Abstract: An instruction input unit for supplying operating instructions to a machine is provided. The unit includes a touchpad, an instruction library and a recognizer. The touchpad receives an input pattern from a user and the instruction library stores a multiplicity of operating instruction patterns. Each operating instruction pattern has an operating instruction associated therewith. The recognizer detects which of the multiplicity of operating instructions patterns the input pattern most closely matches and provides the operating instruction associated with the matched operating instruction pattern to the machine. The recognizer includes a handwriting recognizer for recognizing alphanumeric characters.