Control apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for visually presenting information comprising: a cathode ray tube having a display surface on which a multicolor display can be generated; input means for receiving first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth binary signals each having first and second states, of which the first and second signals are of opposite binary states, the third and fourth signals are of opposite binary states, the first, second, third and fourth signals are representative of the information to be presented, and of which the fifth and sixth signals are independently representative of the color in which the information is to be presented and the background color; first, second, third and fourth NOR circuits, each having first and second inputs; means for connecting said input means to the first and second inputs of said first, second, third and fourth NOR circuits so that the first and fifth signals are supplied to said first NOR circuit, the fourth and sixth signals are supplied to said second NOR circuit, the second and fifth signals are supplied to said third NOR circuit, and the third and sixth signals are supplied to said fourth NOR circuit; first and second color control means for generating output signals suitable for producing distinct colors on the display surface of said cathode ray tube; signal combining means for receiving the output signals of said first and second color control means and transmitting only a characteristic one of the output signals to said cathode ray tube; a fifth NOR circuit having a pair of inputs; means for connecting the outputs of said first and second NOR circuits to the inputs of said fifth NOR circuit; a sixth NOR circuit having a pair of inputs; means for connecting the outputs of the third and fourth NOR circuits to the inputs of said sixth NOR circuit; and means for controlling said first and second color control means in response to signals produced by said fifth and sixth NOR circuits respectively, whereby said first and second color control means generate characteristic signals only at mutually exclusive times, and whereby the color of the information to be presented and the background color can be transposed, the information can be presented in the background color, or the background can be made the same color as the information by providing first and third binary signals of the same one of the first and second states, by providing the first binary signal of the first state and the third binary signal of the second state, or by providing the first binary signal of the second state and the third binary signal of the first state.