Patent US4051486A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4051486A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Digital flash intensity control system for phototypesetters
Assignee: AB Dick Co
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Filing: 1975-11-03
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Granted: 1977-09-27
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Expires: 1995-11-03
Abstract
Abstract For variable letter sizes being photographically recorded in a second generation phototypesetter, it is desired to increase generated quantities of light flux produced by the flash lamp operating in conjunction with a font disc where larger letter sizes are thereby imaged upon the photosensitive medium, and conversely, to reduce such flux where smaller characters are to be projected. The disclosed system employs a digital letter size code for controlling the amount of charge inserted into a storage capacitor via a digital to analog converter and multivibrator. When the flash lamp is triggered at the appropriate time to selectively illuminate a given character, the energy associated with the stored charge is employed to energize the lamp.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter R. Ebner
- 👤 Louis E. Griffith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 16:02
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41B; B41B21/00; B41B21/08; B41B21/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
In a phototypesetter: a. a font storage medium; b. a light generator for momentarily illuminating selected characters of said font storage medium; c. a letter size control means for producing a code related to the desired letter size to be typeset; and d. light flux generator control means coupled between said letter size control means and said light flux generator for applying a variable flux control signal to said light flux generator proportional to the code produced by said letter size control circuit, said light flux generator control means including an electrical charge generator for producing an electrical charge proportional to the code produced by said letter size control means for controlling the degree of light flux generated by said light flux generator, said charge generator further including an electrical pulse generator for producing an output having energy proportional to said code produced by said letter size control means, together with a storage capacitor coupled to said electrical pulse generator for storing a charge therein proportional to said energy of the output produced by said electrical pulse generator.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
178 words
In a phototypesetter: a. a font storage medium; b. a light generator for momentarily illuminating selected characters of said font storage medium; c. a letter size control means for producing a code related to the desired letter size to be typeset; and d. light flux generator control means coupled between said letter size control means and said light flux generator for applying a variable flux control signal to said light flux generator proportional to the code produced by said letter size control circuit, said light flux generator control means including an electrical charge generator for producing an electrical charge proportional to the code produced by said letter size control means for controlling the degree of light flux generated by said light flux generator, said charge generator further including an electrical pulse generator for producing an output having energy proportional to said code produced by said letter size control means, together with a storage capacitor coupled to said electrical pulse generator for storing a charge therein proportional to said energy of the output produced by said electrical pulse generator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
110 words
The phototypesetter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said light flux generator control means includes a digital to analog converter coupled to the output circuit of said letter size control means for producing an analog signal having an amplitude proportional to said code produced by said letter size control means, together with an oscillator coupled to the output circuit of said digital to analog converter wherein the energy of the output of said oscillator is proportional to the amplitude of the output signal of said digital to analog converter, and a trigger means for effecting the discharge of the charge within said storage capacitor into said light flux generator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a phototypesetter: a. a font storage medium; b. an xenon flash lamp for momentarily illuminating selected characters of said font storage medium; c. a letter size control means for producing a code related to the desired letter size to be typeset; and d. light flux generator control means coupled between said letter size control means and said xenon flash lamp for applying a variable flux control signal to said xenon flash lamp proportional to the code produced by said letter size control circuit, said light flux generator control means further comprising a charge generator including an electrical oscillator for producing an output having energy proportional to said code produced by said letter size control means together with a storage capacitor coupled to said electrical oscillator for storing a charge therein proportional to said energy of the output pulses produced by said electrical oscillator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a phototypesetter: a. a font storage medium; b. an xenon flash lamp for momentarily illuminating selected characters of said font storage medium; c. a letter size control means for producing a code related to the desired letter size to be typeset; and d. light flux generator control means coupled between said letter size control means and said xenon flash lamp for applying a variable flux control signal to said xenon flash lamp proportional to the code produced by said letter size control circuit, said light flux generator control means further comprising a charge generator including an electrical oscillator for producing an output having energy proportional to said code produced by said letter size control means together with a storage capacitor coupled to said electrical oscillator for storing a charge therein proportional to said energy of the output pulses produced by said electrical oscillator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
112 words
The phototypesetter as set forth in clam 3 wherein said light flux generator control means includes a digital to analog converter coupled to the output circuit of said letter size control means for producing an analog signal having an amplitude proportional to said code produced by said letter size control means, together with means for coupling said oscillator to the output circuit of said digital to analog converter wherein the energy of the output of said oscillator is proportional to the amplitude of the output signal of said digital to analog converter, and a trigger means for effecting the discharge of the charge within said storage capacitor into said xenon flash tube.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
112 words
The phototypesetter as set forth in clam 3 wherein said light flux generator control means includes a digital to analog converter coupled to the output circuit of said letter size control means for producing an analog signal having an amplitude proportional to said code produced by said letter size control means, together with means for coupling said oscillator to the output circuit of said digital to analog converter wherein the energy of the output of said oscillator is proportional to the amplitude of the output signal of said digital to analog converter, and a trigger means for effecting the discharge of the charge within said storage capacitor into said xenon flash tube.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
182 words
In a phototypesetter: a. a font storage medium; b. a light flux generator for momentarily illuminating selected characters of said font storage medium; c. a register for containing a code proportional to the letter size to be typeset; d. a digital to analog converter having an input circuit coupled to the output circuit of said register for generating an analog signal porportional to the code stored in said register; e. a voltage regulator having an input circuit coupled to the output circuit of said digital to analog converter; f. an oscillator having an input circuit coupled to the output circuit of said voltage regulator for producing an output having an amplitude proportional to the amplitude of the output voltage of said voltage regulator; g. a storage capacitor coupled to the output circuit of said oscillator for storing a charge therein proportional to the amplitude of the output produced by said oscillator; and h. trigger means for causing the charge stored in said storage capacitor to activate said light flux generator, thereby to illuminate a selected character associated with said font storage means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
182 words
In a phototypesetter: a. a font storage medium; b. a light flux generator for momentarily illuminating selected characters of said font storage medium; c. a register for containing a code proportional to the letter size to be typeset; d. a digital to analog converter having an input circuit coupled to the output circuit of said register for generating an analog signal porportional to the code stored in said register; e. a voltage regulator having an input circuit coupled to the output circuit of said digital to analog converter; f. an oscillator having an input circuit coupled to the output circuit of said voltage regulator for producing an output having an amplitude proportional to the amplitude of the output voltage of said voltage regulator; g. a storage capacitor coupled to the output circuit of said oscillator for storing a charge therein proportional to the amplitude of the output produced by said oscillator; and h. trigger means for causing the charge stored in said storage capacitor to activate said light flux generator, thereby to illuminate a selected character associated with said font storage means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination as set forth in claim 5 further including a voltage step-up transformer coupled between said oscillator and said storage capacitor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said light flux generator comprises a xenon flash lamp.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said light flux generator comprises a xenon flash lamp.
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) | 1980-09-26 | 1981-03-28 | 1981-09-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-09-26 | 1985-03-28 | 1985-09-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-09-26 | 1989-03-28 | 1989-09-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |