Repertory diallers

Claim 2

Card repertory dialler in which each digit of a telephone number is represented on a card by a number-block, each said number-block being capable of individual motion relative to said card, in order to change the telephone number represented by the card as a whole; and in which said cards include restraining means whereby said relative motion may be prevented, in order that the telephone number represented by the card should not change; and identifying means to automatically provide, as a result of moving the number-blocks to represent a particular telephone number, a visual representation of the numerals comprising such telephone number in their correct sequence; and in which said number-blocks include coding means whereby the digit represented by said number-block is expressed in a form suitable for sensing for the purpose of subsequent automatic transmission to the telephone exchange; and which includes sensing means for the accomplishment of said sensing, and transmission means for the accomplishment of said transmission.

Claim 3

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 1 in which said identifying means is a visible representation on each number-block of one of the numerals 0 through 9.

Claim 4

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 1, in which said number-blocks include visible representations of all the numerals 0 through 9, and in which said identifying means is an indicator which identifies one and only one of said representations depending on the position of said number-block.

Claim 5

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 1, in which the cards include means for convenient manual manipulation.

Claim 6

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 4, in which said means is a handle.

Claim 7

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 1, in which the cards include means for identifying the name of the party whose telephone number is represented by any such card, such identification being visible when said cards are stacked parallel to each other.

Claim 8

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 6, in which said means is a writeable surface at the top of the card, said surface making a substantial angle with the plane or axis of the card.

Claim 9

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 6, including means for storing cards so that the name of the party whose telephone number is represented by any such card is clearly visible.

Claim 10

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 8, in which said means is a rack designed for holding cards essentially parallel with one another.

Claim 11

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 1, having electrical means capable of acting in combination with said sensing means at a range of speeds wide enough for sensing to be accomplished as a result of a manually-caused movement of said card relative to said sensing means.

Claim 12

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 1, in which said coding means comprises different configurations of an electrically conducting region on a surface of said number-block, which surface includes both electrically conducting and non-conducting regions, and in which said sensing means comprises a set of electrical contacts which pass in contact with said surface as relative motion takes place in a controlled fashion between said card and said sensing means.

Claim 13

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 11, in which said electrically conducting region is configured as seven columns, arbitrarily called A, B, C, D, E, F and G, and said set of electrical contacts comprises seven contacts, each of which passes over and makes electrical contact with a different one (and only one) of said seven columns as said relative motion takes place; and in which said relative motion causes said columns of the number-blocks representing the successive digits of the telephone number represented by any card to be passed over and contacted by said contacts in the same sequence that such digits appear in said telephone number; and in which each column of the electrically conducting surface of a given number-block has a definite length which may be considered as divided into five functional sections, called, P, Q, R, S, and T; and in which said relative motion causes said contacts to make electrical contact firstly with section P of all columns of the first number-block, then with section Q of all said columns, followed by sections R, S and T in a similar way, followed by section P of all columns of the next number-block, and so on until all sections of all number-blocks in said card have been contacted in the correct sequence, and in which such relative motion is controlled sufficiently accurately that section P of any column is never contacted simultaneously with sections R or S of any column, neither are sections Q and S or T, nor R and T or P, nor S and P or Q, nor T and Q or R similarly contacted simultaneously; and in which said columns A, B, C and D are individually either electrically conducting or non-conducting in sections Q, R and S in different combinations depending on which of the digits 0 through 9 are coded thereby, said column G is conducting in all sections, said column E is conducting in sections P and Q, and non-conducting in sections R, S, and T, and said column F is conducting in sections S and T and non-conducting in sections P, Q, and R; and in which the whole electrically conducting surface is contiguous, such contiguousness being preserved, when not otherwise provided for, by conducting paths in any column in sections P or T; the function of said electrically conducting region and said set of electrical contacts being to convert the coded digits of the telephone number to electrical signals in a form suitable for interpretation by subsequent electrical circuits, in a reliable and economical way, and in a way that is not dependent on the speed at which such relative motion takes place, and in a way that does not require perfect continuous contact as said contacts move relative to said conducting regions.

Claim 14

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 10, in which said electrical means includes an electrically conducting region on each card configured as seven columns, arbitrarily called A, B, C, D, E, F and G, and said sensing means comprises seven contacts, each of which passes over and makes electrical contact with a different one (and only one) of said seven columns as relative motion takes place between said card and said contacts; and in which said relative motion causes said columns of each number-block representing the successive digits of the telephone number represented by any card to be passed over and contacted by said contacts in the same sequence that such digits appear in said telephone number; and in which each column of the electrically conducting surface of a given number-block has a definite length which may be considered as divided into five functional sections, called P, Q, R, S and T; and in which said relative motion causes said contacts to make electrical contact firstly with section P of all columns of the first number-block, then with section Q of all said columns, followed by sections R, S and T in a similar way, followed by section P of all columns of the next number-block, and so on until all sections of all number-blocks in said card have been contacted in the correct sequence, and in which such relative motion is controlled sufficiently accurately that section P of any column is never contacted simultaneously with sections R or S of any column, neither are sections Q and S or T, nor R and T or P, nor S and P or Q, nor T and Q or R similarly contacted simultaneously; and in which said columns A, B, C and D are individually either electrically conducting or non-conducting in sections Q, R and S in different combinations depending on which of the digits 0 through 9 are coded thereby; said column G is conducting in all sections, said column E is conducting in sections P and Q, and non-conducting in sections R, S and T, and said column F is conducting in sections S and T, and non-conducting in sections P, Q and R; and in which the whole electrically conducting surface is contiguous; and in which said electrical means includes bistable latches, four of which are caused to enter a known state (described arbitrarily as the "set" state) by the individual effect on the corresponding four electrical contacts of conductive surfaces on columns A, B, C and D, and a fifth of which is caused to enter the set state by the effect of a conductive surface on column E, and to enter the opposite state (the "reset" state) by the effect of a conductive surface on column F, and in which the states of the fifth latch and the transition therebetween are used to reset the first four latches prior to their being set as stated above, and to transfer the states of said latches after they have been set (if the corresponding column A, B, C or D is conducting) to subsequent parts of the electrical circuits; the purpose of the action described in this claim being to prevent faulty operation due to intermittent contact of said contacts with said conducting surfaces, as well as to define an electrical means of accomplishing the result claimed in claim 10.

Claim 15

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 1, including means for automatically restoring the telephone wire connections to the condition that would exist in the absence of said dialler (except for a resistor-capacitor network having no significant effect on telephone operation), after the first of the two events defined by (a) completion of dialling, and (b) a fixed time period after initiation of dialling in excess of that normally taken to complete dialling.

Claim 16

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 14, including switching means for causing the power consumption of said dialler to essentially cease at the time such telephone wire connections are so restored, and isolating means for isolating the telephone earpiece from the direct effect of dialling signals transmitted to the telephone exchange.

Claim 17

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 15, in which said switching means comprises a transistor, whose base is connected at the initiation of dialling to a capacitive source of charge, which provides said transistor with substantial base current for a time period less than that normally required for dialling, thereby allowing the transistor to deliver collector current only for such short time period; a first relay, with two contacts which are open in the absence of applied power, and which are caused to close after initiation of dialling, and before said transistor ceases to conduct, said contact and said transistor emitter and base terminals being connected in parallel between the power source and the circuits of said dialler in such a way that said circuits are powered only when either said transistor is conducting or said contacts are closed; and an electronic circuit which detects the earlier of the two events defined by (a) completion of dialling, and (b) a fixed time period after initiation of dialling, and upon such detection causes said contacts to open; and in which said isolating means comprises an adapter which breaks the tip conductor into two parts, one leading to the telephone exchange, and the other leading to the telephone instrument, a second relay with two contacts which are closed in the absence of applied power, and which are connected individually to said two parts of said tip conductor, and an electronic circuit which causes the contacts of said second relay to be open when the contacts of said first relay are closed, and vice versa.

Claim 18

Card repertory dialler as defined in claim 16, in which said first and second relays are combined in one double-throw relay, with its common terminal connected both to the source of power and to the tip conductor leading to the telephone exchange.

Claim 19

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 14, in which said restoring means comprises a first relay, with contacts which are connected between the tip and ring conductors leading to the telephone exchange, (in parallel with a resistor-capacitor network having no significant effect on telephone operation), which breaks the tip-conductor into two parts, one leading to the telephone exchange and the other leading to the telephone instrument, a second relay with two contacts connected individually to said two parts of said tip conductor, and an electronic circuit which detects the earlier of two events defined by (a) completion of dialling, and (b) a fixed time period after initiation of dialling, and upon such detection causes the contacts of said first relay to open and the contacts of said second relay to close.

Claim 20

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 1 in which said transmission means is a relay, with contacts which are connected between the tip and ring conductors leading to the telephone exchange, and which open and close in the correct time relationship to simulate dialling signals.

Claim 21

Card repertory dialler as described in claim 1, in which said restraining means comprises (a) a cover which may be fastened to said card by inserting two lower tabs on the cover into corresponding holes in the card, and two upper tabs on the cover into corresponding holes in the card and in which the tabs are so dimensioned that all four tabs can remain in their respective holes simultaneously, and in which said cover includes resilient material which exerts pressure on said cover and thereby causes projections on the upper tabs to pass into suitably positioned holes in the card body, for the purpose of locking said cover in place (until such time as it is deliberately removed by reversing the procedure for fastening it); and (b) rigid stops and boundaries surrounding the required position of said number-blocks to restrain said number blocks for movement in the two directions in which movement is not restrained by said cover.