Portable electronic office and components suitable therefor

The simple 2-dimensional digitizing device of claim and additionally comprising:

• (a) a buffer memory disposed in said case of sufficient capacity to receive the entire digitized contents of said viewing area as said viewing area is scanned by said read bar;
• (b) fourth switch means carried by said case for selecting between a digitized mode for the digitizing device and a character mode for the digitizing device;
• and,
• (c) conversion logic means disposed in said case and connected to sense said fourth switch means for,
• (c1) when said fourth switch means is in a "DIGITIZED" position, filling said buffer memory with digitized pixel/line format information relative to the scanned contents of said viewing area;
• and,
• (c2) when said fourth switch means is in a "TEXT" position, operating as an optical character reader (OCR) for inputting to alphanumeric-oriented functions such as word processing programs, and the like, by,
• (c2a) first inputting the digitized data to said buffer memory in digitized pixel/line format;
• (c2b) when the entire contents of said viewing area has been digitized into said buffer memory, scanning from the "top" to the "bottom" of the "page" represented thereby;
• c2c) when a "line" of characters has been isolated and identified, scanning the line from "left" to "right" looking for "character" bit configurations by matching against a list of previously defined alphanumeric character representations on a "best guess" basis;
• (c2d) as each character of the line is identified, inserting the numerical representation thereof into a next character position in said buffer memory;
• and,
• (c2e) repeating the process until the entire said buffer memory in digitized format has been scanned and replaced with alphanumeric numerical representations.

The simple 2-dimensional digitizing device of claim and additionally comprising:

• (a) logic means for establishing a connection to a receiving facsimile machine over a telephone line, for determining the group type of said receiving machine, and for transmitting the digitized contents of said buffer memory to said receiving machine in the proper format for its said group type;
• (b) first light means for lighting in the presence of a dial tone on said telephone line;
• and wherein,
• (c) said logic means including means for sensing a dial tone on said telephone line and for activating said first light means when a dial tone is sensed.

A simple 2-dimensional digitizing device comprising:

• (a) a hollow case carrying a pair of opposed, contacting rollers therein for moving sheets of material to be digitized between an input slot and an output slot;
• (b) means for rotating said rollers;
• (c) a read bar mounted within said case between said input and output slots transversely across the path of movement of said moving sheets of material and parallel thereto, said read bar including a linear read head for developing a first electrical signal at an output thereof reflecting a one dimensional line of viewing of said read head as said sheets are moved past said read bar;
• (d) means for developing a second electrical signal indicating movement of said sheets of material past said read bar a pre-defined distance defining the distance between one scanned line of said sheets and a next said scanned line;
• (e) a buffer memory for receiving the entire digitized contents of a viewing area as said viewing area is scanned by said read bar;
• and,
• (f) logic means for establishing a connection to a receiving facsimile machine over a telephone line, for determining the group type of said receiving machine, and for transmitting the digitized contents of said buffer memory to said receiving machine in the proper format for its said group type.

A simple transmit-only facsimile transmission device comprising:

• (a) a planar case including a scanning area for containing materials to be digitized;
• (b) a read bar mounted for manual movement across said scanning area and parallel thereto, said read bar including a linear read head for developing a first electrical signal at an output thereof reflecting a one dimensional line of viewing of said read head as said head is moved over said scanning area;
• (c) means for developing a second electrical signal indicating movement of said read bar across said scanning area a pre-defined distance defining the distance between one scanned line of said scanning area and a next said scanned line;
• (d) governor means operably connected to said read bar for limiting the speed of movement of said read bar over said scanning area;
• (e) a buffer memory for receiving the entire digitized contents of said viewing area as said viewing area is scanned by said read bar;
• and,
• (f) logic means for establishing a connection to a receiving facsimile machine over a telephone line, for determining the group type of said receiving machine, and for transmitting the digitized contents of said buffer memory to said receiving machine in the proper format for its said group type.

A facsimile transmission system capable of transmitting and receiving simultaneously with a verbal conversation on a telephone line comprising:

• (a) a 2-dimensional digitizing device comprising, a case, a read bar carried by said case and including a linear read head for developing a first electrical signal at an output thereof reflecting a one dimensional line of viewing of said read head, means for creating relative movement between sheets of material to be digitized and said read bar, and means for developing a second electrical signal indicating movement of said sheets of material relative to said read bar a pre-defined distance defining the distance between one scanned line of a scanning area and a next said scanned line;
• and,
• (b) modem means disposed within said case for connecting to a telephone line;
• (c) buffer memory means for receiving the entire digitized contents of a 2-dimensional viewing area created by said relative movement between sheets of material to be digitized and said read bar, said digitized contents of said viewing area comprising a plurality of adjacent lines comprising said first electrical signal over a period of time wherein a new said line is started upon the occurrence of a said second electrical signal;
• (d) logic means disposed in said case and connected to said buffer memory means, said modem means and to receive said first and second signals for establishing a connection to a receiving facsimile machine over a telephone line through said modem means, for determining the group type of said receiving machine, and for transmitting the digitized contents of said buffer memory to said receiving machine in the proper format for its said group type;
• (e) Y-connector means having said telephone line connected to an input thereof, said logic means connected to a first output thereof and a telephone connected to a second output thereof for simultaneously connecting said logic means and said telephone to said telephone line;
• and wherein,
• (f) said transmitting of the digitized contents of said buffer memory to said receiving machine is by means of an inaudible carrier frequency whereby said telephone and a touch-tone dialing pad thereof can be employed to establish initial contact with said receiving machine and said transmitting can take place simultaneously with a conversation on said telephone over said telephone line.

A simple transmit-only facsimile transmission system comprising:

• (a) a simple 2-dimensional digitizing device comprising,
• (a1) a case;
• (a2) a read bar carried by said case and including a linear read head for developing a first electrical signal at an output thereof reflecting a one dimensional line of viewing of said read head;
• (a3) means for creating relative movement between sheets of material to be digitized and said read bar;
• and,
• (a4) means for developing a second electrical signal indicating movement of said sheets of material relative to said read bar a pre-defined distance defining the distance between one scanned line of a scanning area and a next said scanned line;
• and,
• (b) digital computer means for executing programs stored therein and including a numeric input keyboard, said computer means having a data input operably connected to receive said first and second electrical signals;
• (c) modem means disposed within said computer for connecting to a telephone line;
• (d) buffer memory means for receiving the entire digitized contents of a 2-dimensional viewing area created by said relative movement between sheets of material to be digitized and said read bar, said digitized contents of said viewing area comprising a plurality of adjacent lines comprising said first electrical signal over a period of time wherein a new said line is started upon the occurrence of a said second electrical signal;
• and,
• (e) first program means operably disposed for execution by said computer means for inputting telephone numbers of receiving facsimile machines through said keyboard, for establishing a connection to a receiving facsimile machine over a telephone line through said modem means, for determining the group type of said receiving machine, and for transmitting the digitized contents of said buffer memory to said receiving machine in the proper format for its said group type.

A simple computer-based facsimile system comprising:

• (a) a digitizing reader having a read bar including a linear read head for developing a first electrical signal at an output thereof reflecting a one dimensional line of viewing of said read head, means for creating relative movement between sheets of material to be digitized and said read bar, and means for developing a second electrical signal indicating movement of said sheets of material relative to said read bar a pre-defined distance defining the distance between one scanned line of a scanning area and a next said scanned line;
• (b) digital computer means for executing programs stored therein and including a numeric input keyboard, said computer means having a data input operably connected to receive said first and second electrical signals;
• (c) modem means disposed within said computer for connecting to a telephone line;
• (d) buffer memory means disposed in said computer means for receiving the entire digitized contents of a 2-dimensional viewing area created by said relative movement between sheets of material to be digitized and said read bar, said digitized contents of said viewing area comprising a plurality of adjacent lines comprising said first electrical signal over a period of time wherein a new said line is started upon the occurrence of a said second electrical signal;
• (e) first program means operably disposed for execution by said computer means for inputting telephone numbers of receiving facsimile machines through said keyboard, for establishing a connection to a receiving facsimile machine over a telephone line through said modem means, for determining the group type of said receiving machine, and for transmitting the digitized contents of said buffer memory to said receiving machine in the proper format for its said group type;
• (f) dot printer means connected to be driven by said computer means for printing a 2-dimensional medium with a plurality of lines of adjacent dots in response to signals at an input thereof;
• and,
• (g) second program means operably disposed in said computer means for execution for receiving facsimile input data from said modem means, for storing said received data in said buffer memory until a full "page" of data has been received, and for transmitting the contents of said buffer memory to said printer means as a signal at said input to be printed thereby.

A dual-mode page reading device for outputting in a digitizing mode or outputting in a text mode for use by alphanumeric-oriented functions comprising:

• (a) digitizing reader means having a read bar including a linear read head for developing a first electrical signal at an output thereof reflecting a one dimensional line of viewing of said read head, said digitizing reader means including means for creating relative movement between sheets of material to be digitized and said read bar and means for developing a second electrical signal indicating movement of said sheets of material relative to said read bar a predefined distance defining the distance between one scanned line of a scanning area and a next said scanned line;
• (b) buffer memory means for receiving the entire digitized contents of a 2-dimensional viewing area created by said relative movement between sheets of material to be digitized and said read bar, said digitized contents of said viewing area comprising a plurality of adjacent lines comprising said first electrical signal over a period of time wherein a new said line is started upon the occurrence of a said second electrical signal, the contents of said buffer memory means being output as the output of said digitizing device;
• (c) switch means for selecting between a digitized mode for the digitizing device and a text mode for the digitizing device;
• and,
• (d) conversion logic means connected to sense said switch means for,
• (d1) when said switch means is in a "DIGITIZED" position, filling said buffer memory means with digitized pixel/line format information relative to the scanned contents of said viewing area;
• and,
• (d2) when said switch means is in a "TEXT" position, operating as an optical character reader by,
• (d2a) first inputting the digitized data to said buffer memory means in digitized pixel/line format;
• (d2b) when the entire contents of said viewing area has been digitized into said buffer memory, scanning from the "top" to the "bottom" of the "page" represented thereby;
• (d2c) when a "line" of characters has been isolated and identified, scanning the line from "left" to "right" looking for "character" bit configurations by matching against a list of previously defined alphanumeric character representations on a "best guess" basis;
• (d2d) as each character of the line is identified, inserting a numerical representation thereof into a next character position in said buffer memory;
• and,
• (d2e) repeating the process until the entire said buffer memory in digitized format has been scanned and replaced with alphanumeric numerical representations.

A portable office comprising:

• (a) an attache-type case having a handle for carrying and an openable lid;
• (b) a digitizing reader disposed within said case, said reader having a read bar including a linear read head for developing a first electrical signal at an output thereof reflecting a one dimensional line of viewing of said read head, means for creating relative movement between sheets of material to be digitized and said read bar, and means for developing a second electrical signal indicating movement of said sheets of material relative to said read bar a predefined distance defining the distance between one scanned line of a scanning area and a next said scanned line;
• (c) a numeric input keyboard disposed within said case;
• (d) modem means disposed within said case for connecting to a telephone line;
• (e) buffer memory means disposed within said case for receiving the entire digitized contents of a 2-dimensional viewing area created by said relative movement between sheets of material to be digitized and said read bar, said digitized contents of said viewing area comprising a plurality of adjacent lines comprising said first electrical signal over a period of time wherein a new said line is started upon the occurrence of a said second electrical signal;
• (f) dot printer means disposed within said case for printing a 2-dimensional medium with a plurality of lines of adjacent dots in response to signals at an input thereof;
• (g) telephone handset means and operably connectable for conducting voice conversations over said telephone line;
• and,
• (h) logic means disposed within said case and operably connected to receive said first and second electrical signals and to said keyboard, said buffer memory means, and said printer means, said logic means including,
• (h1) first sublogic means for inputting data from said digitizing reader to said buffer memory means;
• (h2) second sublogic means for inputting telephone numbers of receiving facsimile machines through said keyboard, for establishing a connection to a receiving facsimile machine over a telephone line through said modem means, for determining the group type of said receiving machine, and for transmitting the digitized contents of said buffer memory to said receiving machine in the proper format for its said group type;
• and,
• (h3) third sublogic means for transmitting the contents of said buffer memory to said printer means as a signal at said input to be printed thereby whereby the portable office can be used as a photocopier to copy documents from said digitizing reader to said printer means.