Data generating and recording system for scanning a display tube screen

• US 4,107,741 A
• Filed: 03/17/1975
• Issued: 08/15/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Original Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Inventors: Lemelson, Jerome H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Konick, Bernard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Faber, Alan
• Application Number:
  US05/559,087
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 346/74 CR, 346/74 P, 346/74 EB, 346/161, 346/160, 346/158, 340/324 A, 340/324 AD, 340/337, 340/173 CR, 340/173 LT, 340/172.5, 178/15, 178/30, 178/67 R, 178/66 A, 178/66 R, 178/DIG. 22, 178/7.5 D, 178/7.4, 178/7.6, 354/77, 445/1, 358/127, 358/130, 358/199, 358/208, 358/244, 358/300, 358/302, 358/293, 365/106, 365/215
• US Class Current: 358/300
• CPC Class Codes: B41B 19/14 and presenting a text of more than one line
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/153 using cathode-ray tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 1/26 using storage tubes tubes therefor H01J31/58
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/217 Interfaces allowing access to a single user

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for generating and displaying information on an electronic display screen such as the viewing screen of a cathode ray tube. In one form, fixed and variable information is generated as characters on a display screen which may be viewed for monitoring purposes. The information may originally be generated as digital code information signals which cause the display tube to generate lines of characters across its display screen which make up the display thereof or as characters generated along selected spaces of the screen such as along space locations of forms and other types of displays. Full frame video picture signals may also be employed to modulate an image writing means such as the write beam of a cathode ray tube to generate an image of a document, form, or other type of image. In yet another form, the image generated is a composite image formed of fixed information, such as information defining a form or part of a document and variable information added at fixed locations to said image.

The invention is particularly directed to means for generating one or more copies of the information displayed by scanning the display screen and applying the scanned information to modulate a recorder.

Claims

1. An apparatus for recording images generated on the display screen of an electronic display tube comprising in combination:

an electronic display tube having a display screen for image information, said tube defining an enclosed envelope, said display screen being sealed within said envelope and disposed along one wall thereof,

means located within said enclosure for generating an image on said display screen which image varies in accordance with information signals received by said display tube,

said display screen being constructed and operable to permit the optical scanning of said screen from the rear thereof,

said tube having a wall portion which is made of light transmitting material,

scanning means supported operable to receive light of the images generated on said screen after said light has passed through said wall portion of said tube made of light transmitting material,

means for operating said scanning means to cause it to predeterminately scan the image presented on the rear of said screen of said display tube, and

recording means operable to receive the light received by said scanning means in scanning said rear of said display screen and to effect a hard copy recording thereof.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said scanning means includes an optical component operable for receiving light from the rear of said screen and directing said received light to said recording means, and means predeterminately pivotally moving said optical component and causing it to receive light from different portions of said screen in a predetermined scanning sweep of said screen.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said optical component includes a mirror, said recording means includes xerographic means having a drum with a photosensitive coating thereon, means for power rotating said drum at constant speed and means for directing light from said mirror against the surface of said drum to variably modulate said photosensitive material coating said drum whereby said drum may operate to effect the xerographic recording of the image of said screen scanned by said scanning means.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said optical component includes a light refracting means such as a prism operable to receive a narrow band of light from the rear face of said display screen and to scannably direct same towards said recording means in a scanning sweep of said screen.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said display tube is a cathode ray tube having said display screen disposed against the rear face of the front wall of said tube and said wall portion of said tube made of light transmitting material comprising a portion of the sidewall of said tube.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said recording means located beneath said tube, said scanning means being operable to direct a narrow band of light received from said rear of said screen which band is a portion of the image of said screen extending horizontally thereacross and wherein said scanning means scans vertically with respect to said screen to provide a vertical band-like sweep of said screen.