US3594734A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Programmable calculator
Assignee: Wang Laboratories Inc
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Filing: 1969-03-21
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Granted: 1971-07-20
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Expires: 1989-03-21
Abstract
Abstract An electronic calculator system includes a keyboard unit having keys representing numerical values from 0 through 9 and additional keys representing instruction values. Logic responsive to key operation produces codes for numerical values and instruction values; these codes function to determine operations performed by the calculator. The system further includes a magnetic tape unit operable in either of two modes: a learn mode in which key actuation causes the codes to be recorded in predetermined sequence upon a loop of magnetic tape, and a normal mode in which the tape unit senses the codes upon the tape and produces signals responsive to the codes to control calculator operation.
Inventors
- 👤 An Wang
- 👤 Prentice I Robinson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:25
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F15/00; G06F15/04; G06F15/02; G06F15/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
224 words
An electronic calculator system comprising: a keyboard unit having a plurality of manually actuable control elements including ten control elements for numerical values from 0 through 9 and other control elements for instruction values, logic responsive to the operation of said control elements for generating predetermined codes, each such code having the same number of digits and representing either a numerical value or an instruction value, an input register coupled to said logic for storing said predetermined codes generated by said logic, an arithmetic unit coupled to said input register and responsive to numerical or instructional value codes stored in said input register, recording means operable in two modes, a learn mode in which actuation of said control elements initiates the recording of indications representative of said codes upon a recording medium, and a normal mode in which said medium is sensed for said indications and signals responsive to said sensed indications are produced to control the operation of said calculator system, and means coupling said input register to said recording medium for transmitting a code generated by said keyboard unit to said recording medium when said recording medium is operating in said learn mode and for transmitting a code from said recording medium to said input register for processing by said arithmetic unit when said recording medium is operating in said normal mode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
224 words
An electronic calculator system comprising: a keyboard unit having a plurality of manually actuable control elements including ten control elements for numerical values from 0 through 9 and other control elements for instruction values, logic responsive to the operation of said control elements for generating predetermined codes, each such code having the same number of digits and representing either a numerical value or an instruction value, an input register coupled to said logic for storing said predetermined codes generated by said logic, an arithmetic unit coupled to said input register and responsive to numerical or instructional value codes stored in said input register, recording means operable in two modes, a learn mode in which actuation of said control elements initiates the recording of indications representative of said codes upon a recording medium, and a normal mode in which said medium is sensed for said indications and signals responsive to said sensed indications are produced to control the operation of said calculator system, and means coupling said input register to said recording medium for transmitting a code generated by said keyboard unit to said recording medium when said recording medium is operating in said learn mode and for transmitting a code from said recording medium to said input register for processing by said arithmetic unit when said recording medium is operating in said normal mode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The electronic calculator system of claim 1 wherein said recording means is a magnetic tape unit comprising a magnetic tape and means for advancing said tape in the same direction during either mode of operation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The electronic calculator system of claim 2 wherein said magnetic tape is provided with an indicator adapted to be sensed by said tape unit as a reference point upon said tape.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The electronic calculator system of claim 3 wherein said magnetic tape is formed in a closed loop and said recording means further includes erase logic adapted to erase all indications from said tape by continuing an advance of tape and erase until said indicator has been twice sensed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The electronic calculator system of claim 2 wherein said magnetic tape is rotatably mounted within a cartridge, said cartridge having an opening at which a section of said tape is exposed for recording and sensing, said cartridge adapted to be readily inserted in and removed from said tape unit, said tape unit including means for advancing said tape across said opening.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The electronic calculator system of claim 1 and further including means for recording said codes serially upon said recording medium, said means for recording said codes including means for recording in sequence a leading guard bit, a plurality of code bits, and a trailing guard bit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
91 words
The electronic calculator system of claim 6 wherein said recording means includes guard bit sensing means and further including an error detector responsive to said guard bit sensing means said error detector including timing means responsive to the interval between the sensing of said leading guard bit and the sensing of said trailing guard bit by said guard bit sensing means, said timing means generating an error indication in the event that said trailing guard bit is not sensed within a predetermined interval of the sensing of said leading guard bit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The electronic calculator system of claim 2 and further including means for recording each bit of said codes upon said tape in the form of two magnetic indications separated by a variable interval, the length of said interval determining the binary value of said bit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
211 words
An electronic calculator system comprising: a keyboard unit having a plurality of manually actuable control elements including ten control elements for numerical values from 0 through 9 and other control elements for instruction values, first logic responsive to the operation of said control elements for generating pRedetermined codes, each such code having the same number of digits and representing either a numerical value or an instruction value, said instruction values including a first set of values representing complete calculator commands without operand address components and a second set of values representing the initial code of multiple-code commands second logic means adapted to produce a signal indicative of the presence of a multiple-code command represented by one of said second set of values, third logic means responsive to said signal for conditioning said system to discriminate between initial and subsequent codes of said multiple-code commands and recording means coupled to said first logic means and operable in two modes, a learn mode in which actuation of said control elements initiates the recording of indications representative of said codes upon a recording medium, and a normal mode in which said medium is sensed for said indications and signals responsive to said sensed indications are produced to control the operation of said calculator system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
211 words
An electronic calculator system comprising: a keyboard unit having a plurality of manually actuable control elements including ten control elements for numerical values from 0 through 9 and other control elements for instruction values, first logic responsive to the operation of said control elements for generating pRedetermined codes, each such code having the same number of digits and representing either a numerical value or an instruction value, said instruction values including a first set of values representing complete calculator commands without operand address components and a second set of values representing the initial code of multiple-code commands second logic means adapted to produce a signal indicative of the presence of a multiple-code command represented by one of said second set of values, third logic means responsive to said signal for conditioning said system to discriminate between initial and subsequent codes of said multiple-code commands and recording means coupled to said first logic means and operable in two modes, a learn mode in which actuation of said control elements initiates the recording of indications representative of said codes upon a recording medium, and a normal mode in which said medium is sensed for said indications and signals responsive to said sensed indications are produced to control the operation of said calculator system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
131 words
The electronic calculator system of claim 9 further comprising a buffer register, a shift register, and means operative during learn mode operation to initially store codes to be recorded in said buffer register, to transfer said codes from said buffer register into said shift register, and to selectively write 1 and 0 bits upon said recording medium in response to the successive contents of a predetermined stage of said shift register, said recording means further comprising means operative during normal mode operation to serially load said shift register in response to said sensed indications from said recording medium, to transfer the contents of said shift register into said buffer register, and to apply output signals determined by the contents of said buffer register to control the operation of said calculator system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
The electronic calculator system of claim 10 further comprising input terminal means for connecting optional peripheral equipment to said calculator system and control means for enabling said equipment to sample the contents of said buffer register and for selectively transferring program control to said peripheral equipment.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
The electronic calculator system of claim 2, further comprising search means responsive to a first predetermined code followed by an address code for causing said magnetic tape unit to search through sequential codes upon the tape until encountering a second predetermined code followed by a corresponding address code whereby the calculator next responds to the codes on the tape following said corresponding address code.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
90 words
The electronic calculator system of claim 2 further comprising search and return logic means responsive to a first predetermined code followed by an initial address code for causing said magnetic tape unit to search through sequential codes upon the tape until encountering a second predetermined code followed by a corresponding address code, for causing the calculator to then execute the subroutine following said corresponding address code and terminated by a third predetermined code, and for then causing the tape unit to return to the point following said initial address code.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
94 words
The electronic calculator system of claim 13 wherein said search and return logic means comprises a counter, a store, and associated logic means adapted to reset said counter at each complete revolution of said tape loop, to increment said counter each time said first predetermined code is sensed, to transfer the contents of said encounter into said store at the commencement of said search, and to compare the contents of said counter with the contents of said store and to generate a signal indicative of the completion of said return when comparison is effected.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electronic calculator system of claim 1 further comprising decision test branch logic means conditionally responsive to signals from said arithmetic unit.
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) | 1974-07-19 | 1975-01-18 | 1975-07-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-19 | 1979-01-18 | 1979-07-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-19 | 1983-01-18 | 1983-07-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |