US3605109A
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US
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Method and apparatus for producing continuous graphic displays from intermittently sampled data
Assignee: Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems LLC
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Filing: 1970-01-08
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Granted: 1971-09-14
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Expires: 1990-01-08
Abstract
Abstract The values of a plurality of data signals to be plotted against time as curves on a moving photosensitive record sheet are sampled by being simultaneously compared continuously with a single cyclically repeated ramp voltage by a plurality of comparators. Each of the latter produces an output each time that the ramp voltage just exceeds the value of the corresponding signal. The ramp voltage is synchronized with the horizontal sweep for a fiber optics cathode-ray tube, across the optics strip of which the record sheet is advanced at right angles. An EXCLUSIVE OR gate for each signal unblanks the normally blanked beam of the tube for a period in each sweep to mark a line on the sheet. Each period is that in which the ramp voltage lies between the two values of the corresponding signal at which the corresponding comparator output is produced for the present and the immediately previous sweeps. The lines produced for each signal combine to form a recorded curve for that signal. In one form, each gate is controlled by the corresponding comparator output applied both directly and through a device providing a delay of one sweep period. In another form, each gate is controlled by two comparator outputs, one based on the present value of the corresponding signal, and the other based on a stored value of that signal from the previous sweep.
Inventors
- 👤 Tommy N Tyler
- 👤 Peter R Lowe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 17:52
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01D; G01D15/00; G01D15/14; G01R; G01R17/00; G01R17/02; G01R17/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
73 words
The method of producing a graphic display of the condition of a signal, comprising the steps of analyzing said signal to derive a succession of values, each of which represents a successive condition of said signal, and producing successive substantially parallel lines on a display medium, each of said lines being substantially continuous and extending between two points, the positions of which represent, respectively, a corresponding two, consecutively derived ones, of said values.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
73 words
The method of producing a graphic display of the condition of a signal, comprising the steps of analyzing said signal to derive a succession of values, each of which represents a successive condition of said signal, and producing successive substantially parallel lines on a display medium, each of said lines being substantially continuous and extending between two points, the positions of which represent, respectively, a corresponding two, consecutively derived ones, of said values.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the last-recited step consists of repeatedly marking a record medium by a recording means to record said lines on said medium, and wherein there is provided the additional step of moving said record medium relative to said recording means in a direction substantially at right angles to said lines.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the first-recited step consists of repeatedly sampling the value of said signal, wherein said successively derived values represent successive sampled values of said signal, and wherein the positions of the said points terminating each of said lines represent, respectively, the presently sampled value of said signal and the immediately previously sampled value of said signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
134 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said sampling step includes repeatedly sweeping the value of a second signal progressively between first and second values at a predetermined rate, comparing the value of the first-mentioned signal to the value of said second signal during each of said sweeps of the latter, and detecting, for each of said sweeps, the occurrence of a predetermined relationship between the values of said first-mentioned and second signals, and wherein said producing step consists of producing, for each of said sweeps, one of said lines on a display medium, each of said lines extending between two points the positions of which represent respectively, the values of said first-mentioned signal at the times of the occurrence of said relationship for the present one and the immediately previous one of said sweeps.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
89 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the last-recited step includes activating a display medium marking means during each of said sweeps only for the time period in which the value of said second signal lies between the values had by said first-mentioned signal at the times of the occurrence of said relationship for the present one and the immediately previous one of said sweeps, and applying said second signal to effectively sweep said marking means across said display medium in synchronism with said sweeping of said second signal value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the last-mentioned step includes producing a cathode ray tube beam during each of said sweeps only for the time period in which the value of said second signal lies between the values had by said first-mentioned signal at the times of the occurrence of said relationship for the present one and the immediately previous one of said sweeps, and sweeping said beam across the face of said tube in synchronism with said sweeping of said second signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
99 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said activating step includes producing a first output signal upon each detection of said occurrence, producing a second output signal subsequent to the production of each of said first output signals by a time period equal to the reciprocal of said sweep rate, activating said display medium marking means during each of said sweeps upon the production of the one of said first and second output signals which is produced earliest during that sweep, and deactivating said marking means upon the production of the other of said output signals during the last-mentioned sweep.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
113 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said activating step includEs changing an output signal from a first to a second value for a period equal to the reciprocal of said sweep rate upon every other detection of said occurrence, changing another output signal from a first to a second value for a period equal to the reciprocal of said sweep rate upon every intervening detection of said occurrence, activating said display medium marking means during each of said sweeps upon the occurrence of the first output signal change to occur during that sweep, and deactivating said marking means upon the occurrence of the second output signal change to occur during the last-mentioned sweep.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
150 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said activating step includes producing a first output signal upon each detection of said occurrence, storing in each sweep a memory value representative of the value of said first-mentioned signal at the time of the production of said first output signal during that sweep, comparing in each sweep the value of said second signal and said memory value as stored during the immediately preceding sweep, detecting, for each of said sweeps, the occurrence of a predetermined relationship between the last-mentioned two values, producing a second output signal upon each detection of the last-mentioned occurrence, activating said display medium marking means during each of said sweeps upon the production of the one of said first and second output signals which is produced earliest during that sweep, and deactivating said marking means upon the production of the other of said output signals during the last-mentioned sweep.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
106 words
The method of providing a graphic display representative of the values of each of a plurality of data signals, comprising the steps of repeatedly producing a comparison signal, simultaneously comparing all of said data signals to said comparison signal during each production of the latter, and producing, for each of said data signals during each production of said comparison signal, a substantially continuous line extending between two points on a common display medium, the positions of which points represent, respectively, a function of the value of the corresponding data signal during the present one and the immediately previous one of said productions of said comparison signal.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
106 words
The method of providing a graphic display representative of the values of each of a plurality of data signals, comprising the steps of repeatedly producing a comparison signal, simultaneously comparing all of said data signals to said comparison signal during each production of the latter, and producing, for each of said data signals during each production of said comparison signal, a substantially continuous line extending between two points on a common display medium, the positions of which points represent, respectively, a function of the value of the corresponding data signal during the present one and the immediately previous one of said productions of said comparison signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus for producing a graphic display of the condition of a data signal, comprising first means connected to the source of said signal for deriving a succession of values, each of which represents a successive condition of said signal, and second means connected to said first means for producing successive substantially parallel lines on a display medium, each of said lines being substantially continuous and extending between two points, the positions of which represent, respectively, a corresponding two, consecutively derives ones, of said values.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus for producing a graphic display of the condition of a data signal, comprising first means connected to the source of said signal for deriving a succession of values, each of which represents a successive condition of said signal, and second means connected to said first means for producing successive substantially parallel lines on a display medium, each of said lines being substantially continuous and extending between two points, the positions of which represent, respectively, a corresponding two, consecutively derives ones, of said values.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 11, wherein said display medium is a record medium, wherein said second means includes recording means and means to cause said recording means to record said lines on said record medium, and wherein there is included means for moving said record medium relative to said recording means in a direction substantially at right angles to said lines.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 11, wherein said first means includes sampling means for repeatedly sampling the value of said signal to cause said successively derived values to represent successive sampled values of said signal, and wherein the positions of the said points terminating each of said lines represent, respectively, the presently sampled value of said signal and the immediately previously sampled value of said signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
174 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 13, wherein said sampling means includes generating means for producing a ramp signal the value of which repeatedly sweeps progressively between first and second values, and comparing means connected to receive and to compare said data and ramp signals for producing a first output signal upon the occurrence of a predetermined relationship between the values of said data and ramp signals for each of said sweeps of the latter, and wherein said second means includes circuit means connected to said comparing means and controlled by said output signal to cause the position of one of said points for any given one of said lines to represent the value of said data signal at the time of the production of said output signal of the present one of said sweeps, and to cause the position of the other of said points for that line to represent the value of said data signal at the time of the production of said output signal for the immediately previous one of said sweeps.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
110 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 14, wherein said second means includes display medium marking means and scanning means connected to said generating means for effectively sweeping said marking means across said display medium in synchronism with said sweeping of said ramp signal value, and wherein said circuit means includes activating means for activating said marking means to cause it to mark said medium only for the time period during each of said sweeps in which the value of said ramp signal lies between the values had by said data signal at the times of the production of said output signal for the present and immediately previous ones of said sweeps.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 15, wherein said marking means includes means for producing a cathode ray tube beam.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
125 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 15, wherein said circuit means includes delay means for producing in each of said sweeps a second output signal at the time at which said ramp signal reaches the value at which said first output signal was produced during the immediately previous one of said sweeps, and control means responsive to said first and second output signals and connected to said activating means to activate said marking means in each sweep upon the production of the one of said first and second output signals which is produced first in that sweep, and to deactivate said marking means in each sweep upon the production of the one of said first and second output signals which is produced last in that sweep.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
169 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 15, wherein said circuit means includes first delay means for producing a second output signal and for changing the latter from a first to a second value for a period equal to the reciprocal of said sweep rate upon being triggered, second delay means for producing a third output signal and for changing the latter from a first to a second value for a period equal to the reciprocal of said sweep rate upon being triggered, switch means connected between said comparing means and said first and second delay means to trigger the latter alternately upon successive productions of said first output signal, and control means responsive to said second and third signals and connected to said activating means to activate said marking means in each sweep upon the occurrence of the first output signal change to occur during that sweep, and to deactivate said marking means in that sweep upon the occurrence of the second output signal change to occur during that sweep
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
165 words
Apparatus as specified in claim 15, wherein said circuit means includes memory means for storing in each sweep a memory signal of a value representative of the value of said data signal at the time of the production of said first output signal during that sweep, second comparator means connected to receive and to compare in each sweep said ramp signal and said memory signal as stored during the immediately preceding sweep for producing a second output signal upon the occurrence of a predetermined relationship between said ramp and memory signals, and control means responsive to said first and second output signals and connected to said activating means to activate said marking means in each sweep upon the production of tHe one of said first and second output signals which is produced first in that sweep, and to deactivate said marking means in each sweep upon the production of the one of said first and second output signals which is produced last in that sweep.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
125 words
Apparatus for producing a graphic display representative of the values of each of a plurality of data signals, comprising generating means for repeatedly producing a comparison signal, comparing means connected to receive said comparison and data signals and to compare said comparison signal to all of said data signals simultaneously during each production of said comparison signal, and means controlled by said comparing means for producing, for each of said data signals during each production of said comparison signal, a substantially continuous line extending between two points on a common display medium, the positions of which points represent, respectively, a function of the value of the corresponding data signal during the present one and the immediately previous one of said productions of said comparison signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
125 words
Apparatus for producing a graphic display representative of the values of each of a plurality of data signals, comprising generating means for repeatedly producing a comparison signal, comparing means connected to receive said comparison and data signals and to compare said comparison signal to all of said data signals simultaneously during each production of said comparison signal, and means controlled by said comparing means for producing, for each of said data signals during each production of said comparison signal, a substantially continuous line extending between two points on a common display medium, the positions of which points represent, respectively, a function of the value of the corresponding data signal during the present one and the immediately previous one of said productions of said comparison signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-13 | 1975-03-15 | 1975-09-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-13 | 1979-03-15 | 1979-09-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-13 | 1983-03-15 | 1983-09-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |