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Claims  |
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I claim:
1. In an automatic appointment scheduler for storing a series of different
time-of-day appointments each time period for a series of different time
periods, and including a memory for storing the appointments,
an automatically operating interrogator circuit for interrogating the
memory for a selected time period,
said automatically operating interrogator circuit automatically selecting
one available time slot from plural time slots that are available for
appointment,
and a communication means for automatically presenting to a user the
available time slot for the time period selected.
2. In the scheduler of claim 1, the communication means comprising a visual
display for automatically displaying the unscheduled time slot available
for appointment.
3. In the scheduler of claim 1, the automatically operating interrogator
reading out the first available time slot not scheduled for appointment on
the selected time period.
4. In an automatic electronic appointment scheduler for storing a series of
different time-of-day appointments each day for a series of days, and
including a memory portion for each different day,
an automatically operating interrogator circuit for interrogating each of
the plural day memory portions for each of a series of different days
selected by a user,
and automatically reading-out for each of the selected days scheduling
information concerning the appointments previously made,
and a combined communication means for presenting to the user in a combined
manner the information being automatically read-out from each of the
series of selected days, thereby enabling the user to concurrently obtain
the desired appointment information for the series of selected days,
said automatically operating interrogator reading-out for each selected day
the first available time slot not yet scheduled for appointment,
and said combined communication means automatically presenting to the user
in a concurrent manner the first available time slots each day for the
selected series of days.
5. In an automatic electronic appointment schedule for storing a series of
different time-of-day appointments each day for a series of days, and
including a memory portion for each day,
an automatically operating interrogator circuit for interrogating the
memory for each of a series of different days selected by a user,
and automatically reading out for each of the selected days scheduling
information concerning the appointments previously made,
and a combined communication means for presenting to the user in a combined
manner the information being automatically read out from each of the
series of selected days, thereby enabling the user to concurrently obtain
the desired appointment information for the series of selected days,
said automatically operating interrogator reading out for each selected day
one available time slot not yet scheduled for appointment,
and said communication means presenting to the user a combined program of
available time slots for the different days selected.
6. A multiday appointment program scheduler comprising:
an electronic memory for storing plural schedules of appointments for a
plurality of different days,
selection means under control of a user for selecting a series of the
different days of interest that may consist of nonconsecutive days,
interrogation means controlled by the selection of the series of days for
reading out the appointment data for each of the days selected by the
user,
and combined communication means for presenting to the user in a combined
manner the appointment data for all of the days selected,
thereby providing the user with a scheduling program covering the series of
selected days,
said interrogation means automatically reading out for each one of the
selected days one available time slot not yet scheduled for appointment,
and combined communication means presenting to the user a program of
available time slots for the selected series of days.
7. A multiday appointment program scheduler comprising:
an electronic memory for storing plural schedules of appointments for a
plurality of different days,
selection means under control of a user for selecting a series of the
different days of interest,
interrogation means controlled by the selection of the series of days for
reading out the appointment data for each of the days selected by the
user,
and combined communication means for presenting to the user in a combined
manner the appointment data for all of the days selected,
thereby providing the user with a scheduling program covering the series of
selected days,
said selection means including a keyboard with keys for selecting a first
day of the series and the period of time between the first day an a second
day of the series.
8. A multiday appointment program scheduler comprising:
an electronic memory for storing plural schedules of appointments for a
plurality of different days,
selection means under control of a user for selecting a series of the
different days of interest,
interrogation means controlled by the selection of the series of days for
reading out the appointment data for each of the days selected by the
user,
and combined communication means for presenting to the user in a combined
manner the appointment data for all of the days selected,
thereby providing the user with a scheduling program covering the series of
selected days,
and interrogation means automatically reading out for each of the selected
days an available time slot not yet scheduled for appointment,
and said combined communication means presenting to the user the available
time slots for each day of the series selected,
said communication means including a visual display,
and said available time slots for the series of days presented in
side-by-side arrangement on the visual display.
9. In anelectronic appointment scheduler for storing plural appointments
each day for a series of different days,
and including a keyboard for random entry of appointments by day and
time-of-day,
and including a memory for storing said entered appointments,
and including interrogation and read out circuits that respond to keyboard
read out commands for reading out and communicating to the user on demand
scheduled appointment data,
the improvement comprising:
multiday keyboard initiated selection permitting ther user to select a
plurality of different days,
memory interrogation circuitry responsive to multiday keyboard selection
for reading out the scheduled appointment data for each of the multidays
selected by the user,
and combined communication for presenting to the user in combined form the
appointment scheduling data for all of the different days selected by the
user,
said memory interrogation circuitry reading out for each selected one of
the days a single time slot not yet scheduled for appointment,
and said combined communication means presenting the multiday time slots to
the user in combined manner.
10. In an automatic electronic appointment scheduler for storing a series
of different time-of-day appointments each day for a series of days,
and including a memory portion for each different day,
an automatically operating interrogator circuit for interrogating each of
the plural day memory portions for each of a series of different days
selected by a user,
and automatically reading out for each of the selected days scheduling
information concerning the appointments previously made,
and a combined communication means for presenting to a user in a combined
manner the information being automatically read out from each of the
series of selected days,
thereby enabling the user to concurrently obtain the desired appointment
information for a series of days of interest,
the series of days selected being spaced apart by equal time intervals,
and the selection means enabling the user to selected the first day of the
series of days and the interval between days.
11. In the scheduler of claim 1, a keyboard for enabling a user to select
at least one time period of interest.
12. In the scheduler of claim 11, said keyboard enabling the selection of
at least two time periods of interest that may be nonconsecutive time
periods.
13. In the scheduler of claim 12, said automatically operating interrogator
circuit interrogating the memory for each of the different time periods
and reading out for each such period at least one available time slot not
yet scheduled for appointment.
14. In the scheduler of claim 13, said communication means automatically
presenting to the user the available time slot for each time period and
identifying the different time period for each availability.
15. In the scheduler of claim 14, said keyboard having keys for selecting a
first time period and for selecting a time interval between the first time
period and a later time period.
16. In the scheduler of claim 15, the addition of means for supplying
additional information concerning the time slots to said communicating
means.
17. In the scheduler of claim 16, said additional information including at
least one of a person, and event, a month, a year, and an identification
that the time slot being communicated is an available time slot.
18. In claim 1, said communication means including an audible annunciator.
19. In claim 1, said automatically operating interrogator circuit
sequentially interrogating the memory for a plurality of time periods
selected by a user, and sequentially reading out an available time slot
for each such time period if one is available,
and said communicating means including an audible annunciator for
sequentially announcing the available time slots for each said time
period.
20. In claim 1, means for enabling a user to subsequently enter an
appointment into memory at said available time slot.
21. An electronic appointment scheduler having the capability of storing a
number of appointments for each different day or time period for a number
of different days or time periods,
said scheduler comprising a small, unitary electronic device having a
dedicated keyboard and electronic circuits including an electronic memory
and a multiline visual display,
said scheduler enabling the random entry of a series of appointments for
each different day or time period into the memory by keyboard selections,
said keyboard enabling a user to substantially concurrently choose a
plurality of different days or time periods that may be non-consecutive
days or time periods,
multiple day or time period read-out circuits coupling the memory and the
keyboard, and responsive to the multiple day selections to read-out the
memory,
said read-out circuits being responsive to the keyboard selection of one of
said multiple days or time periods to interrogate the memory for that
choosen day or time period to read-out one of the schedule of plural
appointments for that day or time period or the subschedule of available
time slots for that choosen day or time period,
said read-out circuits being concurrently responsive to the keyboard
selection of a second one of said days or time periods to interrogate the
memory for that second choosen day or time period to read-out one of the
schedule of plural appointments for that second choosen day or time
periods or the subschedule of available time slots for that second choosen
day or time period,
and said read-out circuits substantially concurrently applying the read-out
shedules for the choosen day or time period and the second choosen day or
time period to different locations on said multiline visual display,
whereby the visual display concurrently presents to the user in a combined
manner the plural schedules or subschedules for both of the choosen days
or time periods selected by the user.
22. A multiple day electronic appointment scheduler having the capability
of storing a series of appointments each day or time period for a number
of different days or time periods, and substantially concurrently
reading-out such schedules or subschedules of availabilities for multiple
days or time periods,
said scheduler comprising a small electronic device having a keyboard, a
multiple line visual display, and dedicated electronic circuits including
an electronic memory and read-out circuits coupling the memory, keyboard,
and visual display,
said memory storing a series of different appointments each different day
or time period, and for a number of different days or time periods, as may
be randomly entered by the keyboard,
said keyboard enabling a user to choose a number of different days or time
periods, that may be non-consecutive days or time periods, for
substantially concurrent read-out and display of schedules of appointments
or subschedules of available time slots for the choosen days or time
periods,
said read-out circuits circuits being responsive to the keyboard selection
of a first one of said days or time periods to interrogate the memory for
that choosen day or time period to read-out the entire schedule of plural
appointments for that day or time period or the entire subschedule of
available time slots for that choosen day or time period,
said read-out circuits being responsive to the keyboard selection of a
second one of said days or time periods to interrogate the memory for that
second choosen day or time period, that may be non-consecutive with the
first choosen day, to read-out the entire schedule of plural appointments
for that second day or time period or the entire subschedule of available
time slots for that choosen second day or time period,
and said read-out circuits substantially concurrently applying the entire
schedules or subschedules for the choosen first and second days to
different areas on the multiple line display screen,
thereby to concurrently present to the user in a combined manner a visual
display showing the entire schedules or subschedules for both of the
choosen first and second days or time periods. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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This invention generally relates to electronic appointment schedulers as
set forth in earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,610 and in copending application
Ser. Nos. 566,312, filed Dec. 28, 1983, and 568,359, filed Jan. 5, 1984;
and more particularly to such schedulers for communicating to the user the
combined schedules or subschedules for a series of different days, in
either a manual or automatic fashion.
BACKGROUND
In early U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,610, there is provided an electronic scheduler
for enabling a user to randomly enter, change, or update appointment
schedules for a series of different days in an electronic memory, and to
selectively read-out and display the entire schedules for any desired day.
In later application Ser. No. 566,312 and still later Ser. No. 568,359,
this scheduler is enhanced by providing a number of additional features
including a copy print-out of the schedule, an audible announcement of the
selected schedule, or combinations, along with a display. Still further,
there is provided a read-out of daily subschedules of available time slots
instead of, or in addition to, the schedules of appointments thereby
assisting the user in scheduling future appointments and events. The user
is permitted to select the manner of receiving the schedule or available
time slot information whether visually, audibly, or in print-out; or in
any combination thereof. The user can also choose whether to receive the
daily schedules or subschedules, or both, whichever is most convenient for
the purposes desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided still additional
features to assist the user in more easily and efficiently managing the
use of time, and in keeping track of appointments and availabilities. One
of such enhancements is to present to the user in combined form multiple
daily schedules of appointments or daily subschedules, or both, so as to
assist in determining sequences of different day appointments for a common
person, place, or event. For example, where the user is a doctor, dentist,
or other user providing a service to a number of different recipients, it
is often necessary to schedule a sequence of appointments for the
recipient over an extended time period, such as weekly or monthly
appointments, either on a regular basis or otherwise. By selecting the
series of different day of interest, and having the schedules or
subschedules for that series of days presented concurrently, in
side-by-side combined form or otherwise, the user can conveniently
schedule a sequence of different day appointments for available time slots
in the days of interest that are selected.
In an alternative embodiment, this multiple day scheduling can be performed
in an automatic fashion, by providing automatically operating electronic
read-out circuitry that interrogates the memorys for each of a series or
selected days in chronological order and automatically locates an
available time slot for each of the series of selected days. After
locating each available time slot, the circuit terminates its automatic
read-out for that day; communicates the available time slot to the user,
and enters that time slot appointment into the memory for that day. Upon
completing an automatic read-out for the entire sequence of different days
chosen by the user, the user is presented with a completed multiple day
appointment schedule, and this multiple day schedule has been
automatically entered into the memory. Where the user seeks to schedule
multiple appointments in a regular time sequence, (eg. weekly bimonthly,
monthly, or other), the user need enter only the first day, or beginning
day, together with the time period between appointments; and the circuitry
automatically selects the other days and finds available time slots to
fill the sequence of appointments, for that particular person, event, or
place.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a display screen with a combined series of
daily subschedules for different days in a side-by-side arrangement,
FIG. 2 is a functional electrical block diagram showing a system embodiment
of the invention, for reading-out of the memorys the daily schedules or
subschedules for a series of different days and communicating this
information by any one or more of a visual display, a print-out or an
audible announcement,
FIG. 3 is a functional electrical block diagram of a system embodiment for
automatically determining and communicating an available time slot for
each day for a series of different days selected by the user,
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portable appointment scheduler, showing
the external layout of components and the manner of use, and
FIG. 5 is a functional electrical block diagram of a portion of a modified
system for conveniently reading-out and communicating a series of daily
schedules or subschedules for different days that are spaced apart on a
regular time basis, such as on alternative days, or weekly, or other
regular time period.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a flat display screen, or printed
record, for communicating to the user the combined daily appointment
subschedules of available time slots for the three different days of July
1, 1984; July 8, 1984; and July 5, 1984, respectively. For the first day
of July 1, indicated by 11 at the left of the screen 10, the time slots
available for appointment by the user as shown in this example as being at
10 A.M.; 11:30 A.M. and at 2:45 P.M. For the next day of July 8, indicated
by 12 in the center of the screen 10 or print-out, the available time
slots are shown as being 7:30 A.M.; 1:45 P.M.; 3:15 P.M.; and 4:30 P.M.
Similarly for the third selected day of July 5, 1984, shown at the far
right of the screen or printout at 13, the subschedule of available time
slots are at 11:00 A.M.; 12:00 P.M. and 12:15 P.M. Having these available
time slots, or daily subschedules, for a series of the different days
presented together, it is seen that the user can conveniently select a
program of appointments for these different days for any particular
person, place, or series of events. Thus, if a Spinologist or Chiropractor
wishes to schedule a new patient for a series of appointments spaced a
week apart, he merely calls up the combined daily subschedules of
available time slots for the different days of interest, and quckly and
conveniently sets up the appointments on these different days, if time
slots are available. On the other hand if no time slots for any one or
more of these days are free, the Chiropractor or Spinologist merely
selects the display or print-out for alternate days until locating and
setting up a desired schedule for the patient. Since the preferred
embodiments are electronic, using electronic memory, as well as electronic
display, or audible announcement, the daily subschedule desired is quickly
retrieved from memory and presented to the user; and the user can quickly
call up subschedules for alternate days, as required, until obtaining a
multiday program of appointments that are convenient for both the user and
the patient.
FIG. 4 externally illustrates a preferred portable scheduler, as
contemplated by the present invention, and similar in physical appearance
to that described in earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,610, referred to above.
As shown, the scheduler 240 may be small enough to be carried by hand and
placed in a pocket or purse when not in use. It includes a keyboard 242
for entry and retrieval of the appointments each day for a series of
different days, as well as for changing, updating, or canceling any
previously made appointments. More specifically, keys 249 are provided for
selecting the month; keys 248 for selecting the days, of the month, and
additional keys 243 to 247, inclusive, for entering other data concerning
the appointments or events, as well as for controlling the function
desired such as entry, read-out, erase, and others. As also earlier
disclosed, there is provided a flat display screen 241, that is preferably
a large scale substantially flat LCD screen or other electronic display
using plasma or luminescence, that is thin, and easily carried about, yet
sufficiently large in facial display area to present the multiple series
of daily schedules of appointments or plural daily subschedules as shown
in FIG. 1, as well as displaying the time-of-day, month, and day and other
information. A miniature thermal printer and audible ennunciator may also
be provided as discussed below.
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown one preferred system for selectively
reading-out from the internal memory, the series of daily schedules or
subschedules of available time slots for each of the different days
selected by the user, and communicating these multiday appointment
schedules in combined form in the display or print-out 10 as shown in FIG.
1. As will be appreciated, the daily schedules of appointment for each of
the days selected have been previously entered into the memory by the
user, or by another such as a secretary, as is disclosed in the earlier
patent and in the earlier copending applications referred to above. As
shown, the system includes a first series of keyboard operated switches
24, 66, and 67 for initially selecting the month of interest (January,
February, and March, as shown), and a second series of keyboard operated
switches 33 to 37, inclusive, for selecting the different days of
interest. For an appointment scheduler adapted to cover a one year period,
it will be understood that a total of twelve month switches, such as 24,
will be provided together with a total of thirty-one (31) day switches for
the different days of the month, (or a lesser number if only working days
or weekdays are of interest for business applications).
The month switches, such as switch 24 shown, selectively connects the
interrogation or read-out circuitry to the memory portion for January; and
the day switches 33 to 37, subsequently connects this interrogation
circuitry to the memory portions for the chosen days of that selected
month. Tracing the system of FIG. 2 to obtain the entire daily appointment
schedule for the day of January 2, for example, the user initially closes
the keyboard switch 24, for January and then closes the keyboard day
switch 34 to select the second day of January. The user thereafter closes
the start or initiate read-out switch (not shown) to commence the read-out
for January 2. A clock circuit 20 commences a regular sequence of
interrogation pulses through a closed and gate 23 and thence through
closed keyboard switch 24 (January) to the day memory circuitry. Upon
reaching the day circuits, impulses are directed through and gate 29, and
then through the closed selection switch 34 for January 2 to interrogate
the day memory portion 39 containing the previously stored appointment
entries for that second day. As disclosed in copending application Ser.
No. 566,312, each of the daily memory sections, such as 39, contain a
series of storage locations allocated to the different time slots of
interest for that day, and each such different time slot location is
interrogated in chronological order in response to successive clock pulses
from clock 20. As each such location is interrogated in chronological
sequence, output pulses are produced over output line 43 in the event that
an appointment bit has been previously stored at that location in memory.
However, if no appointment bit has been previously stored at that
location, or time slot location, a different digital output signal is
produced over output line 43 (eg. a "0" bit or a one "1" bit). These
read-out pulses from memory 39 are directed to an and gate 45, and in the
event of a correct output from memory 39 indicating a previous appointment
at that time slot, the gate 45 is closed. Signals from the day-month
generator 47 are passed through closed gate 45, along with time delayed
signals from the time-of-day generator 44. Both the day-month generator 47
and the time-of-day generator 44 are driven by the same clock 20 in
syncronism with the interrogation of the memory portion 39 whereby as each
given time slot of the memory 39 is being interrogated, these generators
are producing digital signals representing the correspondingly correct
month and day, and time-of-day as the time slot of memory 39 under
interrogation. In the event that an appointment has been stored at that
time slot in memory 39, the month, day, and time-of-day signals are passed
in sequence through the closed gate 45, and pass to the output circuit to
be communicated to the user by any one or more of visual display 54,
print-out 55, or audible announcement 56.
On the other hand, when an appointment has not been stored in the memory 39
at that time slot being interrogated, the different output over line 43
does not close the and gate 45 but instead is inverted by circuit 63 and
closes a different and gate 62. Closure of the different and gate 62
passes a fixed message from generator 60, such as "No" to the output
devices, informing the user that "No" appointment has been made for that
time slot. Closure of and gate 62 also passes time delayed signals from
the month-day generator 47, and those from the time-of-day generator 44 to
the output devices after the "no" signal from generator 60. Thus the
selected ones of the visual 54, 55 and/or audible output devices 56 inform
the user that an appointment has "not" been scheduled for that time slot,
followed by the month, day and time-of-day for that time slot, as
generally shown in FIG. 1.
As disclosed in earlier application Ser. No. 568,359, the mode select
circuit 48, is receptive to the output of and gates 45 and 62, and enables
the user to receive either the entire daily schedule of previous
appointments for the selected days, as passed through gate 45, or
alternatively, the entire daily subschedule of available time slots for
each selected day, as passed through gate 62. Still further, the mode
select circuit 48, alternatively permits both the daily schedule and daily
subschedule together to be outputted. In the example of FIG. 1, only the
daily subschedules of available time slots for the three selected days are
presented for concurrent viewing or print-out, for assisting the user in
making new appointments, and not the daily schedules.
Following the mode circuit 48, the desired one or both of the daily
schedule or subschedule signals are directed to further keyboard operated
selection switches 49, 50, and 51, that enable the user to choose the form
of output desired, by one or more of visual display 54, print-out 55, or
audible announcement 56, as previously disclosed in copending application
Ser. No. 568,359 above. According to the present invention it is desired
to present the daily schedules and/or daily subschedules for a series of
different days in a combined manner as shown in FIG. 1. Therefore the user
will select one or both of the visual display at 54 and/or the printer 55,
both of which will be controlled, as described below, to present the
multiple daily schedules or subschedules.
Returning to FIG. 2, for an understanding of the read-out and display of
second, third, and any additional days selected by the user to provide a
combined multiple day display as in FIG. 1, the read-out of each selected
day memory is performed in chronological order. This sequence is
controlled by a shift register circuit 27, and a series of gate circuits
28 to thirty two (32), each associated with a different one of the day
memory portions 38 to 42, respectively. Shift register 27 is energized by
the same clock generator 20, in synchronism with readout of the different
memory portions but at a much lower frequency after passing the clock
pulses through a frequency divider circuit 26. Each one of the different
output lines of shift register 27 is energized in sequence at the lower
speed or lower frequency of the divider 26, and each line remains
energized for a time period commenserate with the read-out of its
associated day memory portion, whereas all other lines of shift register
output 27 are not so energized to prevent reading out of any of the other
day memory portions. Each of these energized output lines, in turn, closes
its associated one of gates 28 to 32, enabling the pulses from clock 20 to
interrogate that day memory portion and to read-out the daily schedule or
subschedule for that day. After completing the reading out of that days
schedule, the shift register 27 is advanced to the next day position or
output line to control read-out of its schedule or subschedule. However,
since each of the gates 28 to 32 are in series circuit with a different
one of the keyboard selection switches 33 to 37, that are selectively
opened or closed by the user, the only day memory portions that are
interrogated are those that have been selected by the user losing the
proper ones of keyboard switchs 33 to 37. In the example shown in FIG. 2,
only switches 34 (second day of month); 36 (fourth day); and 37 (fifth
day) are closed to read-out the daily schedules or subschedules for those
days only. Consequently, the shift register 27 and gates 28 to 37 control
the read-out circuitry to sequentially read-out the day memory 39; then
later the day memory 41, and finally the day memory 42, for the fifth day.
Briefly recapitulating the operation as thus far described, the user
initially selects the month and then the series of different days of
interest, and commences read-out of the daily memory bank portions. Upon
closure of the switch for the month of interest, a bank of memories for
the days of that month are allocated, and the further selection of days by
keyboard switches further limits the read-out to only the days of interest
in the selected month. A shift register circuit 27 driven at slower speed
by the same sync. clock 20 enables each of the selected day memories to be
interrogated in chronological order, and the schedules or subschedules of
appointments for each such day are read out in chronological order for
that day under control of the sync. circuitry.
For reading out the memories of days in other months, a similar procedure
and circuitry is provided. A shift register circuit 22 together with a
series of and gates 23, 64, and 67 is provided, with the month shift
register 22 driven in syncronism by the same clock 20 but at a much slower
speed or much lower frequency, through a pulse frequency divider 21. The
and gates 23, 64, and 67 for these different months are also closed in
time sequence, and in chronological order, to enable each month to be
interrogated before beginning the read-out of the selected day memories
for the next month. However, the memories for each month are read-out only
if the keyboard selection switch 24, 66, and 67 for that month has been
closed by the user.
Even though all of the day memory portions are read out in sequence in the
disclosed embodiment, those skilled in the art will appreciate that that
since the entire system (other than the printer) will be electronic, the
real time involved is very short. Considering each daily memory as having
only ten time slots per day, and requiring one read-out interrogation
pulse per slot, a total read-out for an entire month will require a total
of only 310 clock pulses. For a years read-out, a total of less than 3800
clock pulses will be required. At a low clock frequency of only 60 Hertz,
the real time involved for read-out of all memory portions for an entire
year would only be 70 seconds or about one minute. Furthermore the
electronic day memories can be interrogated at a much higher speed or
frequency than 60 Hertz, further reducing the total interrogation time to
far less than one minute.
For displaying or printing a sequence of different daily suschedules or
schedules as shown in FIG. 1 in a combined manner on different columns of
a screen or print-out, as shown, the video display circuit 54 is provided
with buffer storage 52 to receive each of the daily schedules or
subschedules, for the selected days in time sequence and to separately
store or buffer each days data for presentation in a different column. A
row select control 57 for the buffer 52 enables shifting of the data after
each daily schedule or subschedule has been entered, and the row select
circuitry 57 is syncronized in operation with the receipt of the daily
data by the same clock 20. In this manner, each of the selected daily
schedules or subschedules of available time slots is entered, temporarily
stored in buffer memory, and then displayed in a separate column or other
desired arrangement, as illustrated in FIG. 1. In a similar manner, the
printer 55 is provided with a buffer memory 53, controlled by the row
select circuit 57, and controlled in syncronism with receipt of daily data
by the clock 20 to print the sequence of daily schedules or subschedules,
as shown. Where it is desired to display only one days schedule or
subschedule at a time, or to print only a single days data, the by-pass
switching circuitry 58 can be provided to remove the buffer memory 52 from
the display, and a similar by-pass switching 59 can be employed to remove
buffer memory 53 from the printer circuits.
FIG. 3 shows an automatically operating system for automatically scheduling
appointments on a series of different days selected by the user. In this
embodiment, the user selects the different days (and months) of interest
by setting switches on the keyboard, and the system automatically
interrogates the memory portion for each of the selected days in
chronological order to find the first available time slot for each of said
days. After completing the interrogation of all selected days, the program
or multiday sequence of appointments has been automatically made and is
communicated to the user, either visually at 118 by the display screen, or
printed-out at 119 by the printer, or audibly announced at 120, all as
discussed above.
Tracing the operation of the system for automatically scheduling
appointments on the first and second days of a particular month, for
example, the keyboard switches 109 and 110 are initially closed by the
user for the two selected days and the system is placed in operation.
Clock pulses from timing clock 100 pass through and gate 103 and through
closed keyboard switch 109 to interrogate the memory section 106 for the
first day of the selected month. Each of the time slots in memory 106 is
sequentially interrogated in chronological order in response to the series
of clock pulses until the first available time slot for that day is
reached. At that interrogation, the output of memory 106 over line 140 is
directed backwardly through inverter circuit 112 to the and gate 103 to
deenergize gate 103 and prevent any further interrogation of day memory
section 106. This time slot output on line 140 also passes to the gating
and control circuitry of FIG. 2, indicated as 115, to be communicated to
the user either visually at 54 or 55, or audibly at 56, or by any
combination of these outputs selected by the user, as previously
described. After completing the interrogation of the memory 106 for the
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