Information transfer system having plural stage memory

Claim 1

IN AN ELECTROSTATIC PRINTING SYSTEM WHICH A STENCIL ELECTRODE DEFINING A SERIES OF CHARACTER-SHAPED APERTURES IS DISPLACED BETWEEN AN ARRAY OF CHARGE HEADS AND A DIELECTRIC WEB SO THAT ENERGIZATION OF A CHARGE HEAD PROVIDES A CLOUD OF IONS FOR PASSAGE THROUGH AN APERTURE IN THE STENCIL ELECTRODE TO IMPINGE ON THE WEB AND REPRESENT INFORMATION SIGNALS IN THE APPROPRIATE COLUMN LOCATIONS ON THE WEB, A CONTROL SYSTEM FOR REGULATING FIRING OF THE CHARGE HEADS COMPRISING: A MEMORY HAVING A NUMBER OF STORAGE STAGES; MEANS FOR CONVERTING RECEIVED INFORMATION SIGNALS INTO SUM SIGNALS, EACH SUM SIGNAL BEING REFERRED TO PARTICULAR COLUMN LOCATION AND DENOTING WHICH INFORMATION SIGNAL IS TO BE REPRESENTED AT SAID PARTICULAR COLUMN LOCATION; MEANS FOR LOADING THE SUM SIGNALS INTO THE RESPECTIVE MEMORY STORAGE STAGES AT THE APPROPRIATE COLUMN LOCATIONS; AND