Position indicating and control system

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein said generating step comprising steps of: entering data bits forming a given said coded Address into a means for cyclically generating a series of bits to form coded addresses in the order in which said addresses identify said locations on said medium starting from the location identified by said entered bits; and generating a new bit before each said comparison to form a new address for said comparison.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein said generating step comprises steps of: placing said data bit information in machine sensible form on said movable medium; and sensing said data for entry into said first storage means.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3, wherein: said data bit information is placed in magnetically sensible form on said medium.

Claim 6

The method of claim 3, wherein: said data bit information is placed in optically sensible form on said medium.

Claim 7

Apparatus for indicating the present position of a location on a movable medium, comprising in combination: at least one machine sensible data bit on said medium at each location to be identified; means positioned in cooperation with said movable medium for sensing said data bits as said medium moves; first means connected to said sensing means for temporarily storing data bit information read by said sensing means; second means for storing information representative of a plurality of data bits; means connected to said second means for entering a coded address for a desired location on said medium into said second storage means, said coded address comprising a plurality of said bits and including said data bit assigned to said location and said data bit assigned to at least one adjacent location; means, connected to said first and second storing means for comparing the data contents of said first storage means with the contents of said second storage means and for signaling the result of said comparison, said signal being indicative of whether the desired position has been sensed by said sensing means.

Claim 8

Apparatus for indicating the present position of a location on a movable medium, comprising in combination: at least one machine sensible data bit on said medium at each location to be identified; means positioned in cooperation with said movable medium for sensing said data bits as said medium moves; first means connected to said sensing means for temporarily storing data bit information read by said sensing means; second means for storing information representative of a plurality of data bits; means connected to said second means for entering a coded address for a desired location on said medium into said second storage means, said coded address comprising a plurality of said bits and including said data bit assigned to said location and said data bit assigned to at least one adjacent location; means, connected to said first and second storing means for comparing the data contents of said first storage means with the contents of said second storage means and for signaling the result of said comparison, said signal being indicative of whether the desired position has been sensed by said sensing means.

Claim 9

Apparatus for indicating the present position of a location on a movable medium, comprising in combination: means for generating a series of successive coded addresses in the sequence in which said addresses are assigned to said locations on said medium; first means connected to said generating means for temporarily storing said generated addresses; second means for storing data bit information; means connected to said second means for entering a coded address for a desired location on said medium into said second storage means, said address comprising a plurality of data bits and including at least one bit assigned to said desired location and at least one bit assigned to at least one adjacent location; and means connected to said first and second means for comparing the data contents of said first storage means with the contents of said second storage means and for signaling the result of said comparison, said signal being indicative, when taken in conjunction with the count of the number of such comparisons made when a match is detected between the data contents of said first and said second storage means of the present position of the location for which position information is desired; and means connected to said comparing means for counting the number of said comparisons required until a match is found between the contents of said first and second means.

Claim 10

Apparatus for indicating the present position of a location on a movable medium, comprising in combination: means for generating a series of successive coded addresses in the sequence in which said addresses are assigned to said locations on said medium; first means connected to said generating means for temporarily storing said generated addresses; second means for storing data bit information; means connected to said second means for entering a coded address for a desired location on said medium into said second storage means, said address comprising a plurality of data bits and including at least one bit assigned to said desired location and at least one bit assigned to at least one adjacent location; and means connected to said first and second means for comparing the data contents of said first storage means with the contents of said second storage means and for signaling the result of said comparison, said signal being indicative, when taken in conjunction with the count of the number of such comparisons made when a match is detected between the data contents of said first and said second storage means of the present position of the location for which position information is desired; and means connected to said comparing means for counting the number of said comparisons required until a match is found between the contents of said first and second means.

Claim 11

Apparatus as described in claim 7, in which said generating means comprises: a feedback shift register means for storing said bits forming a given coded address and for generating a new series of bits each time said shift register is shifted.

Claim 12

Apparatus for indicating the present position of a given location on a bidirectionally movable medium, said location having a coded location address comprised of a plurality of data bits, at least one data bit being assigned to each said location, comprising: means for temporarily storing an entered address of a desired location comprising a plurality of data bits and including said data bit assigned to saId desired location and said data bit assigned to at least one location adjacent said desired location, said address being a coded address representative of a given location on said bidirectionally movable medium; means for generating a series of successive addresses in the sequence in which said addresses are assigned to said locations on said medium in both directions of movement from a given starting point; second means connected to said generating means for storing said generated addresses; and means connected to said first and second storing means for comparing the data contents of said first storage means with the contents of said second storage means and for signaling the result of said comparison, said signal being indicative, when taken in conjunction with the count of the number of such comparisons made when a match is detected between the data contents of said first and said second storage means of the present position of said location for which position information is desired; and means connected to said comparing means for counting the number of said comparisons required until a match is found between the contents of said first and second means.

Claim 13

Apparatus for indicating the present position of a given location on a bidirectionally movable medium, said location having a coded location address comprised of a plurality of data bits, at least one data bit being assigned to each said location, comprising: means for temporarily storing an entered address of a desired location comprising a plurality of data bits and including said data bit assigned to saId desired location and said data bit assigned to at least one location adjacent said desired location, said address being a coded address representative of a given location on said bidirectionally movable medium; means for generating a series of successive addresses in the sequence in which said addresses are assigned to said locations on said medium in both directions of movement from a given starting point; second means connected to said generating means for storing said generated addresses; and means connected to said first and second storing means for comparing the data contents of said first storage means with the contents of said second storage means and for signaling the result of said comparison, said signal being indicative, when taken in conjunction with the count of the number of such comparisons made when a match is detected between the data contents of said first and said second storage means of the present position of said location for which position information is desired; and means connected to said comparing means for counting the number of said comparisons required until a match is found between the contents of said first and second means.

Claim 14

Apparatus as described in claim 9 in which said generating means comprises: a feedback shift register means for storing said bits forming a given coded address and for generating new bits to form a new series of bits each time said shift register is shifted.