Digital graphic display apparatus, system and method

Claim 2

In a graphic display system display means for displaying graphic patterns consisting of end to end linked line segments characterized by at least one of the two parameters of length and direction and controller means for generating control signal sequences for controlling said display means, said controller having input means for receiving input information in the form of digitally encoded signals, memory means for storing at least one of said length and direction parameters of at least one line segment previously displayed by said display means, logic means connected to said input means and said memory means for recognizing if said digitally encoded signals represent a differential value change, including polarity, by which said parameter which has been stored must be altered, said logic means also including means for algebraically adding said differential value change to said stored parameter in order to obtain an updated parameter to be stored in said memory means, and generator means connected to the memory means utilizing the updated stored parameter in the generation of subsequent control signal sequences representing at least one subsequent line segment, said display means being responsive to said subsequent control sigNal sequences for providing a display.

Claim 3

A system as in claim 1 wherein said memory means include both length and direction memories for both said length and direction parameters.

Claim 4

A system as in claim 1 wherein the generator means comprises a pattern generator, said pattern generator in response to a single input character being capable of generating output signal patterns representing line segments for substantially all possible end points for any line segment having a length greater than one increment.

Claim 5

A system as in claim 1 wherein said memory means includes a length memory and a direction memory, wherein the means for algebraically adding consists of control logic means capable of updating stored length and stored direction in the length memory and the direction memory in response to and in accordance with the type of signals received by the control logic means, and wherein the generator means consists of length and pattern generating means under the control of the length memory and the direction memory.

Claim 6

A system as in claim 4 wherein said input information is in the form of serially coded characters consisting of binary bits together with means included in the input means for converting the serially coded characters to parallel coded characters and together with decoding means connected to the input means for receiving the parallel coded characters and supplying it in decoded form to the control logic means.

Claim 7

A system as in claim 1 together with a transmission medium having a limited band width coupled to the input means for carrying the input information.

Claim 8

A system as in claim 2 wherein the length parameter which has been stored is incremented or decremented according to an odd number base number system.

Claim 9

A system as in claim 7 wherein said odd number base number system is a ternary number system.

Claim 10

A system as in claim 1 together with a transmission medium having a limited band width coupled to the input means for carrying the input information.

Claim 11

A system as in claim 2 wherein the length parameter which has been stored is incremented or decremented according to an odd number base number system.

Claim 12

A system as in claim 7 wherein said odd number base number system is a ternary number system.

Claim 13

In a controller for generating signal patterns representing linked vectors, the starting point of one vector being the end point of the previous vector, with each pattern being characterized by at least one of the two quantized vector parameters of length and direction, input means for receiving input information in the form of digitally coded signals, memory means for storing at least one of said length and direction parameters related to at least one signal pattern previously generated, logic means, connected to said input means and said memory means, for recognizing if said digitally coded signals contain an instruction for an incremental change by which said stored parameter must be altered digitally, said logic means also including computing means for performing said digital altering of updating said stored parameter in response to any change instruction whereby an updated parameter is obtained to replace the previously stored parameter in said memory means, said logic means further recognizing the absence of an instruction for incremental change of said parameter in said digitally coded signals to designate the previously stored parameter for signal pattern generation, and generator means connected to the memory means utilizing the updated stored parameter in the generation of at least one subsequent signal pattern.

Claim 14

In a controller for generating signal patterns representing linked vectors, the starting point of one vector being the end point of the previous vector, with each pattern being characterized by at least one of the two quantized vector parameters of length and direction, input means for receiving input information in the form of digitally coded signals, memory means for storing at least one of said length and direction parameters related to at least one signal pattern previously generated, logic means, connected to said input means and said memory means, for recognizing if said digitally coded signals contain an instruction for an incremental change by which said stored parameter must be altered digitally, said logic means also including computing means for performing said digital altering of updating said stored parameter in response to any change instruction whereby an updated parameter is obtained to replace the previously stored parameter in said memory means, said logic means further recognizing the absence of an instruction for incremental change of said parameter in said digitally coded signals to designate the previously stored parameter for signal pattern generation, and generator means connected to the memory means utilizing the updated stored parameter in the generation of at least one subsequent signal pattern.

Claim 15

A controller as in claim 12 wherein said generator means comprises a pattern generator, said pattern generator in response to a single input character being capable of generating output signal patterns representing vectors for substantially all possible end points for any vector having a length greater than one increment.

Claim 16

A controller as in claim 12 wherein said memory means includes a lEngth memory and a direction memory, wherein the computing means consists of control logic means capable of updating the stored length and stored direction in the length memory and the direction memory in response to and in accordance with the type of character, including a character designating zero change, received by the control logic means, and wherein the generator means consists of the length and pattern generating means under the control of the length memory and the direction memory.

Claim 17

A system as in claim 14 wherein said control logic means includes means for generating a plurality of pulse trains having different predetermined lengths corresponding to the amount of change in said parameters and said memory means includes counter means for storing said parameters of said most recently generated signal pattern and said memory means being responsive to said pulse train for sequencing to a new state representative of the updated parameters.

Claim 18

A system as in claim 12 wherein said memory means serve to store both said length and direction parameters.

Claim 19

A controller as in claim 12 wherein said generator means comprises a pattern generator including function generator means responsive to the length parameter and a part of the direction parameter for generating a functional representation of a line segment, said functional representation defining one of a set of line segments within each octant of a plane, and steering means responsive to said functional representation and to the remaining part of said direction parameter for generating said one line segment within the octant specified by said remaining part.

Claim 20

In a method of generating by an apparatus signal patterns representing linked vectors, the starting point of one vector being the end point of the previous vector, with such patterns being characterized by at least one of the two quantized vector parameters of length and direction, comprising the steps of, digitally storing at least one of said length and direction parameters of at least one signal pattern previously generated, receiving input information in the form of digitally encoded signals, recognizing if said signals contain an encoded instruction for an incremental change by which said stored parameter must be digitally altered, digitally altering said stored parameter in response to any change instruction in order to obtain an updated stored parameter, and generating at least one subsequent signal pattern utilizing said updated stored parameter.

Claim 21

In a method of generating by an apparatus signal patterns representing linked vectors, the starting point of one vector being the end point of the previous vector, with such patterns being characterized by at least one of the two quantized vector parameters of length and direction, comprising the steps of, digitally storing at least one of said length and direction parameters of at least one signal pattern previously generated, receiving input information in the form of digitally encoded signals, recognizing if said signals contain an encoded instruction for an incremental change by which said stored parameter must be digitally altered, digitally altering said stored parameter in response to any change instruction in order to obtain an updated stored parameter, and generating at least one subsequent signal pattern utilizing said updated stored parameter.

Claim 22

A system as in claim 14 wherein said input information is in the form of serially coded characters consisting of binary bits together with means included in the input means for converting the serially coded characters to parallel coded characters and together with decoding means connected to the input means for receiving the parallel coded characters and supplying it in decoded form to the control logic means.

Claim 23

A graphic display system for displaying graphic patterns of end to end linked line segments having controlling means for generating control signals for the display of said segments, the input of said controlling means receiving digitally encoded signals comprising information for the next segment to be displayed, said controlling means including memory means for storing information of the last segment displayed and producing from the information fed in at the input and the stored information the control signals for the next segment to be displayed, characterized in that the memory means stores at least one of the two parameters of length and direction of the last segment displayed, that the input signals indicate the value and the sign of an alteration of the stored parameter, that a control logic means algebraically adds the alteration value decoded in a decoder to the stored value of the corresponding parameter and again stores the new value of the parameter thus obtained in the memory means and that a pattern generator utilizing said new value of the parameter generateS a control signal sequence for the display of the next segment.

Claim 24

A graphic display system for displaying graphic patterns of end to end linked line segments having controlling means for generating control signals for the display of said segments, the input of said controlling means receiving digitally encoded signals comprising information for the next segment to be displayed, said controlling means including memory means for storing information of the last segment displayed and producing from the information fed in at the input and the stored information the control signals for the next segment to be displayed, characterized in that the memory means stores at least one of the two parameters of length and direction of the last segment displayed, that the input signals indicate the value and the sign of an alteration of the stored parameter, that a control logic means algebraically adds the alteration value decoded in a decoder to the stored value of the corresponding parameter and again stores the new value of the parameter thus obtained in the memory means and that a pattern generator utilizing said new value of the parameter generateS a control signal sequence for the display of the next segment.

Claim 25

In an apparatus for generating vector signal patterns representing vectors, the starting point of one vector being the end point of the previous vector, with each vector signal pattern being characterized by at least the two parameters of length and direction, means for receiving input information in the form of digitally coded signals, means for storing at least one of said length and direction parameters of at least one vector signal pattern previously generated, logic means for recognizing if said digitally coded signals contain incremental change instructions for said stored parameter including means for updating by computation said stored parameter in response to any change instruction whereby an updated parameter is obtained to replace the previously stored parameter in said memory means, said logic means also serving in absence of an instruction for incremental change to designate the prviously stored parameter as an unchanged and still updated stored parameter for signal pattern generation, and means for generating at least one subsequent vector signal pattern utilizing the updated stored parameter.

Claim 26

In an apparatus for generating vector signal patterns representing vectors, the starting point of one vector being the end point of the previous vector, with each vector signal pattern being characterized by at least the two parameters of length and direction, means for receiving input information in the form of digitally coded signals, means for storing at least one of said length and direction parameters of at least one vector signal pattern previously generated, logic means for recognizing if said digitally coded signals contain incremental change instructions for said stored parameter including means for updating by computation said stored parameter in response to any change instruction whereby an updated parameter is obtained to replace the previously stored parameter in said memory means, said logic means also serving in absence of an instruction for incremental change to designate the prviously stored parameter as an unchanged and still updated stored parameter for signal pattern generation, and means for generating at least one subsequent vector signal pattern utilizing the updated stored parameter.

Claim 27

In a method for displaying graphic patterns on display means by control signal sequences generated by controller means, said graphic patterns consisting of end to end linked line segments characterized by at least one of the two parameters of length and direction, the method comprising the steps of, storing at least one of said length and direction parameters of at least one segment previously displayed by said display means, receiving input information in the form of digitally encoded signals, recognizing if the digitally encoded signals represent a differential value change by which said parameter which has been stored must be altered, altering said stored parameter in accordance with said value change, and utilizing the updated stored parameter to generate subsequent control signal sequences representing at least one subsequent line segment for display.

Claim 28

In a method for displaying graphic patterns on display means by control signal sequences generated by controller means, said graphic patterns consisting of end to end linked line segments characterized by at least one of the two parameters of length and direction, the method comprising the steps of, storing at least one of said length and direction parameters of at least one segment previously displayed by said display means, receiving input information in the form of digitally encoded signals, recognizing if the digitally encoded signals represent a differential value change by which said parameter which has been stored must be altered, altering said stored parameter in accordance with said value change, and utilizing the updated stored parameter to generate subsequent control signal sequences representing at least one subsequent line segment for display.

Claim 29

In a method for displaying graphic patterns consisting of line segments grouped in lowest to highest length sets according to lowest to highest number of increments, receiving a sequence of single input commands, generating in response to at least some of said single input commands, output signal patterns representing line segments in such a manner that all the members of the higher length line segment sets are generated by the step of systematic series combination of the members of the lower length set, said combination being further characterized by each set containing the same number of different direction line segments as eight times the number of increments in the set, thereby representing complete directional selectivity.

Claim 30

In a method for displaying graphic patterns consisting of line segments grouped in lowest to highest length sets according to lowest to highest number of increments, receiving a sequence of single input commands, generating in response to at least some of said single input commands, output signal patterns representing line segments in such a manner that all the members of the higher length line segment sets are generated by the step of systematic series combination of the members of the lower length set, said combination being further characterized by each set containing the same number of different direction line segments as eight times the number of increments in the set, thereby representing complete directional selectivity.

Claim 31

In a pattern generator for generating output signal patterns representing line segments consisting of a predetermined number of discrete increments based on data representing the length and direction of the segments, the pattern generator comprising function generator means for computing and generating from the length data and a first portion of the direction data a signal sequence as a functional representation of a line segment having a predetermined number of increments, said functional representation defining one of a set of line segments within each octant of a plane, and steering means for combining said functional representation with a second portion of the direction data to produce an output signal pattern for generating said one line segment within the octant specified by said second portion of the direction data.

Claim 32

In a pattern generator for generating output signal patterns representing line segments consisting of a predetermined number of discrete increments based on data representing the length and direction of the segments, the pattern generator comprising function generator means for computing and generating from the length data and a first portion of the direction data a signal sequence as a functional representation of a line segment having a predetermined number of increments, said functional representation defining one of a set of line segments within each octant of a plane, and steering means for combining said functional representation with a second portion of the direction data to produce an output signal pattern for generating said one line segment within the octant specified by said second portion of the direction data.

Claim 33

A pattern generator as in claim 24 wherein said function generator means includes an operational multiplier.

Claim 34

In a method for generating signal patterns representing line segments consisting of a predetermined number of discrete increments, each of said line segments being characterized by at least two parameters including length and direction, the steps of computing and generating from the length and direction parameters a functional representation of a line segment having a predetermined number of increments, said functional representation defining one of a set of line segments within each octant of a plane, and the step of combining the functional representation with an additional direction parameter to produce a signal pattern for generating said one line segment within the octant specified by said additional parameter.

Claim 35

In a method for generating signal patterns representing line segments consisting of a predetermined number of discrete increments, each of said line segments being characterized by at least two parameters including length and direction, the steps of computing and generating from the length and direction parameters a functional representation of a line segment having a predetermined number of increments, said functional representation defining one of a set of line segments within each octant of a plane, and the step of combining the functional representation with an additional direction parameter to produce a signal pattern for generating said one line segment within the octant specified by said additional parameter.

Claim 36

In a method of generating patterns consisting of successive segments characterized by at least one of the parameters of length and direction in response to a succession of electrically coded input commands, comprising the steps of receiving an input command, decoding whether the command contains an instruction to incrementally change at least one of the two parameters of length and direction of the next segment to be generated compared with the said one parameter of the immediately preceding segment, computing at least one new parameter for the next segment in response to a decoded incremental change instruction, generating said next segment characterized by said computed new parameter, and memorizing at least one of said parameters of the preceding segment for use in said step of computing said new parameter for the next segment.

Claim 37

In a method of generating patterns consisting of successive segments characterized by at least one of the parameters of length and direction in response to a succession of electrically coded input commands, comprising the steps of receiving an input command, decoding whether the command contains an instruction to incrementally change at least one of the two parameters of length and direction of the next segment to be generated compared with the said one parameter of the immediately preceding segment, computing at least one new parameter for the next segment in response to a decoded incremental change instruction, generating said next segment characterized by said computed new parameter, and memorizing at least one of said parameters of the preceding segment for use in said step of computing said new parameter for the next segment.