Importance

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Abstract

A handheld scanning dictionary is provided. It includes a relatively small housing adapted in size to be held in one hand by a user during use. A scanning input is carried by the housing preferably at a tapered distal end of the housing, which allows text to be scanned as input during a wanding movement of a scanning input mode of operation, with a scanning input in contact with the text, and with the elongated housing held in one hand by the user and oriented generally transverse to a surface which carries such text. The elongated housing is maintained out of contact with the surface which carries the text. A display is carried by the housing in general alignment with the longitudinal axis of the housing. The controller is disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the scanning input and the display. A program is provided which is composed of instructions which are executable by the controller. It operates to receive as an input text scanned by the scanning input and to provide as an output on the display text which is logically related to the input text in a predetermined manner. Preferably the output text is displayed on the generally elongated display in an orientation which is in general alignment with the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing with the left-most portion of the output text located in a position generally proximate the scanning input, thereby allowing the handheld scanning dictionary to be read by the user while holding one hand during use.

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First Claim