US3569683A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for determining the optimum combination of one or more of a set of sublengths for a given overall length
Assignee: Burlington Industries Inc
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Filing: 1968-03-14
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Granted: 1971-03-09
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Expires: 1988-03-14
Abstract
Abstract The following specification discloses a computing apparatus for automatically determining the optimum combination of one or more of a set of M sublengths for a given overall length comprised of a selected one of said M sublengths and a selected one of a set of N incremental lengths such that the sum of the elements of the optimum combination is the largest possible value less than the overall length.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles D Pugh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 12:54
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/04; G06Q10/043; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T83/00; Y10T83/141
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
284 words
Apparatus for determining the optimum combination of a set of M given sublengths for an overall length comprised of a selected one of said M sublengths and a selected one of a set of N incremental lengths, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of selectable incremental length terminals each corresponding to one of said N incremental lengths; means for selecting any of said incremental length terminals so that the condition of the selected terminal differs at least from the conditions of at least the other incremental length terminals associated with greater lengths; a plurality of overall length terminals corresponding to each of the possible values of overall length; output means for indicating said optimum combination; means for connecting each of said overall length terminals to said output means to indicate at least one particular optimum combination for that overall length; means for scanning said plurality of selectable terminals in order of decreasing length, from the highest possible incremental length; means for scanning synchronously with said selectable terminal scanning means said overall length terminals in order of decreasing overall length from the terminal corresponding to the overall length equal to the maximum possible iNcremental length plus said selected sublength; means connected to said selectable terminals for generating a signal at said selected terminal when said selectable scanning means scans said selected incremental terminal; and means connected to said selectable scanning means and responsive to said signal for applying a potential to the one of said overall length terminals then being scanned by said synchronously scanning means, said output being responsive to said potential to indicate the optimum combination of said M sublengths for the overall length comprised of said selected incremental length and said selected sublength.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
284 words
Apparatus for determining the optimum combination of a set of M given sublengths for an overall length comprised of a selected one of said M sublengths and a selected one of a set of N incremental lengths, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of selectable incremental length terminals each corresponding to one of said N incremental lengths; means for selecting any of said incremental length terminals so that the condition of the selected terminal differs at least from the conditions of at least the other incremental length terminals associated with greater lengths; a plurality of overall length terminals corresponding to each of the possible values of overall length; output means for indicating said optimum combination; means for connecting each of said overall length terminals to said output means to indicate at least one particular optimum combination for that overall length; means for scanning said plurality of selectable terminals in order of decreasing length, from the highest possible incremental length; means for scanning synchronously with said selectable terminal scanning means said overall length terminals in order of decreasing overall length from the terminal corresponding to the overall length equal to the maximum possible iNcremental length plus said selected sublength; means connected to said selectable terminals for generating a signal at said selected terminal when said selectable scanning means scans said selected incremental terminal; and means connected to said selectable scanning means and responsive to said signal for applying a potential to the one of said overall length terminals then being scanned by said synchronously scanning means, said output being responsive to said potential to indicate the optimum combination of said M sublengths for the overall length comprised of said selected incremental length and said selected sublength.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising output inhibit means connected to said output means and responsive to the output indication of an optimum combination for inhibiting further output indications.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for connecting further comprises means for preventing the output of optimum combinations comprised of one or more undesired ones of said set of M sublengths and wherein said potential is applied to said overall length terminals until an output is obtained.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
102 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including a plurality of selectable circuits, and a plurality of input terminals corresponding to each of said selectable circuits and wherein each of said selectable circuits comprises a conductive connection between an associated input terminal and one of said incremental length terminals and a normally closed switch connecting said conductive connection to ground, each of said circuits being selectable by opening its normally closed switch to isolate said conductive connection from ground, whereby a potential appearing at the input terminal of the selected circuit will be coupled to said incremental length terminal to thereby constitute said signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
89 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further including a second plurality of terminals corresponding to a set of C different, predetermined optimum combinations, means for connecting each of said plurality of overall length terminals to the particular one of said second plurality of terminals which corresponds to the optimum combination therefore and means for connecting each of said second plurality of terminals to said output means for indicating the optimum combination to which it corresponds in response to a potential appearing on its associated one of said overall length terminals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
99 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for connecting each of said plurality of overall length terminals to said second plurality of optimum combination terminals comprises a preferred combination selection means for each overall length terminal or group of such terminals for which two or more equal valued optimum combinations are possible, each of said preferred optimum combination selection means being effective to couple its associated overall length terminal, or group of such terminals, to only the one of said optimum combination terminals, which corresponds to the preferred one of said two or more equal valued optimum combinations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
106 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said output means comprises a plurality of indicators corresponding to the elements of said set of C optimum combinations and wherein said means for connecting said plurality of optimum combination terminals to said output means comprises a plurality of conductive buses corresponding to the elements of said set of C optimum combinations, means connecting said buses to respective ones of said indicators and unidirectional conducting means connecting each of said plurality of optimum combination terminals to the ones of said buses which correspond to the elements of the particular optimum combination to which each of said optimum combination terminals corresponds.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said output means further comprises a plurality of silicon controlled rectifiers connected in series with respective ones of said indicators between a source of potential and ground, the gate of each of said silicon controlled rectifiers being connected to respective ones of said conductive buses.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising means for temporarily removing the source of potential from said silicon controlled rectifiers to thereby cut them off and erase the output indication.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
71 words
The apparatus of claim 7 further including means for selectively inhibiting the output of combinations containing at least one of at least one predetermined one of said sublengths, comprising normally open switch means coupled between each of said conductive buses and ground and means for selectively closing said switches to thereby ground each of said optimum combination terminals which are coupled to the conductive buses corresponding to the selectively closed switches.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
138 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means responsive to said signal comprises a gating circuit having a turnon input coupled to receive said signal, a turnoff input coupled to said output means and an output terminal coupled to said means for synchronously scanning said plurality of overall length terminals, said gating circuit further comprising means for generating a continuous potential on said output terminal in response to said signal and means responsive to a signal on said turnoff input, caused by an output indication, for cutting off said potential on said output terminal and for grounding said turnon input terminal to thereby prevent the application of potential to said overall length terminals subsequent to an output indication and to prevent further signals on said turnon input from causing said gate to generate potential on said output terminal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
82 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said gating circuit comprises a flip-flop said flip-flop being set in response to a signal at said turn input and reset in response to a signal on said turnoff input, and further comprising an output transistor, said output transistor being cut off when said flip-flop is reset and biased to conduct when said flip-flop is set, the emitter-collector path of said transistor being adapted to be connected between a source of potential and said output terminal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means responsive to a signal at said turnoff input for grounding said turnon input comprises a silicon controlled rectifier having an anode cathode and gate electrode, the anode-cathode path being connected between said turnon input and ground, said gate electrode being connected to said turnoff input terminal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
136 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for scanning said plurality of selectable terminals and means for scanning said plurality of overall length terminals comprise a scanning element having a first wiper contact for scanning said plurality of circuits and a plurality of second wiper contacts corresponding to said sublengths for scanning said plurality of overall length terminals, said plurality of second wiper contacts being positioned on said scanning element such that, when said first wiper contact is scanning the one of said plurality of circuits corresponding to the maximum incremental length, each of said second wiper contacts is in contact with the particular one of said plurality of overall length terminals corresponding to an overall length equal to the maximum incremental length plus the sublength with which each of said second wiper contacts corresponds.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
91 words
The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a source of potential, means coupling said source of potential to said first wiper contact, a plurality of normally open switches, one terminal of said normally open switches being connected to respective ones of said second wiper contacts, the other terminal of said plurality of normally open switches being connected to said means for generating a potential in response to said signal, and input means for selectively closing the one of said normally open switches corresponding to said selected one of said M sublengths.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising drive means for causing relative movement between said scanning element and said plurality of selectable circuits and said plurality of overall length terminals.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said drive means comprises electrical motor means mechanically coupled to said scanning element and adapted to drive said scanning element from a home position over said plurality of circuits and overall length terminals and back to said home position in response to a start command.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3246550A
Cited
US3319055A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-03-08 | 1974-09-07 | 1975-03-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-03-08 | 1978-09-07 | 1979-03-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-03-08 | 1982-09-07 | 1983-03-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |