DE29719824U1 - Handheld device with data entry unit - Google Patents

Description

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STREET & HOFSTETTER '"

Patent attorneys
European Patent Attorneys · European Trademark Attorneys

Dr. Rudolf Turk

Uppenbornstr. 22a

5 Munich

Patent attorneys

European Patent Attorney °

European trademark attorney ■

Dipl.-lng. JOACHIM STRASSE °* Dr.rer.nat. ALFONS J. HOFSTETTER ^o>

Authorized representatives at

° European Patent Office
' European Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs)

Attorney file: 24318

New German utility model application Handheld device with data input unit

BALANSTRASSE 57 ■ D-81541 MUNICH

Telephone +49/(0)89 - 45 09 18 0 · Fax +49/(0)89 - 45 09 18 12 · Voice +49/(0)89 - 45 09 18 20

EMAIL Strasse-Hofstetter@T-Online.de

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Dr. Rudolf Turk Attorney file: 24318

German utility model application

Handheld device with data input unit

The invention relates to a handheld device that can be held and operated with one hand at the same time, comprising a data input unit via which data is fed to the handheld device.

Such handheld devices are known, for example as a device known as a quiektionary pen, as a portable dictation machine or as a so-called palm-top.

With the Quicktionary pen, it is possible to read words printed in a magazine or book into the pen via a scanning unit, where they are translated into a desired foreign language in a matter of seconds and displayed on a display included in the pen.

With a portable dictation machine, acoustic signals fed in via a microphone are stored in a memory, preferably a tape memory. The acoustic signals stored in the memory can be listened to again using the dictation machine or a separate playback device.

The term palm-top refers to portable computers that have an input surface through which data can be fed into the computer using a pen, i.e. in a handwritten manner. The handwritten data entered is decoded by the handwriting recognition software stored in the computer, i.e. recognized as letters, and then processed in the computer in a format that the computer can understand.

None of the devices known in the state of the art offers the possibility of recording existing data in written or acoustic form without a great deal of time and storing it at the desired location in a computer that is not part of the device so that it can be found again quickly and easily.

In the case of the Quicktionary pen, there is no possibility of retrieving read data at a later time.

In the case of a dictation machine, the data can only be listened to by playing the relevant section of the magnetic tape storage. It is not possible to assign the individual data on a tape and automatically sort it into the appropriate directories.

With a palmtop, data can only be entered by hand, which is why entering longer texts, for example, is extremely time-consuming.

Accordingly, the object of the invention is to develop a handheld device of the type mentioned at the beginning in such a way that written or acoustic data can be recorded without great expenditure of time and stored at the desired location in a memory of a computer that is not part of the handheld device, so that it can be found again quickly and easily. This object is achieved according to the invention in that such a handheld device further comprises a storage unit or a connection for a storage unit for recording the supplied data and an addressing unit for entering a directory in which the data stored in the storage unit are to be stored in a computer that is not part of the handheld device.

The data input unit can comprise an optical scanning unit, known as a scanner, and/or a microphone. In the case of a microphone, the data is input in analogue or, after conversion, already in digital form to the handheld device.

supplied to the existing storage unit or provided at the connection available in the handset.

The storage unit may be a magnetic storage device, for example a microcassette and/or a semiconductor memory.

Various designs are possible as an addressing unit: the addressing unit can comprise number and/or letter keys, via which, before or after entering the corresponding data, the desired directory in which the data is to be automatically stored later in a computer is entered. However, it can also comprise bar-coded tablets that are stored in a cavity in the handheld device and on one side of which the desired directory is indicated in bar-coded form, with the uncoded form of the directory preferably being indicated for the operator of the handheld device on the other side of the tablets, for example handwritten by the operator.

However, it is also possible to use the data input unit for addressing. In the case of a microphone, this means that the directory is entered by voice, which is evaluated by dictation software stored in the handheld device or in the computer, i.e. the speech is converted into signals that the computer can understand. In the case of an optical scanning unit, the desired directory can be written down by the operator, for example by hand, on a piece of paper, from where it is then read in via the optical scanning unit, with the writing being evaluated by handwriting recognition software stored in the handheld device or in the computer, i.e. the writing is converted into signals that the computer can understand.

In an advantageous embodiment, the handheld device further comprises a time and/or date transmitter, wherein the time and/or date are added to the supplied data, preferably automatically.

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Further advantageous embodiments can be found in the subclaims.

The device according to the invention can be used in many different ways. For example, it is not permitted in schools to mark important passages in a school book with a conventional highlighter. These important passages can be read into the handheld device with the device according to the invention by simply tracing over these passages with the data input unit, in this case an optical scanning unit, and stored there or in a storage unit connected to the handheld device. An external storage unit could be, for example, a conventional dictation machine, whereby an existing microphone input can be connected to the handheld device according to the invention. The input of a portable tape recorder, for example known as a "Walkman", which has a recording option and therefore has a corresponding input, could also be considered. If the handheld device also has a microphone, acoustic data can be stored in the same storage medium alternately with optically read data. By entering addressing data into the handset before or after entering the data, the handset can then be connected directly to a computer if the storage unit is present in the handset, or if the storage unit is present in another device, for example a dictaphone or a Walkman as mentioned above, this device can be connected to a computer, whereby the data stored in the storage medium is fed into the computer via the appropriate software present in the computer and stored in the directory previously entered via the addressing unit.

It is possible to convert data read optically via the optical scanning unit in the handheld device into a text format either in the handheld device or in the computer using character recognition software. In the case of data entered acoustically via the microphone,

Data can also be converted into text in the handheld device or in the computer using speech recognition software and stored in the relevant directory in the computer. However, it is also possible to store such acoustic data in the relevant directory in the computer without conversion, although this will require larger memory areas, where it can then be called up and listened to again using the relevant software. In the case of speech recognition software, the entered data can be reproduced both in writing on a display connected to the computer and acoustically via a loudspeaker in the computer or a sound card in the computer, including a loudspeaker unit.

In a doctor's office, for example, one possible application would be for a doctor to read important passages, such as contraindications, into the handset while studying specialist literature using the optical scanning unit or using a microphone in the handset, record the relevant directory and read this data into his computer at the desired time, where it is automatically stored in the relevant directory. To find the information he wants, he only needs to call up the desired directory in the computer where the relevant data is stored. By using external storage devices, such as a dictation machine, the relevant data can be read into the computer in a cost-effective manner using a sound card that is often already present in the computer.

With software adapted to the respective version of the handheld device according to the invention, which is advantageously sold together with the handheld device according to the invention, the corresponding functions, such as reading the data stored on the storage medium into a computer, converting the speech into text data, converting optically read data into text data, assigning a directory, entering the

Data in the associated directory, decoding of barcodes, etc. can be carried out.

In the following, embodiments are described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings. They show:

Figure la is a perspective schematic representation of a first side of a first embodiment, and

Figure Ib is a perspective schematic representation of a second side of a first embodiment; and

Figure 2 is a perspective schematic representation of a second embodiment.

Figures 1a and 1b show perspective views of a handheld device 10 according to the invention, in Figure 1a a first side, in Figure 1b a second side. It comprises an optical scanning unit 12 and a switch 14 for switching the optical scanning unit on and off. The scanning unit 12 is preferably designed in such a way that text of one line width can be scanned. Its width is therefore preferably between 3 and 7 mm. Acoustic signals can be fed to the handheld device 10 via a microphone 16, the operation of which can be controlled via a switch 18. A battery 20 serves to supply the handheld device with power independent of the mains, and the power supply can be switched on and off via a switch 22.

The handheld device also has a time/date transmitter 24, via which the time and/or the date are added before or after recording the desired data supplied from the outside. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1a and 1b, a tape memory 26 is used as the memory in which the data supplied to the handheld device via the optical scanning unit 12 and/or the microphone 16 are recorded, although any magnetic memory, or

Any semiconductor memory could be used. The tape can be rewound or fast-forwarded, preferably at increased speed, using a switch 28.

A number pad 3 2 located under a cover 3 0 can be used to enter addresses of directories in coded form, in which the recorded data is to be stored later in a computer. The number pad can also be designed as a complete keyboard, which can, for example, be made so small that it can be operated with the tip of a ballpoint pen. This then enables input in uncoded form. However, it can also be provided to accommodate an LCD display 34 in the handset at the same time as or instead of a complete number pad, which is activated by the on/off switch 22, whereby the functions shown on the display can then be called up using arrow keys, or specific numbers or letters can be selected from a range of numbers or letters in order to indicate to the handset in coded or uncoded form the address of the directory in which the recorded data is later to be stored in a computer, where it is then stored in the memory in the handset when another key is pressed.

The functionality of the first embodiment shown in Figures 1a and 1b: after switching on the handset 10 using the on/off switch 22, the optical scanning unit 12 or the microphone 16 are in a standby state, which can be switched to an operating state using the corresponding switches 14 or 18. If, for example, the switch 14 is operated, this signal can be read into the handset by stroking over an optically available material, for example a passage in a book, where it is then stored on the tape memory 26 together with a time or date provided by the time/date transmitter 24. Before or after recording this data, using the number

mernblocks, or in combination with the LCD display 34, the address of the directory in which the data is to be stored in a computer afterwards must be entered.

In the same way as optical data read in via the optical scanning unit 12 can be recorded on the tape storage 26, data supplied via the microphone 16 can be stored on the tape storage 26.

It can be provided that a character recognition program and/or a speech recognition program is stored in a memory area (not shown), with which the characters read in via the optical scanning unit or the spoken words entered via the microphone are recognized by a processor (not shown) also housed in the handset 10 and converted into a text format accessible to processors, whereby they are then stored in this format on the tape storage 26. With this equipment variant, the number or numeric block provided for addressing can be omitted if necessary, since the corresponding address of the directory in which the data is to be stored later in a computer can be written on a piece of paper, for example, from where it is then read into the handset via the scanning unit 12 or can be spoken via the microphone 16.

After the recording of one or more data sets has been completed, for example at the end of a day, the tape memory 26 is rewound using the switch 28 and the handset is put into a playback mode. This can be achieved using signals supplied by the computer or using an additional switch provided on the handset 10. The data stored on the tape memory 26 can be fed to the computer via the socket 36, which is connected to an input connection of a computer via a corresponding cable. The input connections of the computer can be, for example, the serial and parallel interfaces as well as the audio interface on a sound card.

- 9 input connector
into consideration.

However, by omitting the socket 36, the tape storage device 26 can be removed from the handset and played in a corresponding reel-to-reel device, for example in a conventional dictation device that uses the same cassette format. In this case, the output connection of the dictation device is connected to a corresponding input connection on the computer via a cable.

In the computer, the data fed from the storage unit is processed by appropriate software, i.e. the addresses that may be encoded in the stored data are determined and the associated data is automatically stored in the directories selected using the addresses. Acoustic data recorded via the microphone 16 can be fed to the computer in analog form, where it is then digitized for storage, but it can also be digitized in the handheld device, saved in this form and stored in the computer in this form. However, it is also possible to store acoustic data as text in the computer when using a speech recognition program, from where it can then be output again using a speech program.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the same reference numerals correspond to the corresponding components of the embodiment shown in Figures la and 1b. They are therefore not described again.

The embodiment shown in Figure 2 does not have its own storage medium on which the data fed to the handset 10 via the optical scanning unit 12 or via the microphone 16 could be stored. Rather, these are fed to an external storage device via an output connection 4 0 provided with a cover 3 8. The external storage device can be, for example, a conventional dictation machine or a conventional portable cassette device with recording

function, known as a "Walkman". In the case of a dictaphone, the output terminal 40 is connected to the microphone terminal of the dictaphone, while in the case of a portable cassette player, the output terminal 40 is connected to the input terminal of the cassette player.

Figure 2a shows another variant of the supply of addressing data for determining the directories in which the recorded data are to be subsequently stored in a computer. On one side A of tablets 42, which are preferably made of plastic, a bar code is applied which contains the address information in encrypted form. On the other side B of the tablets 42, the user can make a removable note of the directory that corresponds to the version described in code on side A. Using a number combination specified on side A, the user can, using appropriate software, carry out a corresponding assignment of the coded address to the directory he or she wants in the computer.

The tablets 42 are protected by a cover 44 and housed in a cavity 46 of the handset 10.

The features of the described embodiments can be combined with one another in a meaningful way to achieve advantageous embodiments not shown. However, this is easily possible for a person skilled in the art using the information described above.

Claims (8)

Dr. Rudolf Türk Attorney file: 24318 German utility model application handheld device with data input unit Claims: 1. A handheld device that can be held and operated with one hand simultaneously, comprising a data input unit through which data is fed to the handheld device, characterized in that that the handset also includes: a storage unit or a connection for a storage unit for recording the supplied data; an addressing unit for entering a directory in which the data stored in the storage unit are to be stored in a computer that is not part of the handset. 2. Hand-held device according to claim 1,
characterized, that the data input unit comprises an optical scanning unit and/or a microphone. 3. Hand-held device according to claim 2,
characterized, that in the case of the microphone the data is fed to the storage unit in analogue or digital form or is made available at the connection. 4. Hand-held device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the storage unit is a magnetic storage device and/or a semiconductor memory. 5. Hand-held device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the addressing unit comprises number and/or letter keys. 6. Hand-held device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the addressing unit comprises bar-coded tables. 7. Hand-held device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the addressing unit is formed in part by the data input unit, wherein in the case of a microphone the directory is entered by voice, which is evaluated by dictation software stored in the hand-held device or in the computer, or in the case of an optical scanning unit the directory is written down and then read in via the optical scanning unit, wherein the writing is evaluated by hand-writing recognition software stored in the hand-held device or in the computer. 8. Hand-held device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hand-held device further comprises a time and/or date transmitter, wherein the time and/or date is added to the data.