US3860914A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Digital data recorder
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1973-01-08
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Granted: 1975-01-14
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Expires: 1993-01-08
Abstract
Abstract A digital data recorder is described having inherent circuitry characteristics that will re-establish the recorded data state previously established just prior to a power failure upon the return of the source power supply. The retentive characteristics of the recorder are supplied from an arrangement of magnetic memory cores which controllably vary the time constants associated with given portions of the circuitry of a digital counter comprising the major subunit of this invention. In one embodiment the counter is supplied with a zero inhibit to prevent reverse counting past the zero output state, thus preventing a false indication of the recorded data. The circuitry thus described, basically comprising solid state elements, provides a compact, resilient unit with no mechanical moving elements.
Inventors
- 👤 William E Zitelli
- 👤 Alan F Mandel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 14:14
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C17/00; G21C17/10; G21C17/12; H; H03; H03K; H03K21/00; H03K21/40; H03K21/403; H03K23/00; H03K23/40; H03K23/50; H03K23/56; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A digital data recorder having an electronic counter responsive to a data input to provide a representative digital output exhibited by a plurality of bistable output bits, the counter including a plurality of toggle flip-flop output circuits corresponding to the plurality of output bits, each of said toggle flip-flops including a master and a slave stage with the corresponding output bit being provided by the slave sTage, the master stage including a variable reactance within a feedback loop in the master stage, the value of the variable reactance being dependent upon the stable state of the output bit to control and vary a time constant of the feedback loop in a manner to re-establish the output bit last exhibited by the slave stage prior to a failure of supply voltage power to the counter after the supply power has been resumed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
A digital data recorder having an electronic counter responsive to a data input to provide a representative digital output exhibited by a plurality of bistable output bits, the counter including a plurality of toggle flip-flop output circuits corresponding to the plurality of output bits, each of said toggle flip-flops including a master and a slave stage with the corresponding output bit being provided by the slave sTage, the master stage including a variable reactance within a feedback loop in the master stage, the value of the variable reactance being dependent upon the stable state of the output bit to control and vary a time constant of the feedback loop in a manner to re-establish the output bit last exhibited by the slave stage prior to a failure of supply voltage power to the counter after the supply power has been resumed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
125 words
The digital data recorder of claim 1 wherein the master stage of said toggle flip-flop has an input from the supply voltage powering the counter and exhibits a separate fixed, predetermined, time constant independent of said variable reactance which controls the rise time of the supply voltage input and is substantially greater than the value of the time constant of the feedback loop controlled by the value of the variable reactance corresponding to one of the bistable states of the output bit of the slave stage and is substantially less than the value of the time constant of the feedback loop controlled by the value of the variable reactance corresponding to the other of the bistable states of the output bit of the slave stage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The digital data recorder of claim 1 wherein said variable reactance comprises an inductor wound on a saturable magnetic core exhibiting rectangular hysteresis with the saturable state of the core dependent upon the stable state of the output bit provided by the slave stage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
The digital data recorder of claim 1 wherein the data is supplied to the counter by the closure of an electrical relay contact including means for delaying the data input to the counter for a predetermined time delay to avoid a false multiple count by said counter attributable to contact bounce of the relay providing the data input.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
The digital data recorder of claim 1 wherein said counter advances count in response to the data input in either a forward or reverse counting direction corresponding to the data input receiver, including means for inhibiting said counter from advancing count in reverse count past the counter bit output state representative of a zero data count.
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) | 1978-01-13 | 1978-07-15 | 1979-01-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-13 | 1982-07-15 | 1983-01-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-13 | 1986-07-15 | 1987-01-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |