Braille reading system

Claim 2

A braille reading method comprising the steps of: providing a source of a text; transferring said text from said source to a memory means; converting said text to braille letters one letter at a time; energizing selectively a plurality of solenoids; driving selectively a plurality of pins with said energized solenoids to form a braille letter; moving a position sensor to drive friction wheels mounted on an axle; rotating an optical pick-off wheel mounted on said axle by moving said position sensor; producing a series of optical pulses; converting said light pulses to an electric distance signal; counting said distance signals; and changing said formed braille letter to the prior or subsequent braille letter relative to a decrease or increase in said counted distance signals.

Claim 3

A braille reading method comprising the steps of: retrieving textual information from a recorded text; transferring said textual information to a memory means; controlling the rate of retrieval by logic means; converting said text to braille letters one letter at a time; displaying said braille letters in a tactile display; detecting the motion of a movable probe to determine its position; storing the position of said probe; and controlling the change of the letter displayed in accordance with the stored position.

Claim 4

A braille reading method comprising the steps of: retrieving textual information from a recorded text; transferring said textual information to a memory means; controlling the rate of retrieval by logic means; converting said text to braille letters one letter at a time; displaying said braille letters in a tactile display; detecting the motion of a movable probe to determine its position; storing the position of said probe; and controlling the change of the letter displayed in accordance with the stored position.

Claim 5

A braille reading system comprising: a source of a text; memory means for receiving said text from said source; a braille display device connected to said memory means for tactilly displaying a part of said text; a manually movable probe; and a position sensor connected to said memory means for determining the position of said probe and changing the part of said text to be displayed in response to a change in position of said probe.

Claim 6

A braille reading system comprising: a source of a text; memory means for receiving said text from said source; a braille display device connected to said memory means for tactilly displaying a part of said text; a manually movable probe; and a position sensor connected to said memory means for determining the position of said probe and changing the part of said text to be displayed in response to a change in position of said probe.

Claim 7

A braille reading system according to claim 3, wherein said source of a text is a cassette player.

Claim 8

A braille reading system according to claim 3, further comprising logic means for controlling the retrieval of said text from said source.

Claim 9

A braille reading system according to claim 2, wherein said memory means receives said text through said logic means.

Claim 10

A braille reading system according to claim 3, wherein said memory means is a buffer random access memory.

Claim 11

A braille reading system comprising: a source of a text; memory means for receiving said text from said source; a braille display device connected to said memory means for tactilly displaying a part of said text, including a plurality of solenoid drivers connected to said memory means, a plurality of solenoids each connected to a corresponding one of said solenoid drivers, and a plurality of pins each driven by a corresponding one of said solenoids, wherein said plurality of pins forms a tactile display; a manually movable probe; and a position sensor connected to said memory means for determining the position of said probe and changing the part of said text to be displayed in response to a change in position of said probe.

Claim 12

A braille reading system comprising: a source of a text; memory means for receiving said text from said source; a braille display device connected to said memory means for tactilly displaying a part of said text, including a plurality of solenoid drivers connected to said memory means, a plurality of solenoids each connected to a corresponding one of said solenoid drivers, and a plurality of pins each driven by a corresponding one of said solenoids, wherein said plurality of pins forms a tactile display; a manually movable probe; and a position sensor connected to said memory means for determining the position of said probe and changing the part of said text to be displayed in response to a change in position of said probe.

Claim 13

A braille reading system according to claim 8, wherein said braille display device is mounted on said probe.

Claim 14

A braille reading system according to claim 8, wherein said braille display device displays one character at a time.

Claim 15

A braille reading system according to claim 8, wherein said braille display device displays a plurality of characters at a time.

Claim 16

A braille reading system comprising: a source of a text; memory means for receiving said text from said source; a braille display device connected to said memory means for tactilly displaying a part of said text; a manually movable probe; and a position sensor connected to said memory means for determining the position of said probe and changing the part of said text to be displayed in response to a change in position of said probe, including a motion detector and a position storage means.

Claim 17

A braille reading system comprising: a source of a text; memory means for receiving said text from said source; a braille display device connected to said memory means for tactilly displaying a part of said text; a manually movable probe; and a position sensor connected to said memory means for determining the position of said probe and changing the part of said text to be displayed in response to a change in position of said probe, including a motion detector and a position storage means.

Claim 18

A braille reading system according to claim 12, wherein said position storage means is an up-down counter.

Claim 19

A braille reading system according to claim 12, wherein said motion detector includes an optical pickoff wheel, a light source and a light detector.

Claim 20

A braille reading system according to claim 14, wherein said motion detector further includes friction wheels joined by an axle.

Claim 21

A braille reading system comprising: a recorded text; player means for retreiving textual information from said recorded text; logic means connected to said player means for controlling the rate of retrieval from said player means and for receiving said textual information; memory means connected to said logic means for receiving said textual information from said logic means; a braille display means connected to said memory means for tactilly displaying a part of said textual information; postion storage means connected to said memory means for controlling said part of said textual information to be displayed; a manually movable probe; and a motion detector connected to said position storage means for detecting the movement of said probe and for storing the position of said probe in said position storage means; whereby the movement of said probe causes a different part of said textual information to be displayed.

Claim 22

A braille reading system comprising: a recorded text; player means for retreiving textual information from said recorded text; logic means connected to said player means for controlling the rate of retrieval from said player means and for receiving said textual information; memory means connected to said logic means for receiving said textual information from said logic means; a braille display means connected to said memory means for tactilly displaying a part of said textual information; postion storage means connected to said memory means for controlling said part of said textual information to be displayed; a manually movable probe; and a motion detector connected to said position storage means for detecting the movement of said probe and for storing the position of said probe in said position storage means; whereby the movement of said probe causes a different part of said textual information to be displayed.

Claim 23

A braille reading system according to claim 16, wherein said recorded text is a tape cassette and said player means is a cassette recorder.

Claim 24

A braille reading system according to claim 16, wherein said memory means is a buffer random access memory.

Claim 25

A braille reading system comprising: a recorded text; player means for retreiving textual information from said recorded text; logic means connected to said player means for controlling the rate of retrieval from said player means and for receiving said textual information; memory means connected to said logic means for receiving said textual information from said logic means; a braille display means connected to said memory means for tactilly displaying a part of said textual information, including a plurality of solenoid drivers connected to said memory means, a plurality of solenoids each connected to a corresponding one of said solenoid drivers, and a plurality of pins each driven by a corresponding one of said solenoids, wherein said plurality of pins forms a tactile display; postion storage means connected to said memory means for controlling said part of said textual information to be displayed; a manually movable probe; and a motion detector connected to said position storage means for detecting the movement of said probe and for storing the position of said probe in said position storage means; whereby the movement of said probe causes a different part of said textual information to be displayed.

Claim 26

A braille reading system comprising: a recorded text; player means for retreiving textual information from said recorded text; logic means connected to said player means for controlling the rate of retrieval from said player means and for receiving said textual information; memory means connected to said logic means for receiving said textual information from said logic means; a braille display means connected to said memory means for tactilly displaying a part of said textual information, including a plurality of solenoid drivers connected to said memory means, a plurality of solenoids each connected to a corresponding one of said solenoid drivers, and a plurality of pins each driven by a corresponding one of said solenoids, wherein said plurality of pins forms a tactile display; postion storage means connected to said memory means for controlling said part of said textual information to be displayed; a manually movable probe; and a motion detector connected to said position storage means for detecting the movement of said probe and for storing the position of said probe in said position storage means; whereby the movement of said probe causes a different part of said textual information to be displayed.

Claim 27

A braille reading system according to claim 19, wherein said braille display device is mounted on said probe.

Claim 28

A braille reading system according to claim 19, wherein said braille display device displays one character at a time.

Claim 29

A braille reading system according to claim 19, wherein said braille display device displays a plurality of characters at a time.

Claim 30

A braille reading system according to claim 16, wherein said position storage means is an up-down counter.

Claim 31

A braille reading system according to claim 16, wherein said motion detector includes an optical pickoff wheel, a light source and a light detector.

Claim 32

A braille reading system according to claim 24, wherein said motion detector further includes friction wheels joined by an axle.