1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of electronic cardfile/memo/calendar/alarm/calculator devices, and in particular to an electronic name and address cardfile which simulates the operation, performance and appearance of a mechanical rotary-type cardfile.
2Description of the Related Art
Most persons accustomed to office work are familiar with mechanically operable rotary-type index card holders, or "desktop rotary cardfiles". These mechanical rotary cardfiles are typically rotated to locate the desired card by manipulating a rotary actuator or grip which is connected to a central shaft. The rate and direction of scrolling from card to card is controlled by the rate and direction of movement imparted to the rotary actuator by the operator's hand.
These type of devices have become so popular that, as office work has become increasingly more efficiently automated by the advent of microprocessor-controlled electronic systems, such as the personal computer (PC), there has arisen a popular desire to replace these mechanical rotary-type card holders with an electronic substitute, embodying all of the advantages of electronic over mechanical systems (such as greater storage capability, greater flexibility of operation, ease of erasure, editing, or other word-processing capabilities, compactness, light weight, etc.).
Accordingly, there is available at the present time a variety of compact, portable, lightweight, electronic information-processing devices for storing and retrieving personal and/or business information.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,542, issued to Klausner et al, discloses an electronic pocket directory for storing and retrieving telephone numbers, street addresses, personal reminders and the like. The device includes a sequence key of the conventional type which allows the operator to scroll from one memory address to an adjacent memory address. The sequence key is depressed once to display the information stored at an adjacent memory address, twice to display the information stored at the next adjacent memory address, etc.
However, none of the available electronic name and address directories provide an electronic scrolling mechanism which is responsive to the rate and direction of movement of the operator's hand (or any user-controlled contactor device) so as to simulate the operation and performance of a mechanical rotary actuator or grip. Nor do the available electronic directories provide such a scrolling mechanism with a graphic or visual representation of a mechanical rotary actuator which can be manipulated to effect the desired scrolling between memory addresses, such an electronic scrolling mechanism having an operable visual representation of a mechanical rotary actuator being referred to hereinafter as a "simulated rotary actuator".
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,651, issued to Randall, discloses an electronic personal organizer which electronically displays graphic representations of pages of a loose leaf mechanical personal organizer, including user selectable operational modes for input and retrieval of names, addresses and other personal information. However, there is no teaching of an electronic scrolling mechanism which simulates the operation and performance of the rotary actuator of a mechanical rotary-type directory. Nor is there a teaching of such a device further including a operable graphic of a mechanical rotary actuator.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,499, issued to Sutton et al, which discloses programming means for the input and display of information on an electronically simulated image of a rotary card file including knobs for scrolling through simulated cards, does not teach or suggest an electronic scrolling mechanism which is responsive to the rate and direction of movement of the operator's hand.
Accordingly, there has been a need for an electronic device which better simulates the operation and performance of mechanical rotary-type directories.
Also, there has been a need for a device of such a type which additionally incorporates other known features of compact electronic information processing devices, such as a calendar system, a memo alarm system, a calculator, etc.
Furthermore, there has been a need for such a device in which the additional features are rendered more user-friendly by provision of graphical icons which visually suggest the feature to be called upon.
Finally, there has been a need for such a device in the form of a divider-sheet for a ring-binder notebook or personal organizer, in which case the device would be conveniently available at the point of most frequent use.