US3696388A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for generating characters
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1970-12-18
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Granted: 1972-10-03
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Expires: 1990-12-18
Abstract
Abstract Characters are displayed on the screen of a cathode ray tube. The cathode ray tube electron beam is deflected in a trace representing the character to be displayed by sequentially applying various waveforms to the cathode ray tube deflection circuit. Digital control circuitry including a read only memory having segment deflection commands for each character to be displayed, shift registers set by the deflection commands, and AND gates enabled by the shift registers control the sequential application of the various waveforms to the deflection circuit. An additional shift register set by the deflection commands of the read only memory, a single shot multivibrator, and an associated AND gate control the intensity of the electron beam during the trace.
Inventors
- 👤 William E Eichelberger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 03:38
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09G; G09G1/00; G09G1/06; G09G1/08; G09G1/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
229 words
A character generator system comprising: a display device including a screen means and an electron beam generating means; a beam deflection means for deflecting said electron beam through position-to-position segments of a character trace; a plurality of waveform generators producing a plurality of different waveforms for use by said beam deflection means in deflecting said electron beam through said position-to-position segments of a character trace; a deflection memory means for storing position-to-position segment deflection commands representing the sequential and selective application of said different waveforms to said beam deflection means for each of the characters to be displayed, said memory means selectively reading out said segment deflection commands for the particular character to be displayed; and a digital deflection control means including a plurality of deflection register means associated respectively with said plurality of waveform generators, said plurality of deflection register means being coupled to said memory means so as to store said segment deflection commands for said particular character to be displayed, each of said register means storing a plurality of said segment deflection commands representing the sequential and selective application of the waveform produced by said associated waveform generator for said particular character to be displayed, said digital deflection control means controlling the application of said waveforms to said beam deflection means in response to said segment deflection commands stored in each of said deflection register means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
229 words
A character generator system comprising: a display device including a screen means and an electron beam generating means; a beam deflection means for deflecting said electron beam through position-to-position segments of a character trace; a plurality of waveform generators producing a plurality of different waveforms for use by said beam deflection means in deflecting said electron beam through said position-to-position segments of a character trace; a deflection memory means for storing position-to-position segment deflection commands representing the sequential and selective application of said different waveforms to said beam deflection means for each of the characters to be displayed, said memory means selectively reading out said segment deflection commands for the particular character to be displayed; and a digital deflection control means including a plurality of deflection register means associated respectively with said plurality of waveform generators, said plurality of deflection register means being coupled to said memory means so as to store said segment deflection commands for said particular character to be displayed, each of said register means storing a plurality of said segment deflection commands representing the sequential and selective application of the waveform produced by said associated waveform generator for said particular character to be displayed, said digital deflection control means controlling the application of said waveforms to said beam deflection means in response to said segment deflection commands stored in each of said deflection register means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
106 words
The character generator system of claim 1 wherein each of said deflection register means comprises a shift register having a plurality of stages respectively set in response to said plurality of segment deflection commands, said digital deflection control means further comprising a plurality of deflection gate means associated with and coupled to each of said shift register means respectively, each said gate means being sequentially and selectively enabled by the output of said associated shift register means so as to sequentially and selectively apply the waveform produced by said associated waveform Generator to said beam deflection means in response to said plurality of segment deflection commands.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
122 words
The character generator system of claim 1 further comprising: an intensity memory means for storing position-to-position segment intensity control commands representing the sequential and selective application of an intensity control signal to said electron beam generating means for each of the characters to be displayed, said intensity memory means selectively reading out said segment intensity control commands for the particular character to be displayed; and digital intensity control means including an intensity register means coupled to said intensity memory means so as to store a plurality of said segment intensity control commands for the particular character to be displayed, said digital intensity control means generating an intensity control signal corresponding to said segment intensity control commands stored in said intensity register means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
71 words
The character generator system of claim 3 wherein said intensity register means comprises a shift register having a plurality of stages set in response to said segment intensity control commands stored in said intensity memory means, said digital intensity control means further comprising gate means sequentially and selectively enabled by the output of said intensity shift register, said intensity control signal being generated at the output of said intensity gate means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
69 words
The character generator system of claim 4 wherein said digital intensity control means further comprises a single shot multivibrator circuit having an input coupled to at least one of said deflection shift register means and an output coupled to said intensity gate means so as to momentarily decrease the beam intensity at the onset of a pulse from the output of said at least one said deflection shift register.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The character generator system of claim 1 wherein said different waveforms generated by said waveform generator include sinusoidal waveforms and D.C. waveforms, said deflection registers associated with said waveform generators producing said D.C. waveforms having an output coupled to said intensity gate means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The character generator system of claim 1 wherein said deflection memory means is a read only memory comprising diode matrices connecting two sets of lines, one set of said lines corresponding to different characters and the other set of said lines corresponding to the position-to-position segment deflection commands.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-03 | 1976-04-03 | 1976-10-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-03 | 1980-04-03 | 1980-10-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-03 | 1984-04-03 | 1984-10-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |