Patent Document ID: 5521986
Application ID: 08351199
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. Data input apparatus for recognizing any of a plurality of characters inputted by an operator, comprising: a character input region for inputting a single character; said character input region including a plurality of sensors for sensing operator inputs and generating sensor signals indicative thereof and a plurality of predefined tile areas for sensing operator input of respective portions of the single character, each tile area including at least one of said plurality of sensors; movable input means for providing operator inputs to any of said plurality of sensors by inputting data relevant to said tile areas; analyzing means receiving said sensor signals for recognizing a character being inputted by the operator; said analyzing means comprising: first means responsive to said sensor signals for detecting an operator input to a first tile area representing a first portion of the character where said movable input means is first sensed by a sensor and generating a first tile identification signal indicative thereof; second means responsive to said sensor signals for detecting an operator input to a second tile area representing a second portion of the character where said movable input means is secondly sensed by a sensor and generating a second tile identification signal indicative thereof; and third means responsive to said first tile identification signal and said second tile identification signal representing said first and second portions of the character for recognizing a character being inputted by the operator and generating a character signal indicative thereof.