Device to aid in the manual recordation of data

Claim 1

A device to aid an operator in the recordation of time-based data comprising: a case body defining a surface upon which data indicia are scribable at plural predetermined locations; timing means for generating a sequence of uniformly timed output signals; and visual locating means operatively connected to said timing means and fixed to said case body to define said locations upon said surface, said visual locating means for receiving said uniformly timed output signals to visually identify one of said locations corresponding to a given time in response to said timing means generating a timed output signal indicative of said given time and for enabling an operator to visually locate said one location by virtue of said visual locating means so that data indicia for said given time is scribed at said one location, said visual locating means comprising pairs of light-emitting elements corresponding to each of said locations, wherein said pairs of light-emitting elements are sequentially illuminated in response to receiving said uniformly timed output signals from said timing means, each said illiminated pair of light-emitting elements thereby visually identifying one of said locations corresponding to said given time.

Claim 2

A device to aid an operator in the recordation of time-based data comprising: a case body defining a surface upon which data indicia are scribable at plural predetermined locations; timing means for generating a sequence of uniformly timed output signals; and visual locating means operatively connected to said timing means and fixed to said case body to define said locations upon said surface, said visual locating means for receiving said uniformly timed output signals to visually identify one of said locations corresponding to a given time in response to said timing means generating a timed output signal indicative of said given time and for enabling an operator to visually locate said one location by virtue of said visual locating means so that data indicia for said given time is scribed at said one location, said visual locating means comprising pairs of light-emitting elements corresponding to each of said locations, wherein said pairs of light-emitting elements are sequentially illuminated in response to receiving said uniformly timed output signals from said timing means, each said illiminated pair of light-emitting elements thereby visually identifying one of said locations corresponding to said given time.

Claim 3

A device to aid an operator in the manual recordation of time-based data comprising: means defining a surface; record means establishing a plurality of discrete areas arranged in plural columns and rows on said surface for accepting data indicia scribed thereon by the operator; and visual means in operative association with said surface and in registry with each said area, said visual means for visually identifying each said area at respective given times in dependence upon a timed sequence of uniform time intervals to enable the operator to visually locate an area corresponding to one respective given time and to thereby ensure that data corresponding to said one given time is manually scribed by the operator in said visually-identified area, said visual means including (a) a row of plural first light-emitting means each to identify a respective column of said discrete areas and (b) a column of plural second light-emitting means each to identify a respective row of said discrete areas, wherein said visual means includes means for illuminating lightemitting pairs in response to said sequence of uniform time intervals, each said light-emitting pair consisting of one said first light-emitting means and one said second light-emitting means, for visually identifying the column and row, respectively, of said area corresponding to a respective said one given time during said timed sequence to thereby enable the operator to visually locate and scribe data upon said area corresponding to said respective one given time.

Claim 4

A device to aid an operator in the manual recordation of time-based data comprising: means defining a surface; record means establishing a plurality of discrete areas arranged in plural columns and rows on said surface for accepting data indicia scribed thereon by the operator; and visual means in operative association with said surface and in registry with each said area, said visual means for visually identifying each said area at respective given times in dependence upon a timed sequence of uniform time intervals to enable the operator to visually locate an area corresponding to one respective given time and to thereby ensure that data corresponding to said one given time is manually scribed by the operator in said visually-identified area, said visual means including (a) a row of plural first light-emitting means each to identify a respective column of said discrete areas and (b) a column of plural second light-emitting means each to identify a respective row of said discrete areas, wherein said visual means includes means for illuminating lightemitting pairs in response to said sequence of uniform time intervals, each said light-emitting pair consisting of one said first light-emitting means and one said second light-emitting means, for visually identifying the column and row, respectively, of said area corresponding to a respective said one given time during said timed sequence to thereby enable the operator to visually locate and scribe data upon said area corresponding to said respective one given time.

Claim 5

A device to aid an operator in the manual recordation of time-based data comprising: a case body which defines a surface, consisting essentially of a light-transparent material; record means establishing a plurality of discrete areas for accepting data indicia scribed thereon by the operator; visual means for visually identifying each said area at respective given times in dependence upon a timed sequence of uniform time intervals to enable the operator to visually locate an area corresponding to one respective given time and to thereby ensure that data corresponding to said one given time is manually scribed by the operator in said visually-identified area, wherein said visual means includes plural light-emitting means each disposed in said cavity so as to be positioned below and in registered alignment with a respective one of said discrete areas, said light-emitting means for emitting light of sufficient intensity to permit the operator to visually perceive said emitted light through said light-transparent material when an exterior portion of said surface is viewed; and means for sequentially illuminating one said lightemitting means after another said light-emitting means in response to elapse of said uniform time intervals of said timed sequence to cause said emitted light to visually illuminate said areas in registered alignment with said one and another lightemitting means, respectively, thereby to enable the operator to visually locate and scribe data corresponding to said one given time.

Claim 6

A device to aid an operator in the manual recordation of time-based data comprising: a case body which defines a surface, consisting essentially of a light-transparent material; record means establishing a plurality of discrete areas for accepting data indicia scribed thereon by the operator; visual means for visually identifying each said area at respective given times in dependence upon a timed sequence of uniform time intervals to enable the operator to visually locate an area corresponding to one respective given time and to thereby ensure that data corresponding to said one given time is manually scribed by the operator in said visually-identified area, wherein said visual means includes plural light-emitting means each disposed in said cavity so as to be positioned below and in registered alignment with a respective one of said discrete areas, said light-emitting means for emitting light of sufficient intensity to permit the operator to visually perceive said emitted light through said light-transparent material when an exterior portion of said surface is viewed; and means for sequentially illuminating one said lightemitting means after another said light-emitting means in response to elapse of said uniform time intervals of said timed sequence to cause said emitted light to visually illuminate said areas in registered alignment with said one and another lightemitting means, respectively, thereby to enable the operator to visually locate and scribe data corresponding to said one given time.

Claim 12

A device to aid an operator in the recordation of time-based data comprising: a case body including means defining a surface consisting essentially of a light-transparent material upon which data indicia are scribable at plural predetermined locations; timing means for generating a sequence of uniformly timed output signals; and visual locating means operatively connected to said timing means and fixed to said case body to define said locations upon said surface, said visual locating means for receiving said sequence of uniformly timed output signals to visually identify one of said locations corresponding to a given time in response to said timing means generating a timed output signal indicative of said given time and for enabling an operator to visually locate said one location by virtue of said visual locating means so that data indicia for said given time is scribed at said one location, wherein said case body also defines an interior cavity below said surface, said visual locating means including plural lightemitting means positioned within said cavity so as to be subjacent to said surface and in registry with respective ones of said locations, said light-emitting means being sequentially illuminated in response to receiving said sequence of uniformly timed output signals of said timing means to thereby emit light of sufficient intensity to permit an operator to visually perceive the same through said light-transparent surface whereby said one location corresponding to said given time is visually identified.

Claim 13

A device to aid an operator in the recordation of time-based data comprising: a case body including means defining a surface consisting essentially of a light-transparent material upon which data indicia are scribable at plural predetermined locations; timing means for generating a sequence of uniformly timed output signals; and visual locating means operatively connected to said timing means and fixed to said case body to define said locations upon said surface, said visual locating means for receiving said sequence of uniformly timed output signals to visually identify one of said locations corresponding to a given time in response to said timing means generating a timed output signal indicative of said given time and for enabling an operator to visually locate said one location by virtue of said visual locating means so that data indicia for said given time is scribed at said one location, wherein said case body also defines an interior cavity below said surface, said visual locating means including plural lightemitting means positioned within said cavity so as to be subjacent to said surface and in registry with respective ones of said locations, said light-emitting means being sequentially illuminated in response to receiving said sequence of uniformly timed output signals of said timing means to thereby emit light of sufficient intensity to permit an operator to visually perceive the same through said light-transparent surface whereby said one location corresponding to said given time is visually identified.