US3555244A — Method and apparatus for the automatic evaluation…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 119 words

Method for the automatic evaluation of a bar graph record extending along a time line and having a plurality of bar widths perpendicular to said time line, each of said bar width representing a determined operating condition, comprising in combination, the step of scanning said bar graph in a direction perpendicular to said time line to generate width signals, each width signal comprising a pulse having a pulse width corresponding to the bar width of the portion of the bar graph record being scanned; counting the number of width signals corresponding to each predetermined bar width occurring during said recording period, thus furnishing a plurality of width counts; and generating visual output signals signifying each of said width counts.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 119 words

Method for the automatic evaluation of a bar graph record extending along a time line and having a plurality of bar widths perpendicular to said time line, each of said bar width representing a determined operating condition, comprising in combination, the step of scanning said bar graph in a direction perpendicular to said time line to generate width signals, each width signal comprising a pulse having a pulse width corresponding to the bar width of the portion of the bar graph record being scanned; counting the number of width signals corresponding to each predetermined bar width occurring during said recording period, thus furnishing a plurality of width counts; and generating visual output signals signifying each of said width counts.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of generating timing signals for timing of the recording period in synchronism with said scanning of said bar graph, said timing signals occurring at a first frequency.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 37 words

A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said width signals are time duration pulses, each of said time duration pulses having a pulse width corresponding to the width of the bar graph portion being scanned.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 44 words

A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said step of counting the number of width signals corresponding to each predetermined bar width occurring during a recording period comprises the step of measuring the pulse width of each of said time duration pulses.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 57 words

A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein said step of measuring the pulse width of each of said time duration pulses comprises generating counting pulses at a second frequency, higher than said first frequency, for the duration of each of said time duration pulses, and counting the counting pulses assocIated with each time duration pulse.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 54 words

The method according to claim 5, wherein successive bar graph portions are interrupted by intervals of recording pauses corresponding to nonoperating periods, and said intervals are measured in respect to their width by means of said timing pulses when the counting pulses for a time duration pulse are less than a predetermined minimum number.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 151 words

Arrangement for determining the time duration during a recording period of each of a plurality of operating conditions comprising, in combination, a record carrier; a bar graph record on said record carrier, said bar graph record extending along a time line and having a predetermined bar width perpendicular to said time line for each of said operating conditions; means for scanning said bar graph record in a direction perpendicular to the direction of said time line, said scanning means being adapted to furnish width signals, each width signal having a width corresponding to the bar width of the portion of the bar graph record being scanned; accumulator means for counting the number of width signals corresponding to each predetermined bar width occurring during the recording period, thus furnishing a plurality of width counts; and readout means for furnishing visual output signals signifying each of said width counts following said recording period.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 151 words

Arrangement for determining the time duration during a recording period of each of a plurality of operating conditions comprising, in combination, a record carrier; a bar graph record on said record carrier, said bar graph record extending along a time line and having a predetermined bar width perpendicular to said time line for each of said operating conditions; means for scanning said bar graph record in a direction perpendicular to the direction of said time line, said scanning means being adapted to furnish width signals, each width signal having a width corresponding to the bar width of the portion of the bar graph record being scanned; accumulator means for counting the number of width signals corresponding to each predetermined bar width occurring during the recording period, thus furnishing a plurality of width counts; and readout means for furnishing visual output signals signifying each of said width counts following said recording period.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus according to claim 7, further including means for producing timing pulses for timing the period of recording operatively connected to said scanning means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 72 words

The apparatus according to claim 8, further including means for providing time duration pulse tolerance ranges for at least two bar graph recording widths; means for applying the time duration pulses to said tolerance range means; means for counting the total recording period as defined by and in response to the output of said tolerance range means; and means for furnishing pulses occurring only within said tolerance ranges to said accumulator means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 62 words

The apparatus according to claim 9, further including means for recognizing a recording interruption interval in response to inoperativeness of said recording period counting means, means for counting the duration of said interval in response to the output of said interval recognition means, and means for connecting said readingout means to readout said intervals in response to said last named counting means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 17 words

Apparatus according to claim 10, further including a manually operated switch for deactivating said interval recognition means.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus according to claim 9, further including means for counting said timing pulses, and mans for activating said readout means in response to a given number of said timing pulses.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 84 words

An arrangement as set forth in claim 8, wherein said accumulator means comprise a plurality of accumulator units, each responsive to an accumulator input signal, each for furnishing a width count signifying the number of width pulses corresponding to a predetermined bar width received during said recording period; monitoring means for monitoring the width of said width pulses and selecting the corresponding accumulator as a function thereof; and means for furnishing said timing pulses to the selected accumulator unit to constitute accumulator input signals.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 68 words

An arrangement as set forth in claim 13, wherein said width pulses occur at a first frequency, and wherein said monitoring means comprise means for generating second frequency pulses, said second frequency being higher than said first frequency, the number of said second frequency pulses corresponding to the pulse width of said width pulses; and time duration counting means for counting the number of said second frequency pulses.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 36 words

An arrangement as set forth in claim 14, further comprising an interval preaccumulator; means for generating preaccumulator input signals in dependence upon time duration counting signals signifying counts of second frequency pulses less than predetermined minimum.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 49 words

The apparatus according to claim 14, further including an additional accumulator circuit for storing second frequency pulses corresponding to a given maximum graph recording width, and means for comprising the maximum width storage with the pulse output of said time duration counting means, said readingout means being controlled thereby.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-01-11	1974-07-13	1975-01-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-01-11	1978-07-13	1979-01-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-01-11	1982-07-13	1983-01-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for the automatic evaluation of a bar graph record

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