Patents Represented by Attorney Douglas H. Lefeve
  • Patent number: 4494150
    Abstract: A method and system for compacting text data to be transmitted over communications lines and thereby reduce the data volume and transmission time. Transmitting and receiving text processing systems are provided identical library memories containing text strings such as words commonly used in correspondence. Each word in a document to be communicated is compared to the transmitting system's word library and, if found in the library, only the library address is transmitted. If the word is not found in the library, then it is added to the transmitting system's library, sent, and added to the receiving system's library. The receiving system reconstructs the document by using the received addresses to access the appropriate words from its library and place them in the document. The system combines this word match encoding with character match encoding and facsimile run length encoding for communicating words not found in the system library.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1985
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Norman F. Brickman, Walter S. Rosenbaum
  • Patent number: 4491838
    Abstract: A starloop communication network for intraestablishment communication in a multiterminal processing system includes a digital switch as its central terminal. In the basic mode, the switch is configured so that the input from each terminal is switched back to the next terminal forming a loop network. A central processor in the network need only service the output of the first terminal on the loop and the input from the last terminal. The digital switch includes a port connected to monitor activity on the loop. In the event of a failure, the monitor can determine the failing terminal in the loop by use of a binary search around the loop. The failing terminal will be detected by the monitor and automatically isolated from the loop by the digital switch. The communication network may also be configured to include a plurality of terminal devices of equal performance and intelligence, i.e. a plurality of central processors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1985
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Lynn P. West
  • Patent number: 4481602
    Abstract: In a technique for storing data representative of characters and symbols of a font in a compacted manner, interstitial bank spaces between characters are removed. The proper symbol is addressed during decompression by combining a calculated approximate pointer with a limited range correction factor stored with the font to obtain an exact start of symbol pointer utilized to address the image data for the symbol. Also stored with the correction factor is data indicating the vertical positioning of the symbol within the character box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1984
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kathryn A. Bohrer, Albert D. Edgar
  • Patent number: 4477304
    Abstract: A tool, particularly adapted for use with a computer controlled robot includes an adhesive application device for depositing a quantity of liquid adhesive to a work piece, a transport roller for engaging the elongated material with the deposited adhesive on the work piece and about which the elongated material may be fed, and a separation means for severing a predetermined applied length of the elongated material from the supply of such material. The position of a pinch roller relative to the elongated material and transport roller is remotely controlled to provide holding of the elongated material during adhesive application, tacking, and cutting, and feeding of the material between tacking and cutting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1984
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Karl H. Westermann
  • Patent number: 4468694
    Abstract: A scanning beam display system is used as a projection display and as a reflective flying-spot scanner using a plurality of photoreceptors to sense depth. Used as a display, the projection of a document-size image from overhead onto a work surface such as a printed form provides a naturally oriented, non-invasive display. Beam modulation and contextual subtraction permit the flying-spot function in ambient light. Used as a combination display and scanner, inherent registration of the display and data input functions permit interaction with an operator by displaying on and sensing form any document or work object. A plurality of non-overlapping sensors operate with the flying-spot function to receive images alike in perspective but differing in shadow placement, from which relative distances and object boundaries are easily derived.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1984
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Albert D. Edgar
  • Patent number: 4460851
    Abstract: In a cathode ray tube (CRT) display system utilizing a semiconductor switch in the output stage of the fast scan axis, a resonant circuit is coupled to the flyback circuit for production of a dynamic focus voltage. The capacitance required for the flyback circuit is derived from the equivalent capacitance of the dynamic focus resonant circuit, thereby eliminating the need for a separate flyback capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1984
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William R. Bistline, Stephen C. Hatcher
  • Patent number: 4449124
    Abstract: With a directed beam imaging system, a method is presented employing a low-pass filter in the positional signal path, a time-discrete positional signal, and precompensation of this time-discrete signal for phase and amplitude errors of the overall positional control circuitry. As a consequence of this method, the uncompensatable vector nonlinearities of the prior art vector stroke are obviated, the useable system bandwidth or stroke per unit time is extended beyond the prior art to the maximum driveable frequency, and in many text and graphics applications fewer strokes are needed to produce the desired image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1984
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventor: Albert D. Edgar
  • Patent number: 4442408
    Abstract: In a differential amplifier circuit a closed loop bias adjustment circuit samples the lower of the output levels of the differential amplifier output stages to control a variable current source. This variable current source draws current from the amplifier to bias the output transistors thereof to provide optimum speed, maximum voltage swing, and minimum power dissipation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1984
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Trung Le
  • Patent number: 4425612
    Abstract: The varying loads to which a power supply is subjected are anticipated before being placed across the power supply output by deriving device selection, direction of load change, and timing data from the control data transmitted to the load. The "on" and "off" times of the power transformer primary switch in a switching regulator power supply are adjusted for optimum power supply response to the changed load. The calculations and adjustment are made before any load change has occurred and the proper control signals to the switching regulator power supply are applied prior to or simultaneous with the load change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1984
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David D. Bahler, Ricardo E. Calvo
  • Patent number: 4397572
    Abstract: Overstruck text is justified by distributing the white space residue at the end of the unjustified line among the interword spaces for justification. The amount of the residue distributed is used to determine a number of overstrike characters which will overstrike the text including these expanded interword spaces. This is accomplished by placing controls in the text stream during editing to delineate the text to be overstruck. Before printing, these controls in the edited data stream are detected to cause the print line to be first justified by expansion of interword spaces and then followed by overstriking with the appropriate number of overstrike characters determined during the justification process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Johnny G. Barnes, Rudolph E. Chukran, Patrick J. Hurley, Harry L. Lineman
  • Patent number: 4370645
    Abstract: A ghost cursor indicates the relative horizontal position on a display screen associated with a printed document rendition of the displayed text and control codes. In a normal, or hidden codes, mode of operation the ghost cursor, placed on an escapement scale line, is vertically aligned with a text cursor which is positioned adjacent the displayed text code which defines the present point of operation. In the all codes mode, all text and control codes (such as required backspaces, tabs, etc.) are displayed. In the all codes mode the ghost cursor indicates the relative horizontal position on the display screen of the code associated with the text cursor, with forward or reverse escapement indicated by the control codes taken into account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1983
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Cason, Ward A. Kuecker, Susan D. Stratton
  • Patent number: 4314244
    Abstract: A system and method for generating properly proportioned alphanumeric characters and symbols in two vertical heights with a single character generator and a minimum of associated circuitry. The bits of video data stored in the character generator are stored such that the vertical segments of diagonal portions of the characters and symbols include no more than two bits per vertical segment of the diagonal portion. The video data bits representative of the pels of circular portions of the symbols are stored in an arrangement to generate a horizontally elongated elliptical shape when the character or symbol is displayed in the shorter of the two heights. Whenever possible, the diagonal portions of characters include no more than two diagonally disposed pels in the single high character size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1982
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kent R. Demke, Jerold D. Dwire, Michael A. Ko, Joanne L. Mumola
  • Patent number: 4301497
    Abstract: A constant loop gain is achieved in a flyback type DC to DC converter by use of feedback to correct for load variations and feed forward to correct for line voltage variations. The feedback signal and a reference voltage are compared by an error amplifier. An output of the error amplifier is multiplied by a constant and is added to a signal proportional to line voltage. The resulting sum causes modification of the slope of a ramp voltage which is compared to the voltage at the output of the error amplifier to control the "on" times of the converter switching devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1981
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Girish C. Johari
  • Patent number: 4293802
    Abstract: An electromagnetic deflection yoke for a cathode ray tube (CRT) stroke display system is operated above its resonant frequency to allow faster writing speeds and the use of a single pair of XY deflection yokes for both position and write deflection. Operation above resonant frequency is accomplished by the inclusion of a second-order feedback network tuned to the frequency characteristics of the deflection yoke and associated shunt capacitance. Differing from prior art systems, the current applied as a feedback signal to an input of the yoke driver amplifier in a closed loop system is directly proportional to actual, instantaneous inductive component of the yoke current and to this component only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1981
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Trung Le
  • Patent number: 4237458
    Abstract: A stroke expansion technique for use in controlling incremental stroke displays. The technique results in a substantial reduction of the stroke memory required for storage of the stroke sequences of an alphanumeric character set. Logic circuitry is operable to recognize a stroke of the same video state (on or off) in the reverse direction of the immediately preceding stroke to cause a predetermined number of additional strokes identical to the immediately preceding stroke to be generated instead of utilizing the reverse stroke to return the beam to its position immediately previous to execution of the preceding stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1980
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert H. Lantz, Alfred A. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 4222080
    Abstract: A decoding technique applicable to binary data encoded by phase encoding (PE), frequency modulation (FM), or modified frequency modulation (MFM). Resynchronization of the decoding clocking circuitry occurs upon every flux transition, rather than at less than all flux transitions, such as only at each data flux transition in the case of phase encoding. The technique provides substantially greater velocity tolerance than previous techniques for decoding codes encoded in this manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1980
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Giles R. Frazier
  • Patent number: 4209845
    Abstract: A system for sorting records of a file to find the record in the file having the highest or lowest data in a first field of the records, provided that the record qualifies to be sorted in accordance with the data in a second field of the records. A plurality of such records are stored on a plurality of blocks of a segmented serial storage device. Random access memory used by the system to accomplish the qualifying and sorting is a small fraction of the size of the file. In the preferred embodiment, a multiplicity of qualifying fields and sort fields may be specified. The system may typically be used, for example, to provide names, addresses and other variable text to be merged with form letter text in a printing system to sequentially print automatic form letters in the alphabetical or zip code order of their intended recipients. This information can also be used to list a qualified sublist of a master file in the order specified by the sort information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1980
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Berger, John W. Welch
  • Patent number: 4198681
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for controlling text storage in a text processing system using a segmented, serial bulk storage device. A plurality of storage segments of equal length are further subdivided into portions of equal length. A typical page of text occupies more than one portion of a segment. During system operation a log or directory is built and written, in updated form, onto a portion of the storage after any text data is written onto the storage. As many portions of a page on the storage as there are corresponding whole integer portions in the text processing system memory are transferred to the memory when an entity is selected for transfer from the storage device to the memory. The provision is also made to continue transferring the remaining portions of a page to the text processing system memory when room becomes available in the text processing system memory for inclusion of this text data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1980
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Glynn R. Furr, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4197588
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for controlling text storage in a text processing system using a segmented, serial bulk storage device. A plurality of storage segments of equal length are further subdivided into portions of equal length. A typical page of text occupies more than one portion of a segment. During system operation a log or directory is built and written, in updated form, onto a portion of the storage after any text data is written onto the storage. The system provides for selecting a random page of text from the storage. Other pages of text that trail the selected page and begin on the same segment on which the selected page ends are relocated into a scratch pad storage area to allow for the selected page to expand on its own original segment during revision. If the page expands, the scratch pad is used as the next logic storage segment in the system list of the logical order of stored segments used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1980
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Cason, Frank C. Haydon
  • Patent number: 4189781
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for controlling text storage in a text processing system using a segmented, serial bulk storage device. A plurality of storage segments of equal length are further subdivided into portions of equal length. A typical page of text occupies more than one portion of a segment. During system operation a log or directory is built and written, in updated form, onto a portion of the storage after any text data is written onto the storage. To minimize the time in accessing the predetermined portion on which the log is stored and to minimize wear of the electromechanical accessing components, portions of more than one segment are dedicated for storage of the log and the segment nearest that on which the text data is written is utilized for storage of the updated log. The beginning of the log includes an activity count indicitive of the number of text storage operations that has taken place. The most current log is found by seeking the highest activity count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1980
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Gavin L. Douglas