Management communication terminal system

What is claimed is:

1. A data processing terminal comprising

a camera including graphic data generator means for scanning a target for generating graphic data representative of the binary bit pattern associated with a raster image of the target, and an input device including text data generator means for generating coded text data representative of information symbols,

mass storage means for storing said text and graphic data, and monitor means and raster image printer means for displaying and printing, respectively, images in response to said graphic and text data,

graphic data buffer means electrically coupled to the graphic data generator means, the printer means, the monitor means and the mass storage means for storing, short term, graphic data received from the graphic data generator means and from the mass storage means and for supplying graphic data to the printer means and monitor means,

text data buffer means electrically coupled to the text data generator means, the printer means, the monitor means and the mass storage means for storing, short term, text data received from the text data generator means and mass storage means and for supplying text data to the printer means and monitor means, and

a central processing unit (CPU) programmed to respond to commands from the input device to process text data and to control data flow to and from the graphic data buffer means, the text data buffer means and the mass storage means while maintaining an association between separately stored blocks of graphic data and text data to be displayed or printed as a composite image, the CPU being programmed to control the application of text data from the text data buffer means and associated graphic data from the graphic data buffer means to the monitor means and the printer means for respectively displaying and printing images created from a combination of the text data and the associated graphic data.

2. The terminal of claim 1 further including telecommunication means for coupling the terminal to a transmission medium for transmitting graphic data, text data and a combination of the two between local and remote terminals to display and print images created from graphic data, text data and a combination of the two with data residing at the local and remote terminals.

3. The terminal of claim 2 wherein said telecommunication means is coupled to the mass storage means of the terminal.

4. The terminal of claim 1 further including graphic data compression means for compressing the graphic data from the graphic buffer means prior to storage by the mass storage means and decompression means for decompressing graphic data retrieved from the mass storage means to the graphic buffer means.

5. The terminal of claim 1 further including scaler means for reducing the resolution of graphic data received from the graphic data buffer means before its application to the monitor means.

6. The terminal of claim 5 wherein the resolution of images displayed by the monitor means is less then that of images printed by the printer means.

7. The terminal of claim 5 wherein the scaler means reduces the resolution of the graphic data from about 200 ppi to about 100 ppi.

8. The terminal of claim 1 wherein said graphic data generator means includes a CCD array having a plurality of photosensitive elements corresponding to the number of pixels in a row of the raster image defined by the graphic data.

9. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the printer means includes a thermographic printer having a plurality of heating pads for marking a record medium.

10. The terminal of claim 1 wherein the text data generator means is a keyboard means having keys associated with different information symbols.

11. An office information system communication method comprising the steps of, at a local terminal:

generating graphic data representative of a raster image of a target document and text data representative of information symbols,

temporarily storing the graphic and text data in graphic and text data buffers respectively following the creation of the data and before applying the graphic and text data to mass storage means,

storing the graphic and text data in the mass storage means while maintaining an association between separately stored blocks of graphic data and text data to be displayed or printed as a composite image,

applying the graphic data to a raster image monitor means from the graphic data buffer means and applying the text data to the monitor means from the text data buffer means for displaying images created from text data, graphic data and a combination of the two, and

applying the graphic data to a raster image printer means from the graphic data buffer means and applying the text data to the printer means from the text data buffer means for printing images created from text data, graphic data and a combination of the two, and

transmitting between the local terminal and a remote terminal associated text data and graphic data and at the local and remote terminals displaying and printing images created from text data, graphic data and the combination of the two residing at the local terminal and at the remote terminal.

12. A data processing terminal comprising:

primary memory including separate graphic data map storage and text data storage,

a camera coupled to the primary memory for viewing a document and generating graphic data representing the binary bit pattern associated with a raster image of the document, the graphic data to be stored in the graphic data map storage,

an input device including text generator means coupled to the memory for generating text data representing information symbols, the text data to be stored in the text data storage,

a monitor coupled to the primary memory for displaying data from the graphic data map storage and from the text data storage,

a central processing unit (CPU) programmed to respond to commands from the input device to process text data from the text data storage, to control data flow to and from the primary memory and to control superimposed display by the monitor of graphic data from the graphic data map storage and text data from the text data storage.

13. The terminal of claim 12 further comprising disc storage for storing graphic data and text data, the CPU maintaining an association between separately stored blocks of graphic data and text data to be displayed or printed as a composite image.

14. The terminal of claim 13 further including compression means for compressing or decompressing graphic data for storage and retrieval of graphic data to and from the disc storage.

15. Terminal of claim 12 further including printer means coupled to the memory for printing an image created from text data, graphic data and combinations thereof.

16. A data processing terminal comprising:

primary memory including separate graphic data map storage and text data storage,

a camera coupled to the primary memory for viewing a document and generating graphic data representing the binary bit pattern associated with a raster image of the document, the graphic data to be stored in the graphic data map storage,

an input device including text generator means coupled to the memory for generating text data representing information symbols, the text data to be stored in the text data storage,

a monitor coupled to the primary memory for displaying data from the graphic data map storage and from the text data storage,

telecommunications means for coupling the terminal to a transmission medium and transmitting and receiving text data and graphic data, and

a central processing unit (CPU) programmed to respond to commands from the input device to process text data from the text data storage, to control data flow to and from the primary memory, to control superimposed display by the monitor of graphic data from the graphic data map storage and text data from the text data map storage and to control transmission and reception of text data and graphic data through the telecommunication means while maintaining an association between separately transmitted blocks of graphic data and text data to be displayed or printed as a composite image.

17. The terminal of claim 16 further including printer means coupled to the memory for printing an image created from text data, graphic data and combinations thereof.

Description Submit all comments and votes

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to method and apparatus for office information systems and more specifically to communication terminals having a raster image scanner and being capable of dealing with the combination of text and graphic images created with structured and unstructured data.

Office information systems include computers and associated peripherals such as monitors, e.g. a cathode ray tube (CRT), mass storage devices such as disks, and printers to keep track of, to manipulate and to distribute information necessary to the activities of a given office. Typically, these systems deal only with structured, i.e. coded, digital data to represent the information. Text and (synthesized) graphic information displayed on a monitor or printed out by a printer are created solely from structured data.

A daisy wheel printer is an example of a printer than can create only limited images and it does so from structured or coded input data. In contrast, a CRT monitor and a matrix pin printer create images in a raster pattern made up of a plurality of rows of pixels or points on the screen or a page of paper each of which must be represented by a binary bit to represent an "on", i.e. glow state for a given pixel on the monitor screen or the "dot" for a given pixel on a piece of paper in the printer. The pixel on the monitor screen may also have a plurality of intensity levels but that dimension is not relevant to the present discussion.

Structured or coded data applied to a CRT or a matrix pin printer requires that the code be translated by a local character generator into a family of binary bits or data that represent the "on" or "off" status of the number of pixels and rows needed to create the image represented by the code. Coded data applied to a daisy wheel serial printer merely requires that the character on a given pedal of the daisy wheel be positioned under the printer hammer in response to the code for the given character.

As used herein, digital or binary data that represents the "on" or "off" (or "dot" or "blank") status of all the pixels in the raster--or a portion of the raster--is unstructured or uncoded data.

Hereafter, the term "text data" is intended to mean structured or coded data representing an image to be created at either or both a monitor and printer. Text data is an appropriate term for coded data because a large portion of the coded data in an office information system is likely to be English prose--or another language--as distinquished from graphics. However, it is also meant to include data representive of any information symbols such as mathematical expressions and geometric line segments, an arc and a curve.

The term "graphic data" is intended to mean unstructured data representative of the binary bit pattern associated with a raster image. This term is appropriate for unstructured data because it conveys the idea of being related to a picture, handwritten prose, a chart or graph or the like which logically would be appropriate for being scanned by a camera.

The reader should understand, however, that text data can represent graphic information but it will be in a structured data form and graphic data can represent printed prose if that is the information put in front of the raster scanner.

Prior to this invention, raster scanning devices that generate unstructured data, e.g. the vidicon tube of a television (TV) camera and charge coupled device (CCD) arrays with scanning optics, have not been integrated into office information systems. The complexity of dealing with the unstructed data produced by the scanner was understood to require too great expenditures of money to make the integration of a camera into the system economically feasible. As explained, monitors and printers typically found in office information systems respond only to structured input data. The communication time required to transmit information represented by unstructured data is much greater than that for information represented by coded data which is another inhibiting factor. Most significantly, no one perceived the present system configuration or its ability to make a highly effective use of a scanning camera and its graphic data.

The publishing industry has used computers and monitors to edit materials prior to publication but their systems are not office information systems. The publishing systems are not interactive communication tools but rather are used to make printing masters that include both text information, i.e. prose, and graphic information, i.e. a facsimile of a photograph. The requirements of a publishing system differ greatly from that of an office information system. For one, the image resolution requirements, expressed in terms of pixels per inch (ppi), of the publishing system are economically inappropriate for a real-time, interactive, office information system. The scan rate in a publishing system is generally inappropriate and the required graphic data storage for too excessive for an office information system. Also, a document need not be displayed while it is being transmitted to a remote station when the purpose is photographic plate or master making.

Office systems have needed a terminal suited in particular for the manager or executive. Managers continually communicate with their peers and subordinates. A good portion of their communications are over the telephone and often a document necessary to the conversation exists in the hands of only one of the callers. In addition, information in digital form on a word processing system or in a personal computer would be helpful to the conversation but there is no appropriate means for transmitting it between terminals in real or near real time. The callers, of course, would have no way of modifying or blending transmitted text data with graphic data in a manner helpful to a phone conversation between the users of the terminals. Also, there is a need to store both graphic and text data at remote devices for rapid retrieval and review.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to devise a communication terminal having a graphic data generator, i.e. a camera, being capable of exchanging text and graphic data with a remote device and being capable of having a display and a print out of composite images created from text data and graphic data residing in either or both the local or remote device.

It is also a main object of this invention to make a communication terminal for an office information system that includes a raster scanning input device for generating graphic data for display, storage, transmission to another terminal and for printout of images that include both text and graphic information, i.e. information represented by text and graphic data.

Another object is to define a highly effective configuration for a communicating device having a raster scanning input ability and that is technically and economically viable for the office environment, suited for business order entry applications, and suited for remote storage and retrieval of text and graphic data.

Another prime object of the invention is to integrate a raster scanning device, specifically a charge coupled device (CCD) linear array with scanning optics or a self scanning array, with a communicating personal computer to significantly expand the capabilities of the computer to the point that a unique communication product is defined for office information systems.

Still another object of this invention is to significantly reduce the complexity of the foregoing defined communication terminal by segregating text and graphic data within the communication teminal until it is outputted to a monitor or display and to leave it segregated for communication between terminals.

Another object of this invention is to design the above communication terminal to use temporary storage buffers for both text and graphic data for entry of the data into the terminal and entry and exit of data into and out of long-term storage means to simplify the terminal without sacrificing performance.

A further object directed at simplifying the foregoing communication terminal is to reduce the resolution of the graphic data for display only. This means that graphic data can be displayed at a resolution lower than the resolution at which it is printed or long term stored. The low resolution graphic buffer gives the operator the choice to view the graphic information at one resolution on the monitor or at a second higher resolution via the printer. This arrangement enables the terminal to have a lower cost but without totally sacrificing a desired resolution.

Yet another object directed toward defining the above communication terminal in a fashion to make it suited for the office is to establish communications between two terminals to direct transfer of text and graphic data between long term storage at the terminals.

Consistent with the foregoing, it is also an object to compress the graphic data before storing it in the long-term storage means and before transmission to a remote device.

The foregoing and other objects of the present invention are realized by integrating a CCD camera, i.e. a graphic data generator, with a personal computer and by further including the necessary memory capacity for buffer storage, a Winchester disk drive for long term storage, a communication controller for terminal to terminal transmissions and a thermographic printer capable of producing a raster image print out. The text and graphic data handled by the terminal is never merged in the terminal except when being applied to a monitor for display or to a printer for making a hard copy. The terminal remembers when a given document is made up of a composite of separately stored text and graphic data.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects and features of the present invention are apparent from the specification, the drawings and the two taken together. The drawings are:

FIG. 1 is an isometric drawing of a communication terminal according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the data flow within the terminal of FIG. 1 and represents both software and hardware used by terminal.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the personal computer portion of the terminal of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of the components combined with the computer of FIG. 3 to make up the communication terminal of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the relationship of the communication terminal application software to the computer's operating system software and the relationship of both the application and operating system software to the various hardware components of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

FIG. 6a is an illustration of a sample file index displayed on the screen of a monitor at a terminal showing one embodiment of a format for the file index.

FIG. 6b is an illustration of some of the function keys on the keyboard of FIG. 1.

THE DESCRIPTION

Apparatus 10 in FIG. 1 is the communication terminal according to the present invention and it is made up of a monitor 11, camera assembly 12, printer 13, keyboard 14, and console 15. The numbered items are all shown supported on a table top 16. The cabling interconnecting the various items is not shown but should be understood to be present.

The terminal 10 includes a small digital computer that has been modified to create the communication terminal. The computer selected for the modification is the "Professional Computer" available from Wang Laboratories, Inc., Lowell, Mass. 01851, the assignee of the present invention.

The monitor 11, keyboard 14 and console 15 are the standard components of the computer and the camera assembly 12 and graphic data printer 13 are part of the components added to make the computer into a communication terminal. The interface circuitry, device controllers, expanded memory and communication controller and other parts that make up the terminal (discussed below), are housed in console 15 along with the circuitry for the computer.

Two or more of the communication terminals 10 make up an office information system.

The operation of the present communication terminal will now be described broadly. An executive E-1 using a communication terminal C-1 calls an executive E-2 who has a communication terminal C-2. The phone call is made over an independent communication channel. Using appropriate function keys at this keyboard 14, operator E-1 displays on his screen 18 an image of a document T-1. Document T-1 is represented by text data only and it and several other text data documents are stored by the disk memory at his terminal C-1. Executive E-2 asks to see document T-1. Responding to the request, executive E-1 causes the text data T-1 to be transmitted to terminal C-2 where it is stored in available space in that terminal's disk memory as document T-1. Terminal C-2 makes a notation that the document is a foreign generated document and records the name and terminal address of the sender.

Executive E-2 fetches text data T-1 from his disk and displays it on his screen 18. He decides to add a line graph to the document. Executive E-2 clears his display screen (optionally) and places a sheet of clean paper 20 on pad 20a of the camera assembly 12 and draws a graph which will be referred to as document or graph G-1. The camera scans graph G-1 generating graphic data G-1 which is routed to disk memory and displayed on screen 18 of terminal C-2. Executive E-2 views the display of graph G-1 to verify that he had the graph appropriately aligned relative to the camera 21 and to verify that the graphic data G-1 produces a legible display. He then displays the graph G-1 along with the original memo T-1 thereby creating a document T-2=T-1+G-1. The text data T-1 takes precedence over the graphic data G-1 when there is overlap of images on the display.

At this point, executive E-2 manipulates the keyboard 14 to command that the composite image T-2=T-1+G-1 be transmitted from terminal C-2 to terminal C-1. Terminal C-2 makes a notation in header data that document T-2 is a composite image formed from documents T-1 and G-1. The header is transmitted first followed by the text data and then any graphic data. The data transfer occurs directly between the disk memories in the two terminals. In this situation, terminal C-2 observes that text data T-1 originated at terminal C-1 so it transmits a message in place of data that text data T-1 at terminal C-1 is to comprise one of the two components of document T-2. Had the text data originated at terminal C-2, or some other terminal other than C-1, the actual text data is transmitted. The transmission of the message instead of data means a savings in transmission time and storage space on the terminal C-1 disk.

The text data T-1 at the time of its creation and storage on disk was assigned a file name by executive E-1 and that name was added to a file index maintained by terminal C-1. Similarly, document T-2 was assigned a file name by executive E-2 at the time of its creation and the name was added to the file index in terminal C-2. The name for T-2 was transmitted to terminal C-1 and added to its file index as the name of T-1 was added to the file index of terminal C-2 following its transmission. The file name and other header information is stored with the text data when composite images are created. When either terminal C-1 or C-2 calls up a display of document T-2, it proceeds to the memory location for the document T-1 and then to that for document G-1.

Further creations and transmissions of text and graphic data take place between terminals C-1 and C-2 as the two executives E-1 and E-2 see fit as part of their phone conversation. In addition, text data, graphic data or composite data can be transmitted between terminals without attendance by the executives by putting the terminals into a receive mode. Also, data can be transmitted to remote data storage means for subsequent use, at least in a limited fashion by devices other than terminal 10. The originating terminal can retrieve its data for its own use or it can be retrieved by another terminal 10.

The foregoing can be briefly reviewed and further appreciated by reference to FIGS. 6a and 6b. An image of a sample file index that might appear on executive E-1's CRT screen 18 is shown in FIG. 6a. Function keys 19 a-h on keyboards 14 used by executives E-1 and E-2 are shown in FIG. 6b.

The file index image in FIG. 6a is made up of five columns under the five headings: DOC for document; T/G for text/graphic; TITLE for the name of the document; AUTHOR for identifying the source of the document; and DATE for the date the document is added to the file index.

There are five selection boxes 22 a-e in the DOC column associated with the file index of FIG. 6a. Boxes a and b go respectively with documents T-1 and T-2 created by executives E-1 and E-2 in the above example. All dates associated with the documents in the DATE column are arbitrarily selected to represent the date the document was added to the file index. The remaining documents G-2, T-3 and T-4 associated respectively with boxes 22 c-e, are additional documents established by executive E-1.

The screen 18 initially displays a formatted message or menu to enable the terminal user to select from a field the present system with its ability of handling both text and graphic data.

Having selected the present system, the terminal is in its basic mode which is a text document creation mode. This simply means that a typist may create a text document and obtain a display of it on screen 18 by actuating the alpha-numeric keys on keyboard 14. When the document is completed, it is added to the file index such as that shown in FIG. 6a by actuation of the FILE key 19c. A formatted message appears on the screen requesting the operator to type in the title and name of the author or other identifying information. The terminal automatically adds a "T" into a T/G block 23 indicating the document is made up of text data only. This is done when the EXECUTE key (not shown) on the keyboard 14 is pressed. The terminal thereafter reverts back to the text document creation mode. Further text documents are subsequently created and added to the file index as above.

To create a document from graphic data, the operator pushes the CAMERA key 19f. A formatted message appears on the CRT screen requesting the operator to type in the title and author information. The terminal automatically adds a "G" into T/G block 23 indicating the document is made up of graphic data only. This is done when the EXECUTE key is actuated. Next, the operator presses a SCAN key (not shown) to actuate the camera 21 to proceed through a scan of target 20 to generate graphic data representative of a raster image of the target. As the graphic data is being generated it is stored in a buffer memory and displayed on screen 18, a half page at a time. If the operator is satisfied with the displayed image, the FILE key 19c, or the EXECUTE key, is pressed and the graphic data is stored in disk memory.

A composite document is created by getting it onto the file index. For example, document T-4 associated with selection box 22e in FIG. 6a was created from text data document T-3 and graphic data document G-2. The RETRIEVE key 19d is pushed to bring up the file index onto screen 18. The cursor is a mark, i.e. image, on screen 18 that identifies a character location on the screen to the user. It is moved around the screen by up, down, right and left CURSOR keys (not shown) on keyboard 14. The cursor is moved to selection box 22d and the EXECUTE key is pressed. This causes the image created from text data for document T-3 to appear on screen 18. The RETRIEVE key 19d is pushed again to get the file index back on the screen and this time the cursor is moved to selection box 22c. Pushing the EXECUTE key results in the image created by the graphic data for document G-2 to be displayed along with the image of document T-3. The terminal permits the composite display to occur when the previously retrieved image was made from different data. In this case, the graphic data image followed a text data image. If a third graphic data image is retrieved, the previously created composite image is lost. To preserve the composite image, the FILE key 19c is depressed. This brings up a formatted message that asks for the title, T-4, and author, E-1, information to be typed in. The data is automaticallyt entered and "T+G" is automatically written into the T/G block. Pressing the EXECUTE key at this point causes the document T4 to be added to the file index. T-4 is made up of text data T3 and graphic data G-2.

From this point on, the composite document T-4 may be displayed by pressing the RETRIEVE key 19d, moving the cursor to selection box 23e and hitting the EXECUTE key. The viewer can alternately blank and bring back the text and graphic data images by using the TEXT and GRAPHIC keys 19g and 19h. Pushing the TEXT key while the composite image T-4 is being displayed causes the text data image to be blanked, i.e. to go away leaving only the graphic data image. Pressing the TEXT key a second time brings back the text data image thereby reconstructing the composite image. Pressing the GRAPHIC key causes a like blanking and revival of the graphic data image.

A printout of an image, be it a composite image or not, is obtained by pressing the PRINT key 19e and moving the cursor to a selection box next to the document desired to be printed. Pushing the EXECUTE key brings a formatted message to the screen which asks the user to specify the number of pages, type style and like information. The next depression of the EXECUTE key or the PRINT key sends the data to the printer where the image is recorded on paper or other appropriate substrate.

Transmitting a document to another terminal proceeds in a similar fashion. Hitting the SEND key calls the image of the file index to screen 18. The cursor is moved to a specific selection box, e.g. one of the boxes 22a-e, and the EXECUTE key is touched. A message in a prescribed format appears on the screen requesting the address or access number of the terminal that is to receive the document. When this information is keyed in, and the EXECUTE key is pressed, the transmitting terminal initiates the routines necessary to effect the transfer of the data. Before the transfer can occur, however, the operator at the addressed terminal must depress the RECEIVE key 19b or the terminal must be in an automatic receive mode of operation.

The document is transmitted when the foregoing conditions are met. The receiving terminal, as a consequence of having the RECEIVE key depressed or of being in an automatic receive mode, adds the document title, author and date associated with the received message to the file index for that terminal. Also, the T/G block in the index is filled according to the content of the transmitted document. The identity of the sending terminal is displayed in the AUTHOR column along with the name of the author as appears on the file index in the transmitted terminal. If the transmitted document is a composite, the file index does not include a separate listing for the individual text and graphic data documents that make up the composite image. Nonetheless, the text and graphic data images can be viewed separately by the operator actuation of the TEXT and GRAPHIC keys to alternately blank and re-display the text and graphic image portions of the composite document.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the general hardware and software architecture of the communication terminal of this invention will be described in relation to the data flow within the terminal. Like componen