Method of operating a computer to read information from cards

Claim 2

In a method of operating a digital computer to control the operation of a system for reading coded information recorded on cards and the like comprised of a plurality of position sensors, a plurality of code sensors, a plurality of logic gates coupled to the position sensors for enabling the position sensors and for generating interrupt signals tO the computer when the cards are moved into predetermined positions with respect to enabled position sensors, the steps of: a. generating a signal to a selected one of said logic gates to enable a respective position sensor; b. storing the information sensed by said code sensors in response to an interrupt signal to the computer provided by said logic gates when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said respective enabled position sensor; and c. generating a signal to a next selected one of said logic gates to enable a next respective position sensor.

Claim 3

In the method according to claim 1, the repeating of steps (b) and (c) until each of said position sensors have been enabled as the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to each enabled position sensor whereby the information recorded on the cards is stored in the computer.

Claim 4

In the method of claim 2 wherein the coded information recorded on the cards in hollerith form, the additional step of translating the Hollerith coded information to binary coded information after all of the information recorded on a card has been stored in the computer.

Claim 5

In a method of operating a digital computer to control the operation of a system for reading coded information recorded on cards and the like comprised of an initialize sensor, a plurality of position sensors, a plurality of code sensors, a plurality of logic gates coupled to the initialize sensor and the position sensors for enabling the initialize sensor and position sensors and for generating interrupt signals to the computer when the cards are moved into predetermined positions with respect to enabled initialize and position sensors, the steps of: a. generating a signal to a selected one of said logic gates to enable the initialize sensor; b. generating a signal to a selected one of said logic gates in response to an interrupt signal to the computer provided by said logic gates when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said initialize sensor thereby enabling a respective position sensor; c. storing the information sensed by said code sensors in response to an interrupt signal to the computer provided by said logic gates when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said respective enabled position sensor; and d. generating a signal to a next selected one of said logic gates to enable a next respective position sensor.

Claim 6

In a method of operating a digital computer to control the operation of a system for reading coded information recorded on cards and the like comprised of an initialize sensor, a plurality of position sensors, a plurality of code sensors, a plurality of logic gates coupled to the initialize sensor and the position sensors for enabling the initialize sensor and position sensors and for generating interrupt signals to the computer when the cards are moved into predetermined positions with respect to enabled initialize and position sensors, the steps of: a. generating a signal to a selected one of said logic gates to enable the initialize sensor; b. generating a signal to a selected one of said logic gates in response to an interrupt signal to the computer provided by said logic gates when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said initialize sensor thereby enabling a respective position sensor; c. storing the information sensed by said code sensors in response to an interrupt signal to the computer provided by said logic gates when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said respective enabled position sensor; and d. generating a signal to a next selected one of said logic gates to enable a next respective position sensor.

Claim 7

In the method according to claim 4, the repeating of steps (c) and (d) until each of said position sensors have been enabled as the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to each enabled position sensor whereby the information recorded on the cards is stored in the computer.

Claim 8

In the method of claim 5 wherein the coded information recorded on the cards is in Hollerith form, the additional step of translating the Hollerith coded information to binary coded information after all of the information recorded on a card has been stored in the computer.

Claim 9

In a method of operating a digital computer to control the operation of a system for reading coded information recorded on cards and the like comprised of an initialize sensor, an upside down sensor, a plurality of position sensors, a plurality of code sensors, a plurality of logic gates coupled to the initialize sensor and to the position sensors for enabling the initialize and position sensors and for generating interrupt signals to the computer when the cards are moved into predetermined positions with respect to enabled initialize and position sensors, the steps of: a. generating a signal to a selected one of said logic gates to enable the initialize sensor; b. generating a signal to another selected one of said logic gates in response to an interrupt signal to the computer provided by said one selected logic gate when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said initialize sensor; c. checking the status of said upside down sensor, to determine whether the cards are upside down; d. generating a signal to another selected one of said logic gates when said upside down sensor indicates that the cards are not upside down to enable a respective position sensor; e. storing the information sensed by said code sensors in response to an interrupt signal to the computer provided by said logic gates when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said enabled respective position sensor; and thereafter f. generating a signal to a next selected one of said logic gates to enable a next respective position sensor.

Claim 10

In a method of operating a digital computer to control the operation of a system for reading coded information recorded on cards and the like comprised of an initialize sensor, an upside down sensor, a plurality of position sensors, a plurality of code sensors, a plurality of logic gates coupled to the initialize sensor and to the position sensors for enabling the initialize and position sensors and for generating interrupt signals to the computer when the cards are moved into predetermined positions with respect to enabled initialize and position sensors, the steps of: a. generating a signal to a selected one of said logic gates to enable the initialize sensor; b. generating a signal to another selected one of said logic gates in response to an interrupt signal to the computer provided by said one selected logic gate when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said initialize sensor; c. checking the status of said upside down sensor, to determine whether the cards are upside down; d. generating a signal to another selected one of said logic gates when said upside down sensor indicates that the cards are not upside down to enable a respective position sensor; e. storing the information sensed by said code sensors in response to an interrupt signal to the computer provided by said logic gates when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said enabled respective position sensor; and thereafter f. generating a signal to a next selected one of said logic gates to enable a next respective position sensor.

Claim 11

In the method according to claim 7, the repeating of steps (e) and (f) until each of said position sensors have been enabled and the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to each enabled position sensor whereby the information recorded on the cards is stored in the computer.

Claim 12

In the method according to claim 7, the additional steps of: a. setting a register in the computer to an upside down state when said upside down sensor indicates that cards are upside down; and thereafter b. generating a signal to a last selected one of said logic gates to enable a last respective position sensor; c. checking the state of said register to determine whether it is set to the upside down state in response to an interrupt signal provided by said logic gates when the upside down cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said enabled last respective position sensor; d. resetting said register to a card not upside down state; and e. generating a signal to said selected one of said logic gates to enable the initialize sensor.

Claim 13

In a method of operating a digital computer to control the operation of a system for reading coded information recorded on cards and the like comprisable plurality of positioned sensors, a plurality of code sensors, and plurality of logic gates coupled to the position sensors for enabling the position sensors and for generating interrupt signals to the computer when the cards are moved into predetermined position with respect to enabled position sensors, the steps of: a. generating a signal to a selected one of said logic gates to enable a respective position sensor; b. storing the information sensed by said code sensors in response to interrupt signal to the computer provided by said logic gates when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said respective enabled positioned sensor; c. incrementing a counter register in the computer; and d. generating a signal to a next one of said logic gates selected in accordance with the count of said counter register to enable a next respective position sensor.

Claim 14

In a method of operating a digital computer to control the operation of a system for reading coded information recorded on cards and the like comprisable plurality of positioned sensors, a plurality of code sensors, and plurality of logic gates coupled to the position sensors for enabling the position sensors and for generating interrupt signals to the computer when the cards are moved into predetermined position with respect to enabled position sensors, the steps of: a. generating a signal to a selected one of said logic gates to enable a respective position sensor; b. storing the information sensed by said code sensors in response to interrupt signal to the computer provided by said logic gates when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said respective enabled positioned sensor; c. incrementing a counter register in the computer; and d. generating a signal to a next one of said logic gates selected in accordance with the count of said counter register to enable a next respective position sensor.

Claim 15

In the method according to claim 10, the repeating of steps (b)-(d) until each of said position sensors have been sequentially enabled as the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to each enabled position sensor whereby the information recorded on the cards is stored in the computer.

Claim 16

In the method according to claim 11, the storing of the information recorded on the cards sequentially in accordance with the count of said counter register.

Claim 17

In a method of operating a digital computer to control the operation of a system for reading coded information recorded on cards and the like comprised of an initialized sensor, a plurality of positioned sensors, a plurality of code sensors, a plurality of logic gates coupled to initialized sensor and the position sensors for enabling the initialized sensor and position sensors and for generating interrupt signals to the computer when the cards are moved into predetermined positions with respect to enabled initialized and position sensors, the steps of: a. generating a signal to a selected one of said logic gates to enable the initialize sensors; b. generating a signal to a selective one of said logic gates in response to an interrupt signal to the computer provided by said logic gates when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said initialize sensor thereby enabling a respective position sensor; c. storing the information sensed by said code sensors in response an interrupt signal to the computer provided by said logic gates when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said respective enabled position sensor; d. incrementing a counter register in the computer; e. generating a signal to a next one of said logic gates selected in accordance with the count of said counter register to enable a next respective position sensor, and f. repeating steps (c)-(e) until each of said position sensors have been sequentially enabled in accordance with the incremented count of said counter register as the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to each enabled position sensor whereby the information recorded on the cards is stored in the computer.

Claim 18

In a method of operating a digital computer to control the operation of a system for reading coded information recorded on cards and the like comprised of an initialized sensor, a plurality of positioned sensors, a plurality of code sensors, a plurality of logic gates coupled to initialized sensor and the position sensors for enabling the initialized sensor and position sensors and for generating interrupt signals to the computer when the cards are moved into predetermined positions with respect to enabled initialized and position sensors, the steps of: a. generating a signal to a selected one of said logic gates to enable the initialize sensors; b. generating a signal to a selective one of said logic gates in response to an interrupt signal to the computer provided by said logic gates when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said initialize sensor thereby enabling a respective position sensor; c. storing the information sensed by said code sensors in response an interrupt signal to the computer provided by said logic gates when the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to said respective enabled position sensor; d. incrementing a counter register in the computer; e. generating a signal to a next one of said logic gates selected in accordance with the count of said counter register to enable a next respective position sensor, and f. repeating steps (c)-(e) until each of said position sensors have been sequentially enabled in accordance with the incremented count of said counter register as the cards are moved into said predetermined position with respect to each enabled position sensor whereby the information recorded on the cards is stored in the computer.

Claim 19

In the method according to claim 13, the step of checking said counter register to determine whether all of the information recorded on the cards has been stored in the computer each time that the counter is incremented.

Claim 20

In the method of claim 14, wherein the coded information recorded on the cards is in hollerith form, the additional step of translating the Hollerith coded information to binary coded information after all of the information recorded on a card has been stored in the computer as determined by the count in said counter register.

Claim 21

In the method of claim 13, the reading of the coded information recorded on the cards by said code sensors wherein a plurality of digits in Hollerith form are read simultaneously one-code-line at a time.