US3651509A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Light pen for display having inherent memory
Assignee: AT&T Inc
•
Filing: 1970-11-06
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Granted: 1972-03-21
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Expires: 1990-11-06
Abstract
Abstract A light pen arrangement for display systems having inherent memory (e.g., plasma display systems) which operates in conjunction with display scanning signals for writing or erasing information on the display, such as for interactive graphics applications. The scanning signals generate momentary light pulses on the display which are detected by the light pen arrangement and used to selectively produce conventional write or erase signals as the light pen is manipulated adjacent the display. The light pen arrangement can be employed also to generate ''''store now-display later'''' information and to check existing display images.
Inventors
- 👤 Dinh Tuan Ngo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:50
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/033; G06F3/038; G06F3/0386
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
A light pen arrangement for use with a multicell display having means for periodically scanning the display cells in sequence and having means for writing information in selected ones of said display cells; said light pen arrangement comprising, means operative with said scanning means for lighting individual ones of said display cells momentarily in sequence, a light transducer having a field of view adapted to detect said momentary lighting of individual ones of said cells, and means responsive to said light transducer for operating said writing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
A light pen arrangement for use with a multicell display having means for periodically scanning the display cells in sequence and having means for writing information in selected ones of said display cells; said light pen arrangement comprising, means operative with said scanning means for lighting individual ones of said display cells momentarily in sequence, a light transducer having a field of view adapted to detect said momentary lighting of individual ones of said cells, and means responsive to said light transducer for operating said writing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said lighting means comprises means for providing a pair of scanning pulses to said individual cells, the first of said pair of scanning pulses turning the individual cell ON and the second of said pair turning the individual cell OFF, causing said individual cells to emit pulses of light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein said light transducer is adapted to detect a pulse of light from an individual one of said cells and to provide an output signal in response thereto, said operating means being responsive to said output signal for operating said writing means to write information in said one cell emitting said detected pulse of light.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
90 words
A light pen arrangement for a display including a plurality of cells having inherent memory, means for addressing individual ones of said cells, and write-erase means operative for altering the memory content of an addressed cell; said light pen arrangement comprising, means for operating said addressing means to cause one of said cells to emit a pulse of light, means for detecting said pulse of light and for operating said altering means in response thereto, whereby the memory content of the addressed cell emitting said pulse of light is altered.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
90 words
A light pen arrangement for a display including a plurality of cells having inherent memory, means for addressing individual ones of said cells, and write-erase means operative for altering the memory content of an addressed cell; said light pen arrangement comprising, means for operating said addressing means to cause one of said cells to emit a pulse of light, means for detecting said pulse of light and for operating said altering means in response thereto, whereby the memory content of the addressed cell emitting said pulse of light is altered.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
An arrangement according to claim 4 wherein said detecting means comprises an optical transducer movable adjacent said display cells, gating means connected to the output of said transducer, and means for enabling said gating means concurrently with the emission of said light pulse, thereby extending the output of said transducer to said altering means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
A light pen arrangement for a multi-cell display having inherent memory for storing display information comprising, means including scanning pulse generating means for periodically causing individual ones of the cells of said display to emit a pulse of light, light pulse detecting means, and means responsive to said scanning pulse generating means and to said detecting means for altering display information stored in said display memory.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
A light pen arrangement for a multi-cell display having inherent memory for storing display information comprising, means including scanning pulse generating means for periodically causing individual ones of the cells of said display to emit a pulse of light, light pulse detecting means, and means responsive to said scanning pulse generating means and to said detecting means for altering display information stored in said display memory.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
98 words
A light pen arrangement for a display including a plurality of cells having inherent memory and including means for addressing individual ones of said cells; said light pen arrangement comprising, means for operating said addressing means to cause one of said cells to emit a pulse of light responsive to said one cell being in a predetermined memory state, and light pulse transducer means movable adjacent said one cell for detecting said pulse of light and for producing an output signal responsive thereto, said output signal being representative of said one cell being in said predetermined memory state.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
98 words
A light pen arrangement for a display including a plurality of cells having inherent memory and including means for addressing individual ones of said cells; said light pen arrangement comprising, means for operating said addressing means to cause one of said cells to emit a pulse of light responsive to said one cell being in a predetermined memory state, and light pulse transducer means movable adjacent said one cell for detecting said pulse of light and for producing an output signal responsive thereto, said output signal being representative of said one cell being in said predetermined memory state.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
An arrangement according to claim 7 wherein said display includes means operative for changing the memory state of individual ones of said cells, said light pen arrangement further comprising means responsive to said output signal for operating said changing means to change the memory state of said one cell.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
98 words
In combination, a display including a plurality of cells having inherent memory, each of said cells residing in one or the other of two memory states, means for scanning the individual cells of said display to light momentarily each of said cells having memory residing in said one state, a light detecting transducer movable adjacent said individual cells of said display, and write-erase means connected to said transducer and to said scanning means, said write-erase means being operative during movement of said transducer adjacent individual of said display cells for changing the memory state of said individual cells.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
98 words
In combination, a display including a plurality of cells having inherent memory, each of said cells residing in one or the other of two memory states, means for scanning the individual cells of said display to light momentarily each of said cells having memory residing in said one state, a light detecting transducer movable adjacent said individual cells of said display, and write-erase means connected to said transducer and to said scanning means, said write-erase means being operative during movement of said transducer adjacent individual of said display cells for changing the memory state of said individual cells.
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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) | 1975-03-21 | 1975-09-20 | 1976-03-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-03-21 | 1979-09-20 | 1980-03-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-03-21 | 1983-09-20 | 1984-03-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |