Abstract: A light pen which includes a transparent rod at its pointing end through which light is directed to a photodetector that is fixedly positioned within the light pen. The rod is spring loaded and axially slidable in response to applied pressure, resulting in different light intensities being applied to the photodetector and further resulting in an output voltage generated by the photodetector that is directly related to the applied pressure.

Abstract: A touch sensitive device is arranged with substantially parallel surfaces inside which light from a synchronized source, such as a CRT, can become trapped by total internal reflection. The screen is fitted with photodetectors which respond to the entrapment of light within the surfaces. The device is compliant so that a touch of the device at a particular point will cause an inward deflection of the surface at that point. The deflection causes light to become entrapped within the surface by total internal reflection thus making it possible, by comparing the photodetector output with the CRT raster position, to determine the exact surface position of the touch.

Abstract: The power of computer-based services is made available to telephone subscribers by a telephone station set (10) including a telephone handset (17) for audio transduction, a video output display screen (13) and manual input key facilities (16,20,23) coupled for interaction by a data processing facility (43). All of those elements are included in a common station set housing for programmable interaction under control of the station set user. The input key facilities include a full ASCII key set, additional buttons (30-32) for signaling standard computer service functions, and keys (16) for user selection of predetermined different text portions of the display screen. Also shown are various electrical and mechanical features which facilitate the combining of the functional parts into the common housing and illustrative processes (FIGS. 8-12) for demonstrating the programmable facility interaction.

Abstract: A character applying device which is controlled by a separate signal processor can be manually moved across a writing surface while the characters are being applied. A single-tipped marking instrument is moved with a prescribed motion parallel to the surface as the device is moved across the surface to create a relatively dense array of line patterns. Simultaneously, received control signals cause the tip to move in and out of contact with the surface for, in effect, masking the array to produce characters represented by those signals.