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US 4,065,915 AGranted
Binary counting system
OwnerJohn S. Farnbachinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A binary counting system applicable for a variety of applications, but particularly suitable for use in a display actuator for an electronic clock, includes circuit means for counting through a sequence of more than ten states which represent a sequence of consecutive decimal numbers in a manner that all the binary logic states representing decimal numbers with a common unit's digit are part of an exclusive sub-cube of a minterm map common only to that unit's digit.
Claims16
An electrically operating clock comprising:
- a. constant frequency signal source;
- b. means for converting the output cycles from said signal source to a signal of desired frequency;
- c. means for displaying units of time in ordinary decimal notation;
- d. display actuating means for driving said displaying means comprising counting means for converting said signal of desired frequency to binary signals representing at least the hours digits of the units of time, the number of said binary signals being such that one less binary signal would provide an unsufficient number of possible distinct binary logic states to represent all of said represented hours counts;
- and
- wherein said counting means includes means for organizing the logic states of said binary signals so that, with respect to each particular units digit, there is at least one common binary signal which assumes the same binary value in the representation of all of said hours counts possessing said particular units digit, and the common group containing all of said common binary signals is exclusive to said particular units digit in that, in the representation of every one of said hours counts not possessing said particular units digit, at least one of said binary signals belonging to said common group assumes the binary value which is distinct from said binary value which results in the representation of hours counts possessing said particular units digit;
- and
- wherein said binary signals representing the hours digits of the units of time are four in number and represent exactly twelve distinct hours counts.
5 more elements
An electrically operating clock comprising:
- a. constant frequency signal source;
- b. means for converting the output cycles from said signal source to a signal of desired frequency;
- c. means for displaying units of time in ordinary decimal notation;
- d. display actuating means for driving said displaying means comprising counting means for converting said signal of desired frequency to binary signals representing at least the hours digits of the units of time, the number of said binary signals being such that one less binary signal would provide an insufficient number of possible distinct binary logic states to represent all of said represented hours counts;
- and
- wherein said counting means includes means for organizing the logic states of said binary signals so that, with respect to each particular units digit, there is at least one common binary signal which assumes the same binary value in the representation of all of said hours counts possessing said particular units digit, and the common group containing all of said common binary signals is exclusive to said particular units digit in that, in the representation of every one of said hours counts not possessing said particular units digit, at least one of said binary signals belonging to said common group assumes the binary value which is distinct from said binary value which results in the representation of hours counts possessing said particular units digit;
- and
- wherein said binary signals representing the hours digits of the units of time are five in number and represent exactly twenty-four distinct hours counts.
5 more elements
An electrically operating clock comprising:
- a. a constant frequency signal source;
- b. means for converting the output cycles from said signal source to a signal of desired frequency;
- c. means for displaying units of time in ordinary decimal notation;
- d. display actuating means for driving said displaying means comprising counting means for converting said signal of desired frequency to binary signals representing at least the hours digits of the units of time, the number of said binary signals being such that one less binary signal would provide an insufficient number of possible distinct binary logic states to represent all of said represented hours counts;
- and
- wherein said counting means includes means for organizing the logic states of said binary signals so that, with respect to at least one particular units digit, which occurs more than once among said hours counts, there is at least one common binary signal which assumes the same binary value in the representation of all of said hours counts possessing said particular units digit, and the common group containing all of said common binary signals is exclusive to said particular units digit in that, in the representation of every one of said hours counts not possessing said particular units digit, at least one of said binary signals belonging to said common group assumes the binary value which is distinct from said binary value which results in the representation of hours counts possessing said particular units digit;
- and
- wherein said binary signals representing the hours digits of the units of time are four in number and represent exactly twelve distinct hours counts.
5 more elements
An electrically operating clock comprising:
- a. a constant frequency signal source;
- b. means for converting the output cycles from said signal source to a signal of desired frequency;
- c. means for displaying units of time in ordinary decimal notation;
- d. display actuating means for driving said displaying means comprising counting means for converting said signal of desired frequency to binary signals representing at least the hours digits of the units of time, the number of said binary signals being such that one less binary signal would provide an insufficient number of possible distinct binary logic states to represent all of said represented hours counts;
- and
- wherein said counting means includes means for organizing the logic states of said binary signals so that, with respect to at least one particular units digit, which occurs more than once among said hours counts, there is at least one common binary signal which assumes the same binary value in the representation of all of said hours counts possessing said particular units digit, and the common group containing all of said common binary signals is exclusive to said particular units digit in that, in the representation of every one of said hours counts not possessing said particular units digit, at least one of said binary signals belonging to said common group assumes the binary value which is distinct from said binary value which results in the representation of hours counts possessing said particular units digit;
- and
- wherein said binary signals representing the hours digits of the units of time are five in number and represent exactly twenty-four distinct hours counts.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.