Patents by Inventor Alan K. Jennings

Alan K. Jennings has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4463300
    Abstract: A linear motor which mounts and drives a hammer bank shuttle assembly in reciprocating fashion within a dot matrix line printer is controlled by a digital servo. The digital servo includes an encoder for generating a pulse each time the shuttle assembly passes one of a succession of different positions along a linear path of movement therefor together with apparatus for measuring the time intervals between successive pulses, comparing the time intervals with a reference value, generating error signals in accordance with the difference and applying the error signals to vary the durations of driving pulses applied to the linear motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1984
    Assignee: Printronix, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Mayne, Alan K. Jennings
  • Patent number: 4415286
    Abstract: In a printer system in which hammers mounted along a shuttle assembly which reciprocates relative to a print paper are selectively energized to impact the paper and print dots thereon, the dot density is made variable by an encoder system responsive to the position of the shuttle assembly as it traverses a linear path of motion. The encoder system includes a decoder for generating a succession of fence post pulses as the shuttle assembly reaches each of a succession of different positions along the linear path of motion and circuitry for generating a succession of hammer firing pulses in response to and having a desired phase relationship with the fence post pulses. The hammer firing pulses may occur at a frequency the same as or different from the frequency of the fence post pulses to provide a desired print density. A stored initial offset value is used to initially establish the desired phase relationship between the hammer firing pulses and the fence post pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1983
    Assignee: Printronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan K. Jennings
  • Patent number: 4047158
    Abstract: A medium capacity peripheral processing system provides sophisticated interactive human communication without the extremely large, expensive memory systems that are normally associated with a main frame computer. The system includes a data bus interconnecting a 16 bit parallel processor, a random access memory having up to 64K words of memory storage, up to eight magnetic tape files, up to eight magnetic disk files, a key station multiplexer, and selector channels providing additional communication capabilities. The selector channels permit optional communication with a main frame computer system, a remote data entry system which may be a simple CRT key station or another peripheral processing system, a high speed optical character reader (OCR), a line printer, a computer output microfilm (COM) unit, or other data processing systems or subsystems. The key station multiplexer provides communication of serial address, data and control signals for up to 64 addressable, CRT key station terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1974
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1977
    Assignee: Pertec Corporation
    Inventor: Alan K. Jennings
  • Patent number: 4041469
    Abstract: Hardware duplication at each of a plurality of CRT key stations is minimized and centralized control is maintained by performing many traditional CRT key station operations under software control by a central processing unit. Simplified CRT key stations include circuitry providing automatic key stroke repeat for continuously actuated keys only after receipt of a repeat enable signal from the central processing unit for each separate repeat and a tone generator responsive to commands from the central processing unit. The tone generator includes a key click circuit to audibly indicate each completion of key activation. CRT key station circuitry inserts a configuration code with each key stroke data word which indicates one of a plurality of available key switch arrangements for the CRT key station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1974
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1977
    Assignee: Pertec Corporation
    Inventor: Alan K. Jennings