Automatic searching system

Claim 2

An automatic searching system for bringing preselected data to a reference location comprising: a. a strip having frames of data disposed along the length of said strip, b. optically detectable marks positioned along the length of said strip in relationship to respective frames of said strip, c. a magnetic recording stripe on said strip, said stripe containing data descriptive of the contents of the said frames, d. strip moving for moving said strip so that the frames thereof pass in relation to said reference location, and e. means for controlling said strip moving means including; 1. means for reading the data of said magnetic stripe, and 2. means for detecting the said optically detectable marks, said means for controlling being operable to drive said strip moving means at a stripe reading speed unitl selected data in said stripe has been read by said stripe reading means, then switching said control means to be responsive to said detecting means whereby a selected frame of data is positioned precisely at said reference location.

Claim 3

means for detecting the said optically detectable marks, said means for controlling being operable to drive said strip moving means at a stripe reading speed unitl selected data in said stripe has been read by said stripe reading means, then switching said control means to be responsive to said detecting means whereby a selected frame of data is positioned precisely at said reference location.

Claim 4

means for detecting the said optically detectable marks, said means for controlling being operable to drive said strip moving means at a stripe reading speed unitl selected data in said stripe has been read by said stripe reading means, then switching said control means to be responsive to said detecting means whereby a selected frame of data is positioned precisely at said reference location.

Claim 5

A searching system comprising: a. a strip containing along the length thereof frames of data, b. optically readable marks positioned along said strip and in relation to respective frames thereof, c. a magnetic recording stripe lengthwise disposed along said strip, said stripe containing data respectively descriptive of the contents of the frames of said strip, and counts representative of their respective locations, d. strip moving means for positioning the strip so that the frames thereof successively move past a reference location, e. means for counting the optically readable marks which pass the said reference location, thereby to determine continually the location, along the length of said strip, of the frame instantly occupying the said reference location, f. means for reading the data of said magnetic recording stripe, g. means cooperative with said means for counting for also registering the frame location count of a desired frame and for comparing the count of said counting means with the count of said desired frame location, and h. means cooperative with said strip moving means to move said strip first at a stripe reading speed and, in response to registering the count of said desired frame, moving said strip at a different speed until the registered count and the count of the counter are the same.

Claim 6

A searching system comprising: a. a strip containing along the length thereof frames of data, b. optically readable marks positioned along said strip and in relation to respective frames thereof, c. a magnetic recording stripe lengthwise disposed along said strip, said stripe containing data respectively descriptive of the contents of the frames of said strip, and counts representative of their respective locations, d. strip moving means for positioning the strip so that the frames thereof successively move past a reference location, e. means for counting the optically readable marks which pass the said reference location, thereby to determine continually the location, along the length of said strip, of the frame instantly occupying the said reference location, f. means for reading the data of said magnetic recording stripe, g. means cooperative with said means for counting for also registering the frame location count of a desired frame and for comparing the count of said counting means with the count of said desired frame location, and h. means cooperative with said strip moving means to move said strip first at a stripe reading speed and, in response to registering the count of said desired frame, moving said strip at a different speed until the registered count and the count of the counter are the same.

Claim 7

The system of claim 2 wherein said strip has associated with each optically readable mark a binary count of n bits, said binary counts successively increasing from the lead end of said strip, and cyclically repeating each time all of the bits in any given binary count are ONE''s, and wherein said counting means comprises: a. means for reading said binary count, b. a binary counter for counting the optically readable marks which pass the said reference location, and c. means for receiving the outputs of all but the least significant n stages of said counter, and for substituting the outputs of said binary count reading means for said least significant n stages, thereby to provide a more assuredly accurate address count for the frame at the said reference location.

Claim 8

The system of claim 3 wherein said binary counts of n bits appear on said strip in optically readable form.

Claim 9

Apparatus for use with a strip of microfilmed data disposed in frames along the length of said strip, said strip having optically readable marks adjacent each frame, and a magnetic recording stripe disposed lengthwise of said strip for storing frame descriptor and frame address count data for respective frames of said strip, comprising: a. strip moving for positioning said strip so that the frames thereof move successively past a reference location, b. means responsive to said optically readable marks for counting the frames which pass said reference location, c. means for selecting descriptor data of at least one frame within said strip, d. means for searching said magnetic recording stripe for said selected descriptor data and for registering the frame address count data associated with said selected descriptor data, means for comparing the count of said counting means with said registered address count and producing an output in response to a difference therebetween, and e. means responsive to said searching means for operating said strip moving means at a stripe reading speed until said frame address has been regisTered, and thereafter operating said strip moving means at a different speed dependent upon and under control of the output of said count comparing means.

Claim 10

Apparatus for use with a strip of microfilmed data disposed in frames along the length of said strip, said strip having optically readable marks adjacent each frame, and a magnetic recording stripe disposed lengthwise of said strip for storing frame descriptor and frame address count data for respective frames of said strip, comprising: a. strip moving for positioning said strip so that the frames thereof move successively past a reference location, b. means responsive to said optically readable marks for counting the frames which pass said reference location, c. means for selecting descriptor data of at least one frame within said strip, d. means for searching said magnetic recording stripe for said selected descriptor data and for registering the frame address count data associated with said selected descriptor data, means for comparing the count of said counting means with said registered address count and producing an output in response to a difference therebetween, and e. means responsive to said searching means for operating said strip moving means at a stripe reading speed until said frame address has been regisTered, and thereafter operating said strip moving means at a different speed dependent upon and under control of the output of said count comparing means.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said strip is provided with cyclically repeating sets of binary counts, increasing in value away from the lead end of said strip, and each count of each set having n bits and being associated with a respective optically readable mark, and wherein said counting means comprises: a. a binary counter for counting the said optically readable marks, b. means for reading the binary counts on said strip, and c. means for substituting the output of said count reading means for the least significant n stages of said counter, whereby those counter stages adapted to register the most significant bits, in combination with the least significant count bits read by said count reading means, quite assuredly represents the address count of the frame appearing at said reference location.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said binary counts of n bits appear on said strip in optically readable form.