Incremental count display system

Claim 1

A method of providing a display of a count of incrementally increasing data, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a display having a plurality of numerical digital representations for displaying said count, said display having a capacity limit as to the largest numerical digital representation that can be displayed thereon; (b) providing non-permanent overflow indicia means for signalling that said count has exceeded said display's capacity limit; (c) incrementally increasing said count in response to said incrementally increasing data; (d) comparing said incrementally increased count with a preselected number; (e) when said incrementally increased count is less than said preselected number, do not activate said overflow indicia means such that said overflow indicia means is deactivated following previous activation, accidental or otherwise and repeat from step c; (f) when said incrementally increased count is not less than said preselected number, activate said overflow indicia means and repeat from step c.

Claim 2

A method of providing a display of a count of incrementally increasing data, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a display having a plurality of numerical digital representations for displaying said count, said display having a capacity limit as to the largest numerical digital representation that can be displayed thereon; (b) providing non-permanent overflow indicia means for signalling that said count has exceeded said display's capacity limit; (c) incrementally increasing said count in response to said incrementally increasing data; (d) comparing said incrementally increased count with a preselected number; (e) when said incrementally increased count is less than said preselected number, do not activate said overflow indicia means such that said overflow indicia means is deactivated following previous activation, accidental or otherwise and repeat from step c; (f) when said incrementally increased count is not less than said preselected number, activate said overflow indicia means and repeat from step c.

Claim 6

A method of providing a display of a subcount of a count of incrementally increasing data, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a display having a plurality of numerical digit representations for displaying said subcount; (b) providing a non-volatile memory for storing selected count data; (c) providing input means for selectively inputting said selected count data into said non-volatile memory; (d) activating said input means to cause said selected count data to be input into said memory; (e) incrementally increasing said count in response to said incrementally increasing data; (f) subtracting said selected count data from said incrementally increased count to obtain said subcount; (g) determining whether at least one preselected digit in said subcount is odd or even; (h) when said preselected digit is even, masking at least one preselected digit representation in said display to display a first preselected indicia; (i) when said preselected digit is odd, masking said at least one preselected digit representation in said display to display a second preselected indicia; (j) displaying only that part of said subcount that comprises digits less significant than said at least one preselected digit; (k) repeat from step e.

Claim 7

A method of providing a display of a subcount of a count of incrementally increasing data, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a display having a plurality of numerical digit representations for displaying said subcount; (b) providing a non-volatile memory for storing selected count data; (c) providing input means for selectively inputting said selected count data into said non-volatile memory; (d) activating said input means to cause said selected count data to be input into said memory; (e) incrementally increasing said count in response to said incrementally increasing data; (f) subtracting said selected count data from said incrementally increased count to obtain said subcount; (g) determining whether at least one preselected digit in said subcount is odd or even; (h) when said preselected digit is even, masking at least one preselected digit representation in said display to display a first preselected indicia; (i) when said preselected digit is odd, masking said at least one preselected digit representation in said display to display a second preselected indicia; (j) displaying only that part of said subcount that comprises digits less significant than said at least one preselected digit; (k) repeat from step e.

Claim 12

A method of providing a display of a subcount of a count of incrementally increasing data, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a display having a plurality of numerical digit representations for displaying said subcount; (b) providing a non-volatile memory for storing selected count data; (c) providing input means for selectively inputting said selected count data into said non-volatile memory; (d) activating said input means to cause said selected count data to be input into said memory; (e) incrementally increasing said count in response to said incrementally increasing data; (f) providing a subcount by subtracting said selected count data from said incrementally increased count; (g) displaying at least a portion of said subcount on said display; (h) repeating from step e such that said selected count data as stored in said memory will not change in value unless said input means is activated and said input means will not be automatically activated when said display exceeds its display capacity.

Claim 13

A method of providing a display of a subcount of a count of incrementally increasing data, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a display having a plurality of numerical digit representations for displaying said subcount; (b) providing a non-volatile memory for storing selected count data; (c) providing input means for selectively inputting said selected count data into said non-volatile memory; (d) activating said input means to cause said selected count data to be input into said memory; (e) incrementally increasing said count in response to said incrementally increasing data; (f) providing a subcount by subtracting said selected count data from said incrementally increased count; (g) displaying at least a portion of said subcount on said display; (h) repeating from step e such that said selected count data as stored in said memory will not change in value unless said input means is activated and said input means will not be automatically activated when said display exceeds its display capacity.

Claim 15

A method of providing a display of a subcount of a count of incrementally increasing data, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a display having a plurality of numerical digit representations for displaying said subcount; (b) providing a first memory for storing selected count data; (c) providing input means for selectively inputting said selected count data into said first memory; (d) providing a second memory for storing said count up to a maximum count; (e) activating said input means to cause said selected count data to be input into said first memory; (f) incrementally increasing said count in response to said incrementally increasing data; (g) storing said incrementally increased count in said second memory; (h) determining whether said selected count data exceeds said incrementally increased count; (i) when said selected count data does not exceed said incrementally increased count, providing said subcount by subtracting said selected count data from said incrementally increased count, displaying at least a portion of said subcount on said display, and repeating from step f; (j) when said selected count data does exceed said incrementally increased count, providing said subcount by subtracting said selected count data from said maximum count and adding said incrementally increased count, displaying at least a portion of said subcount on said display, and repeating from step f.

Claim 16

A method of providing a display of a subcount of a count of incrementally increasing data, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a display having a plurality of numerical digit representations for displaying said subcount; (b) providing a first memory for storing selected count data; (c) providing input means for selectively inputting said selected count data into said first memory; (d) providing a second memory for storing said count up to a maximum count; (e) activating said input means to cause said selected count data to be input into said first memory; (f) incrementally increasing said count in response to said incrementally increasing data; (g) storing said incrementally increased count in said second memory; (h) determining whether said selected count data exceeds said incrementally increased count; (i) when said selected count data does not exceed said incrementally increased count, providing said subcount by subtracting said selected count data from said incrementally increased count, displaying at least a portion of said subcount on said display, and repeating from step f; (j) when said selected count data does exceed said incrementally increased count, providing said subcount by subtracting said selected count data from said maximum count and adding said incrementally increased count, displaying at least a portion of said subcount on said display, and repeating from step f.

Claim 17

A method of providing a display of a count of incrementally increasing data, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a display for displaying said count and for selectively displaying error indicia; (b) providing a plurality of memory locations for storing at least a part of said count; (c) incrementally increasing said count in response to said incrementally increasing data; (d) reading at least some of said memory locations; (e) determining whether at least a preselected number of said memory locations are empty of stored contents, and when this occurs, proceeding to step i below; (f) storing at least part of said incrementally increased count in at least one of said memory locations; (g) displaying at least a part of said increased count on said display; (h) repeating from step c; (i) comparing said memory location stored contents that are non-zero with at least one preselected value; (j) proceeding to step f above when said compared stored contents equal said at least one preselected value; (k) displaying said error indicia when said compared stored contents do not equal said at least one preselected value; (l) repeating from step c.

Claim 18

A method of providing a display of a count of incrementally increasing data, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a display for displaying said count and for selectively displaying error indicia; (b) providing a plurality of memory locations for storing at least a part of said count; (c) incrementally increasing said count in response to said incrementally increasing data; (d) reading at least some of said memory locations; (e) determining whether at least a preselected number of said memory locations are empty of stored contents, and when this occurs, proceeding to step i below; (f) storing at least part of said incrementally increased count in at least one of said memory locations; (g) displaying at least a part of said increased count on said display; (h) repeating from step c; (i) comparing said memory location stored contents that are non-zero with at least one preselected value; (j) proceeding to step f above when said compared stored contents equal said at least one preselected value; (k) displaying said error indicia when said compared stored contents do not equal said at least one preselected value; (l) repeating from step c.