Calculator with key code association and display features

Claim 2

An electronic calculator comprising: an input unit, including control elements and including a plurality of keys having unique key codes, for controlling the calculator and entering information into the calculator, respectively; an encoder unit coupled to the input unit for encoding information received therefrom; a first memory unit coupled to the encoder unit for storing encoded information received therefrom; a second memory unit, coupled to the encoder unit, for storing microinstructions; a computing unit, coupled to the encoder unit and the first and second memory units, responsive to encoded information from the encoder unit or the first memory unit for selectively performing one or more operations employing microinstructions stored in the second memory unit; and output display means, coupled to the computing unit, for displaying the results of operations performed by the calculator and for displaying key codes; said computing unit being responsive to actuation of a control element for causing the key code of the last key actuated to be displayed by the output display means.

Claim 3

A calculator as in claim 1 wherein the computing unit is responsive to actuation of a control element for causing the calculator to be programmable in a program mode or to perform calculations directly in a run mode.

Claim 4

A calculator as in claim 2 wherein: the last-mentioned control element is a switch having a run position and a program position; and the computing unit is responsive to actuation of the switch for causing the key code of the last key actuated in the run mode to be displayed when the switch is set in the program position.

Claim 5

A programmable electronic calculator comprising: an input unit, including a keyboard and a plurality of keys having unique key codes representing the physical location of the keys on the keyboard, for entering information into the calculator; an encoder unit coupled to the input unit for encoding information received therefrom; a first memory unit coupled to the encoder unit for storing informatioN received therefrom; a second memory unit, coupled to the encoder unit, for storing microinstructions; a computing unit, coupled to the encoder unit and the first and second memory units, responsive to encoded information from the encoder unit or the first memory unit for selectively performing one or more operations employing microinstructiona stored in the second memory unit; and output display means, coupled to the computing unit, for displaying the results of operations performed by the calculator and for displaying key codes; said computing unit being responsive to encoded information representing the key code of an actuated key of the input unit received from the first memory unit for causing the key code to be displayed by the output display means.

Claim 6

A programmable electronic calculator comprising: an input unit, including a keyboard and a plurality of keys having unique key codes representing the physical location of the keys on the keyboard, for entering information into the calculator; an encoder unit coupled to the input unit for encoding information received therefrom; a first memory unit coupled to the encoder unit for storing informatioN received therefrom; a second memory unit, coupled to the encoder unit, for storing microinstructions; a computing unit, coupled to the encoder unit and the first and second memory units, responsive to encoded information from the encoder unit or the first memory unit for selectively performing one or more operations employing microinstructiona stored in the second memory unit; and output display means, coupled to the computing unit, for displaying the results of operations performed by the calculator and for displaying key codes; said computing unit being responsive to encoded information representing the key code of an actuated key of the input unit received from the first memory unit for causing the key code to be displayed by the output display means.

Claim 7

A calculator as in claim 4 wherein: the plurality of keys include non-numeric and digit keys arranged in a matrix of rows and columns; and the displayed key code is a number in which the most significant digits comprise the number of the row in which the key is located and the least significant digits comprise the number of the column which the key occupies along the row.

Claim 8

A calculator as in claim 5 wherein: the plurality of keys are arranged in a matrix of less then 10 rows and less than 10 columns; and the number is a two-digit number having a most significant digit which is an integer less than nine corresponding to the row number in which the key is located and a least significant digit which is an integer less than nine corresponding to the column the key occupies along the row.

Claim 9

A calculator as in claim 6 wherein: the plurality of keys are arranged in a matrix of 8 rows and 5 columns; and the number is a two-digit number having a most significant digit which is an integer from one through eight corresponding to the row number in which the key is located and having a least significant digit which is an integer from one through five corresponding to the column the key occupies along that row.

Claim 10

A calculator as in claim 5 wherein the displayed key code for each digit key is a number in which the most significant digits are zero and the least significant digits are the assigned value of that digit key.

Claim 11

A calculator as in claim 8 wherein the number is a two-digit number in which the most significant digit is zero and the least significant digit is an integer from one through nine corresponding to the value of the digit key.

Claim 12

A calculator as in claim 5 wherein: the displayed key code for each non-numeric key is a two-digit number having a most significant digit which is an integer less than nine corresponding to the row number in which the key is located and a least significant digit which is an integer less than nine corresponding to the column the key occupies along the row; and the displayed key code for each digit key is a two-digit number in which the most significant digit is zero and the least significant digit is an integer from one through nine corresponding to the value of that digit key.

Claim 13

An electronic calculator comprising: input means, including control elements and including a plurality of keys having unique key codes, for controlling the calculator and entering information into the calculator, respectively; storage means coupled to the input means for storing encoded information received therefrom, and for storing micro-instructions; computing means, coupled to the input means and the storage means, responsive to encoded information from the input means or the storage means for selectively performing one or more operations employing microinstructions stored in the storage means; and output display means, coupled to the computing means, for displaying the results of operations performed by the calculator and for displaying key codes; said computing means being responsive to actuation of a control element for causing the key code of the last key actuated to be displayed by the output Display means.

Claim 14

An electronic calculator comprising: input means, including control elements and including a plurality of keys having unique key codes, for controlling the calculator and entering information into the calculator, respectively; storage means coupled to the input means for storing encoded information received therefrom, and for storing micro-instructions; computing means, coupled to the input means and the storage means, responsive to encoded information from the input means or the storage means for selectively performing one or more operations employing microinstructions stored in the storage means; and output display means, coupled to the computing means, for displaying the results of operations performed by the calculator and for displaying key codes; said computing means being responsive to actuation of a control element for causing the key code of the last key actuated to be displayed by the output Display means.

Claim 15

An electronic calculator comprising: an input means, including a keyboard and a plurality of keys having unique key codes representing the physical location of the keys on the keyboard, for entering information into the calculator; storage means coupled to the input means for storing information received therefrom, and for storing microinstructions; computing means, coupled to the input means and the storage means, responsive to encoded information from the input means or the storage means for selectively performing one or more operations employing microinstructions stored in the storage means; and output display means coupled to the computing means for displaying the results of operations performed by the calculator and for displaying key codes; said computing means being responsive to encoded information representing the key code of an actuated key of the input means received from the storage means for causing the key code to be displayed by the output display means.

Claim 16

An electronic calculator comprising: an input means, including a keyboard and a plurality of keys having unique key codes representing the physical location of the keys on the keyboard, for entering information into the calculator; storage means coupled to the input means for storing information received therefrom, and for storing microinstructions; computing means, coupled to the input means and the storage means, responsive to encoded information from the input means or the storage means for selectively performing one or more operations employing microinstructions stored in the storage means; and output display means coupled to the computing means for displaying the results of operations performed by the calculator and for displaying key codes; said computing means being responsive to encoded information representing the key code of an actuated key of the input means received from the storage means for causing the key code to be displayed by the output display means.