US3995263A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Oscilloscope date-time generator and display
Assignee: United States Department of the Army
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Filing: 1974-12-05
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Granted: 1976-11-30
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Expires: 1994-12-05
Abstract
Abstract A device readily adaptable into existing laboratory oscilloscopes for causing the current date and time of day to be displayed on the screen thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the analog read out comprises ten digits across the top of the oscilloscope screen and respectively represent years, hundreds of days, tens of days, days, tens of hours, hours, tens of minutes, minutes, tens of seconds, and seconds. The device essentially comprises a time-keeping module for generating binary coded decimal signals representative of the date and time data, a slightly modified standard oscilloscope keyboard read out plug-in unit, and, of course, the oscilloscope itself. Initialization of the data may be accomplished by manually operable thumbwheel switches located on the time-keeping module. The device keeps time to an accuracy of about one-fifth second per day and is extremely useful when precise time recordation of remotely obtained data is necessary.
Inventors
- 👤 James S. Shreve
- 👤 George R. Thompson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:16
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R13/00; G01R13/20; G01R13/22; G04; G04G; G04G9/00; G04G9/0058; G09; G09G; G09G1/00; G09G1/06; G09G1/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
204 words
An oscilloscope date-time generator and display, which comprises; a cathode ray tube oscilloscope; a screen for displaying the analog output of said oscilloscope; a date and time generator means for continuously generating binary coded decimal (BCD) signals representative of instantaneous date and time, wherein said date and time generator means comprises a clock pulse generator, counter means connected to receive the output from said clock pulse generator for producing BCD outputs representative of said instanteous date and time, storage buffer means connected to receive said BCD outputs and output same upon receipt of a strobe pulse, and a multiplexer means which receive the output from said buffer means and produce a BCD output in response to an address command signal received from an address counter means which, itself, is responsive to said strobe pulse; and means connected to said oscilloscope for displaying alpha-numeric characters on said screen which includes means for generating said strobe pulse every time a character is to be displayed on said screen and means responsive to said BCD date and time signals for causing said alpha-numeric character displaying means to display a plurality of characters on said screen indicative of said instantaneous date and time independently of said analog output.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
204 words
An oscilloscope date-time generator and display, which comprises; a cathode ray tube oscilloscope; a screen for displaying the analog output of said oscilloscope; a date and time generator means for continuously generating binary coded decimal (BCD) signals representative of instantaneous date and time, wherein said date and time generator means comprises a clock pulse generator, counter means connected to receive the output from said clock pulse generator for producing BCD outputs representative of said instanteous date and time, storage buffer means connected to receive said BCD outputs and output same upon receipt of a strobe pulse, and a multiplexer means which receive the output from said buffer means and produce a BCD output in response to an address command signal received from an address counter means which, itself, is responsive to said strobe pulse; and means connected to said oscilloscope for displaying alpha-numeric characters on said screen which includes means for generating said strobe pulse every time a character is to be displayed on said screen and means responsive to said BCD date and time signals for causing said alpha-numeric character displaying means to display a plurality of characters on said screen indicative of said instantaneous date and time independently of said analog output.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The combination according to claim 1, wherein said alpha-numeric character displaying means includes character matrix generator means for causing particular alpha-numeric characters to be displayed in response to the receipt thereby of respective predetermined analog signal amplitudes, and wherein said means responsive to said BCD date and time signals includes means for providing said analog signals in response to said BCD signals representative of said instantaneous date and time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination according to claim 2, wherein said means for providing said analog signals comprises a digital-to-analog converter connected to receive said BCD signals from said date and time generator means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The combination according to claim 3 wherein said address counter means responsive to said strobe pulse produces successive BCD address command signal outputs to said multiplexer means equal in number to the number of characters representative of said date and time to be displayed by said displaying means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The combination according to claim 4 wherein said date and time generator means further comprises means for manually entering BCD signals into said counter means representative of desired date and time information.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination according to claim 5, wherein said means for manually entering BCD signals comprises a plurality of thumbwheel switches which provide a BCD output according to their respective analog settings.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The combination according to claim 6 wherein the number of said plurality of switches is at least ten for respectively registering ten characters of information corresponding to the year, hundreds of days, tens of days, days, tens of hours, hours, tens of minutes, minutes, tens of seconds, and seconds.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The compination according to claim 4 wherein said BCD output of said multiplexer means is connected to said digital-to-analog converter.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said date and time generator means includes self-contained power supply means for causing same to be continuously operable to generate said BCD date and time signals whereby said date and time generator means is rendered portable.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3396378A
Cited
US3792613A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-11-30 | 1980-05-31 | 1980-11-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-11-30 | 1984-05-31 | 1984-11-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-11-30 | 1988-05-31 | 1988-11-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |