

In a data entry device for generating a plurality of electrical output signals in accordance with data entered into said device, the combination comprising a channel member including a plurality of channels; a radiation-emitting element disposed in operative relation to each channel; radiation-sensitive means disposed transversely of the channels so that said radiation-sensitive means may be illuminated by radiation emitted from different radiation-emitting elements and passing through the respective channels; a plurality of shutter means each having at least one portion which may be displaced into one of said channels to block radiation in said channel; a plurality of separAte data gating means each having a separate output on which electrical signals representative of data entered into the device may appear, and also having at least two input means; sequential control means for generating a plurality of control signals and applying said signals to sequentially energize said radiation-emitting elements, said signals also being applied sequentially to one of the input means on each of said data gating means, said sequential control means including signal generating means for generating a train of timing signals and counter means for utilizing said timing signals to sequentially energize said radiation-emitting elements, and to apply timing signals sequentially to one of the input means on each of the data gating means; means for applying signals generated by said radiation-sensitive means in response to radiation impinging on said means from various ones of said radiation-emitting means to a second input means of each of said data gating means; a plurality of second gating means, each having an output on which output signals representative of data entered into the data entry device may be applied to a utilizing device, each of the plurality of second gating means also having at least two input means, to a first of which an output signal from a corresponding one of the data gating means is applied; sample pulse generating means operatively connected to the signal generating means for generating a train of sampling pulses; and sample pulse gating means for gating the train of sample pulses produced by the sample pulse generating means to produce a timed sequence of output sample pulses, equal in number to the number of second gating means, for each data entry operation of the data entry means, said output sample pulses being applied to second input means of said second gating means to produce timed sequential output signals.

Claim 11

The data entry device of claim 6, in which said data gating means and said second gating means are NAND gates.

Claim 12

In a data entry device for generating a plurality of electrical output signals in response to the selective operation of manually controlled input means, the combination comprising a channel member including a plurality of channels, said channels being assigned to data, control and strobe information; a radiation-emitting element disposed in operative relation to each channel; radiation-sensitive means disposed transversely of the channels in the channel member so that said radiation-sensitive means may be illuminated by radiation emitted from different radiation-emitting elements and passing through the respective channels; a plurality of manually controlled means each having at least one portion which may be displaced into one of said channels to block radiation in said channel; a plurality of first gating means corresponding to said channels, each having an output on which electrical signals representative of data, control and strobe information entered into the device by the manually controlled means may appear, and also having at least two input means; signal generating means for generating a train of timing signals; ring counter means for utilizing said timing signals to sequentially energize said radiation-emitting elements, and to apply timing signals sequentially to one of the input means on each of said first gating means; sensor means connected to said radiation-sensitive means for receiving sequential signals generated by said radiation-sensitive means in response to radiation impinging on said means from various ones of said radiation-emitting means and applying said signals to a second input means of each of said first gating means; a plurality of inverters for inverting the output signals from the plurality of first gating means; a plurality of second gating means each having an output on which output signals representative of data manually entered into the data entry device may be applied to a utilizing dEvice, and each of the plurality of second gating means also having at least two input means, to a first of which an output signal from a corresponding one of said inverters is applied; sample pulse generating means operatively connected to the signal generating means for generating a train of sample pulses; and sample pulse gating means for gating the train of sample pulses produced by the sample pulse generating means to produce a timed sequence of output sample pulses, equal in number to the number of said second gating means, for each manual data entry operation of the data entry means, said output sample pulses being applied to second input means of said second gating means to produce timed sequential output signals, said sample pulse gating means being controlled by strobe, control and data signals, and by a signal from the utilizing device.

Claim 13

In a data entry device for generating a plurality of electrical output signals in response to the selective operation of manually controlled input means, the combination comprising a channel member including a plurality of channels, said channels being assigned to data, control and strobe information; a radiation-emitting element disposed in operative relation to each channel; radiation-sensitive means disposed transversely of the channels in the channel member so that said radiation-sensitive means may be illuminated by radiation emitted from different radiation-emitting elements and passing through the respective channels; a plurality of manually controlled means each having at least one portion which may be displaced into one of said channels to block radiation in said channel; a plurality of first gating means corresponding to said channels, each having an output on which electrical signals representative of data, control and strobe information entered into the device by the manually controlled means may appear, and also having at least two input means; signal generating means for generating a train of timing signals; ring counter means for utilizing said timing signals to sequentially energize said radiation-emitting elements, and to apply timing signals sequentially to one of the input means on each of said first gating means; sensor means connected to said radiation-sensitive means for receiving sequential signals generated by said radiation-sensitive means in response to radiation impinging on said means from various ones of said radiation-emitting means and applying said signals to a second input means of each of said first gating means; a plurality of inverters for inverting the output signals from the plurality of first gating means; a plurality of second gating means each having an output on which output signals representative of data manually entered into the data entry device may be applied to a utilizing dEvice, and each of the plurality of second gating means also having at least two input means, to a first of which an output signal from a corresponding one of said inverters is applied; sample pulse generating means operatively connected to the signal generating means for generating a train of sample pulses; and sample pulse gating means for gating the train of sample pulses produced by the sample pulse generating means to produce a timed sequence of output sample pulses, equal in number to the number of said second gating means, for each manual data entry operation of the data entry means, said output sample pulses being applied to second input means of said second gating means to produce timed sequential output signals, said sample pulse gating means being controlled by strobe, control and data signals, and by a signal from the utilizing device.

Claim 14

The data entry device of claim 8, in which said first and second gating means are NAND gates.

Claim 15

The data entry device of claim 8, in which the radiation-emitting elements are infrared light-emitting diodes.

Claim 16

The data entry device of claim 8, in which the radiation-sensitive means is a solar cell.