Binary input processing in a computer using a stack

Claim 1

In a digital computer that has a real time counter and a memory/address bus and that uses binary input data comprising a plurality of bits of information to generate output information in response to a program operating on the binary input data, improved processing of the binary input data comprising the steps of: (a) upon a transition from one state to another of any of the bits of binary input data, storing in an input holding register a byte of binary input data containing the bit which has undergone transition; (b) storing in a capture-time holding register a byte indicative of the count of the real time counter as of the time of the transition; (c) transferring contents of the input holding register to a stack as a pending input data byte and transferring contents of the capture-time holding register to the stack as an input time byte indicative of a real time at which an input data transition occurred; and (d) repeating the above sequence of steps upon a subsequent transition from one state to another of any of the bits of binary input data without, as a result of such repetition of steps, preventing the pending input data byte placed in the stack prior to the subsequent transition from being utilized by the digital computer with the aid of the memory/address bus; whereby, the digital computer may operate on one or more pending input data bytes, and the individual bits therein, without loss of changed binary input data and without disregard of simultaneous data transitions.