Electronic writing & reading board (light) communications system

#The invention relates to the production of data in the form of messages and drawings by writing on ordinary writing paper placed on a specially made Electronic Writing Board (EWB), transmitting it through existing means of telecommunications networks to any destination required and displaying it on the Electronic Reading Board (ERB) of the person called. It is also employed to display multicolour lighting advertisements for products and services as well as for decorating buildings and all other applications which require high intensity and colour lighting for special occasions by inputting the required data on electronic advertising colour bulbs matrices connected by cable to the site where it is displayed.

#This system sets up instant, simultaneous and interactive written exchange of communication between the sender and the receiver. It is like establishing a telephone conversation with all its advantages PLUS a wide range of other benefits. The written message is silent and bright (white LEDs are used on the reading board) and of course discreet as no one can eaves drop; an advantage of great value in crowded and noisy places or exchange of messages and opinions between, say, a bank manager and his advisor or accountant when the customer is sitting in front of him. It rules out all need for those embarrassing interruptions of answering urgent calls and inter-office communication. All incoming calls can be read on the bright electronic reading board and answers discreetly scribbled on the writing board. All light messages are automatically stored in the memory for future use.

#Beside continuous outputting of data by writing on the board, the system bank of memories offer the possibility of saving the whole message however long it may be and then send it all by activating the ‘Send All’ switch thereby reducing telephone cost. The data in the memory can also be printed out using a printer adapted to the system using available technology. The EWB and ERB are adjacent to each other forming a single unit. The dialling is achieved by keying in the number on a single line key arrangement on top of the board. The sender and receiver units are connected using any of the telecommunication systems in use.

#As mentioned above the Light Communications System is also used to write, sketch, draw and display varied patterns for advertising purposes using high voltage and high intensity colour bulbs across the height and breadth of buildings and casinos which now use two or three fixed inflexible patterns which cost a great deal of money to change. It is an ideal system to display advertisements by easily changing text and sketches on the Electronic Writing Board and send the data via cable to the advertising sites where the matrix of colour bulbs plays the role of the Electronic Reading Board. FIG. 1 shows block diagram of the Light Communications System. The electronic writing board comproses of a matrix of highly sensitive NPN transistors with their bases connected to 0.5 to 1 sq. mm highly conductive elements. Each conductive element is separated from the other by nonconducting material on all sides. The surface is well polished and covered by a thin layer of strong, thin, hard and opaque resin. The area of the conductor elements can be increased if so desired, or it may be further decreased to any size feasible depending on the degree of resolution desired. Each transistor has one collector and two emitters (or 2 equal transistors may be used). The collectors of all the transistors in the matrix are connected to the positive power supply. In the matrix we have rows and columns. All the emitters of the transistors belonging to row 1 are connected through a single conductor rail to that row's amplifying circuit whose amplified output is connected to the first input of the mulplexer. The emitters of row 2 are similarly connected to its amplification circuit whose output goes to the second input of the multiplexer. All the rows are similary connected and inputted to the row-multiplexer. The 2nd emitters that belong to the 1st column transistors are connected to that column's signal rail and conducted to its amplifier circuit and then outputted to the 1st input of the column-multiplexer. Likewise each and every column is connected to its own dedicated amplification circuitry and then inputted to the column-multiplexer.

#When connected to power, a yellow LED lights up and stays on. A sheet of ordinary writing paper is placed on the Electronic Writing Board and the desired message, sketch or drawing is written using a power pencil whose graphite core is connected to the positive supply. When the graphite tip writes on the paper then the bases of twin emitter transistors (or bases of two transistors) connected to the squares they touch receive a positive voltage pulse and switch on. Signals emanating from the emitters of the conducting transistors are carried by their respective row and column signal buses to their respective amplification circuits. The amplified signals are then connected to the independent input pins of the analogue column and row multiplexers. The binary addresses for the row and column multiplexers are produced by binary counters which receive clock pulses from a frequency generator. The data is multiplexed and outputted serially by the rows and columns multiplexers. It is now available for processing and transmission to the Light Communications Unit of the receiver.

#When the Light Communication system is used to light up five different colour bulbs on displays, then each transistor in the Electronic Writing Board has one collector and five emitters (or 5 transistors with all collectors connected) and five separate signal carrying buses for rows and columns respectively, each dedicated to a single colour. Switches on the EWB are used to enable or disable any colour transmission and thus produce patterns of chosen colours. All colour inputs have their own dedicated circuitry in the Light Comminations System. All data inputted is multiplexed, encoded and conducted by cable (or wireless) to the advertisement sights where the receiving system decodes, demultiplexes and activates the corresponding row and column triacs to switch on the high intensity, high voltage colour bulbs corresponding to the to the design sketched on the paper placed on the Electronic Writing Board. Thus making it the most versatile manner of advertisement display with enormous advantages and minimal cost.