Waveform and symbol display system

• US 3,872,461 A
• Filed: 10/26/1972
• Issued: 03/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Benjamin H. Weppner, Norman A. Jarosik
• Original Assignee: Benjamin H. Weppner, Norman A. Jarosik
• Inventors: Weppner, Benjamin H., Jarosik, Norman A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trafton, David L.
• Application Number:
  US05/300,904
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 340/324A,324AD,212
• US Class Current: 345/618
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 1/00 Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with cathode-ray tube indicators; General aspects or details, e.g. selection emphasis on particular characters, dashed line or dotted line generation; Preprocessing of datacathode-ray oscilloscopes G01R13/20; radar display arrangements G01S7/04; display of digital non-picture data in television systems H04N7/0255

Abstract

A system for displaying visual images of a signal containing data or information and of a symbol or alphanumeric character indicative of a characteristic of the signal. The system includes, in combination with a display of the cathode ray tube type, means for applying to the display a composite vertical deflection signal which alternately traces the vertical components of the data signal and the symbol categorizing the signal. The system further includes means for applying to the display a composite horizontal deflection signal which alternately traces the horizontal components of the data signal and the symbol. The system also includes means for applying to the display blanking signals to form a visual image of the symbol. Visual images of the data signal and the symbol are produced simultaneously on the display in spaced, corresponding relation and the system is capable of holding the images on the display for prolonged viewing.

Claims

1. In combination:

a. display means of the type having a display trace sweep for providing a visual image in response to signals applied thereto;

b. input means adapted to be coupled to a signal representing information;

c. means connected to said input means for examining said information signal and for providing a signal representation of a symbol selected according to the nature of said information signal; and

d. signal applying means connected to said input means and to said means providing said signal representation of a symbol for applying said information signal and said signal representation to said display means for providing visual images of said information signal and said symbol simultaneously on said display means in corresponding relation to each other.

2. The combination according tO claim 1, wherein said signal applying means includes refresh display memory means whereby the images of said information signal and said symbol are maintained on said display means for a time longer than the actual duration of said information signal.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said display means is of the cathode ray tube type and said signal applying means comprises:

a. means for applying to said display means a composite vertical deflection signal which alternately traces the vertical components of said information signal and said symbol;

b. means for applying to said display means a composite horizontal deflection signal which alternately traces the horizontal components of said information signal and said symbol; and

c. means for applying to said display means blanking signals to form a visual image of said symbol.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said means for applying said composite vertical deflection signal comprises:

a. means for generating a step signal wherein each step corresponds to a vertical component of said symbol; and

b. controlled switching means for alternately connecting the vertical component of said information signal and said step signal to said display means.

5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein said means for generating a step signal comprises:

a. timing pulse generating means;

b. counting means having an input connected to said timing pulse generating means for counting said timing pulses and providing output signals representing each count; and

c. means connected to the output of said counting means for converting successive count representations into said step signal.

6. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said means for applying said composite vertical deflection signal comprises:

a. means including memory means for converting said information signal into a refreshed signal;

b. means for generating a step signal wherein each step corresponds to a vertical component of said symbol; and

c. controlled switching means for alternately connecting the outputs of said converting means and said step signal generating means to said display means.

7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein converting means comprises:

a. means for sampling said information signal and providing digital word signals signifying the instantaneous value of a parameter of the signal at the time of sampling;

b. memory means connected to the output of said sampling means for delaying said words for a predetermined time; and

c. converter means connected to the output of said memory means for converting digital words released from said memory means into a signal resembling said information signal.

8. The combination according to claim 4, further comprising:

a. switching signal producing means connected to said switching means for alternately connecting said vertical signal components at the frequency of said switching signal; and

b. signal spacing means connected to said switching signal producing means and to the output of said switching means for spacing apart on said display means the vertical components of said information signal and said symbol.

9. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said means for applying said composite horizontal deflection signal comprises:

a. means for generating a horizontal sweep signal;

b. means for generating a step signal wherein each step corresponds to a horizontal component of said symbol; and

c. controlled switching means for alternately connecting said horizontal sweep signal and said step signal to said display means.

10. The combination according to claim 9, wherein said means for generating a step signal comprises:

a. timing pulse generating means;

b. counting means having an input connected to said timing pulse generating means for counting said timing pulses and providing output signals representing each count; and

c. means cOnnected to the output of said counting means for converting the count representation into said step signal in a manner such that each step begins after a predetermined number of counts.

11. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said means for applying blanking signals comprises:

a. means for providing a code as determined by the symbol which is selected;

b. means for converting said code to a plurality of digital words representing vertical and horizontal components of the symbol; and

c. means for converting said digital words to signals for application to said display means to form a visual image of said symbol.

12. The combination according to claim 11, wherein said code providing means comprises computer means for examining said information signal, placing said signal in one of a plurality of categories as determined by characteristics of said signal, and generating said code as determined by the particular category in which said signal is placed.

13. The combination according to claim 11, wherein said symbol is represented by a dot matrix pattern and wherein converting means produces digital words each including a number of bits equal to the number of dot positions in a vertical column of the matrix, the number of digital words being equal to the number of dot positions in a horizontal row of the matrix.

14. A system for displaying signals containing information comprising:

a. display means of the type having a display trace sweep for providing a visual image in response to signals applied thereto;

b. first signal generating means connected to said display means for providing a visual image of a signal representing information on said display means said first signal generating means producing horizontal and vertical deflection signals;

c. second signal generating means connected to said display means for providing a dot matrix pattern forming a visual image of a selected symbol and comprising means producing signals for forming the dots of said matrix pattern as determined by the particular symbol selected and means producing horizontal and vertical deflection signals for moving said dot forming signals stepwise in the rows and columns of the matrix to from a visual image of the symbol; and

d. means for synchronizing the generation of said information signal image with said dot matrix image of said symbol whereby both images are viewed together on said display means, said synchronizing means including controlled switching means for alternately connecting the vertical and horizontal deflection signals produced by said first and second signal generating means to said display means in a manner such that each sweep alternates between the information signal and the dot matrix pattern forming the symbol.

15. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein said first and second signal generating means each includes memory means whereby said display means is of the refreshed type enabling prolonged viewing of the images formed thereon.

16. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein said means producing dot forming signals comprises:

a. means providing a code as determined by the symbol which is selected;

b. means for converting said code to a plurality of digital words representing vertical and horizontal components of said matrix; and

c. means for converting said digital words to sequential signals.

17. A system as defined in claim 16, wherein said converting means produces digital words each including a number of bits equal to the number of dot positions in a vertical column of the matrix, the number of digital words being equal to the number of dot positions in a horizontal row of the matrix.

18. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein said means producing deflection signals comprises:

a. a source of timing pulses;

b. digital counting means having an input connected to said source of timing pulses for counting said timing pulses and providing digital output signals represEnting each count;

c. means connected to the low order bit positions of the counter output for converting the count representations into a step signal comprising the vertical deflection signal; and

d. means connected to the high order bit positions of the counter output for converting the count representation into a step signal comprising the horizontal deflection signal; and

e. whereby a plurality of steps in the vertical deflection signal are provided for each step in the horizontal deflection signal.

19. A system for displaying signals containing information comprising:

a. display means of the type having a display trace sweep for providing a visual image in response to signals applied thereto;

b. means for providing a signal representing information;

c. means for providing a signal representation of a symbol selected according to the nature of said information signal;

d. means operatively connected to said information signal providing means for applying to said display means a composite vertical deflection signal which alternately traces the vertical components of said information signal and said symbol;

e. means for applying to said display means a composite horizontal deflection signal which alternately traces the horizontal components of said information signal and said symbol; and

f. means operatively connected to said symbol representation signal providing means for applying to said display means blanking signals to form a visual image of said symbol and comprising means for providing a code as determined by the symbol which is selected, means for converting said code to a plurality of digital words representing vertical and horizontal components of the symbol, and means for converting said digital words to signals for application to said display means to form a visual image of said symbol.

20. A system as defined in claim 19, wherein said code providing means comprises computer means for examing said information signal, placing said signal in one of a plurality of categories as determined by characteristics of said signal, and generating said code as determined by the particular category in which said signal is placed.

21. A system as defined in claim 19, wherein said symbol is represented by a dot matrix pattern and wherein converting means produces digital words each including a number of bits equal to the number of dot positions in a vertical column of the matrix, the number of digital words being equal to the number of dot positions in a horizontal row of the matrix.

22. A system for displaying signals containing information comprising:

a. display means of the type having a display trace sweep for providing a visual image in response to signals applied thereto;

b. means for providing a signal representing information;

c. means for providing a signal representation of a symbol selected according to the nature of said information signal;

d. means operatively connected to said information signal providing means for applying to said display means a composite vertical deflection signal which alternately traces the vertical components of said information signal and said symbol, said composite vertical signal applying means comprising means for generating a step signal wherein each step corresponds to a vertical component of said symbol and controlled switching means for alternately connecting the vertical component of said information signal and said step signal to said display means;

e. means for applying to said display means a composite horizontal deflection signal which alternately traces the horizontal components of said information signal and said symbol, said composite horizontal signal applying means comprising means for generating a horizontal sweep signal, means for generating a step signal wherein each step corresponds to a horizontal component of said symbol, and controlled switching means for alternately connecting said horizontal sweep signal and said step signal to said display means; and

f. means operatively connected to said symbol representation signal providing means for applying to said display means blanking signals to form a visual image of said symbol.

23. A system as defined in claim 22, wherein said step signal generating means of said composite vertical signal applying means comprises:

a. timing pulse generating means;

b. counting means having an input connected to said timing pulse generating means for counting said timing pulses and providing output signals representing each count; and

c. means connected to the output of said counting means for converting successive count representations into said step signal.

24. A system as defined in claim 22, wherein said means for applying said composite vertical deflection signal further comprises memory means for converting said information signal into a refreshed signal.

25. A system as defined in claim 22, wherein said means for applying said composite vertical deflection signal further comprises:

a. means for sampling said information signal and providing digital word signals signifying the instantaneous value of a parameter of the signal at the time of sampling;

b. memory means connected to the output of said sampling means for delaying said words for a predetermined time; and

c. converter means connected to the output of said memory means for converting digital words released from said memory means into a signal resembling said information signal.

26. A system as defined in claim 22, wherein said means for applying said composite vertical deflection signal further comprises:

a. switching signal producing means connected to said switching means for alternately connecting said vertical signal components at the frequency of said switching signal; and

b. signal spacing means connected to said switching signal producing means and to the output of said switching means for spacing apart on said display means the vertical components of said information signal and said symbol.

27. A system as defined in claim 22, wherein said step signal generating means of said composite horizontal deflection signal applying means comprises:

a. timing pulse generating means;

b. counting means having an input connected to said timing pulse generating means for counting said timing pulses and providing output signals representing each count; and

c. means connected to the output of said counting means for converting the count representation into said step signal in a manner such that each step begins after a predetermined number of counts.

28. A system for displaying signals containing information comprising:

a. display means of the type having a display trace sweep for providing a visual image in response to signals applied thereto;

b. first signal generating means connected to said display means for providing a visual image of a signal representing information on said display means;

c. second signal generating means connected to said display means for providing a dot matrix pattern forming a visual image of a selected symbol and comprising means producing signals for forming the dots of said matrix pattern as determined by the particular symbol selected and means producing horizontal and vertical deflection signals for moving said dot forming signals stepwise in the rows and columns of the matrix to from a visual image of the symbol;

d. said means producing dot forming signals comprising means providing a code as determined by the symbol which is selected, means for converting said code to a plurality of digital words representing vertical and horizontal components of said matrix, and means for converting said digital words to sequential signals;

e. said code providing means comprising computer means for examining said information signal, placing said signal in one of a plurality of categories as determined by characteristics of said signal, and generating said code as determined by the particuLar category in which said signal is placed; and

f. means for synchronizing the generation of said information signal image with said dot matrix image of said symbol whereby both images are viewed together on said display means.

29. A system as defined in claim 28, wherein said first and second signal generating means each includes memory means whereby said display means is of the refreshed type enabling prolonged viewing of the images formed thereon.

30. A system as defined in claim 28, wherein each of said first and second signal generating means produces vertical and horizontal deflection signals and wherein said synchronizing means includes controlled switching means for alternately connecting the vertical and horizontal deflection signals to said display means in a manner such that each sweep alternates between the information signal and the dot matrix pattern forming the symbol.

31. A system for displaying signals containing information comprising:

a. display means of the type having a display trace sweep for providing a visual image in response to signals applied thereto;

b. first signal generating means connected to said display means for providing a visual image of a signal representing information on said display means;

c. second signal generating means connected to said display means for providing a dot matrix pattern forming a visual image of a selected symbol and comprising means producing signals for forming the dots of said matrix pattern as determined by the particular symbol selected and means producing horizontal and vertical deflection signals for moving said dot forming signals stepwise in the rows and columns of the matrix to form a visual image of the symbol;

d. said means producing deflection signals comprising a source of timing pulses, digital counting means having an input connected to said source of timing pulses for counting said timing pulses and providing digital output signals representing each count, means connected to the low order bit positions of the counter output for converting the count representations into a step signal comprising the vertical deflection signal, and means connected to the high order bit positions of the counter output for converting the count representations into a step signal comprising the horizontal deflection signal whereby a plurality of steps in the vertical deflection signal are provided for each step in the horizontal deflection signal; and

e. means for synchronizing the generation of said information signal image with said dot matrix image of said symbol whereby both images are viewed together on said display means.