Computing weighing scale

In a weighing scale for computing the total price of an article being weighed from a weight input and a price per unit weight input,

• a weighing system including a weight responsive mechanism weighing an article receiving platter and an electrical weight signal output means,
• common numerical display means for visually displaying first the weight and subsequently the total price of a given article on the scale upon computation of the article's weight times the price per unit weight,
• computing means operatively connected to said weighing mechanism for receiving a weight output signal,
• means for providing a price per unit weight signal to said computing means for computing total price from the weight and price per unit weight signals,
• memory means for storing data pertaining to said price per unit weight signal,
• means for sensing change in weight on the platter,
• means operatively connected to said weight change sensing means for returning the common display means to weight display mode in response to change of weight of the article thereon after said display means has progressed beyond display of weight,
• said computing means being operative thereafter to recompute the total price by multiplying the new weight signal by the stored price per unit weight data, and
• means for reinitiating sequential display of said weight and price on said common display means.

In a weighing scale having price computing capability, including a platter, means for generating code information corresponding to weight of a commodity on said platter and also a signal indicating no effective weight on said platter,

• display means operable to display price related information sequentially,
• detecting means operable to sense change of weight on said platter and to develop a corresponding signal,
• a keyboard for generating code information corresponding to price per unit weight,
• a microprocessor having inputs connected to accept said weight code information and said price per unit weight information and a signal from said detecting means and also having an output connected to drive said display means,
• separately actuatable indicators incorporated in said display means and operable to indicate whether a number displayed corresponds to weight or price per unit weight or total price,
• control means incorporated in said microprocessor for repeatedly interrogating said means for generating weight code information and for actuating said weight display indicator thereby causing said display means to display numerical weight information when said detecting means indicates weight change has stopped with weight on said platter,
• keyboard operation causing said microprocessor to accept price per unit weight information entered on said keyboard and to cause display of said price per unit weight instead of weight information and to actuate said price per unit weight indicator,
• means for actuating said microprocessor to multiply the weight information by the entered price per unit weight and to switch said display means to display the resultant product as total price,
• the improvement comprising
• sequencing means responsive to a signal from said detecting means together with an indication of weight remaining on said platter and without an intervening no weight signal to reset said display unit to display weight and also to display in sequence any entered price per unit weight and the total price corresponding to the displayed weight times entered price per unit weight.

A weighing scale having price computing capability comprising

• a platter,
• means for generating code information corresponding to weight of a commodity on said platter,
• means detecting a no weight condition of said platter and developing a corresponding signal,
• a manually operable keyboard including means for generating code information in response to manual actuation of said keyboard,
• a tare register,
• a price per unit weight register, and
• means responsive to said keyboard code information generating means and to said no weight detecting means and operable to cause transfer of keyboard entered information into said tare register when no weight is on said platter and to cause transfer of keyboard entered information into said price per unit weight register when there is weight on said platter.

A weighing scale having price computing capability comprising

• a platter,
• means for generating code information corresponding to weight of a commodity on said platter,
• means detecting a no weight condition of said platter and developing a corresponding signal,
• a manually operable keyboard including means for generating code information in response to manual actuation of said keyboard,
• a tare register,
• a price per unit weight register,
• means responsive to said keyboard code information generating means and to said no weight detecting means and operable to cause transfer of keyboard entered information into said tare register when no weight is on said platter and to cause transfer of keyboard entered information into said price per unit weight register when there is weight on said platter,
• means for subtracting tare register information from weight information and for producing a difference signal,
• means for multiplying registered price per unit weight information by said difference signal information to produce total price information,
• a display including a multi-digit numerical indicator,
• and control circuit means driving said display to show numbers corresponding to tare, weight, price per unit weight and total price.

In a weighing scale having price computing capability including a platter,

• means for generating input code information corresponding to weight of an article on said platter,
• a multi-digit display unit operable to display weight, unit price and total price information in numeric form according to corresponding output signals,
• a keyboard for generating input code information corresponding to unit price in response to manual actuation of said keyboard;
• the improvement comprising
• a microcomputer including circuit connections providing limited input-output communication for input and output signals,
• said microcomputer also including means for multiplying said input code information to generate an output signal corresponding to total price,
• said microcomputer incorporating program circuit means constructed and arranged to interrogate sequentially said weight code generating means and said keyboard by means of said circuit connections, to convert said weight and keyboard input signals into corresponding output signals, and to drive said display unit directly from said output signals in time with the interrogation of said code information,
• said program circuit means repeating said interrogation and display drive functions rapidly in predetermined sequence.

A weighing scale having price computing capability including a platter, means for generating input code information corresponding to weight of a commodity on said platter,

• a multi-digit display unit operable to display output information in alpha-numeric form,
• means operable to sense motion of said platter and to develop a corresponding input signal,
• a keyboard for generating input code information in response to manual actuation of said keyboard,
• a computer associated with said scale including a central processing unit (CPU) and a random access memory (RAM) and a read only memory (ROM),
• said ROM having means defining a sequence of operations in response to predetermined input information from said keyboard, said motion sensing means and said weight code generating means,
• said sequence including
• a. storage of weight code information in said RAM,
• b. storage of keyboard input information in said RAM identifying the price per unit weight of the commodity,
• c. multiplying the stored weight code information by the stored price per unit weight and storing the result in said RAM as total price,
• circuit means providing a data transfer path of limited capacity into and out of said ROM including input/output ports through which said RAM can be accessed respectively to said display unit, said keyboard, said weight code generating means, and said motion sensing means,
• and said ROM including means establishing a predetermined usage of said circuit means to direct data transfer between said RAM and said display unit sufficient to assure apparently continuous visible illumination of said display unit in ambient light.

In a scale for computing value from variable weight and price per unit weight information, including a weight signal generator,

• manual input apparatus for receiving operator supplied information such as price per unit weight and function commands, and
• electrically operated display means for indicating one or more value related quantities,
• the improvement comprising,
• computer means including data storage memory and program circuit means generating a first repeating sequence of events wherein communicating with said weight signal generator, manual input apparatus and said display means occurs, and also generating a second sequence of events for processing information received during one or more first sequence operations and;
• said computer means automatically initiating a second sequence operation periodically.

In a scale for computing weight and value and including a weight signal generator providing a weight signal corresponding to weight of an article, a keyboard providing at least a price per unit weight signal, and a numerical display;

• the improvement comprising,
• computer means for computing price and/or weight related information and for storing communicated information;
• program circuit means constructed and arranged to direct said computer means through separate communicate and compute routines,
• said communicate routine including means for continuously and repeatedly communicating between said weight signal generator, keyboard and display and said computer means storage in a first sequence repeated plural times within human response intervals of visual resolution and digital motion, and
• means for interrupting said continuing communicate routine and initiating a compute routine at intervals sufficiently separated for human comprehension of newly computed and displayed information.

In a weighing scale having price computing capability and including a platter,

• means for generating input code information corresponding to weight of an article on said platter,
• a multi-digit single member display unit operable to display sequentially numbers corresponding to weight, unit price and total price information according to corresponding output signals,
• a keyboard for generating input code information corresponding to unit price is response to manual actuation of said keyboard;
• the improvement comprising
• a microcomputer including circuit connections providing communication for input and output signals,
• said microcomputer also including means for multiplying selected portions of said input code information to generate an output signal corresponding to total price,
• said microcomputer incorporating program circuit means constructed and arranged to interrogate said weight code generating means and said keyboard by means of said circuit connections, to convert said weight and keyboard input signals into corresponding output signals, and to drive said display unit directly from said output signals in multiplexed digit by digit fashion for each sequentially displayed multi-digit weight, unit price, and total price number.