Automatic curing and control system for optical printers and the like

Claim 2

An automatic cuing and control system for optical printers, comprising: a reader means for reading a digitally coded control element bearing information relating to cuing film frame addresses; cuing film frame address memory means for storing each film frame address read by said reader means; control data memory means for storing control data associated with said address stored in said film frame address memory means, said control data being adapted to condition variable control means of an optical printer; a counter means for continuously indicating the film frame address of each frame of a master film with respect to a predetermined reference position; and a digital comparator means for comparing the address indicated by said counter means with the cuing address stored in said cuing film frame address memory means, said comparator means providing an output control signal, only upon address coincidence, to selectively enable actuation of said variable control means in accordance with said control data stored in said control data memory means.

Claim 3

A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said control data associated with said address is read by said reader means from the same control element bearing said cuing film frame addresses.

Claim 4

A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein sAid control element is a coded tape.

Claim 5

A system as set forth in claim 1, and further including a transducer means for monitoring movement of said master film through an optical printer, said transducer means providing output pulses to drive said counter means.

Claim 6

A system as set forth in claim 1, and further including: reader logic means responsive to said output control signal from said comparator means to advance said reader means so that a new cuing film frame address is read by said reader means.

Claim 7

A system as set forth in claim 5, and further including: selector gate means responsive to the output of said reader means and conditioned by said reader logic means for selectively routing information read by said reader means to the appropriate memory means.

Claim 8

A system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said reader means is a tape reader and includes a tape drive connected to a selectively engageable clutch; and said reader logic means provides output signals for selectively engaging and disengaging said clutch.

Claim 9

A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reader means is a bidirectional reader and said counter means is a bidirectional counter.

Claim 10

A system as set forth in claim 8, and further including: reader logic means responsive to said output control signal from said comparator means to selectively advance said reader means so that new information is read by said reader means from said control element; forward-reverse logic means for sensing the direction of movement of said master film; gate drive logic means conditioned by said reader logic means and said forward-reverse logic means; and selector gate means responsive to the output of said reader means and conditioned by said gate drive logic means for selectively routing information read by said reader means to the appropriate memory means.

Claim 11

In an automatic cuing and control system for an optical printer having variable control means, the combination comprising: a control tape, said control tape bearing digitally coded information thereon relating to cuing film frame addresses and associated control data; a tape reader means for selectively reading information from said control tape; cuing film frame address memory means for storing each film frame address read by said reader means; control data memory means for storing said associated control data, said control data being adapted to condition said variable control means; a transducer means for monitoring movement of a master film through said optical printer, said transducer means providing output pulses indicating the number of film frames monitored by said transducer; a counter means for receiving the pulses from said transducer means, said counter means continuously indicating the film frame address of each frame of said master film with respect to a predetermined reference frame; and a digital comparator means for comparing the address indicated by said counter means with the cuing address stored in said cuing film frame address memory means, said comparator means providing an output control signal only upon address coincidence, to selectively enable actuation of said variable control means in accordance with said control data stored in said control data memory means.

Claim 12

In an automatic cuing and control system for an optical printer having variable control means, the combination comprising: a control tape, said control tape bearing digitally coded information thereon relating to cuing film frame addresses and associated control data; a tape reader means for selectively reading information from said control tape; cuing film frame address memory means for storing each film frame address read by said reader means; control data memory means for storing said associated control data, said control data being adapted to condition said variable control means; a transducer means for monitoring movement of a master film through said optical printer, said transducer means providing output pulses indicating the number of film frames monitored by said transducer; a counter means for receiving the pulses from said transducer means, said counter means continuously indicating the film frame address of each frame of said master film with respect to a predetermined reference frame; and a digital comparator means for comparing the address indicated by said counter means with the cuing address stored in said cuing film frame address memory means, said comparator means providing an output control signal only upon address coincidence, to selectively enable actuation of said variable control means in accordance with said control data stored in said control data memory means.

Claim 13

A combination as set forth in claim 10, including logic means responsive to said output control signal from said comparator means to selectively advance said reader so that new information is read by said reader means from said control tape; and selector gate means responsive to the output of said reader means and conditioned by said logic means for selectively routing information read by said reader means to the appropriate memory means.

Claim 14

A combination as set forth in claim 11, wherein said reader means includes a tape drive connected to a selectively engageable clutch; and said logic means provides output signals for selectively engaging and disengaging said clutch.

Claim 15

A comBination as set forth in claim 12, wherein said reader means is a bidirectional reader and said counter means is a bidirectional counter.

Claim 16

A combination as set forth in claim 13, and further including: forward-reverse logic means for sensing the direction of movement of said master film and for conditioning said tape drive and said selector gate means.

Claim 17

An automatic cuing and control system for an optical printer having variable control means, comprising: a control tape bearing digitally coded information thereon relating to cuing film addresses and associated control data; a reader means for reading the information from said control tape, said reader means having a motorized tape drive coupled to a selectively engageable clutch; cuing film address memory means for storing each film frame address read by said reader means; a plurality of control data memory means for storing various types of control data associated with said address stored in said cuing film frame address memory means, said control data being adapted to condition said variable control means of said optical printer; a transducer means at a prescribed detection station for monitoring movement of said master film through said optical printer, said transducer means providing an output electrical pulse for each film frame moving past said detection station; a counter means, responsive to output pulses from said transducer means, for continuously indicating the film frame address of each frame of said master film with respect to a predetermined sync frame; a digital comparator means for comparing the address indicated by said counter means with the cuing address stored in said cuing film frame address memory means, said comparator means providing an output control signal, only upon address coincidence; buffer amplifier means for providing a substantially uniform width pulse output in response to each output control signal from said comparator means, to selectively enable actuation of said variable control means in accordance with said control data stored in said control data memory means; reader logic means responsive to the pulse output from said buffer amplifier means to selectively engage said clutch and advance said reader means so that new information is read by said reader means from said control tape; forward-reverse logic means for indicating the direction of movement of said master film through said optical printer and for conditioning said tape drive so that said reader is advanced in the same direction as the direction of movement of said master film; gate logic means conditioned by said reader logic means and said forward-reverse logic means; and selector gate means responsive to the output of said reader means and conditioned by said gate logic means for selectively routing the information read by said reader means to said cuing film frame address memory means and said control data memory means.

Claim 18

An automatic cuing and control system for an optical printer having variable control means, comprising: a control tape bearing digitally coded information thereon relating to cuing film addresses and associated control data; a reader means for reading the information from said control tape, said reader means having a motorized tape drive coupled to a selectively engageable clutch; cuing film address memory means for storing each film frame address read by said reader means; a plurality of control data memory means for storing various types of control data associated with said address stored in said cuing film frame address memory means, said control data being adapted to condition said variable control means of said optical printer; a transducer means at a prescribed detection station for monitoring movement of said master film through said optical printer, said transducer means providing an output electrical pulse for each film frame moving past said detection station; a counter means, responsive to output pulses from said transducer means, for continuously indicating the film frame address of each frame of said master film with respect to a predetermined sync frame; a digital comparator means for comparing the address indicated by said counter means with the cuing address stored in said cuing film frame address memory means, said comparator means providing an output control signal, only upon address coincidence; buffer amplifier means for providing a substantially uniform width pulse output in response to each output control signal from said comparator means, to selectively enable actuation of said variable control means in accordance with said control data stored in said control data memory means; reader logic means responsive to the pulse output from said buffer amplifier means to selectively engage said clutch and advance said reader means so that new information is read by said reader means from said control tape; forward-reverse logic means for indicating the direction of movement of said master film through said optical printer and for conditioning said tape drive so that said reader is advanced in the same direction as the direction of movement of said master film; gate logic means conditioned by said reader logic means and said forward-reverse logic means; and selector gate means responsive to the output of said reader means and conditioned by said gate logic means for selectively routing the information read by said reader means to said cuing film frame address memory means and said control data memory means.

Claim 21

A data writing system for digitally coded data, comprising: programming means for introducing control data; a memory conditioned in accordance with said control data; a first counter means for counting in the same number system as said memory; a digital comparator means for comparing the data in said first counter with the data in said memory, said digital comparator means having an output line over whiCh an output control signal is provided only upon data coincidence; a second counter means for counting in a number system which is different than the number system of said memory; a clock source means for generating clock pulses; and a normally open blocking gate means for passing said clock pulses simultaneously to said first counter means and said second counter means, said gate means being conditioned to a pulse blocking state of said output control pulse from said digital comparator means, whereby said first and said second counter means contain the numerical equivalents of the data in said memory.

Claim 22

A data writing system for digitally coded data, comprising: programming means for introducing control data; a memory conditioned in accordance with said control data; a first counter means for counting in the same number system as said memory; a digital comparator means for comparing the data in said first counter with the data in said memory, said digital comparator means having an output line over whiCh an output control signal is provided only upon data coincidence; a second counter means for counting in a number system which is different than the number system of said memory; a clock source means for generating clock pulses; and a normally open blocking gate means for passing said clock pulses simultaneously to said first counter means and said second counter means, said gate means being conditioned to a pulse blocking state of said output control pulse from said digital comparator means, whereby said first and said second counter means contain the numerical equivalents of the data in said memory.

Claim 23

A system as set forth in claim 17, wherein said programming means is a decimal keyboard.

Claim 24

A system as set forth in claim 17, wherein said second counter means counts in the binary number system.

Claim 25

A system as set forth in claim 17, and further including: a data writing device conditioned by the counting state of said second counter means.

Claim 26

A system as set forth in claim 17, and further including: display means for displaying the numerical equivalent of the number contained in said first counter means.

Claim 27

A data reading and display system for digitally coded data, comprising: a reader means for reading data from a digitally coded control element; a memory conditioned in accordance with the data read by said reader; a first counter means for counting in the same number system as said memory; a digital comparator means for comparing the data in said first counter means with the data in said memory, said digital comparator means providing an output control signal, only upon data coincidence. a second counter means for counting in a number system different than the number system of said memory; a clock source means for generating clock pulses; a normally open blocking gate means for passing said clock pulses simultaneously to said first counter means and said second counter means, said gate means being conditioned to a pulse blocking state by said output control pulse from said digital comparator means, whereby said first and said second counter means contain the numerical equivalents of the data read by said reader means; and display means for displaying the numerical equivalent of the number contained in said second counter means.

Claim 28

A data reading and display system for digitally coded data, comprising: a reader means for reading data from a digitally coded control element; a memory conditioned in accordance with the data read by said reader; a first counter means for counting in the same number system as said memory; a digital comparator means for comparing the data in said first counter means with the data in said memory, said digital comparator means providing an output control signal, only upon data coincidence. a second counter means for counting in a number system different than the number system of said memory; a clock source means for generating clock pulses; a normally open blocking gate means for passing said clock pulses simultaneously to said first counter means and said second counter means, said gate means being conditioned to a pulse blocking state by said output control pulse from said digital comparator means, whereby said first and said second counter means contain the numerical equivalents of the data read by said reader means; and display means for displaying the numerical equivalent of the number contained in said second counter means.

Claim 29

A data-writing and -verifying system for digitally coded data, comprising: keyboard means for introducing digital data; a first memory conditioned in accordance with said digital data; a first counter means for counting in the same number system as said first memory; a first digital comparator means for comparing the data in said first counter means with the data in said first memory, said first digital comparator means providing an output control signal only upon data coincidence; a second counter means for counting in a number system different from the number system of said first memory; a reader means for reading data from a coded control element; a second memory conditioned in accordance with said data read by said reader means and in the same number system as said second counter means; a second digital comparator means for comparing the data in said second counter means with the data in said second memory, said second digital comparator means having an output line over which an output control signal is provided only upon data coincidence; a clock source means for generating clock pulses; a selector means for selecting one or the other of the output lines from said first and said second digital comparator means; a normally open blocking gate means for passing said clock pulses simultaneously to said first and said second counter means, said gate means being conditioned to a pulse blocking state by an output control pulse from either of said digital comparator means; and display means for displaying the numerical equivalent of the number contained in said first counter means.

Claim 30

A data-writing and -verifying system for digitally coded data, comprising: keyboard means for introducing digital data; a first memory conditioned in accordance with said digital data; a first counter means for counting in the same number system as said first memory; a first digital comparator means for comparing the data in said first counter means with the data in said first memory, said first digital comparator means providing an output control signal only upon data coincidence; a second counter means for counting in a number system different from the number system of said first memory; a reader means for reading data from a coded control element; a second memory conditioned in accordance with said data read by said reader means and in the same number system as said second counter means; a second digital comparator means for comparing the data in said second counter means with the data in said second memory, said second digital comparator means having an output line over which an output control signal is provided only upon data coincidence; a clock source means for generating clock pulses; a selector means for selecting one or the other of the output lines from said first and said second digital comparator means; a normally open blocking gate means for passing said clock pulses simultaneously to said first and said second counter means, said gate means being conditioned to a pulse blocking state by an output control pulse from either of said digital comparator means; and display means for displaying the numerical equivalent of the number contained in said first counter means.

Claim 31

A system as set forth in claim 23, and further including: a data writing device conditioned by the counting state of said second counter means.