US3781852A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Calculator display circuit
Assignee: Mercury Systems Inc
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Filing: 1972-11-21
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Granted: 1973-12-25
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Expires: 1992-11-21
Abstract
Abstract A display circuit for use in an electronic calculator which includes a computing circuit for receiving and manipulating digital datum, the computing circuit including first means for repetitively generating a plurality of input signals individually in sequence and second means for repetitively generating a plurality of sequentially occurring groups of output signals with individual ones of the input and output signals occurring simultaneously, a plurality of input terminals, keyboard means for coupling the input terminals to receive selected ones of the input signals, means for generating a repeating clock pulse signal, and a power supply. The display circuit comprises a plurality of luminescing display devices each of which includes a common element and a plurality of segment elements individually coupled to the common element and disposed in a geometric array corresponding to selected alpha-numeric characters. A plurality of digit driver amplifiers are coupled to the computing circuit to receive predetermined ones of the input signals and electrically in series with the predetermined ones of the common elements, and a plurality of segment driver amplifiers are coupled to the computing circuit to receive predetermined ones of the signals of said groups of output signals and connected electrically in series with all of the paralleled similar segment elements of all of said display devices. The digit driver amplifiers and segment driver amplifiers are rendered simultaneously and momentarily operative in response to the simultaneous reception of the input signals and groups of output signals with essentially all of the electrical energy passing through the segment and digit driver amplifiers, respectively, also passing through the display devices. The display devices are rendered individually, momentarily, and sequentially luminescent thereby.
Inventors
- 👤 E White
- 👤 J Bunting
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:12
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03M; H03M11/00; H03M11/20; G; G04; G04G; G04G9/00; G04G9/08; G04G9/10; G06; G06F; G06F15/00; G06F15/02; G09; G09G; G09G3/00; G09G3/04; G09G3/06; G09G3/12; G09G3/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
229 words
An electronic calculator comprising a. clock pulse generating means; b. computing circuit means having first, second and third groups of computing circuit terminals, and a clock pulse terminal coupled to said clock pulse generating means, said computer circuit means generating a repeating sequential series of pulses at said first group of computing circuit terminals in timed relation with the pulses generated by said clock pulse generating means, c. keyboard means including character and function keys and respective switches operated thereby, said switches being connected in controlling relation to the first and second groups of computing circuit terminals of said computing circuit means, said keyboard means selectively coupling computing circuit terminals within said first group to computing circuit terminals within said second group in accordance with the positions of said switches, and d. display circuit means comprising light emitting elements and having first and second groups of display input terminals coupled to the first and third groups of computing circuit terminals, respectively, of said computing circuit means, said computing circuit means generating pulses at selected terminals of said third group of computing circuit terminals simultaneously with the generation of each pulse at a terminal of said first group of computing circuit terminals, said light emitting elements being selectively energized in accordance with the pulses applied by said computing circuit means to the first and second groups of display input terminals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
229 words
An electronic calculator comprising a. clock pulse generating means; b. computing circuit means having first, second and third groups of computing circuit terminals, and a clock pulse terminal coupled to said clock pulse generating means, said computer circuit means generating a repeating sequential series of pulses at said first group of computing circuit terminals in timed relation with the pulses generated by said clock pulse generating means, c. keyboard means including character and function keys and respective switches operated thereby, said switches being connected in controlling relation to the first and second groups of computing circuit terminals of said computing circuit means, said keyboard means selectively coupling computing circuit terminals within said first group to computing circuit terminals within said second group in accordance with the positions of said switches, and d. display circuit means comprising light emitting elements and having first and second groups of display input terminals coupled to the first and third groups of computing circuit terminals, respectively, of said computing circuit means, said computing circuit means generating pulses at selected terminals of said third group of computing circuit terminals simultaneously with the generation of each pulse at a terminal of said first group of computing circuit terminals, said light emitting elements being selectively energized in accordance with the pulses applied by said computing circuit means to the first and second groups of display input terminals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
An electronic calculator according to claim 1 in which the pulses supplied to said display input terminals occur at such a frequency as to prevent optically perceptible flickering of the light emitted by said light emitting devices.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
An electronic calculator according to claim 1 in which the pulses at said first group of computing circuit terminals are supplied sequentially to the said switches actuated by said character keys at a frequency such that an entire series of said pulses is generated during the period of actuating of any said character key.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
82 words
An electronic calculator according to claim 1 in which each light emitting element has an anode side and a cathode side, the pulses at said first group of computing circuit terminals being supplied to one of said sides and the pulses at said third group of computing circuit terminals being supplied to the other of said sides, and amplifier drivers connected to the respective sides of said light emitting elements and through which said pulses are supplied to said light emitting elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
95 words
An electronic calculator according to Claim 4 in which the side of each light emitting element to which the pulses at said third group of computing circuit terminals is supplied comprises a pLurality of segments, the segments of each said light emitting element being electrically connected to the corresponding segment of the others of said light emitting elements, a respective amplifier driver for each group of interconnected segments, and means for supplying respective pulses from the pulses at said third group of computing circuit terminals to respective ones of the amplifier drivers for said segments.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
An electronic calculator according to claim 1 in which each light emitting element has an anode side and a cathode side, the pulses at said first group of computing circuit terminals being supplied to one of said sides and the pulses at said third group of computing circuit terminals being supplied to the other of said sides.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
84 words
An electronic calculator according to claim 6 in which the side of each light emitting element to which the pulses at said third group of computing circuit terminals are supplied comprising a plurality of segments, the segments of each said light emitting element being electrically connected to the corresponding segment of the others of said light emitting elements, and means for supplying respective pulses from the pulses at said third group of computing circuit terminals to respective ones of said groups of interconnected segments.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electronic calculator according to claim 7 which includes amplifier drivers interposed between the opposite sides of said light emitting elements and the sources of pulses therefor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electronic calculator according to claim 6 which includes amplifier drivers interposed between the opposite sides of said light emitting elements and the sources of pulses therefor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
120 words
An electronic calculator comprising a. computing circuit means having an input, said means generating a repeating series of first pulses and a group of second pulses simultaneously with each of said first pulses, b. switching means coupled to said computing circuit means for receiving said repeating series of first pulses and selectively coupling said first pulses to the input of said computing circuit means, c. display circuit means comprising light emitting elements, each having a common element and a plurality of segment elements, and d. means coupling said light emitting elements to said computing circuit means, the common elements of said light emitting elements receiving said series of first pulses and said segment elements receiving said group of second pulses.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
120 words
An electronic calculator comprising a. computing circuit means having an input, said means generating a repeating series of first pulses and a group of second pulses simultaneously with each of said first pulses, b. switching means coupled to said computing circuit means for receiving said repeating series of first pulses and selectively coupling said first pulses to the input of said computing circuit means, c. display circuit means comprising light emitting elements, each having a common element and a plurality of segment elements, and d. means coupling said light emitting elements to said computing circuit means, the common elements of said light emitting elements receiving said series of first pulses and said segment elements receiving said group of second pulses.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
211 words
The method of operating an electronic calculator including a computing circuit means having first, second and third groups of terminals, keyboard means having key actuated control switches, and display circuit means comprising electrically actuated light emitting elements each having a common element and a plurality of segment elements, said method comprising the steps of a. generating a repeating series of first sequential pulses at the first group of terminals of said computing circuit means, b. generating a group of second pulses at the third group of terminals of said computing circuit means simultaneously with each of said first pulses, c. supplying said first sequential pulses to the second group of terminals of said computing circuit means through said keyboard means for the control of said computing circuit means, said first sequential pulses being generated at a rate such than an entire series of first sequential pulses is generated during the interval of actuation of a single one of said switches, d. supplying said first sequential pulses to the common elements of said light emitting elements, and e. supplying said second pulses to selected segment elements of said light emitting elements, said first and second pulses energizing segment elements of said light emitting elements in accordance with said group of second pulses.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
211 words
The method of operating an electronic calculator including a computing circuit means having first, second and third groups of terminals, keyboard means having key actuated control switches, and display circuit means comprising electrically actuated light emitting elements each having a common element and a plurality of segment elements, said method comprising the steps of a. generating a repeating series of first sequential pulses at the first group of terminals of said computing circuit means, b. generating a group of second pulses at the third group of terminals of said computing circuit means simultaneously with each of said first pulses, c. supplying said first sequential pulses to the second group of terminals of said computing circuit means through said keyboard means for the control of said computing circuit means, said first sequential pulses being generated at a rate such than an entire series of first sequential pulses is generated during the interval of actuation of a single one of said switches, d. supplying said first sequential pulses to the common elements of said light emitting elements, and e. supplying said second pulses to selected segment elements of said light emitting elements, said first and second pulses energizing segment elements of said light emitting elements in accordance with said group of second pulses.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-24 | 1977-06-25 | 1977-12-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-24 | 1981-06-25 | 1981-12-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-24 | 1985-06-25 | 1985-12-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |