Code generating and receiving apparatus

Claim 2

A code generating and receiving apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: code generating means, comprising: a housing; a bearing connected to the housing having a bearing surface formed on a portion thereof; a writing ball having a portion engaging the bearing surface and being rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing, a portion of the writing ball engaging the writing surface in a marking position of the code generating means and rotatingly moving and marking a preselected indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position of the code generating means; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions, each indicia indicating signal being indicative of a portion of the marked indicia and a predetermined number of indicia indicating signals being indicative of the indicia code representing the marked indicia; contact arm means supported within the housing having a portion engaging a portion of the writing ball and the rotation of the writing ball moving a portion of the contact arm means into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means via the engagement between the contact arm means and the writing ball; and receiving means receiving the generated indicia indicating signals and deciphering the received indicia indicating signals to identify the indicia code and the indicia represented thereby.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receiving means is defined further to include a portion generating a feedback signal indicative of the deciphered indicia code; and wherein the code generating apparatus includes: means receiving the feedback signal indicative of the deciphered indicia code and providing an operator-perceivable indication of the indicia represented thereby in response thereto.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the code generating means is defined further to include: means supported in the housing generating an orientation signal responsive to the orientation of the housing simultaneous with the generation of the indicia indicating signals, a predetermined number of orientation signals and indicia indicating signals comprising the indicia code representing the marked indicia substantially independent of the orientation of the housing.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 defined further to include: support means secured in the housing securing the contact end portions of the code contact means circumferentially disposed about a portion of the contact arm means and spaced a distance radially therefrom, in one position thereof, the portion of the contact arm means spaced from the contact end portions being moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions in response to rotational movement of the writing ball and the contact end portions contactingly engaged being indicative of the direction of movement of the code generating means during the marking of the indicia on the writing surface.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the contact end portions are disposed in a predetermined number of sectors circumferentially about a portion of the contact arm means, the sequence of sectors determined via contacting engagement between the contact end portions and the portion of the contact arm means being the indicia code representing the marked indicia.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a hollow opening therethrough intersecting a writing end thereof, and wherein the apparatus is defined further to include: a tip housing, having an upper end and a lower end and a hollow portion extending therethrough intersecting the upper end and the lower end, the writing ball means being disposed in the hollow portion generally near the lower end thereof and the lower end portion of the tip housing being reciprocatingly disposed within the hollow opening of the housing through the writing end thereof; an upwardly extending contact secured within the hollow portion of the tip housing; a downwardly extending contact secured within the hollow opening of the housing; spring means secured to the housing and to the tip housing spacing the upwardly extending contact a distance from the downwardly extending contact, the tip housing being reciprocated within the housing against the biasing force of the spring means and moving the upwardly extending contact and the downwardly extending contact into contacting engagement in a marking position and in a code generating position of the code generating means; and means connected to the upwardly extending contact and to the downwardly extending contact and generating a code initiate signal in response to contacting engagement therebetween.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the indicia indicating signals are generally within the ratio frequency range; and wherein the code generating means includes: an antenna means connected to the means generating the indicia indicating signals, the indicia indicating signals being generated and transmitted via the code generating means.

Claim 9

A code generating and receiving apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface of the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: code generating means, comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position of the code generating apparatus and rotatingly moving and marking a preselected indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position of the code generating apparatus; a bearing secured in the housing rotatingly supporting the writing ball; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions; a lower contact ball rotatingly supported within a portion of the housing, a portion of the lower contact ball engaging a portion of the writing ball, the lower contact ball being rotated in response to the rotational movement of the writing ball via the engagement therebetween; a bearing secured in the housing rotatingly supporting the lower contact ball; and an upper contact ball connected to the lower contact ball and being pivotally moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to the rotational movement of the lower contact ball, each indicia indicating signal being indicative of a portion of the marked indicia and a predetermined number of the indicia indicating signals being indicative of the indicia code representing the marked indicia; and receiving means receiving the generated indicia indicating signals and deciphering the received indicia indicating signals to identify the indicia code and the indicia represented thereby.

Claim 10

A code generating and receiving apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface of the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: code generating means, comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position of the code generating apparatus and rotatingly moving and marking a preselected indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position of the code generating apparatus; a bearing secured in the housing rotatingly supporting the writing ball; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions; a lower contact ball rotatingly supported within a portion of the housing, a portion of the lower contact ball engaging a portion of the writing ball, the lower contact ball being rotated in response to the rotational movement of the writing ball via the engagement therebetween; a bearing secured in the housing rotatingly supporting the lower contact ball; and an upper contact ball connected to the lower contact ball and being pivotally moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to the rotational movement of the lower contact ball, each indicia indicating signal being indicative of a portion of the marked indicia and a predetermined number of the indicia indicating signals being indicative of the indicia code representing the marked indicia; and receiving means receiving the generated indicia indicating signals and deciphering the received indicia indicating signals to identify the indicia code and the indicia represented thereby.

Claim 11

A code generating and receiving apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: code generating means, comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position of the code generating apparatus and rotatingly moving and marking a preselected indicia on the writing surface in a code generatIng position of the code generating apparatus; and a bearing secured in the housing rotatingly supporting the writing ball; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions; and an upper contact ball connected to the writing ball and being pivotally moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to the rotational movement of the writing ball means, each indicia indicating signal being indicative of a portion of the marked indicia and a predetermined number of the indicia indicating signals being indicative of the indicia code representing the marked indicia; and receiving means receiving the generated indicia indicating signals and deciphering the received indicia indicating signals to identify the indicia code and the indicia represented thereby.

Claim 12

A code generating and receiving apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: code generating means, comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position of the code generating apparatus and rotatingly moving and marking a preselected indicia on the writing surface in a code generatIng position of the code generating apparatus; and a bearing secured in the housing rotatingly supporting the writing ball; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions; and an upper contact ball connected to the writing ball and being pivotally moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to the rotational movement of the writing ball means, each indicia indicating signal being indicative of a portion of the marked indicia and a predetermined number of the indicia indicating signals being indicative of the indicia code representing the marked indicia; and receiving means receiving the generated indicia indicating signals and deciphering the received indicia indicating signals to identify the indicia code and the indicia represented thereby.

Claim 13

A code generating and receiving apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: code generating means, comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position of the code generating apparatus and rotatingly moving and marking a preselected indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position of the code generating apparatus; a bearing secured in the housing rotatingly supporting the writing ball; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions; contact arm means supported within the housing having a portion engaging a portion of the writing ball and a portion moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to rotational movement of the writing ball means; support means secured in the housing securing the contact end portions of the code contact means circumferentially disposed about a portion of the contact arm means and spaced a distance radially therefrom, in one position thereof, the contact end portions being disposed in a predetermined number of sectors circumferentially about a portion of the contact arm means, the portion of the contact arm means spaced from the contact end portions being moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions in response to rotational movement of the writing ball, the contact end portions contactingly engaged being indicative of the direction of movement of the code generating means during the marking of the indicia on the writing surface and the sequence of sectors determined via contacting engagement between the contact end portions and the portion of the contact arm means being the indicia code representing the marked indicia; and an orientation member movably supported within a portion of the housing contactingly engaging a portion of one of the portions of the contact end portions in response to and indicative of the orientation of the housing, the code generating means generating an orientation signal in response to the contacting engagement between the orientation member and the code contact means simultaneously with the generation of the indicia indicating signals, the orientation signals and the indicia indicating signals being indicative of the sequence of sectors and comprising the indicia code substantially independent of the orientation of the housing, each indicia indicating signal being indicative of a portion of the marked indicia and a predetermined number of the indicia indicating signals being indicative of the indicia code representing the marked indicia; and receiving means receiving the generated indicia indicating siGnals and deciphering the received indicia indicating signals to identify the indicia code and the indicia represented thereby.

Claim 14

A code generating and receiving apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: code generating means, comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position of the code generating apparatus and rotatingly moving and marking a preselected indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position of the code generating apparatus; a bearing secured in the housing rotatingly supporting the writing ball; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions; contact arm means supported within the housing having a portion engaging a portion of the writing ball and a portion moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to rotational movement of the writing ball means; support means secured in the housing securing the contact end portions of the code contact means circumferentially disposed about a portion of the contact arm means and spaced a distance radially therefrom, in one position thereof, the contact end portions being disposed in a predetermined number of sectors circumferentially about a portion of the contact arm means, the portion of the contact arm means spaced from the contact end portions being moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions in response to rotational movement of the writing ball, the contact end portions contactingly engaged being indicative of the direction of movement of the code generating means during the marking of the indicia on the writing surface and the sequence of sectors determined via contacting engagement between the contact end portions and the portion of the contact arm means being the indicia code representing the marked indicia; and an orientation member movably supported within a portion of the housing contactingly engaging a portion of one of the portions of the contact end portions in response to and indicative of the orientation of the housing, the code generating means generating an orientation signal in response to the contacting engagement between the orientation member and the code contact means simultaneously with the generation of the indicia indicating signals, the orientation signals and the indicia indicating signals being indicative of the sequence of sectors and comprising the indicia code substantially independent of the orientation of the housing, each indicia indicating signal being indicative of a portion of the marked indicia and a predetermined number of the indicia indicating signals being indicative of the indicia code representing the marked indicia; and receiving means receiving the generated indicia indicating siGnals and deciphering the received indicia indicating signals to identify the indicia code and the indicia represented thereby.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 10 defined further to include: rod means having one end connected to the lower contact ball and the opposite end connected to the upper contact ball; and retainer means secured in the housing means and disposed between the lower contact ball and the upper contact ball, the rod means extending through the retainer means and the retainer means resiliently supporting rod means and upper contact ball connected thereto spaced a distance from the contact end portions.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the support means includes an annular race formed therein, the orientation member means being movably disposed within the annular race and the position of the orientation member means in the annular race being indicative of the orientation of the housing means; and wherein the code contact means includes: conductor means connected to the contact end portions and a portion of the conductor means supported within the annular race and disposed to be contactingly engaged by the orientation member means, the orientation signal being generated in response to the contacting engagement between the orientation member means and the conductor means.

Claim 17

A code generating and receiving apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: code generating means, comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position of the code generating apparatus and rotatingly moving and marking a preselected indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position of the code generating apparatus; code contact means supported within the housing means having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions, each indicia indicating signals being indicative of a portion of the marked indicia and a predetermined number of the indicia indicating signals being indicative of the indicia code representing the marked indicia; contact arm means supported within the housing having a portion engaging a portion of the writing ball and a portion moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to rotational movement of the writing ball; means detecting the rotational movement of the writing ball means as the writing ball means marks an indicia portion on the writing surface and generating distance signals indicative of the amount of rotational movement of the writing ball means, the distance signals being thereby indicative of the length of the marked indicia; and receiving means receiving the generated indicia indicating signals and deciphering the received indicia indicating signals to identify the indicia code and the indicia represented thereby.

Claim 18

A code generating and receiving apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: code generating means, comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position of the code generating apparatus and rotatingly moving and marking a preselected indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position of the code generating apparatus; code contact means supported within the housing means having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions, each indicia indicating signals being indicative of a portion of the marked indicia and a predetermined number of the indicia indicating signals being indicative of the indicia code representing the marked indicia; contact arm means supported within the housing having a portion engaging a portion of the writing ball and a portion moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to rotational movement of the writing ball; means detecting the rotational movement of the writing ball means as the writing ball means marks an indicia portion on the writing surface and generating distance signals indicative of the amount of rotational movement of the writing ball means, the distance signals being thereby indicative of the length of the marked indicia; and receiving means receiving the generated indicia indicating signals and deciphering the received indicia indicating signals to identify the indicia code and the indicia represented thereby.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the means detecting rotational movement of the writing ball means includes: wheel means rotatingly supported in the housing means having a portion engaging the writing ball means, the wheel means being rotated in response to the rotational movement of the writing ball means via the engagement therebetween; and means to detect the amount of rotational movement of the wheel means and generate the distance signals in response thereto.

Claim 20

A code generating and receiving apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: code generating means, comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position of the code generating apparatus and rotatingLy moving and marking a preselected indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position of the code generating apparatus; code contact means supported within the housing means having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions, each indicia indicating signal being indicative of a portion of the marked indicia and a predetermined number of the indicia indicating signals being indicative of the indicia code representing the marked indicia; contact arm means supported within the housing having a portion engaging a portion of the writing ball and a portion moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to rotational movement of the writing ball; means supported in the housing generating a code initiate signal in a marking position of the code generating means; means supported in the housing generating a code cancel signal in one position; and means supported in the housing receiving a feedback signal and providing operator-perceivable indications indicative of each received feedback signal; receiving means receiving the generated indicia indicating signals and deciphering the received indicia indicating signals to identify the indicia code and the indicia represented thereby, comprising: means receiving the code initiate signal and positioning the receiving means to receive, identify and decipher subsequently received indicia indicating signals; means receiving the code cancel signal and canceling the previously received indicia indicating signals of an indicia code in response thereto; and means generating feedback signals, comprising: means generating a code cancel received signal in response to and indicative of a received code cancel signal; means generating a signal indicative of a received code initiate signal; and means generating a signal indicative of the deciphered indicia code.

Claim 21

A code generating and receiving apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: code generating means, comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position of the code generating apparatus and rotatingLy moving and marking a preselected indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position of the code generating apparatus; code contact means supported within the housing means having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions, each indicia indicating signal being indicative of a portion of the marked indicia and a predetermined number of the indicia indicating signals being indicative of the indicia code representing the marked indicia; contact arm means supported within the housing having a portion engaging a portion of the writing ball and a portion moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to rotational movement of the writing ball; means supported in the housing generating a code initiate signal in a marking position of the code generating means; means supported in the housing generating a code cancel signal in one position; and means supported in the housing receiving a feedback signal and providing operator-perceivable indications indicative of each received feedback signal; receiving means receiving the generated indicia indicating signals and deciphering the received indicia indicating signals to identify the indicia code and the indicia represented thereby, comprising: means receiving the code initiate signal and positioning the receiving means to receive, identify and decipher subsequently received indicia indicating signals; means receiving the code cancel signal and canceling the previously received indicia indicating signals of an indicia code in response thereto; and means generating feedback signals, comprising: means generating a code cancel received signal in response to and indicative of a received code cancel signal; means generating a signal indicative of a received code initiate signal; and means generating a signal indicative of the deciphered indicia code.

Claim 22

A code generating apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a bearing connected to the housing having a bearing surface formed on a portion thereof; a writing ball having a portion engaging the bearing surface and being rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing, a portion of the writing ball engaging the writing surface in a marking position and rotatingly moving and marking an indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions, a predetermined number of indicia indicating signals being the indicia code; and contact arm means supported within the housing having a portion engaging a portion of the writing ball and the rotation of the writing ball moving a portion of the contact arm means into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means via the engagement between the contact arm means and the writing ball.

Claim 23

A code generating apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a bearing connected to the housing having a bearing surface formed on a portion thereof; a writing ball having a portion engaging the bearing surface and being rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing, a portion of the writing ball engaging the writing surface in a marking position and rotatingly moving and marking an indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions, a predetermined number of indicia indicating signals being the indicia code; and contact arm means supported within the housing having a portion engaging a portion of the writing ball and the rotation of the writing ball moving a portion of the contact arm means into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means via the engagement between the contact arm means and the writing ball.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 16 defined further to include: support means secured in the housing securing the contact end portions of the code contact means circumferentially disposed about a portion of the contact arm means and spaced a distance radially therefrom, in one position thereof, the portion of the contact arm means spaced from the contact end portions being moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions in response to rotational movement of the writing ball and the contact end portions contactingly engaged being indicative of the direction of movement of the code generating means during the marking of the indicia on the writing surface.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the contact end portions are disposed in a predetermined number of sectors circumferentially about a portion of the contact arm means, the sequence of sectors determined via contacting engagement between the contact end portions and the portion of the contact arm means being the indicia code representing the marked indicia.

Claim 26

The code generating apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position and rotatingly moving and marking an indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions; a lower contact ball rotatingly supported within a portion of the housing, a portion of the lower contact ball engaging a portion of the writing ball, the lower contact ball being rotated in response to the rotational movement of the writing ball via the engagement therebetween; a bearing secured in the housing means rotatingly supporting the lower contact ball; and an upper contact ball connected to the lower contact ball and being pivotally moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to the rotational movement of the lower contact ball.

Claim 27

The code generating apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position and rotatingly moving and marking an indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions; a lower contact ball rotatingly supported within a portion of the housing, a portion of the lower contact ball engaging a portion of the writing ball, the lower contact ball being rotated in response to the rotational movement of the writing ball via the engagement therebetween; a bearing secured in the housing means rotatingly supporting the lower contact ball; and an upper contact ball connected to the lower contact ball and being pivotally moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to the rotational movement of the lower contact ball.

Claim 28

The code generating apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position and rotatingly moving and marking an indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions; and an upper contact ball connected to the writing ball and being pivotally moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to the rotational movement of the writing ball.

Claim 29

The code generating apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position and rotatingly moving and marking an indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions; and an upper contact ball connected to the writing ball and being pivotally moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to the rotational movement of the writing ball.

Claim 30

A code generating apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position and rotatingly moving and marking an indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions, a predetermined number of indicia indicating signals being the indicia code; contact arm means supported within the housing having a portion engaging a portion of the writing ball and a portion moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to rotational movement of the writing ball; and means detecting the rotational movement of the writing ball means as the writing ball means marks an indicia portion on the writing surface and generating distance signals indicative of the amount of rotational movement of the writing ball means, the distance signals being thereby indicative of the length of the marked indicia.

Claim 31

A code generating apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a writing ball rotatingly supported in a portion of the housing engaging the writing surface in a marking position and rotatingly moving and marking an indicia on the writing surface in a code generating position; code contact means supported within the housing having a plurality of contact end portions, predetermined indicia indicating signals being generated in a contactingly engaged position of predetermined contact end portions, a predetermined number of indicia indicating signals being the indicia code; contact arm means supported within the housing having a portion engaging a portion of the writing ball and a portion moved into contacting engagement with predetermined contact end portions of the code contact means in response to rotational movement of the writing ball; and means detecting the rotational movement of the writing ball means as the writing ball means marks an indicia portion on the writing surface and generating distance signals indicative of the amount of rotational movement of the writing ball means, the distance signals being thereby indicative of the length of the marked indicia.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the means detecting rotational movement of the writing ball includes: wheel means rotatingly supported in the housing means having a portion engaging the writing ball, thE wheel means being rotated in response to the rotational movement of the writing ball via the engagement therebetween; and means to detect the amount of rotational movement of the wheel means and generate the distance signals in response thereto.

Claim 33

A code generating apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: a housing; means supported in the housing marking an indicia on the writing surface, in one position thereof; means generating indicia indicating signals indicative of the marked indicia, a predetermined number of the indicia indicating signals being indicative of the indicia code; and means supported in the housing generating orientation signals responsive to the orientation of the code generating apparatus, a predetermined number of orientation signals and the indicia indicating signals simultaneously generated comprising the indicia code, the orientation signals establishing a reference point for identifying the sequence of indicia indicating signals substantially independent of the orientation of the code generating apparatus, including: an orientation member movably supported within a portion of the housing, the position of the orientation member being indicative of the orientation of the housing, the orientation signals being generated in response to the position of the orientation member.

Claim 34

A code generating apparatus for marking indicia on a writing surface or the like and generating an indicia code indicative of the marked indicia, the apparatus comprising: a housing; means supported in the housing marking an indicia on the writing surface, in one position thereof; means generating indicia indicating signals indicative of the marked indicia, a predetermined number of the indicia indicating signals being indicative of the indicia code; and means supported in the housing generating orientation signals responsive to the orientation of the code generating apparatus, a predetermined number of orientation signals and the indicia indicating signals simultaneously generated comprising the indicia code, the orientation signals establishing a reference point for identifying the sequence of indicia indicating signals substantially independent of the orientation of the code generating apparatus, including: an orientation member movably supported within a portion of the housing, the position of the orientation member being indicative of the orientation of the housing, the orientation signals being generated in response to the position of the orientation member.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 23 defined further to include: support means secured within a portion of the housing means having an annular race formed therein, the orientation member being movably disposed within the annular race; and conductor means supported within predetermined portions of the annular race and disposed to be contactingly engaged by the orientation member means, the orientation signals being generated in response to the contacting engagement between the orientation member means and the conductor means.