Selective retrieval and memory system

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein said memory comprises a plurality of shift registers.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 wherein said buffer storage means comprises a static memory for storing the encoded signal corresponding to the given article selected.

Claim 5

The system of claim 3 wherein said information input means includes a keyboard and means for providing the encoded signals as binary representations corresponding to the actuated keys of the keyboard, and said static memory of the buffer storage means includes first means for storing the binary representation signal corresponding to each actuated key, second means for storing the binary representation signals stored in said first means, and means for transferring each binary representation signal from said first means to said second means upon each key actuation.

Claim 6

The system of claim 1 wherein said information input means includes means for providing a further signal indicative of the selection of a predetermined portion of said given article for retrieval, said memory comprising a plurality of sets of said storage addresses, the number of said sets corresponding to the number of predetermined portions of the respective articles, and gating means responsive to said further signal for causing said writing means to write said retrieval command signal into a predetermined one of said sets of storage addresses at an address therewithin corresponding to said encoded signal.

Claim 7

The system of claim 1 wherein at least one storage location is not to be accessed by said retrieval means, said system comprising a further memory for storing information identifying a storage location not to be accessed and providing an encoded signal corresonding thereto, means for comparing the encoded signal from said further memory with the encoded signals from said input information means to provide a disable signal when the latter encoded signal corresponds to the former, and gating means responsive to said disable signal to prevent a retrieval command signal from being written into said memory at an address corresponding to the encoded signal in said buffer storage means.

Claim 8

The system of claim 1 wherein said memory has a metal-oxide-semiconductor construction.

Claim 9

The system of claim 5 wherein said sets of storage addresses comprise like chips having metal-oxide-semiconductor construction.

Claim 10

The system of claim 8 wherein each metal-oxide-semconductor storage chip comprises a plurality of shift registers for storing said retrieval command signal at addresses corresponding to said selectable encoded signals.

Claim 11

The system of claim 2 wherein the selection of a given article is generated by a two digit code and said information input means includes a keyboard, said system comprising means responsive to the first digit of said code to define a particular shift register address of said memory and means responsive to the second digit of said code to define a particular stage address of said particular addressed shift register for writing in of said retrieval command signal.

Claim 12

In an automaTic phonograph, a selection and memory system for selecting and storing the selection information for each record side to be played, each record being stored in a different predetermined storage location and said phonograph having record playing means sequentially positionable in relative accessing and playing relation to the predetermined storage locations to play the selected record side, said system comprising: a first set of selection switches for providing a first output signal indicative of a selected record containing the material to be played, a second set of selection switches for providing a second output signal indicative of a given side of said selected record containing the material to be played, a memory for storing said first output signal upon switch actuation within said first set of selection switches, two further memories, each having storage addresses corresponding to the respective predetermined storage locations of the records and each being associated with the two respective sides of the records, gating means responsive to the signal in said memory and to said second output signal for writing a command signal into one of the two further memories depending on the side indication of said second output signal and at a storage address corresponding to said first output signal, means for generating a timing signal in synchronism with said record playing means being positioned in playing relation to each storage location in sequence, interrogating means responsive to said timing signal for interrogating the storage addresses of said further memories in a sequence corresponding to the sequential positioning of said record playing means relative to the record storage locations to read out the information contained within said further memories, and control means responsive to the outputs of said further memories as the addresses thereof are sequentially read out for causing said record playing means to play said given side of said selected record in response to the occurrence of said command signal.

Claim 13

In an automaTic phonograph, a selection and memory system for selecting and storing the selection information for each record side to be played, each record being stored in a different predetermined storage location and said phonograph having record playing means sequentially positionable in relative accessing and playing relation to the predetermined storage locations to play the selected record side, said system comprising: a first set of selection switches for providing a first output signal indicative of a selected record containing the material to be played, a second set of selection switches for providing a second output signal indicative of a given side of said selected record containing the material to be played, a memory for storing said first output signal upon switch actuation within said first set of selection switches, two further memories, each having storage addresses corresponding to the respective predetermined storage locations of the records and each being associated with the two respective sides of the records, gating means responsive to the signal in said memory and to said second output signal for writing a command signal into one of the two further memories depending on the side indication of said second output signal and at a storage address corresponding to said first output signal, means for generating a timing signal in synchronism with said record playing means being positioned in playing relation to each storage location in sequence, interrogating means responsive to said timing signal for interrogating the storage addresses of said further memories in a sequence corresponding to the sequential positioning of said record playing means relative to the record storage locations to read out the information contained within said further memories, and control means responsive to the outputs of said further memories as the addresses thereof are sequentially read out for causing said record playing means to play said given side of said selected record in response to the occurrence of said command signal.

Claim 14

In the phonograph of claim 11 wherein said record playing means moves reciprocally relative to said record storage locations, said system comprising means for interrogating one of said further memories while said playing means is moving in one direction and the other of said further memories while said playing means is moving in the other direction.

Claim 15

The system of claim 11 wherein said further memories have a metal-oxide-semiconductor construction.