System for storing data and thereafter continuously converting stored data to video signals for display

Claim 1

In a system for displaying alpha-numeric characters stored as data word signal sets in a memory, which are sequentially read out of said memory for the purpose of displaying said characters in synchronism with vertical and horizontal sync signals; a character generator including counter means responsive to said horizontal sync signals for producing successive pairs of output signals representative of addresses of successively occurring points within a two dimensional array; a plurality of sets of first selecting gate means, each set connected for selecting a sequence of pairs of output signals from said counter means which provide successively occurring points which when displayed represent an alpha-numeric character; a plurality of disenabled second selecting gate means; means for connecting the output of each of said set of first selecting gate means to the input of a different one of said plurality of second selecting gate means; decoding means connected to said plurality of disenabled second selecting gate means and responsive to a data word signal set read out from said memory for enabling the one of said second selecting gate means which has applied thereto a sequence of signals corresponding to successively occurring points which when displayed will represent the alpha-numeric character represented by the data word signal set; display means to which said vertical and horizontal sync signals are applied; and means for applying the output of said enabled second selecting gate means to said display means to be displayed.

Claim 8

A system for displaying alpha-numeric characters arranged in successive lines of characters across a cathode-ray tube face comprising: means for sequentially generating sets of binary signals each set being representative of an alpha-numeric character desired to be displayed; means for generating horizontal and vertical sync signals; character generator means responsive to said horizontal and vertical sync signals for generating a plurality of signal pulse trains, each of which forms a different alpha-numeric character when displayed in synchronism with said horizontal and vertical sync signals; said character generator means including an X counter means actuated responsive to a horizontal sync pulse for generating a plurality of output pulses responsive thereto; Y counter means actuated responsive to a horizontal sync pulse for generating a pulse responsive thereto; a set of selecting gate means for each alpha-numeric connected for selecting outputs from said x and y counter means which provide a signal pulse train which forms the alpha-numeric character when displayed in synchronism with said horizontal and vertical sync signals; a plurality of disenabled output gate means, one for each alpha-numeric character; means connecting each disenabled output gate means to the output of one of said sets of selecting gate means; a plurality of row busses; a plurality of column busses; means connecting each of said disenabled output gate means to one of said row busses and one of said column busses; decoding gate means to which said binary signal sets are applied for energizing one of said row busses and one of said column busses which are connected to the one of said disenabled output gate means which produces responsive thereto at its output a signal pulse train which forms the alpha-numeric character when displayed in synchronism with said horizontal and vertical sync signals; and cathode-ray tube means to which said horizontal and vertical sync signals together with said signal pulse train are applied for displaying the alpha-numeric character represented by the binary signal set applied to said decoding gate means.

Claim 9

A system for displaying alpha-numeric characters arranged in successive lines of characters across a cathode-ray tube face comprising: means for sequentially generating sets of binary signals each set being representative of an alpha-numeric character desired to be displayed; means for generating horizontal and vertical sync signals; character generator means responsive to said horizontal and vertical sync signals for generating a plurality of signal pulse trains, each of which forms a different alpha-numeric character when displayed in synchronism with said horizontal and vertical sync signals; said character generator means including an X counter means actuated responsive to a horizontal sync pulse for generating a plurality of output pulses responsive thereto; Y counter means actuated responsive to a horizontal sync pulse for generating a pulse responsive thereto; a set of selecting gate means for each alpha-numeric connected for selecting outputs from said x and y counter means which provide a signal pulse train which forms the alpha-numeric character when displayed in synchronism with said horizontal and vertical sync signals; a plurality of disenabled output gate means, one for each alpha-numeric character; means connecting each disenabled output gate means to the output of one of said sets of selecting gate means; a plurality of row busses; a plurality of column busses; means connecting each of said disenabled output gate means to one of said row busses and one of said column busses; decoding gate means to which said binary signal sets are applied for energizing one of said row busses and one of said column busses which are connected to the one of said disenabled output gate means which produces responsive thereto at its output a signal pulse train which forms the alpha-numeric character when displayed in synchronism with said horizontal and vertical sync signals; and cathode-ray tube means to which said horizontal and vertical sync signals together with said signal pulse train are applied for displaying the alpha-numeric character represented by the binary signal set applied to said decoding gate means.

Claim 14

A system for displaying alpha-numeric characters arranged in successive lines of characters across the face of a cathode-ray tube comprising memory means for storing sets of binary signals, each set being representative of an alpha-numeric character desired to be displayed and stored at a different location therein having a different address, means for generating horizontal sync signals and vertical sync signals, first counter means responsive to said horizontal and vertical sync signals for successively producing pairs of output signals representative of dot addresses in a two dimensional dot matrix, a plurality of sets of logic gates means for selecting with each set of gate means those outputs of said first counter means which provide dot addresses in said two dimensional matrix which form a numeric character, second counter means responsive to the outputs of said first counter means for successively producing pairs of output signals representative the successive addresses of characters which are displayed across the face of said cathode-ray tube, third counter means for producing a pair of output signals representative of the address of the location desired for displaying a cursor on the face of said cathode-ray tube, means for advancing the count of said third counter means, means responsive to each pair of output signals of said second counter means for generating the address of a binary signal sEt in said memory, means responsive to the signals representative of the address of a binary signal set for reading said binary signal set out of said memory, means responsive to the binary signal set read from said memory for selecting the output signals from a set of logic gates provide dot addresses in said two dimensional matrix which forms a character corresponding to the one represented by said binary signal set, means for comparing the outputs of said second and third counter means and producing an identity signal when the addresses represented by these outputs correspond, means for producing a cursor signal responsive to said identity signal, and means for applying said vertical and horizontal sync signals, said selected output signals and said cursor signal to said cathode-ray tube whereby said character and cursor signal are displayed.

Claim 15

A system for displaying alpha-numeric characters arranged in successive lines of characters across the face of a cathode-ray tube comprising memory means for storing sets of binary signals, each set being representative of an alpha-numeric character desired to be displayed and stored at a different location therein having a different address, means for generating horizontal sync signals and vertical sync signals, first counter means responsive to said horizontal and vertical sync signals for successively producing pairs of output signals representative of dot addresses in a two dimensional dot matrix, a plurality of sets of logic gates means for selecting with each set of gate means those outputs of said first counter means which provide dot addresses in said two dimensional matrix which form a numeric character, second counter means responsive to the outputs of said first counter means for successively producing pairs of output signals representative the successive addresses of characters which are displayed across the face of said cathode-ray tube, third counter means for producing a pair of output signals representative of the address of the location desired for displaying a cursor on the face of said cathode-ray tube, means for advancing the count of said third counter means, means responsive to each pair of output signals of said second counter means for generating the address of a binary signal sEt in said memory, means responsive to the signals representative of the address of a binary signal set for reading said binary signal set out of said memory, means responsive to the binary signal set read from said memory for selecting the output signals from a set of logic gates provide dot addresses in said two dimensional matrix which forms a character corresponding to the one represented by said binary signal set, means for comparing the outputs of said second and third counter means and producing an identity signal when the addresses represented by these outputs correspond, means for producing a cursor signal responsive to said identity signal, and means for applying said vertical and horizontal sync signals, said selected output signals and said cursor signal to said cathode-ray tube whereby said character and cursor signal are displayed.