Computing device

Claim 2

In a computing device for a fluid dispensing system having a cost accumulator operable for accumulating the cost of fluid dispensed and settable variating means connected for operating the cost accumulator in accordance with the volume of fluid dispensed and a multiple place unit volume price established by the setting of the variating means, the improvement wherein the variating means comprises a pulse generating device operable in accordance with the volume of fluid dispensed for producing a plurality of separate pulse trains for the multiple places respectively of the multiple place unit volume price having fixed relative numbers of pulses for each unit volume of fluid dispensed in accordance with a geometric progression having a common ratio of 10, accumulator indexing means presettable for establishing the amount of each place of the multiple place unit volume price and selectively operable for producing a separate burst of pulses for each place of the multiple place unit volume price having a number of pulses corresponding to the established amount of such place, the indexing means being connected to be separately operated by each pulse train for repetitively producing bursts of pulses for the respective place of the multipLe place price for indexing the accumulator with the bursts of pulses for repetitively adding the established amount of the respective place of the multiple place price in accordance with the number of pulses in such pulse train.

Claim 3

In a computing device according to claim 1 wherein the indexing means comprises an electronic counter and circuit means selectively operable by each pulse train for setting the counter in accordance with the established amount of the respective place of the multiple place price and for producing a burst of pulses for the respective place for indexing the counter from such setting to a predetermined setting and for indexing the cost accumulator in accordance therewith for adding such amount to the accumulator.

Claim 4

In a computing device according to claim 2 wherein the electronic counter is a binary counter and wherein the circuit means is selectively operable for setting the counter at the binary complement of each of the established amounts of the multiple places of the multiple place unit volume price.

Claim 5

In a computing device according to claim 2 wherein the circuit means comprises a pulse source and a control gate operable for connecting the pulse source for producing a burst of pulses for simultaneously indexing the electronic counter and cost accumulator.

Claim 6

In a computing device according to claim 1 wherein the indexing means is presettable for establishing a coded electrical signal for each place of the multiple place unit volume price for establishing the amount thereof.

Claim 7

In a computing device according to claim 5 wherein the indexing means comprises a control gate for each place of the multiple place unit volume price operable by the respective pulse train for connecting the respective coded electrical signal for indexing the accumulator with the respective burst of pulses for repetitively adding the established amount of the respective place of the unit volume price.

Claim 8

In a computing device for a fluid dispensing system having a cost accumulator operable for accumulating the cost of fluid dispensed, and settable variating means connected to operate the cost accumulator in accordance with the volume of fluid dispensed and a unit volume price established by the setting of the variating means; the improvement wherein the variating means comprises unit volume price setting means presettable for establishing a plurality of separate coded electrical signals of different relative weights for encoding amounts establishing the unit volume price, and accumulator indexing means operable by each coded electrical signal for producing a separate burst of pulses having a number of pulses corresponding to the amount encoded by such signal and operable in accordance with the volume of fluid dispensed for repetitively indexing the accumulator with the bursts of pulses for repetitively adding the respective amount to the cost accumulator to increase the accumulated count in the cost accumulator in accordance with the relative weight of the respective electrical signal and the volume of fluid dispensed.

Claim 9

In a computing device for a fluid dispensing system having a cost accumulator operable for accumulating the cost of fluid dispensed, and settable variating means connected to operate the cost accumulator in accordance with the volume of fluid dispensed and a unit volume price established by the setting of the variating means; the improvement wherein the variating means comprises unit volume price setting means presettable for establishing a plurality of separate coded electrical signals of different relative weights for encoding amounts establishing the unit volume price, and accumulator indexing means operable by each coded electrical signal for producing a separate burst of pulses having a number of pulses corresponding to the amount encoded by such signal and operable in accordance with the volume of fluid dispensed for repetitively indexing the accumulator with the bursts of pulses for repetitively adding the respective amount to the cost accumulator to increase the accumulated count in the cost accumulator in accordance with the relative weight of the respective electrical signal and the volume of fluid dispensed.

Claim 10

In a computing device according to claim 7 wherein the accumulator indexing means is operable for repetitively indexing the accumulator with bursts of pulses for each such amount for repetitively adding such amount to the cost accumulator a number of times in accordance with the relative weight of the respective electrical signal and the volume of fluid dispensed.

Claim 11

In a computing device according to claim 7 wherein the separate coded electrical signals are binary coded electrical signals.

Claim 12

In a computing device according to claim 7 wherein the indexing means comprises a settable counter, control means for each of said electrical signals adapted to be repetitively operated in accordance with the volume of fluid dispensed for connecting the electrical signal for setting the counter in accordance with the amount encoded thereby and stepping means for producing a burst of pulses for stepping the counter and cost accumulator Simultaneously until the counter reaches a predetermined count.

Claim 13

In a computing device according to claim 7 wherein the coded electrical signals have different relative weights in accordance with a geometric progression having a common ratio of 10 and the amounts encoded thereby establish the multiple places respectively of a multiple place unit volume price.

Claim 14

A computing device for accumulating the product of a first amount proportional to a first input and a pre-established multiplier comprising multiplier setting means for setting a plurality of separate coded electrical signals of amounts of different relative weights collectively establishing a multiplier, electrical pulse generating means connected to be operated by the first input to generate a plurality of pulse trains for the plurality of coded signals respectively having fixed relative numbers of pulses corresponding to the relative weights of the respective encoded amounts, a product accumulator operable for accumulating a count of the product of the first amount and the established multiplier, and indexing means operable by each coded electrical signal for producing a separate burst of pulses having a number of pulses corresponding to the amount encoded by such signal and operable by each pulse train for indexing the cost accumulator with a burst of pulses for the respective electrical signal for repetitively adding the amount established by each coded price signal to the product accumulator a number of times in accordance with the number of pulses in the corresponding pulse train.

Claim 15

A computing device for accumulating the product of a first amount proportional to a first input and a pre-established multiplier comprising multiplier setting means for setting a plurality of separate coded electrical signals of amounts of different relative weights collectively establishing a multiplier, electrical pulse generating means connected to be operated by the first input to generate a plurality of pulse trains for the plurality of coded signals respectively having fixed relative numbers of pulses corresponding to the relative weights of the respective encoded amounts, a product accumulator operable for accumulating a count of the product of the first amount and the established multiplier, and indexing means operable by each coded electrical signal for producing a separate burst of pulses having a number of pulses corresponding to the amount encoded by such signal and operable by each pulse train for indexing the cost accumulator with a burst of pulses for the respective electrical signal for repetitively adding the amount established by each coded price signal to the product accumulator a number of times in accordance with the number of pulses in the corresponding pulse train.

Claim 16

A computing device according to claim 12 wherein the indexing means comprises a settable counter, stepping means for producing a burst of pulses for automatically stepping the counter from its set count to a final count and for stepping the product accumulator the same number of counts, and sequencing means operated by the pulse trains for repetitively setting the counter in accordance with the amounts established by the corresponding coded signals respectively.

Claim 17

A computing device according to claim 12 wherein the multiplier setting means comprises a plurality of separate decade switches of increasing order for setting separate coded electrical signals of amounts of places of increasing order respectively of a multiple place multiplier.

Claim 18

A computing device according to claim 12 wherein the multiplier setting means comprises a plurality of settable switches for respectively setting a plurality of separate binary coded electrical signals.

Claim 19

A computing device according to claim 12 wherein the amounts have relative weights in accordance with a geometric progression.

Claim 20

A computing device according to claim 16 wherein the geometric progression has a common ratio of 10.

Claim 21

In a computing device for a multiple product fluid dispensing system having a cost accumulator operable for accumulating the cost of fluid dispensed, settable variating means connected for operating the cost accumulator in accordance with the volume of fluid dispensed and a unit volume price established by the setting of the variating means, presettable means presettable for programming the setting of the variating means and therefore the unit volume price of each of the fluid products and setting means selectively operable for selectively conditioning the apparatus for dispensing the fluid products and for setting the variating means and therefore the unit volume price in accordance with the corresponding setting of the presettable means, the improvement wherein the presettable means comprises a plurality of encoders for the plurality of fluid products respectively each settable for establishing a plurality of coded price signals of amounts of different relative weights collectively establishing a unit volume price, wherein the setting means is operable for selectively activating the encoders for establishing the unit volume price, and wherein the variating means comprises accumulator indexing means operable by each cOded price signal of the active encoder for producing a separate burst of pulses for each signal having a number of pulses corresponding to the amount encoded by such signal and operable in accordance with the volume of fluid dispensed for repetitively producing such bursts of pulses and operating the cost accumulator with such bursts of pulses for repetitively adding a count corresponding to the amount encoded by such price signal for increasing the accumulated count in accordance with the relative weight of such amount and the volume of fluid dispensed.

Claim 22

In a computing device for a multiple product fluid dispensing system having a cost accumulator operable for accumulating the cost of fluid dispensed, settable variating means connected for operating the cost accumulator in accordance with the volume of fluid dispensed and a unit volume price established by the setting of the variating means, presettable means presettable for programming the setting of the variating means and therefore the unit volume price of each of the fluid products and setting means selectively operable for selectively conditioning the apparatus for dispensing the fluid products and for setting the variating means and therefore the unit volume price in accordance with the corresponding setting of the presettable means, the improvement wherein the presettable means comprises a plurality of encoders for the plurality of fluid products respectively each settable for establishing a plurality of coded price signals of amounts of different relative weights collectively establishing a unit volume price, wherein the setting means is operable for selectively activating the encoders for establishing the unit volume price, and wherein the variating means comprises accumulator indexing means operable by each cOded price signal of the active encoder for producing a separate burst of pulses for each signal having a number of pulses corresponding to the amount encoded by such signal and operable in accordance with the volume of fluid dispensed for repetitively producing such bursts of pulses and operating the cost accumulator with such bursts of pulses for repetitively adding a count corresponding to the amount encoded by such price signal for increasing the accumulated count in accordance with the relative weight of such amount and the volume of fluid dispensed.

Claim 23

In a computing device according to claim 18 wherein the accumulator indexing means is operable by each coded price signal to produce a burst of pulses to operate the cost accumulator to add a count equal to the amount encoded by such price signal.