Vector generator for rectangular cartesian coordinate positioning system

Claim 2

Apparatus for control of the movement of an element along a vector in a rectangular Cartesian coordinate system having X- and Y-axes, comprising: first and second means for separately controlling the position of said element on said surface in response to electrical analog signals at given linear rates produce movement of said element along a given vector; means for storing an electrical signal representing the sign of the larger component of said given vector; means for storing an electrical signal representing the ratio of the smaller vector component to said larger vector component; means for storing an electrical signal representing the sign of said smaller component; means for storing an electrical signal representing an indication of the axis of said larger component; means for generating a linEar electrical ramp signal of a predetermined polarity: means connected to said generating means and to said ratio storing means for multiplying said linear ramp signal by said ratio to provide a scaled-down ramp signal; means responsive to said axis-indication storage means for switching said linear ramp signal to one of said first and second controlling means corresponding to the axis indicated by said axis-indication storing means as the axis of the larger component of said vector, and responsive to said means for storing said electrical signal representing the sign of the larger component for selecting a polarity for said linear ramp signal to correspond with said sign of said larger component; and means responsive to said axis-indication storage means for switching said scaled-down ramp signal to the one of said first and second controlling means not selected to receive said linear ramp signal, and responsive to said means for storing said electrical signal representing the sign of the smaller component of said given vector for selecting a polarity for said scaled-down ramp signal being switched to correspond with said sign of said smaller component.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means for storing an electrical signal representing the magnitude of the larger component of said given vector; means for continually comparing said larger component magnitude signal with said linear ramp signal; and means responsive to said comparing means for terminating further generation of said electrical ramp signal when the magnitude of said linear ramp signal exceeds said larger component magnitude signal.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said element being controlled comprises means for displaying a trace only while turned on, and said linear ramp generating means commences said linear electrical ramp signal with a polarity opposite said predetermined polarity, including means for detecting when the level of said linear electrical ramp signal crosses through zero; means responsive to said zero-crossing detection means for turning on said trace displaying means; and means responsive to said comparing means for turning off said trace displaying means upon terminating further generation of said electrical ramp signal.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 including decoding means connected to said ratio-storing means for producing at one of a plurality of output terminals a signal indicative of a range of the ratio being stored, each terminal being associated with a different range, and means connected to said terminals of said decoding means for controlling said ramp signal generating means to produce said linear electrical ramp signal with a given slope in response to a signal at one of said output terminals associated with the lowest range of said ratios, and with successively and proportionally smaller slopes in response to signals at other of said output terminals associated with respectively larger angles of said ratios, whereby the speed of said element being controlled along a vector is maintained approximately constant for all values of ratios from zero to one.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the number of said terminals is three for three ranges of ratio values, and wherein said ranges of ratios are selected in such a manner as to divide the maximum possible vector length into thirds for the limits of said ranges as the ratio is increased from zero to one.

Claim 7

Apparatus for programmed control of a cathode-ray tube display system having X- and Y-deflection circuits for controlling the position of an electron beam in a Cartesian coordinate system with reference to orthogonal axes, a given vector being displayed by unblanking said beam, and moving said beam in response to synchronized electrical ramp signals applied to said deflection circuits, comprising: programmable means for providing electrical signals representing for said given vector the magnitude of the lArger of orthogonal components along said axes, the sign of said larger component, the ratio of said larger component to the other of said components, the sign of the smaller component, and an indication of the axis of the larger component; static means for storing said signals; means for generating a linear electrical ramp signal of a predetermined polarity; means connected to said generating means and responsive to said ratio signal for multiplying said linear ramp signal to provide a scaled down ramp signal; means responsive to said signal indicating the axis of said larger component for switching said linear ramp signal to one of said X- and Y-deflection circuits corresponding to the axis of said larger component, and responsive to said signal indicating the sign of said larger component for selecting a polarity for said linear ramp signal to correspond with said sign of said larger component; means responsive to said signal indicating the axis of said larger component for switching said scaled-down ramp signal to the one of said X- and Y-deflection circuits not selected to receive said linear ramp signal, and responsive to said signal representing the sign of the smaller component for selecting a polarity for said scaled-down ramp signal being switched to correspond with said smaller component; and means responsive to said larger component magnitude signal and to said linear ramp signal for inactivating said ramp generating means when said linear ramp signal exceeds said larger component magnitude signal.

Claim 8

Apparatus for programmed control of a cathode-ray tube display system having X- and Y-deflection circuits for controlling the position of an electron beam in a Cartesian coordinate system with reference to orthogonal axes, a given vector being displayed by unblanking said beam, and moving said beam in response to synchronized electrical ramp signals applied to said deflection circuits, comprising: programmable means for providing electrical signals representing for said given vector the magnitude of the lArger of orthogonal components along said axes, the sign of said larger component, the ratio of said larger component to the other of said components, the sign of the smaller component, and an indication of the axis of the larger component; static means for storing said signals; means for generating a linear electrical ramp signal of a predetermined polarity; means connected to said generating means and responsive to said ratio signal for multiplying said linear ramp signal to provide a scaled down ramp signal; means responsive to said signal indicating the axis of said larger component for switching said linear ramp signal to one of said X- and Y-deflection circuits corresponding to the axis of said larger component, and responsive to said signal indicating the sign of said larger component for selecting a polarity for said linear ramp signal to correspond with said sign of said larger component; means responsive to said signal indicating the axis of said larger component for switching said scaled-down ramp signal to the one of said X- and Y-deflection circuits not selected to receive said linear ramp signal, and responsive to said signal representing the sign of the smaller component for selecting a polarity for said scaled-down ramp signal being switched to correspond with said smaller component; and means responsive to said larger component magnitude signal and to said linear ramp signal for inactivating said ramp generating means when said linear ramp signal exceeds said larger component magnitude signal.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 including decoding means connected to said static storing means, and responsive to said ratio stored therein, for producing at one of a plurality of output terminals a signal indicative of a range of the ratio being stored, each terminal being associated with a different range, and means connected to said terminals of said decoding means for controlling said ramp signal generating means to produce said linear electrical ramp signal with a given slope in response to a signal at one of said output terminals associated with the lowest range of said ratios, and with successively and proportionally smaller slopes in response to signals at other of said output terminals associated with respectively larger angles of said ratio, whereby the speed of said electron beam along a vector is maintained approximately constant for all values of ratios from zero to one.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said terminals is three for three ranges of ratio values, and wherein said ranges of ratios are selected in such a manner as to divide the maximum possible vector length into thirds for the limits of said ranges as the ratio is increased from zero to one.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said programmable means comprises a programmable digital data processor, and said static storing means comprises a binary storage means and separate digital-to-analog converting means connected to said binary storage means for said ratio signal and said larger-component magnitude signal.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 including video control means for generating an unblanking signal for said cathode-ray tube while said ramp generating means is active, and said linear ramp signal is of said predetermined polarity, and wherein said linear ramp signal is initiated with a polarity opposite said given polarity.