Portable messaging and scheduling device with homebase station

I claim:

1. A portable device for recording and selective playback of messages, comprising:

audio input means for receiving and digitally recording an audio message and generating a representative audio message signal;

virtual image scanner for scanning a strip of printed material and generating a representative scanning message signal;

processor means for controlling the receipt and digital storage of said audio message signal and said scanning message signal, and non-sequentially selectively recalling for playback said audio message signal and said scanning message signal;

audio output means for receiving and playback of said recalled audio message signal;

display means for receiving and playback of said recalled scanning message signal; and

a handheld housing for carrying said audio input means, said scanning means, said writing means, said processor means, said audio output means and said display means.

2. A device, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising writing means for receiving a written message and generating a representative written message signal; and in which said processor means digitally records said written message, and non-sequentially selectively recalls for playback said written message, and in which said display means display said written message.

3. A device, as set forth in claim 1, further including clock means for furnishing to said processor means a clock signal representative of the current date and time; said processor means including preselecter means for preselecting one audio message signal, scanning message signal and written message signal to define a preselected message; said processor means selectively recalling for playback at a preselected time the preselected message.

4. A device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the handheld housing is dimensionally longer than wide to facilitate handheld grasping and carrying substantially within a shirt-pocket.

5. A device, as set forth in claim 4, in which the handheld unit has a first end and a second end, and the virtual image scanner is positioned adjacent the first end.

6. A device, as set forth in claim 5, in which the audio input means is positioned adjacent one of the first and second ends.

7. A device, as set forth in claim 6, in which the display means is positioned intermediate the first and second ends.

8. A device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said writing means is a touch panel and said handheld unit further includes stylus means selectively detachably mounted to said handheld unit for operative engagement with said touch panel.

9. A device, as set forth in claim 8, in which the touch panel is positioned beneath the display means such that operative engagement of the stylus with the display simultaneously operatively engages the touch panel.

10. A device, as set forth in claim 1, further including a homebase station means for transmitting messages to and receiving messages from said handheld housing, said handheld housing means and said homebase station means in selective operative engagement.

11. A device, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said homebase station further includes communications means for transmitting messages to and receiving messages from external sources.

12. A device, as set forth in claim 11, wherein said communication means includes means for conductor-based communication.

13. A device, as set forth in claim 11, wherein said communication means includes means for non-conductor based communication.

14. A device, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said homebase station means further includes means for storing messages.

15. A device, as set forth in claim 14, wherein homebase station means further includes keyboard means for remote message entry to said processor means.

16. A device, as set forth in claim 2, in which a first message is defined by one of the written messages, audio messages and scanning messages, in which a second message is defined by another of the written messages, audio messages and scanning messages; in which the processor further comprises linking means for linking the first message to the second message; monitoring means for monitoring for the playback of the first message; and playback means for playing back the second message upon the playback of the first message.

17. A device, as set forth in claim 16, in which the linking means is user created.

18. A device, as set forth in claim 17, further including clock means for generating a clock signal representative of time, and in which said processor means receives said clock signal for use as a first message.

19. A device, as set forth in claim 17, in which the handheld housing is dimensionally longer than wide to facilitate handheld grasping and for carrying substantially within a shirt pocket.

20. A device, as set forth in claim 19, in which the handheld housing has a first end and a second end, and a virtual image scanner is positioned adjacent the first end.

21. A device, as set forth in claim 20, in which the audio input means is positioned adjacent one of the first and second ends.

22. A device, as set forth in claim 21, in which the display means is positioned intermediate the first and second ends.

23. A personal organizer and messaging device, comprising a unit dimensioned for handheld grasping and carrying substantially within a shirt pocket including:

a virtual image scanner adapted to scan a strip of printed material and create a signal;

a processor for controlling the receipt of said signal, storing said signal, and non-sequentially selectively recalling said signal; and

display means for receiving information from said processor and from said virtual image scanner.

24. A device, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the handheld housing is dimensionally longer than wide to facilitate handheld grasping and carrying substantially within a shirt-pocket.

25. A device, as set forth in claim 24, in which the handheld unit has a first end and a second end, and the virtual image scanner is positioned adjacent the first end.

26. A device, as set forth in claim 23, in which a first message is defined by one of the written message, audio messages and scanning messages, in which a second message is defined by another of the written messages, audio messages and scanning messages; in which the processor further comprises linking means for linking the first message to the second message; monitoring means for monitoring for the playback of the first message; and playback means for playing back the second message upon the playback of the first message.

27. A portable device for message organization, comprising:

input means for receiving a first user inputted message in one of visual, auditory or tactile formats;

output means for furnishing a second message in one of visual, auditory or tactile formats;

processor means for linking the first message to the second message;

monitoring means for monitoring for the playback of the first message; and playback means for playing back said output means to furnish said linked second message upon the playback of the first message.

28. A portable device for message organization as set forth in claim 27, in which the second message furnished by the output means is also user inputted via the input means.

29. A portable device for message organization, as set forth in claim 28, further including clock means for generating a signal representative of time, said processor means receiving said clock means signal and monitoring time and time intervals as first messages.

30. A portable device for message organization, as set forth in claim 29, wherein said input means includes written message means for receiving at least one written message, audio message means for receiving and recording at least one audio message, scanner means for receiving at least one scanning message, and said output means includes audio message player means for playing said audio messages and display means for displaying said written messages and said scanning messages.

31. A personal organizer and messaging device, comprising:

a portable, handheld unit adapted to be carried in a shirt pocket having

an audio message digital recorder for receiving a plurality of audio messages including a microphone mounted in said unit in proximity to a first end of said unit,

a touch sensitive panel for receiving a written message,

a scanner for scanning a strip of printed material and receiving a scanning message mounted in said unit in proximity to a second end of said unit,

a memory for storage of said audio message, said written message and said scanning message,

a processor for controlling the receipt of said audio message, said written message and said scanning message, storing said audio message, said written message and said scanning message in said memory, and non-sequentially selectively recalling for playback said audio message, said written message and said scanning message,

an audio message player for receiving and playback of said audio message,

a display for receiving and playback of said written message and said scanning message, said touch sensitive panel mounted in operative association with said display, and

a stylus selectively detachably mounted on said handheld unit for selectively operatively engaging said touch panel and choosing the operation of the device.

Description Submit all comments and votes

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates in general to portable devices for receiving, and storing and selectively recalling messages. More particularly, the present invention pertains to devices for recording and playback of messages and reminders. More specifically, the present invention relates to portable devices sometimes referred to as message recorders and organizers.

BACKGROUND ART

Over the years a wide variety of devices, sometimes loosely referred to as organizers, have been used to assist the individual in retaining and sequentially recalling thoughts or other messages, and retaining and furnishing timely reminders of matters requiring future attention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,470 to Rahamin et al., and the "OA Secretary" made by Ky-Tek Industrial Co., Ltd. of Taipei Taiwan Republic of China, present non-portable electronic reminder systems in which microphone input audio messages are stored and subsequently played back at preselected times entered through a keyboard. U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,752 to Weitzler discloses another electronic reminder device for receiving audio input, storing the audio input on separate tracks of audio tape, and playing back the audio input at preselected times associated with each separate track.

Storage and selective retrieval of typewritten and manually entered notes and messages have also been the subject of organizers. A handheld electronic device for storing keyboard entered personal information such as telephone numbers, appointments and one's agenda, and furnishing an audio alarm or display at the time of an appointment or other preselected time has been shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,760 to Yagi. U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,065 to O'Brien depicts a manual notetaking system in which a note-card is lined on one side to facilitate writing and shaped to facilitate carrying in a shirt-pocket.

Two additional U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,357 to Dreyfus et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,218 to Culp envision acquiring visual information for storage and later retrieval. In the Dreyfus et al. patent a pocket photocopier capable of scanning, storing and printing a portion of a document includes a CCD array and an incremental wheel which furnishes a time base for the reading interval as the wheel rolls without sliding. The scanned matter is stored in a memory and printed out by a built in printer. The Culp patent provides a portable data entry terminal wand having a barcode scanner that reads data into its memory and, when the wand is inserted into an optical-coupled interface module transfers the data in the wand memory to a more complex base terminal.

Because people give and receive information using all their senses, an organizer must be comprehensive to be most useful. In other words, the most desirable organizer would allow messages and reminders be entered and played back visually as by scanning, auditorialy by speech and manually by touch. But functional comprehensiveness is not enough. Because people are constantly developing messages and requiring reminders, the most desirable organizer must also be highly compact for easy carrying and use. As a practical matter an organizer should easily fit into a shirt pocket.

The various devices noted above have failed miserably at being both functionally comprehensive and compact. No device has included sufficient functionality to allow input and output of messages and reminders in the optimal variety of sensory modes. Additionally, as functionality has increased, such devices have become so large, cumbersome and unwieldy as to require fixed operation, severely limiting the usefulness of any organizer.

Equally significant, such devices have been difficult and eonvoluted to understand, learn and operate. Indeed, many devices have been so complex as to preclude use by all but the most technically adventurous and knowledgeable. This complexity and intractability has been further exasperated with greater functionality.

In short, such devices are not functionally comprehensive, sufficiently compact or easy to work.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a portable, device for organizing messages and reminders that receives and plays back messages in a functionally comprehensive variety of sensory formats.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device, as set forth above, wherein messages and reminders may be received visually as by scanning, auditorialy by speech and manually by touch, and may be played back visually or auditorialy.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a device, as set forth above, which is adapted to facilitate handheld operation and carrying in a shirt-pocket.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a device, as set forth above, that is easy to understand, learn and operate.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a device, as set forth above, that allows users to select directly the desired operation of the device without having to individually bypass a plurality of selections.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention over existing prior art forms will become more apparent and fully understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In general, a portable device for recording and selective playback of messages includes an audio message recorder for receiving an audio message and generating a representative audio message signal, a touch panel for receiving a written message and generating a representative written message signal, a scanner for scanning a strip of printed material and generating a representative scanning message signal, a microprocessor for receiving and storing the audio message signal, the written message signal and the scanning message signal, and non-sequentially selectively recalling for playback the audio message signal, the written message signal and the scanning message signal, an audio message player for receiving and playback of the recalled audio message signal, and a display for receiving and playback of the recalled written message signal and the recalled scanning message signal.

A portable device for personal organization by selective playback of messages upon the occurrence of a preselected triggering event includes a touch panel for generating a triggering event signal representative of the desired triggering event, a stylus selectively detachably mounted upon the portable device for operatively engaging the touch panel and facilitating selection of the triggering event, means for playback of the messages, and a microprocessor for receiving and storing at least one triggering event signal and at least one message to be played back, the microprocessor generating a signal for playback of the selected message upon the occurrence of the triggering event, the means for playback receiving the signal for playback and playing back the selected message.

A personal organizer and messaging device includes a unit dimensioned for handheld grasping and carrying substantially within a shirt-pocket. This unit includes means for playback of messages, a touch panel for input of information, and a stylus selectively detachably mounted upon the unit for operatively engaging the touch panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an exemplary device in accordance with the present invention showing both a portable, handheld unit and a homebase station.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the exemplary portable, handheld unit shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the exemplary portable, handheld unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 taken substantially along line 3--3 shown in of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the exemplary portable, handheld unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 taken substantially along line 4--4 shown in FIG. 3 showing in breakaway the scanning apparatus and a portion of the power supply therein, and showing in phantom the release position of a pocket clip/stylus.

FIG. 5 is a left side view of the exemplary portable, handheld unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 taken substantially along line 5--5 shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a right side view of the exemplary portable, handheld unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 taken substantially along line 6--6 shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a rear view of the exemplary homebase station shown in FIG. 1 taken substantially along line 7--7 shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the functional components of the exemplary portable unit shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a top level flow chart depicting the operation of the present invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 presents in perspective an exemplary device in accordance with the present invention, generally indicated by the numeral 10, for selective message recordation and playback and scheduling. Device 10, best seen overall in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a portable unit 11 and an optional homebase station 12. Portable unit 11, better seen in FIGS. 2 through 6, broadly includes housing 15, unit controller 20, tactile input mechanism 40, audio processor 60 and video processor 80. Portable unit 11 allows textual, audible and visual message inputs and their selective playback based on time or other preselected textual, audible or visual stimulus.

Housing 15 may be formed by molding or other acceptable means of a suitable material such as a rigid plastic suitable to integrally carry all the components in a substantially rectangular block having an upper shell 16 and a lower shell 17, a first end 18 and a second end 19. The dimensions and styling of housing 15 should be about what may be comfortably grasped in a human operator's hand and fit within a conventional shirt pocket for ease of use carrying, e.g., about 1.8 inches (4.6 cm) wide, 6.25 inches (15.9 cm) long and 0.8 inches (2.0 cm) thick with rounded edges.

Unit controller 20 includes, as best appreciated in FIGS. 3 and 8, a main printed circuit (PC) board 21 carried by upper shell 16 having a plurality of primarily surface mounted devices (SMDs) 22 mounted on the side thereof furthest from upper shell 16, and a portion of the tactile input mechanism 40 and video processor 80 as hereinafter detailed mounted on the side thereof adjacent to upper shell 16. The SMDs mounted on PC board 21 may include a microprocessor or microcontroller 23, memory 24, and, to the extent not provided on-board microcontroller 23, a clock/calendar circuit 25 for storing the current date and time, analog to digital (A/D) and digital to analog (D/A) converters, input/output and display controllers and video processor circuits and components.

Unit controller 20 further includes a second PC board 26 carried by lower shell 17 having a plurality of primarily non-SMDs 27 such as power supply components mounted on the side thereof furthest from lower shell 17, the audio processor 60 as hereinafter detailed mounted in part on the side thereof adjacent lower shell 17, and an on-board power supply 30. A suitable electrical cable 28 may be employed to interconnect the two PC boards. On-board power supply 30 may include, for example, a plurality of batteries 31 mounted in a compartment 32 that may be integrally formed in lower shell 17 and have cover 34, and an on-off power switch 33 that may be mounted on second PC board 26 so as to extend partially through the side of housing 15.

Microcontroller 23 may be any conventional microcontroller suitable for processing limited speech recognition and graphics display, preferably having low-power consumption and various functions including at least limited digital signal processing, A/D and D/A conversion, such as the Model Z86C94 microcontroller manufactured by Zilog, Inc. of Campbell, Calif. Memory 24 may be any suitable digital memory of sufficient capacity to store any extent of program not onboard microcontroller 23 and the desired number and length of voice messages discussed below. 512K Bytes of CMOS static RAM has been found adequate to retain over 200 scanned or written messages, over 30 four-second long verbal messages or a mix thereof.

Tactile input mechanism 40 includes a plurality of input keys 41 such as menu key 42, forward arrow key 43, reverse arrow key 44, erase key 45, record key 46, scan key 47 and touch key 48, all mounted to PC board 21 as described above. Tactile input may also be furnished via resistive touch panel 50 which will allow input via touching of a display to be discussed below or input written thereon by a substantially rectangular stylus 51 selectively detachably mounted to the outside of lower shell 17 by suitable means such as bayonet mount 52. One acceptable analog resistive touch sensor with an active area of appropriate dimensions may be purchased from Graphics Technology Inc. of Austin, Tex. doing business as Touch Technology. Use of stylus 51 allows direct selection among the plurality of choices that may be presented on the display, eliminating the need for multiple keystrokes of keys 43 and 44 to move a cursor over undesired choices and greatly facilitating ease of operation of device 10.

Audio processor 60 includes a microphone 61 for audio input, an audio processor circuit 62 receiving the signal from microphone 61 and whose output is received by the microcontroller 23, a volume control potentiometer 63 electrically connected to audio processor circuit 62 and an audio amplifier 64, and a speaker 65 for audio output receiving the output from audio amplifier 65. Microphone 61, audio processor circuit 62, volume control potentiometer 63, audio amplifier 64 and speaker 65 all may be mounted on second PC board 26 such that microphone 61 is in alignment with sound aperture 66 in the second end 19 of both shells of housing 15, volume control potentiometer 63 extends partially, through the side of housing 15, and speaker 65 is aligned with sound aperture 67 in lower shell 17. The central core of stylus 51 may be removed to facilitate the passage of sound therethrough when stylus 51 is mounted upon lower shell 17.

Video processor 80 includes a graphics display 81 preferably of higher resolution and low power consumption. One such device is the graphic type supertwist dot matrix liquid crystal display modules of either the reflective or, if economical, backlight type like that manufactured by Seiko Instruments USA Inc. of Torrance Calif. Graphics display 81 may be mounted to the side of main PC board 21 adjacent to upper shell 16 such that its active area is visible through an aperture in upper shell 16.

Video processor 80 may further include an optical scanner 82 such as a CCD array, like the Model LZ2018 512-pixel line sensor commercially available from Sharp Electronics Corporation of Mahwah, N.J., mounted to a third PC board 83. Third PC board 83, in turn may be mounted perpendicular to and in main PC board 21 so that the CCD array 82 is centrally disposed within and faces the first end 18 of housing 15, and may be electrically interconnected thereto by right angle connector 84. Two light emitting diodes (LEDs) 85 or other suitable light sources are also mounted peripherally on third PC board 83 adjacent the opposite interior sidewalls of housing 15 oriented to project light therefrom toward a scanning aperture 86 in the first end of housing 15.

A lens mounting assembly 90 is fixedly mounted between upper shell 16 and lower shell 17 such that the ends thereof form light channels 91 directing the light from LEDs 85 through scanning aperture 86 outside unit 11. Lens mounting assembly also carries a first centrally disposed lens 92 for focusing the bulk of the light reflected in through scanning aperture 86 from the scanning surface upon CCD array 82, and two peripherally disposed lenses 93, 94 for focusing a small portion of light reflected from two scan wheels 95, 96 as discussed directly below.

It should be appreciated that inasmuch as scanning with handheld unit 11 is performed manually, the scan rate can vary significantly and some method is required to determine the actual scan rate. One such method is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,357 to Dreyfus et al and employs two rotatable, stripped scan wheels 95, 96 mounted on housing 15 at either end of scanning aperture 86. Scan wheels 95, 96 intercept small portions of the light from LEDs 85 and reflect to the periphery of CCD array 82 a light modulated pulse train whose frequency and duty cycle is directly proportional to the scan rate. Scanning aperture 86 may be angled to further facilitate scanning with unit 11 held at an optimal angular orientation with respect to the scanning surface.

Homebase station 12, illustrated in perspective in FIG. 1 and in rear elevation in FIG. 7, may include a variety of features for supporting and in addition to those of handheld unit 11. Homebase station 12 may include its own microprocessor or microcontroller 110, memory 111, off-line storage device 112 such as a small form factor floppy disk drive, input keys 114, charging circuit 115 with external jack 116 for the rechargeable power supply of handheld unit 11, and communication circuit 117.

Homebase station 12 may preferably further include a cradle 120 into which handheld unit 11 may slide in only one orientation, thereby allowing power and information transfer as hereinbelow further explained. Homebase station 12 may include a miniature multi-contact I/O connector 121 which removably matingly engages a like connector 122 included in the handheld unit 11 second PC board 26 and extending through lower shell 17 of housing 15 in proximity to the pointer end of stylus 51. A rectangular bay 123 is cutout of cradle 120 to allow stylus 51 to pass thereunder and bias connectors 121 and 122 into firm electrical engagement when handheld unit 11 is secured within cradle 120.

Homebase station 12 allows supplemental key input to portable unit 11, supplemental message storage, communications with external devices, and charging of batteries 31 in portable unit 11.

The input keys 114 of homebase station 12 may be a touch keypad such as an 8.times.4 key array with interchangeable overlays, a QWERTY keyboard with standard travel keys, or such other tactile input