DIGITAL DATA COMPACTION

• US 3,612,660 A
• Filed: 09/08/1969
• Issued: 10/12/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wendell S. Miller
• Original Assignee: Wendell S. Miller
• Inventors: Miller, Wendell S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Gareth D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chirlin, Sydney R.
• Application Number:
  US04/855,973
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 340/146.2,172.5 235/157,177
• US Class Current: 341/87
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4033 Local solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 7/3066 by means of a mask or a bit-map

Abstract

Data-processing equipment for writing a list of digital words, and then scanning the list to determine whether it includes a predetermined particular digital word, with the list being compacted to occupy a reduced space or time by omitting some of the digits of some of the words in the list when those digits are identical with corresponding digits of other words in the list, or can be derived therefrom.

Claims

1. Data-processing apparatus comprising first input means actuable to a condition representing a predetermined first word including a series of digits, second input means for receiving information representing a list of digital words with portions of some words omitted where said portions are identical with corresponding portions of other words and with key signals indicating when such omissions do and do not occur, and means for comparing said predetermined first word with said words of said list sequentially and indicating whether said first word corresponds to a word represented on said list, said comparing means including means responsive to said key signals to actuate said comparing means between a first condition in which all of the digits of said first word are compared with individual digits in said list and a second condition in which only some but not all of the digits of said first word are compared with a series of digits on said list representing a portion of a word.

2. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said second input means include means for reading back a record track having said list and key signals recorded thereon.

3. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said first input means include a series of switches whose settings represent said digits respectively of said first word.

4. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 1, including means for holding a card which carries indicia representing said digits of said first word, said first input means including switch means actuable by said indicia on said card to conditions representing said first word.

5. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said first input means include a series of switches whose settings represent said different digits respectively of said first word, said comparing means including sequencing circuitry for comparing the settings of said switches sequentially with suCcessive digits of a word of said list and indicating whether there is any difference in the digits represented.

6. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said first input means include a series of switches whose settings represent said different digits respectively of said first word, said comparing means including a switching matrix having a series of circuits responsive to different ones of said switches respectively, and sequencing means for sequentially sampling said circuits and comparing them with successive digits of a word on said list.

7. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said first input means include a series of switches whose settings represent said different digits respectively of said first word, said comparing means including a switching matrix having a series of circuits responsive to different ones of said switches respectively, and a plurality of flip-flops connected together into a sequencing unit for sequentially sampling said circuits and comparing them with successive digits of a word on said list.

8. Data-processing apparatus comprising a series of switches actuable to different conditions representing a series of digits respectively of a predetermined first word, input means for receiving information representing a list of words each including a series of digits and having key signals associated with some of the words but not others, sequencing and comparing circuitry operable through a first cycle to compare a first series of said switches sequentially with a series of digits of a word in said list, and then operable through an additional cycle or cycles to compare one or more additional series of said switches with additional digits of said word in the list, means responsive to said circuitry for indicating whether or not said first word as represented by said switches is identical with a word represented on said list, and means responsive to said keys signals to actuate said sequencing and comparing circuitry between a first condition in which said circuitry sequences through and compares said first series of switches and then the remaining switches and a second condition in which said circuitry sequences through only said remaining switches and omits said first series thereof.

9. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 8, in which said last mentioned means include means responsive to a key signal preceding a word on said list to cause said circuitry to sequence through all of said switches for said word, said circuitry being operable in the absence of a key signal before a word to omit said first series of switches and sequence through only the remaining switches.

10. Data-processing apparatus are recited in claim 8, in which said sequencing and comparing circuitry includes a diode matrix having lines associated respectively with the switches in said first series and with the switches in each additional series, a plurality of flip-flops for sequencing through said lines of the diode matrix, additional flip-flop means for sequentially connecting said different series of switches to said matrix to first scan through said first series and then said additional series, said means responsive to said key signals being operable upon receipt of a key signal to actuate said additional flip-flop means to scan through all of said series of switches, said additional flip-flop means being operable in the absence of a key signal to omit said first series of switches and sequence through only the remaining switches.

11. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 10, in which said input means include record playback means for reading said digits of said list of words and said key signals from a record track.

12. Data-processing apparatus comprising means forming a list of digital words to be compared with a particular digital word, said list containing a plurality of families of words written in compacted form as one group of digits which are identical in the different words of a family and A plurality of additional groups of digits constituting dissimilar other portions of the words of said family, and means for comparing one portion of said particular word with said one group of digits of a family in said list, and comparing another portion of said particular word with one of said additional groups of digits in the same family.

13. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, including an element carrying said particular word for comparison with said list.

14. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, including an element carrying said particular word and also carrying additional data, there being means responsive to said additional data to select which of said additional groups of digits in a family is compared with a portion of said particular word.

15. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, including an element carrying said particular word, said digits being written as light-passing and nonlight-passing areas on said element and on said list, said comparing means including means for passing light through corresponding light-passing areas of said element and said list, and means for responding differently to the passage or nonpassage of light through said areas.

16. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, including an element carrying said particular word, said digits being written as light-passing and nonlight-passing areas on said element and on said list, said comparing means including means for passing light through corresponding light-passing areas of said element and said list, and means for responding differently to the passage or nonpassage of light through said areas, said means for passing light through said areas including optical fibers for directing light between corresponding areas of said element and said list.

17. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, including an element carrying said particular word, said digits being written as light-passing and nonlight-passing areas on said element and on said list, said comparing means including means for passing light through corresponding light-passing areas of said element and said list, and means for responding differently to the passage or nonpassage of light through said areas, said means for passing light through said areas including a plurality of sets of optical fibers for directing light between corresponding areas of said element and said list, different sets of said fibers being in light-transmitting relation with the same group of areas on said element but with different groups of areas on said list representing different ones of said additional groups of digits.

18. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, including an element carrying said particular word, said digits being written as light-passing and nonlight-passing areas on said element and on said list, said comparing means including means for passing light through corresponding light-passing areas of said element and said list, and means for responding differently to the passage or nonpassage of light through said areas, said means for passing light through said areas including a plurality of sets of optical fibers for directing light between corresponding areas of said elements and said list, different sets of said fibers being in light-transmitting relation with the same group of areas on said element but with different groups of areas on said list representing different ones of said additional groups of digits, there being an additional set of said optical fibers optically connecting said one group of digits of a family on said list and corresponding digit of said particular word on said element.

19. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, including an element carrying said particular word, said digits being written as light-passing and nonlight-passing areas on said element and on said list, said comparing means including means for passing light through corresponding light-passing areas of said element and said list, and means for responding Differently to the passage or nonpassage of light through said areas, said light-responsive means including different light responsive units associated with said different groups of digits respectively of said list and each operable to respond to passage of light through any area representing any digit of the corresponding group.

20. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, including an element carrying said particular word, said digits being written as light-passing and nonlight-passing areas on said element and on said list, said comparing means including means for passing light through corresponding light-passing areas of said element and said list, and means for responding differently to the passage or nonpassage of light through said areas, said light responsive means including different light responsive units associated with said different groups of digits respectively of said list and each operable to respond to passage of light through any area representing any digit of the corresponding group, and means responsive to said light-responsive units for indicating when there is correspondence between said particular word on said element and the groups of digits of said list compared therewith.

21. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, including an element carrying said particular word, said digits being written as light-passing and nonlight-passing areas on said element and on said list, said comparing means including means for passing light through corresponding light-passing areas of said element and said list, and means for responding differently to the passage or nonpassage of light through said areas, said light-responsive means including different light-responsive units associated with said different groups of digits respectively of said list and each operable to respond to passage of light through any area representing any digit of the corresponding group, and means responsive to selection control data on said element to render a particular one of said light-responsive units effective for indicating whether light is received thereby.

22. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, in which said means forming said list include a film having light-passing and nonlight-passing areas representing said digits.

23. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, in which said list includes a series of said families of words with different families written on different successive lines of the list, there being means for relatively moving said list and said comparing means to advance said different lines successively past said comparing means.

24. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, in which said list includes a series of said families of words with different families written on different successive lines of the list, there being means for relatively moving said list and said comparing means to advance said different lines successively past said comparing means, said one group and said additional groups of digits of the different families being arranged in a plurality of columns, said comparing means including different comparing structures associated with said different columns respectively and enabling selection of any one of said columns for comparison with a portion of said particular word.

25. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, in which said list includes a series of said families of words with different families written on different successive lines of the list, there being means for relatively moving said list and said comparing means to advance said different lines successively past said comparing means, said one group and said additional groups of digits of the different families being arranged in a plurality of columns, said comparing means including different comparing structures associated with said different columns respectively and enabling selection of any one of said columns for comparison with a portion of said particular word, and means responsible to control data associated with said pArticular word for actuating said different comparing structures to select a predetermined one of said columns for comparison with said particular word.

26. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, in which said means forming said list include a film having light-passing and nonlight-passing areas representing said digits, there being an element carrying said particular word written in the form of light-passing and nonlight-passing areas and also carrying additional control data, said list including a series of said families of words with different families written on different successive lines of the list, there being means for moving said film relative to said comparing means to advance said lines successively therepast, said one group and said additional groups of digits of the different families being arranged in a plurality of columns, means for directing light through corresponding light-passing areas in said element and said film, a first set of optical fibers for conducting said light between said one group of digits in a particular family on said film and the corresponding digits of said particular word, a plurality of additional sets of optical fibers for conducting light between different ones of said additional groups of digits respectively and the corresponding portion of said particular word on said element, a plurality of light responsive units for responding to passage of light through said different additional groups of digits respectively, circuitry responsive to said selection control data on said element for selecting which of said light responsive units is active at a particular time to thereby select a particular column of said additional groups for scanning, and an indicator actuable by said light-responsive units to indicate when no light passes through either said one group of digits of a family being examined or a selected additional group of digits of said family.

27. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, in which said comparing means are operable to compare said second mentioned portion of said particular word with a series of said additional groups of digits in said family.

28. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, in which said different families of words are written in sequence longitudinally of a record track, and the individual groups of digits in each family are written in sequence longitudinally of said track.

29. Data-processing apparatus as recited in claim 12, in which said different families of words are written in sequence longitudinally of a record track, and the individual groups of digits in each family are written in sequence longitudinally of said track, said comparing means being operable to compare said second mentioned portion of said particular word with a series of said additional groups of digits in a family separately and sequentially.

30. Data-processing apparatus comprising means for comparing a particular digital word with a number of digital words represented in a list in which families of words are written in compacted form as one group of digits which are identical in all words of a family and a plurality of additional groups of digits constituting dissimilar other portions of the words of said family, said comparing means including means for comparing one portion of said particular word with said one group of digits of a family in said list, and comparing another portion of said particular word with one of said additional groups of digits in the same family.