Patent US4318449A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US2217802A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4385461A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sequentially highlighting copy holder
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1980-07-08
•
Granted: 1983-05-31
•
Expires: 2000-07-08
Abstract
Abstract This sequentially highlighting copy holder employs fields of light as the frame of reference for an operator of a keyboard machine in keeping the place in the text of a document page. The page is affixed upon the copy holder for processing and is illuminated, portion by portion, as the place in the text advances. In one place keeping function the perceived effect of this highlighting delivered in sequence is that of a slender field of light slowly descending the document page. In another, the field of light disappears as a second field appears lower on the page, overlapping the position of the first field of light and disappearing in turn as a third field appears, overlapping the position of the second, so that as the place in the text moves downward the field of light moves with it in salient changes of position, holding to the moving place of attention in the text. In yet another function, ongoing input entered into the keyboard machine sets the downward pace of the field of light. In one of the other functions, large and small undivided portions of the text are highlighted for such special applications as the processing of batches of short forms. The electronic manual, electronic mechanical and microprocessor embodiments reserve, for the operator, overriding control of both the rate of movement and the intensity of the place keeping field of light.
Inventors
- 👤 Hale Wingfield
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 22:10
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J29/00; B41J29/15; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S40/00; Y10S40/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A copy holder for supporting and illuminating lined text for processing by an input device having a keyboard, said copy holder comprising: a housing having a surface for supporting said lined text; control means for selecting a portion of said lined text for illumination, said control means including, an input rate detector responsive to the rate at which input data is entered into the keyboard for producing a signal related to the input rate; means responsive to said input rate signal for generating a signal for varying, at a rate related to the input rate, the position of the portion of said text selected for illumination in a top to bottom direction; illumination means responsive to said variation signal for slowly decreasing the illumination intensity of a top segment of said text portion while simultaneously slowly illuminating a second portion of said text overlapping and extending below said first portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
A copy holder for supporting and illuminating lined text for processing by an input device having a keyboard, said copy holder comprising: a housing having a surface for supporting said lined text; control means for selecting a portion of said lined text for illumination, said control means including, an input rate detector responsive to the rate at which input data is entered into the keyboard for producing a signal related to the input rate; means responsive to said input rate signal for generating a signal for varying, at a rate related to the input rate, the position of the portion of said text selected for illumination in a top to bottom direction; illumination means responsive to said variation signal for slowly decreasing the illumination intensity of a top segment of said text portion while simultaneously slowly illuminating a second portion of said text overlapping and extending below said first portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
137 words
A copy holder for supporting and illuminating lined text for processing by an input device having a keyboard, said copyholder comprising: a housing having a surface for supporting said lined text; control means for selecting a portion of said lined text for illumination, said control means including: means for generating a signal for varying the position of the portion of said text selected for illumination; and illumination means responsive to said variation signal for illuminating a second portion of said text on said supporting surface, said second portion overlapping a bottom segment of said first portion and further including a segment of said text below and adjacent said first portion; wherein said illumination means is further responsive to said position varying signal for ceasing to illuminate said first portion simultaneously with the illumination of said second portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
137 words
A copy holder for supporting and illuminating lined text for processing by an input device having a keyboard, said copyholder comprising: a housing having a surface for supporting said lined text; control means for selecting a portion of said lined text for illumination, said control means including: means for generating a signal for varying the position of the portion of said text selected for illumination; and illumination means responsive to said variation signal for illuminating a second portion of said text on said supporting surface, said second portion overlapping a bottom segment of said first portion and further including a segment of said text below and adjacent said first portion; wherein said illumination means is further responsive to said position varying signal for ceasing to illuminate said first portion simultaneously with the illumination of said second portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein said control means includes manually operable means for generating a signal related to the rate at which it is desired to vary the portion of said text which is illuminated; and means responsive to said desired rate signal for activating said position varying signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein said control means further includes manually operable means for activating a signal for causing an immediate variation of the portion of text to be illuminated; and means responsive to said immediate variation signal for activating said position varying signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said supporting surface is translucent and wherein said illumination means comprises: a plurality of elongated lamps arranged within said housing in a plane approximately parallel to the plane of said supporting surface, the longitudinal axis of each said lamp being substantially parallel to the lines of said copy.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said surface is translucent and wherein said illumination means comprises: a plurality of rows of light sources arranged within said housing in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said supporting surface, each said row being substantially parallel to the lines of said text.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein each said light source is a light emitting diode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
108 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said supporting surface includes: a translucent outer surface; a translucent substrate; a plurality of elongated liquid crystal devices horizontally positioned upon said substrate, each said liquid crystal device having an unactivated state in which it is substantially transparent and an activated state in which it is substantially opaque, and being responsive to said position varying signal for switching from its activated to its unactivated state; and wherein said illumination source is positioned within said housing; whereby light from said illumination source passes through said unactivated liquid crystal devices illuminating a portion of said text positioned adjacent said unactivated liquid crystal devices.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said illumination means comprises a plurality of pairs of illumination sources arranged along vertical edge portions of said surface, each said pair comprising: a left-hand illumination source adapted to produce an elongated beam of light covering a right-hand portion of a preselected number of lines of said text; and a right-hand illumination source adapted to produce an elongated beam of light covering a left-hand portion of said preselected number of lines of said text.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said detector is a sensor operatively connected to a moving part of said keyboard device and adapted to produce a signal related to the movement of said part.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said detector is a sensor operatively connected to an end-of-line return key of said keyboard device and adapted to produce a signal related to depressions of said end-of-line return key.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said illumination means is responsive to said position varying signal to decrease the illumination of said top segment from fully illuminated to non-illuminated in approximately three seconds and to increase the illumination of said second portion from non-illuminated to fully illuminated in approximately three seconds.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said housing comprises: a rigid hood; a rigid base fixedly connected to said hood and having a mass substantially greater than said hood for insuring that said apparatus has a low center of gravity.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said housing further includes a mask for preventing margins of said text from being illuminated.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3201568A
Cited
US1438268A
Cited
US2487318A
Cited
US2642841A
Cited
US2883255A
Cited
US2985869A
Cited
US3208160A
Cited
US3724111A
Cited
US3763989A
Cited
US3803971A
Cited
US4043064A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-05-30 | 1986-11-29 | 1987-05-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-05-30 | 1990-11-29 | 1991-05-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-05-30 | 1994-11-29 | 1995-05-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |