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US3952291A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Readout system for magnetic bubbles

Assignee: Monsanto Co
•
Filing: 1973-09-28
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Granted: 1976-04-20
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Expires: 1993-09-28
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Abstract

Abstract A technique for enhancing readout of magnetic bubble data by producing two separate, complementary multiplicities of bubbles representing respectively the presences and the absences of bubbles in a data stream. A pair of detectors register the presence of the respective multiplicities of bubbles. The outputs of the detectors are compared to produce a single output indicative of the presence or absence of the original data bubble. In one embodiment a bubble logic gate causes a single bubble bit in the data stream to logically influence a train of bubbles in a separate closed circuit operating at a rate which is a multiple of the rate of the data stream. Depending on the presence or absence of a bubble in the data stream, the train of bubbles is directed to one or the other of a pair of magnetoresistive elements spanning the length of the train of bubbles. The magnetoresistive elements form part of a balanced bridge circuit.

Inventors

  • 👤 Paul T. Bailey
  • 👤 Robert M. Sandfort
  • 👤 Howard H. Aiken, deceased

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 23:42
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C19/00; G11C19/02; G11C19/08; G11C19/0866

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim 162 words
A readout system for magnetic bubbles, comprising means for continuously advancing a data stream of magnetic bubbles down a predetermined channel, binary values being indicated by the presences and absences of bubbles at consecutive bubble bit positions in the stream, a pair of complementary readout channels forming a propagation system separate from said data stream, means interacting with said data stream for producing a plurality of bubbles on one readout channel for each "1" bubble bit in said data stream and a complementary plurality of bubbles on the complementary readout channel for each "0" bubble bit in said data stream, a pair of bubble detector means for sensing bubbles on said readout channels respectively, each bubble detector means having means for collectively detecting the presence of said plurality of bubbles on the corresponding readout channel, and readout circuit means interconnected with said bubble detectors for providing an enhanced readout indicative of the binary value of a bubble bit on said data stream.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 162 words
A readout system for magnetic bubbles, comprising means for continuously advancing a data stream of magnetic bubbles down a predetermined channel, binary values being indicated by the presences and absences of bubbles at consecutive bubble bit positions in the stream, a pair of complementary readout channels forming a propagation system separate from said data stream, means interacting with said data stream for producing a plurality of bubbles on one readout channel for each "1" bubble bit in said data stream and a complementary plurality of bubbles on the complementary readout channel for each "0" bubble bit in said data stream, a pair of bubble detector means for sensing bubbles on said readout channels respectively, each bubble detector means having means for collectively detecting the presence of said plurality of bubbles on the corresponding readout channel, and readout circuit means interconnected with said bubble detectors for providing an enhanced readout indicative of the binary value of a bubble bit on said data stream.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said readout channels are provided by a two-rail logic circuit having a pair of closed loop propagation paths.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 45 words
The system of claim 2, wherein said interacting means is arranged to associate said data stream with said closed loop paths such that a bubble on one path is switched to the other path in the presence of a corresponding bubble in said data stream.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
The system of claim 3, further comprising means for insuring that all bubbles in said two-rail logic circuit are on said one closed path before encountering the influence of said interacting means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 97 words
The system of claim 4, wherein, said two-rail logic circuit comprises rail means of predetermined width in the form of a closed loop providing complementary stable positions for bubbles on either side of said rail means, the opposite sides of said rail means providing said closed paths, a conductor crisscrossing said rail in uniform consecutive open loops and defining a plurality of consecutive bubble bit positions along said rail, means for propagating bubbles in unison from one bit position to the next down said rail on the same side thereof by pulsing said conductor with alternating current.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 41 words
The readout system of claim 1, wherein said interacting means includes means for receiving a continuously full stream of bubbles as one input and said data stream as another input and for producing said complementary pluralities of bubbles at separate outputs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 37 words
The readout system of claim 6, further comprising a logical OR gate means operatively receiving the separate outputs of said interacting means for furnishing said full stream of bubbles to said one input of said interacting means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 119 words
A readout system for magnetic bubbles, comprising a data channel for continuously advancing a data stream of bubbles through a plurality of serial consecutive bubble positions, binary values being represented by the presences and absences of bubbles in said stream, a readout channel including means for continuously advancing bubble bits through a plurality of serial consecutive bubble positions, means for producing on said readout channel a multiplied replica of said data stream in which each bit is reiterated consecutively over a predetermined equal plural number of adjacent bubble bit positions, and readout means operatively connected to said readout channel for collectively sensing the presences of bubbles in a plurality of adjacent bit positions corresponding to said predetermined equal number.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 119 words
A readout system for magnetic bubbles, comprising a data channel for continuously advancing a data stream of bubbles through a plurality of serial consecutive bubble positions, binary values being represented by the presences and absences of bubbles in said stream, a readout channel including means for continuously advancing bubble bits through a plurality of serial consecutive bubble positions, means for producing on said readout channel a multiplied replica of said data stream in which each bit is reiterated consecutively over a predetermined equal plural number of adjacent bubble bit positions, and readout means operatively connected to said readout channel for collectively sensing the presences of bubbles in a plurality of adjacent bit positions corresponding to said predetermined equal number.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 177 words
A readout system for magnetic bubbles, comprising means for propagating a data stream of bubbles along a predetermined channel in which binary values are indicated by the presences and absences of bubbles, means interacting with said data stream for producing two separate, complementary multiplicities of bubbles corresponding respectively to the presences and absences of bubbles in said data stream, two bubble detectors arranged respectively to sense said two multiplicities of bubbles, and readout circuit means interconnected with said bubble detectors providing an enhanced readout indicative of the binary value of a bubble bit in said data stream, said means for producing said multiplicities of bubbles including a logical interactor operatively receiving said data channel as an input thereto, a separate propagation system for furnishing a full stream of bubbles as another input to said logical interactor, said logical interactor producing a pair of complementary outputs forming part of said separate propagation system and containing respectively said multiplicities of bubbles, and means for operating said separate propagation system at a multiple of the frequency of said data stream.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 177 words
A readout system for magnetic bubbles, comprising means for propagating a data stream of bubbles along a predetermined channel in which binary values are indicated by the presences and absences of bubbles, means interacting with said data stream for producing two separate, complementary multiplicities of bubbles corresponding respectively to the presences and absences of bubbles in said data stream, two bubble detectors arranged respectively to sense said two multiplicities of bubbles, and readout circuit means interconnected with said bubble detectors providing an enhanced readout indicative of the binary value of a bubble bit in said data stream, said means for producing said multiplicities of bubbles including a logical interactor operatively receiving said data channel as an input thereto, a separate propagation system for furnishing a full stream of bubbles as another input to said logical interactor, said logical interactor producing a pair of complementary outputs forming part of said separate propagation system and containing respectively said multiplicities of bubbles, and means for operating said separate propagation system at a multiple of the frequency of said data stream.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 22 words
The system of claim 9, wherein said data channel includes field-accessed circuit elements and said separate propagation system includes conductor-driven circuit elements.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 16 words
The system of claim 10, wherein said separate propagation system includes a two-rail logic propagation circiut.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 88 words
The system of claim 11, wherein said two-rail logic propagation system includes a closed loop propagation channel including a rail of predetermined width in the form of a closed loop providing stable bubble positions on the inside and the outside of said rail, conductor means crisscrossing said rail to define consecutive bit positions along said rail, and means for applying alternating current to said conductor means to move bubbles on the inside or on the outside of said rail along said rail in unison through consecutive bit positions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 60 words
The system of claim 12, wherein said two-rail propagation system further includes reset circuit means located at a predetermined position along said rail for continuously returning bubbles to the outside of said rail, said logical interactor being provided by the adjacency of said field-accessed circuit and said two-rail logic circuit at an interaction point downstream from said reset circuit means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 35 words
The system of claim 13, wherein said bubble detectors include separate, elongated magnetoresponsive elements arranged to be influenced simultaneously by a plurality of consecutive bubbles on corresponding sides of said rail at complementary bit positions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 26 words
The system of claim 14, wherein said magneto-responsive elements each comprise magnetoresistive elements, and said readout circuit means includes a bridge circuit incorporating said magnetoresistive elements.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 46 words
The system of claim 15, wherein said bridge circuit includes a balanced Wheatstone bridge-type circuit in which said magnetoresistive elements form two resistance arms thereof, and electrical detector means connected to opposite junctions of said bridge for indicating the polarity of unbalance of said bridge circuit.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 87 words
A magnetic bubble circuit, comprising two magnetic bubble propagation circuits each having means for advancing bubble bits down a channel through a plurality of serial consecutive bubble positions at a constant data rate, means for determining different simultaneous constant data rates for said two circuits respectively, and interaction means for causing bubbles on one of said circuits to be logically influenced by means of magnetic repulsion by the presences of bubbles in said other circuits while said circuits are both running at said different constant data rates.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 87 words
A magnetic bubble circuit, comprising two magnetic bubble propagation circuits each having means for advancing bubble bits down a channel through a plurality of serial consecutive bubble positions at a constant data rate, means for determining different simultaneous constant data rates for said two circuits respectively, and interaction means for causing bubbles on one of said circuits to be logically influenced by means of magnetic repulsion by the presences of bubbles in said other circuits while said circuits are both running at said different constant data rates.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 41 words
A magnetic bubble circuit, comprising a field-accessed magnetic bubble propagation circuit and a conductor-driven magnetic bubble propagation circuit, interactor means for logically influencing one of said circuits with the other, and means for operating said circuits simultaneously at different frequencies, respectively.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 41 words
A magnetic bubble circuit, comprising a field-accessed magnetic bubble propagation circuit and a conductor-driven magnetic bubble propagation circuit, interactor means for logically influencing one of said circuits with the other, and means for operating said circuits simultaneously at different frequencies, respectively.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 65 words
The system of claim 18, wherein said conductor-driven circuit includes a rail providing stable locations for magnetic bubbles on either side thereof and a conductor crisscrossing said rail defining consecutive, complementary bit positions along said rail on either side thereof and means for applying alternating current to said conductor to move bubbles on either side of said rail in unison through said consecutive bit positions.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 13 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said conductor-driven circuit forms a closed loop.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 14 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said field-accessed circuit is composed of chevron elements.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 122 words
A conductor-driven, two-rail logic, magnetic bubble propagation circuit, comprising a rail of predetermined width, providing complementary stable positions for bubbles on either side thereof, a conductor crisscrossing said rail in consecutive, uniform open loops and defining a plurality of consecutive bit positions along said rail, circuit means for propagating bubbles in unison from one bit position to the next down said rail on the same side thereof by pulsing said conductor with alternating current, a step discontinuity being provided in said rail, the adjacent ends of said rail formed by said discontinuity being offset laterally from each other such that a single side of said rail beyond said discontinuity is preferred by bubbles approaching said discontinuity from either side of said rail.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 122 words
A conductor-driven, two-rail logic, magnetic bubble propagation circuit, comprising a rail of predetermined width, providing complementary stable positions for bubbles on either side thereof, a conductor crisscrossing said rail in consecutive, uniform open loops and defining a plurality of consecutive bit positions along said rail, circuit means for propagating bubbles in unison from one bit position to the next down said rail on the same side thereof by pulsing said conductor with alternating current, a step discontinuity being provided in said rail, the adjacent ends of said rail formed by said discontinuity being offset laterally from each other such that a single side of said rail beyond said discontinuity is preferred by bubbles approaching said discontinuity from either side of said rail.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 109 words
A readout system for magnetic bubbles, comprising a data channel for propagating a data stream of bubbles in which binary values are represented by the presences and absences of bubbles in said stream, a readout channel, means for operating said readout channel at a multiple of the frequency of said data channel, means for producing on said readout channel a modified replica of said data stream in which each bit is reiterated consecutively over a predetermined equal number of bit positions, and readout means operatively connected to said readout channel for collectively sensing the presences of bubbles in a plurality of bit positions corresponding to said predetermined equal number.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 109 words
A readout system for magnetic bubbles, comprising a data channel for propagating a data stream of bubbles in which binary values are represented by the presences and absences of bubbles in said stream, a readout channel, means for operating said readout channel at a multiple of the frequency of said data channel, means for producing on said readout channel a modified replica of said data stream in which each bit is reiterated consecutively over a predetermined equal number of bit positions, and readout means operatively connected to said readout channel for collectively sensing the presences of bubbles in a plurality of bit positions corresponding to said predetermined equal number.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 137 words
A conductor-driven, two-rail logic, magnetic bubble propagation circuit, comprising a rail of predetermined width providing complementary stable positions for bubbles on either side thereof, a conductor crisscrossing said rail in uniform, consecutive, open loops and defining a plurality of consecutive bubble bit positions along said rail, means for propagating bubbles in unison from one bit position to the next down said rail on the same side thereof by pulsing said conductor with alternating current, the excursion of said conductor loops normally being approximately symmetrical with respect to said rail, said rail being offset laterally toward one side of said crisscrossing conductor over a selected plurality of consecutive bit positions, whereby bubbles on one side or the other of said rail are forced to the other side of said rail as they pass through said selected bit positions.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 137 words
A conductor-driven, two-rail logic, magnetic bubble propagation circuit, comprising a rail of predetermined width providing complementary stable positions for bubbles on either side thereof, a conductor crisscrossing said rail in uniform, consecutive, open loops and defining a plurality of consecutive bubble bit positions along said rail, means for propagating bubbles in unison from one bit position to the next down said rail on the same side thereof by pulsing said conductor with alternating current, the excursion of said conductor loops normally being approximately symmetrical with respect to said rail, said rail being offset laterally toward one side of said crisscrossing conductor over a selected plurality of consecutive bit positions, whereby bubbles on one side or the other of said rail are forced to the other side of said rail as they pass through said selected bit positions.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 87 words
A readout system for magnetic bubbles, including a data channel for propagating a data stream of magnetic bubbles in which binary values are represented by the presences and absences of consecutive bubbles in said stream, a readout channel and means operatively interconnecting said data channel and said readout channel for producing on said readout channel a stream of bubbles indicative of the presences and absences of bubbles in said data stream at a rate which is a multiple of the frequency of propagation of said data channel.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 87 words
A readout system for magnetic bubbles, including a data channel for propagating a data stream of magnetic bubbles in which binary values are represented by the presences and absences of consecutive bubbles in said stream, a readout channel and means operatively interconnecting said data channel and said readout channel for producing on said readout channel a stream of bubbles indicative of the presences and absences of bubbles in said data stream at a rate which is a multiple of the frequency of propagation of said data channel.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 134 words
A readout system for magnetic bubbles, comprising means defining a first channel with consecutive bubble bit positions for propagating a serial data stream of bubbles in which binary values are indicated by the presences and absences of bubbles at consecutive positions, means defining a second channel with consecutive bubble bit positions for propagating a serial readout stream of bubbles in which binary values are indicated by the presences and absences of bubbles at consecutive positions, means interacting with said data stream for causing said readout stream on said second channel to become a multiplied replica of said data stream in which each bit is reiterated over a number of consecutive bubble bit positions, and readout means for collectively sensing the presences of bubbles in a plurality of consecutive bit positions on said second channel.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 134 words
A readout system for magnetic bubbles, comprising means defining a first channel with consecutive bubble bit positions for propagating a serial data stream of bubbles in which binary values are indicated by the presences and absences of bubbles at consecutive positions, means defining a second channel with consecutive bubble bit positions for propagating a serial readout stream of bubbles in which binary values are indicated by the presences and absences of bubbles at consecutive positions, means interacting with said data stream for causing said readout stream on said second channel to become a multiplied replica of said data stream in which each bit is reiterated over a number of consecutive bubble bit positions, and readout means for collectively sensing the presences of bubbles in a plurality of consecutive bit positions on said second channel.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system of claim 26, wherein said second channel forms a closed loop for recirculating said readout stream.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 92 words
The system of claim 26, further comprising means defining a third channel with consecutive bubble bit positions for propagating a serial readout stream of bubbles in which binary values are represented by the presences and absences of bubbles at consecutive positions, said means interacting with said data stream further causing said readout stream on said third channel to become the logic complement of the readout stream on said second channel, and another readout means for collectively sensing the presences of bubbles in a plurality of consecutive bit positions on said third channel.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system of claim 28, wherein each of said second and third channels forms a closed loop for recirculating bubbles.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system of claim 28, further comprising circuit means interconnected with said two readout means for discriminating between binary values.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3543255A Cited
US3646530A Cited
US3735145A Cited
US3680066A Cited
US3696347A Cited
US3820089A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-04-20 1979-10-20 1980-04-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-04-20 1983-10-20 1984-04-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-04-20 1987-10-20 1988-04-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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