US3870922A — Graphic pattern generation for a tv-like scanned-…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 339 words

A graphic pattern generator for a TV-like line by line scanned-graphic display equipment capable of displaying a distinct contrasting sharply graphic pattern contrasting sharply with the background, comprising: first and second slope registers (1,2) for termporarily storing values representing slopes of a pair of line segments defining at least a portion of the graphic pattern to be displayed; accumulators (3,4) for adding the contents stored in said registers to X-coordinates of starting points of the pair of line segments, respectively, as each scanning line is generated, thereby generating output signals representing the X-coordinates of the two points at which the pair of line segments intersect the scanning line being generated; X-address counter means (5) for generating a count representing the position in the X-direction in a display surface of each scanning line as the line is being generated, and comparators (6,7) for comparing the contents of the X-address counter means with the contents of the accumulators to produce coincidence signals representing said two points of intersection of a scanning line with the line segments; means (8) for generating an X-direction-brightness-gate signal for each scanning line in response to the coincidence signals, the brightness-gate signal being supplied to display the bright or dark graphic pattern in the dark or bright background, respectively; means including registers (9,10) for temporarily storing therein maximum and minimum values of Y-coordinates of the pattern to be displayed; a Y-address counter (11) for generating a count representing the scanning position in the Y-direction in the display surface as the scan progresses scan line by scan line, and comparators (12,13) for comparing the content of the Y-address counter with the contents of the registers (9 and 10), to develop coincidence signals representing the maximum and minimum values of the Y-coordinates of the pattern to be displayed; means (14) for generating a Y-direction-brightness-gate signal in response to the coincidence signals obtained From the Y-direction comparators (12 and 13); and an AND gate circuit (15) for producing an output signal upon simultaneous receipt of the X- and Y-direction-brightness-gate signals.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 339 words

A graphic pattern generator for a TV-like line by line scanned-graphic display equipment capable of displaying a distinct contrasting sharply graphic pattern contrasting sharply with the background, comprising: first and second slope registers (1,2) for termporarily storing values representing slopes of a pair of line segments defining at least a portion of the graphic pattern to be displayed; accumulators (3,4) for adding the contents stored in said registers to X-coordinates of starting points of the pair of line segments, respectively, as each scanning line is generated, thereby generating output signals representing the X-coordinates of the two points at which the pair of line segments intersect the scanning line being generated; X-address counter means (5) for generating a count representing the position in the X-direction in a display surface of each scanning line as the line is being generated, and comparators (6,7) for comparing the contents of the X-address counter means with the contents of the accumulators to produce coincidence signals representing said two points of intersection of a scanning line with the line segments; means (8) for generating an X-direction-brightness-gate signal for each scanning line in response to the coincidence signals, the brightness-gate signal being supplied to display the bright or dark graphic pattern in the dark or bright background, respectively; means including registers (9,10) for temporarily storing therein maximum and minimum values of Y-coordinates of the pattern to be displayed; a Y-address counter (11) for generating a count representing the scanning position in the Y-direction in the display surface as the scan progresses scan line by scan line, and comparators (12,13) for comparing the content of the Y-address counter with the contents of the registers (9 and 10), to develop coincidence signals representing the maximum and minimum values of the Y-coordinates of the pattern to be displayed; means (14) for generating a Y-direction-brightness-gate signal in response to the coincidence signals obtained From the Y-direction comparators (12 and 13); and an AND gate circuit (15) for producing an output signal upon simultaneous receipt of the X- and Y-direction-brightness-gate signals.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 339 words

A graphic pattern generator for a TV-like line by line scanned-graphic display equipment capable of displaying a distinct contrasting sharply graphic pattern contrasting sharply with the background, comprising: first and second slope registers (1,2) for termporarily storing values representing slopes of a pair of line segments defining at least a portion of the graphic pattern to be displayed; accumulators (3,4) for adding the contents stored in said registers to X-coordinates of starting points of the pair of line segments, respectively, as each scanning line is generated, thereby generating output signals representing the X-coordinates of the two points at which the pair of line segments intersect the scanning line being generated; X-address counter means (5) for generating a count representing the position in the X-direction in a display surface of each scanning line as the line is being generated, and comparators (6,7) for comparing the contents of the X-address counter means with the contents of the accumulators to produce coincidence signals representing said two points of intersection of a scanning line with the line segments; means (8) for generating an X-direction-brightness-gate signal for each scanning line in response to the coincidence signals, the brightness-gate signal being supplied to display the bright or dark graphic pattern in the dark or bright background, respectively; means including registers (9,10) for temporarily storing therein maximum and minimum values of Y-coordinates of the pattern to be displayed; a Y-address counter (11) for generating a count representing the scanning position in the Y-direction in the display surface as the scan progresses scan line by scan line, and comparators (12,13) for comparing the content of the Y-address counter with the contents of the registers (9 and 10), to develop coincidence signals representing the maximum and minimum values of the Y-coordinates of the pattern to be displayed; means (14) for generating a Y-direction-brightness-gate signal in response to the coincidence signals obtained From the Ydirection comparators (12 and 13); and an AND gate circuit (15) for producing an output signal upon simultaneous receipt of the X- and Y-direction-brightness-gate signals.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 339 words

A graphic pattern generator for a TV-like line by line scanned-graphic display equipment capable of displaying a distinct contrasting sharply graphic pattern contrasting sharply with the background, comprising: first and second slope registers (1,2) for termporarily storing values representing slopes of a pair of line segments defining at least a portion of the graphic pattern to be displayed; accumulators (3,4) for adding the contents stored in said registers to X-coordinates of starting points of the pair of line segments, respectively, as each scanning line is generated, thereby generating output signals representing the X-coordinates of the two points at which the pair of line segments intersect the scanning line being generated; X-address counter means (5) for generating a count representing the position in the X-direction in a display surface of each scanning line as the line is being generated, and comparators (6,7) for comparing the contents of the X-address counter means with the contents of the accumulators to produce coincidence signals representing said two points of intersection of a scanning line with the line segments; means (8) for generating an X-direction-brightness-gate signal for each scanning line in response to the coincidence signals, the brightness-gate signal being supplied to display the bright or dark graphic pattern in the dark or bright background, respectively; means including registers (9,10) for temporarily storing therein maximum and minimum values of Y-coordinates of the pattern to be displayed; a Y-address counter (11) for generating a count representing the scanning position in the Y-direction in the display surface as the scan progresses scan line by scan line, and comparators (12,13) for comparing the content of the Y-address counter with the contents of the registers (9 and 10), to develop coincidence signals representing the maximum and minimum values of the Y-coordinates of the pattern to be displayed; means (14) for generating a Y-direction-brightness-gate signal in response to the coincidence signals obtained From the Ydirection comparators (12 and 13); and an AND gate circuit (15) for producing an output signal upon simultaneous receipt of the X- and Y-direction-brightness-gate signals.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 52 words

A pattern generator as defined in claim 1 further comprising an accumulator control circuit (16) for controlling the addition operation of said accumulators (3,4) whereby the addition timing of the accumulators is determined depending upon the positive and negative signs of slopes of the pair of line segments forming the graphic pattern.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 155 words

Pattern generator means for controlling the generation of a pattern upon cathode ray tube type display devices wherein the display device generates patterns by a typical raster type scan line by scan line scanning operation and wherein at least a portion of the pattern is defined by a pair of sloping lines intersecting said scan lines, said means comprising: first and second accumulator means for storing data representing the coordinate of the starting point end of each of said sloping lines, the starting point enc being that end which is first traversed during a scan; coordinate identifier means for generating a count representative of one of the coordinates which identify the location of each scan line as it progresses; means for comparing the contents of said accumulators with said identifier means for generating a signal whose duration represents the time interval during which a scan line moves between the starting points of said sloping lines.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 155 words

Pattern generator means for controlling the generation of a pattern upon cathode ray tube type display devices wherein the display device generates patterns by a typical raster type scan line by scan line scanning operation and wherein at least a portion of the pattern is defined by a pair of sloping lines intersecting said scan lines, said means comprising: first and second accumulator means for storing data representing the coordinate of the starting point end of each of said sloping lines, the starting point enc being that end which is first traversed during a scan; coordinate identifier means for generating a count representative of one of the coordinates which identify the location of each scan line as it progresses; means for comparing the contents of said accumulators with said identifier means for generating a signal whose duration represents the time interval during which a scan line moves between the starting points of said sloping lines.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 60 words

The pattern generator means of claim 3 further comprising first and second storage means each storing data representing the slopes of one of said sloping lines; means for summing the slopes values into one of said accumulators as each new scan line is generated to identify the locations at which the newly generated scan line will intersect the sloping lines.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 94 words

The pattern generator means of claim 4 further comprising; third and fourth storage means for storing data respectively representing the remaining coordinate of each end point of at least one of said sloping lines; second identifier means for generating a count representing the other coordinate of the scan as it progresses; second means for comparing the contents of said third and fourth storage means with said second identifier means for generating a signal whose time interval represents the time required for the scan lines to traverse the said end points as the scan progresses.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 41 words

The means of claim 5 further comprising means coupled to said first and second comparator means for generating a contrast signal whose time duration represents the time required for the scan lines to traverse the region defined by said sloping lines.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 36 words

The means of claim 6 further comprising means coupled to the display device and controlled by said contrast signal for generating said pattern in a manner which contrasts sharply with the region immediately surrounding said pattern.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 69 words

The means of claim 7 further comprising accumulator control means coupled to the second comparator means and the first and second identifier means and the first and second storage means for controlling the time at which the slope values are summed with the accumulators wherein the slope values are inserted into their accumulators delayed by one scan line depending on the positive and negative signs of the slope values.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 252 words

A method for controlling the generation of a pattern in a display device of the cathode ray tube type comprising a. scanning the display in a line by line fashion; b. generating a first count representing the position of the line presently scanning the display; c. generating a second count representing the line presently scanning the display face; d. storing the X, Y coordinates of the starting points of a pair of sloping lines intersecting the scan lines and representing the periphery of the pattern to be displayed; e. storing data representing the slopes of each of the pair of slopIng lines; f. comparing the X coordinates of the starting points of the pair of sloping lines with the first count to develop an X-pattern signal having a time duration equal to the length of time required for each scan line to move between the two X-coordinates; g. comparing the Y-coordinates of the starting and finishing points of at least one of the pair of sloping lines against the second count to generate a Y-pattern control signal having a time duration equal to the length of time required for the scan lines to pass through the Y-start and finish coordinates; h. applying a pattern control signal to the display device only when said X- and Y-pattern control signals are simultaneously present to cause the portion of the pattern represented by the pair of sloping lines to appear on the display in sharp contrast to the region of the display surrounding the pattern.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 252 words

A method for controlling the generation of a pattern in a display device of the cathode ray tube type comprising a. scanning the display in a line by line fashion; b. generating a first count representing the position of the line presently scanning the display; c. generating a second count representing the line presently scanning the display face; d. storing the X, Y coordinates of the starting points of a pair of sloping lines intersecting the scan lines and representing the periphery of the pattern to be displayed; e. storing data representing the slopes of each of the pair of slopIng lines; f. comparing the X coordinates of the starting points of the pair of sloping lines with the first count to develop an X-pattern signal having a time duration equal to the length of time required for each scan line to move between the two X-coordinates; g. comparing the Y-coordinates of the starting and finishing points of at least one of the pair of sloping lines against the second count to generate a Y-pattern control signal having a time duration equal to the length of time required for the scan lines to pass through the Y-start and finish coordinates; h. applying a pattern control signal to the display device only when said X- and Y-pattern control signals are simultaneously present to cause the portion of the pattern represented by the pair of sloping lines to appear on the display in sharp contrast to the region of the display surrounding the pattern.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 9 further comprising i. summing the slope value of each of the pair of lines with the X-coordinate of sloping the starting point of its associated sloping line to alter the X-pattern signal for the next scan line.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 10 further comprising repeating step (i) as each new scan line is generated until the value of the second count exceeds the value of the Y-coordinate of the finishing point of the said one of the pair of sloping lines.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-03-10	1978-09-09	1979-03-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-03-10	1982-09-09	1983-03-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-03-10	1986-09-09	1987-03-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Graphic pattern generation for a tv-like scanned-graphic display equipment

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