Apparatus for programmable control of electromechanical devices

Claim 2

Apparatus for controlling the operation of electromechanical devices, said apparatus comprising: A. a main controller; B. means including a memory for providing instructions to said main controller, each instruction word comprising a plurality of characters including a subcontroller selection character and an execute character, said memory further storing text associated with said instruction words; C. a first subcontroller comprised of input registers controllably coupled to said main controller, said first subcontroller coupled to control inputs of said electromechanical device; D. means for activating said first subcontroller in response to the subcontroller selection character of a first one of the instruction words; E. means for storing said characters in said first instruction word in said first subcontroller input registers; and F. means, in said first subcontroller, for executing said first instruction word stored in said input registers of said first subcontroller in response to said execute character, thereby controlling the operation of an electromechanical device.

Claim 3

there is no comparison in said first means for comparing.

Claim 4

there is no comparison in said first means for comparing.

Claim 5

a second input register stores characters indicating the stop address of said projector, and

Claim 6

a second input register stores characters indicating the stop address of said projector, and

Claim 7

means coupled to said first counting means for positioning said projector at said start address;

Claim 8

means coupled to said first counting means for positioning said projector at said start address;

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein: A. said main controller includes means for producing position signals corresponding to the position of said characters in said first instruction word; and wherein B. said means for storing said first instruction word characters in said first subcontroller input registers is responsive to said position signals.

Claim 10

means for activating said electromechanical device at each of said addresses for the time of operation indicated in said third input register.

Claim 11

means for activating said electromechanical device at each of said addresses for the time of operation indicated in said third input register.

Claim 12

there is no comparison in said first means for comparing.

Claim 13

there is no comparison in said first means for comparing.

Claim 14

said slide projector is positioned at an address indicated by said first counting means; and B. means for turning off said light source in said slide projector when

Claim 15

said slide projector is positioned at an address indicated by said first counting means; and B. means for turning off said light source in said slide projector when

Claim 16

there is a comparison in said second comparing means.

Claim 17

there is a comparison in said second comparing means.

Claim 18

there is a comparison in said second comparing means.

Claim 19

there is a comparison in said second comparing means.

Claim 20

said electromechanical device is positioned at an address indicated by said first counting means; and B. means for turning off said light source in said electromechanical device when

Claim 21

said electromechanical device is positioned at an address indicated by said first counting means; and B. means for turning off said light source in said electromechanical device when

Claim 22

means responsive to a third special control character for producing said second voltage level while said instruction word is executed by means for executing, thereby unblanking said display during the time said first subcontroller is activated.

Claim 23

means responsive to a third special control character for producing said second voltage level while said instruction word is executed by means for executing, thereby unblanking said display during the time said first subcontroller is activated.

Claim 24

first means coupled to said first counting means and stop address input register for comparing the address contained in said first counting means and the address contained in said stop address input register;

Claim 25

first means coupled to said first counting means and stop address input register for comparing the address contained in said first counting means and the address contained in said stop address input register;

Claim 26

a third input register stores characters indicating the time of operation for each address between and including said start and stop addresses of said projector; C. means for activating said main controller and said subcontroller in response to said instruction word, thereby storing said characters in said respective input registers; and D. means, in said subcontroller, for activating said projector and for executing said instruction word stored in said subcontroller input registers in response to an execute character in said instruction word, wherein said means for activating includes:

Claim 27

a third input register stores characters indicating the time of operation for each address between and including said start and stop addresses of said projector; C. means for activating said main controller and said subcontroller in response to said instruction word, thereby storing said characters in said respective input registers; and D. means, in said subcontroller, for activating said projector and for executing said instruction word stored in said subcontroller input registers in response to an execute character in said instruction word, wherein said means for activating includes:

Claim 28

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for executing said first instruction word comprises: A. a first input register for storing the characters of said instruction word indicating the operation start address of said electromechanical device; B. a second input register for storing the characters of said first instruction word indicating the operation stop address of said electromechanical device; and C. a third input register for storing the characters of said first instruction word indicating the time of operation for each address between and including said start and stop addresses of said electromechanical device; D. means for activating said electromechanical device at each of said addresses for the time of operation indicated in said third input register.

Claim 29

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for activating said electromechanical device includes: A. first counting means coupled to said start address input register, said first counting means being incremented to said start address; B. means coupled to said first counting means for positioning said electromechanical device at said start address; C. first means coupled to saiD first counting means and said stop address input register for comparing the address contained in said first counting means and the address contained in said stop address input register; D. means, coupled to said first comparing means, for incrementing said first counting means one address position after electromechanical device is activated for said time of operation indicated when there is no comparison in said first comparing means; and E. means, coupled to said first comparing means, for deactivating said first subcontroller when there is a comparison in said first comparing means.

Claim 30

means, coupled to said first comparing means, for incrementing said first counting means one address position after said projector is activated for said time of operation indicated when there is no comparison in said comparing means; and

Claim 31

means, coupled to said first comparing means, for incrementing said first counting means one address position after said projector is activated for said time of operation indicated when there is no comparison in said comparing means; and

Claim 32

means, coupled to said first comparing means, for deactivating said first subcontroller when there is a comparison in said first comparing means.

Claim 33

means, coupled to said first comparing means, for deactivating said first subcontroller when there is a comparison in said first comparing means.

Claim 34

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for activating said electromechanical device further comprises: A. means for generating a clock signal when said electromechanical device is positioned at the indicated address; B. second means for counting the number of occurrences of said clock signal; C. second means for comparing said number of occurrences of said clock signal with said characters indicating said time of operation in said third input register; D. means for clearing said second means for counting when there is a comparison in said second means for comparing; and E. means for incrementing the address of said first counting means when

Claim 35

Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said electromechanical device is a tape recorder.

Claim 36

Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said first subcontroller further includes A. means for turning on a light source in said electromechanical device when

Claim 37

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said electromechanical device is a slide projector.

Claim 38

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said electromechanical device is a movie projector.

Claim 39

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said electromechanical device is a perceptoscope.

Claim 40

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, A. wherein said memory is a recirculating memory; and B. wherein display apparatus is coupled to said recirculating memory for display of said instruction words and said text associated with said instruction words as selected by special control characters of said instruction word, said display being blanked in response to a first voltage level from said main controller and said display being unblanked in response to a second voltage level from said main controller.

Claim 41

Apparatus as defined in claim 11 further including: A. means, in said main controller, responsive to said special control characters for producing first and second voltage levels for respectively blanking and unblanking said display; B. means responsive to a first special control character for producing said first voltage level blanking said display for all characters appearing after said first special control character; and C. means responsive to a second special control character for producing said second voltage level unblanking said display for all characters appearing after said second special control character.

Claim 42

Apparatus as defined in claim 12, further including means responsive to a third special control character for producing said second voltage level while said instruction word is executed by said means for executing, thereby unblanking said display during the time said first subcontroller is activated.

Claim 43

Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said display apparatus further includes a keyboard interacting witH said display in said display apparatus to provide editing capability of said instruction words and said text associated with said instruction words.

Claim 44

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising: A. a second subcontroller comprised of input registers controllably coupled to said main controller; B. means for activating said second subcontroller in response to a subcontroller selection character in a second one of said instruction words; and C. means for delaying execution of said means for executing in said first subcontroller until a delay execution character in said second instruction word is detected by said first and second subcontrollers, thereby controlling the simultaneous operation of two electromechanical devices.

Claim 45

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for executing said first instruction word comprises: A. a first input register for storing the characters of said first instruction word indicating the operation start address of said electromechanical device; B. a second input register for storing the characters of said first instruction word indicating the operation stop address of said electromechanical device; C. a third input register for storing the characters of said first instruction word indicating the speed of operation of said electromechanical device; and D. means for activating said electromechanical device at the speed selected between said start and stop addresses.

Claim 46

Apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said means for activating said electromechanical device includes: A. means coupled to said first input register for positioning said electromechanical device at said start address; B. means for detecting the present address of said electromechanical device; C. means for comparing said detected present address and said stop address in said second input register and deactivating said electromechanical device when there is a comparison.

Claim 47

Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said activating means further includes a light source, said light source: A. being turned on when said electromechanical device is activated; and B. being turned off when there is a comparison in said means for comparing.

Claim 48

Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said means for executing said first instruction word further comprises: A. a fourth input register for storing the characters of said first instruction word indicating the operation track number of said electromechanical device; and B. means coupled to said fourth input register for positioning said electromechanical device for operation on the track number indicated by said fourth input register.

Claim 49

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first instruction word in comprised of a plurality of fields wherein which said plurality of characters is included.

Claim 50

Apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein said fields include characters indicating: A. the operation start address of said electromechanical device; B. the operation stop address of said electromechanical device; C. the subcontroller to be activated; and D. the electromechanical device to be activated.

Claim 51

Apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said fields further include characters indicating speed of operation of said electromechanical device.

Claim 52

Apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said fields further include characters indicating time for operation of said electromechanical device.

Claim 53

Apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said fields further include characters indicating operation track number of said electromechanical device.

Claim 54

Apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said fields further include characters indicating direction of operation of said electromechanical device.

Claim 55

Apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said fields further include characters indicating a first axis start and stop address and a second axis start and stop adDress of said electromechanical device.

Claim 56

Apparatus as defined in claim 26 wherein said electromechanical device is an X-Y positioning device.

Claim 57

Apparatus for controlling the operation of electromechanical devices, said apparatus comprising: A. a recirculating memory wherein which are stored instruction words and text associated with said instruction words each of said instruction words including a plurality of fields, each of said fields including a plurality of characters; B. a main controller; C. means for activating said main controller in response to an instruction word; D. a first subcontroller comprised of input registers controllably coupled to said main controller; E. means for activating said first subcontroller in response to a subcontroller selection character in said instruction word; F. means responsive to said instruction word fields for storing said instruction word characters in said first subcontroller input registers; G. means, in said first subcontroller, for executing said instruction word stored in said input registers of said first subcontroller in response to an execute character in said instruction word, thereby controlling the operation of an electromechanical device; and H. a display apparatus coupled to said recirculating memory for display of said instruction words and said text associated with said instruction words as selected by special control characters of said instruction word.

Claim 58

Apparatus for controlling the operation of electromechanical devices, said apparatus comprising: A. a recirculating memory wherein which are stored instruction words and text associated with said instruction words each of said instruction words including a plurality of fields, each of said fields including a plurality of characters; B. a main controller; C. means for activating said main controller in response to an instruction word; D. a first subcontroller comprised of input registers controllably coupled to said main controller; E. means for activating said first subcontroller in response to a subcontroller selection character in said instruction word; F. means responsive to said instruction word fields for storing said instruction word characters in said first subcontroller input registers; G. means, in said first subcontroller, for executing said instruction word stored in said input registers of said first subcontroller in response to an execute character in said instruction word, thereby controlling the operation of an electromechanical device; and H. a display apparatus coupled to said recirculating memory for display of said instruction words and said text associated with said instruction words as selected by special control characters of said instruction word.

Claim 59

Apparatus as defined in claim 28 wherein said means for executing said instruction word comprises: A. a first input register for storing the characters of said instruction word indicating the operation start address of said electromechanical device; B. a second input register for storing the characters of said instruction word indicating the operation stop address of said electromechanical device; and C. a third input register for storing the characters of said instruction word indicating the time of operation for each address between and including said start and stop addresses of said electromechanical device;

Claim 60

Apparatus as defined in claim 29, further including: A. means, in said main controller, responsive to said special control characters for producing first and second voltage levels for respectively blanking and unblanking said display; B. means responsive to a first special control character for producing said first voltage level blanking said display for all characters appearing after said first special control character; C. means responsive to a second special control character for producing said second voltage level unblanking said display for all characters appearing after said second special control character; and

Claim 61

Apparatus as defined in claim 30, further comprising: A. a second subcontroller comprised of input registers controllably coupled to said main controller; B. means for activating said second subcontroller in response to a subcontroller selection character in a second instruction word; and C. means for delaying execution of said means for executing in said first subcontroller until a delay execution character in said second instruction word is detected by said first and second subcontrollers, thereby controlling the simultaneous operation of two electromechanical devices.

Claim 62

Apparatus for controlling the operation of a random access, remotely programmable slide projector in response to an instruction word, said instruction word comprising a plurality of characters, said apparatus comprising: A. a main controller; B. a slide projector subcontroller, said subcontroller including input registers coupled to said main controller wherein

Claim 63

Apparatus for controlling the operation of a random access, remotely programmable slide projector in response to an instruction word, said instruction word comprising a plurality of characters, said apparatus comprising: A. a main controller; B. a slide projector subcontroller, said subcontroller including input registers coupled to said main controller wherein

Claim 64

Apparatus as defined in claim 32 wherein said means for activating said slide projector further comprises: A. means for generating a clock signal when said slide projector is positioned at the indicated address; B. second means for counting the number of occurrences of said clock signal; C. second means for comparing said number of occurrences of said clock signal with said characters indicating said time of operation in said third input register; D. means for clearing said second means for counting when there is a comparison in said second means for comparing; and E. means for incrementing the address of said first counting means when

Claim 65

Apparatus as defined in claim 33 wherein said first subcontroller further includes: A. means for turning on a light source in said slide projector when

Claim 66

Apparatus as defined in claim 32, further including: A. a recirculating memory coupled to said main controller activating means wherein said instruction word, text associated with said instruction word, and additional instruction words and associated text are stored; and B. a display apparatus coupled to said recirculating memory for display of said instruction words and said text associated with said instruction words as selected by special control characters of said instruction words.