Data sequence display system and time-compression system therefor

A system for the cyclical time-compression of a signal waveform comprising:

• a recirculating memory of predetermined time-quantized length, said memory providing a storage delay corresponding with the product of said predetermined time-quantized length and the number of passes through said memory;
• means having successive samples of the signal waveform extended thereto and being responsive to first timing signals for entering respective said samples of the signal waveform into said memory;
• means for generating and applying a plurality of said first timing signals to said data entry control means throughout a time-compression cycle, said first timing signals recurring at an interval corresponding with the interval between successive samples of the signal waveform, said first timing signals having an interval such as to cause precession of the samples in the memory, and a predetermined number of the samples being entered in said memory during a first fraction of each time-compression cycle;
• means responsive to second timing signals for selectively interrogating said memory and providing read out of the respective interrogated samples;
• and
• means for generating and applying said second timing signals to said memory interrogation means following a time delay comprising said first fraction of each time-compression cycle, the remaining fraction of each said time-compression cycle being a compressed-time cycle in which the timing of said second timing signals is such that the storage delay of said recirculating memory is decremented from a maximum to a minimum over said compressed-time cycle whereby said interrogated samples cumulatively substantially represent the signal waveform in time-compression.