> The circuit is very simple and is also easy to construct.

That might be true, but the more important question is: is it reliably?
If 1k people build it, how many of their products will fail, and how
easy will it be for them to correct their mistakes? Monostables
(especially when built from gates!) are not my idea of high
reliability/reproduceability.

Just in case you think you have invented something new: I think I have
seen this method to drive a shift register so one PIC pin could drive an
HD44780 LCD.

Now for something completely different: I think I have a realy original
idea (about reading a matrix keyboard with very few pins). I have
browsed a patent database and found some 20 patents in roughly the same
area, but nothing like my idea. What would be the next step to prove to
myself that it has been cooked up before, in other words: which other
reservoirs of knowledge should I check?

Wouter van Ooijen

-- -------------------------------------------
Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: www.voti.nl
consultancy, development, PICmicro products
docent Hogeschool van Utrecht: www.voti.nl/hvu
 

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