Patent GB-1118271-A (GB)
Title: Selective signalling of information conditions
IPC: H03M7/00
Filed: 1963-09-13
Abstract: 1,118,271. Random number generators. PHILIPS USFA N.V. 13 Sept., 1963 [24 Sept., 1962], No. 36254/63. Heading G4D. In a read-out device, Fig. 1, for indicating the conditions of binary elements a, b, d, e, the binary elements are divided into two groups a, b and d, e, the two complementary outputs 5, 6 &c. of each binary element being connected to two groups 15 . . . 18 and 21 . . . 24 of connection points, these connection points being connected through cyclic permutation to respective " or " gates 25 . . . 28 and " and " gates 33 . . . 36. The " and " gate group 33 . . . 36 has extra inputs 81 . . . 96 connected to the outputs 69 . . . 72 of the " or " gate group 25 . . . 28 through switches 37 . . . 52. The outputs 77 to 80 of the " and " gate group 33 to 36 are connected to the inputs 113 to 116 of a reading-out " or " gate 117. The contents of the elements a, b, d and e can be read out as follows. On each of the outputs 69 to 72 of the " or " gates 25 to 28, appears a " one " except for that gate which is connected by the associated two of the connection points 15 to 18 to those two of the outputs 5 to 8, both of which represent a " zero." Thus, there is always one of the four gates 25 to 28 on the output of which appears a " zero." When the switches 37 to 52 are open, a " zero " will always appear on the outputs 77 to 80 of the " and " gates 33 to 36 except for that gate which is connected via the associated two of the connection points 21 to 24 to those two of the outputs 11 to 14, both of which represent a " one." Thus, there is always one of the four gates 33 to 36 which has a " one " on its output. As the outputs 77 to 80 of the " and " gate group 33 to 36 are connected to the reading-out " or " gate 117, a " one " will always appear on the output of the reading-out gate 117 (the switches 37 to 52 being open), whatever the content represented by the binary elements a, b, d and e may be. Now if one of the switches 37 to 52 is closed, the " one " appearing on one of the outputs 77 to 80 when the switches are open, will be cancelled by the " zero," which, via the closed switch, reaches the extra input of that gate, on the output of which there was a " one " when the switch was open. Then, only " zeroes " will appear on the inputs 113 to 116, and a " zero " will likewise appear on the output of the reading- out gate 117. Thus a determined content of the binary elements a, b, d and e can be signalled by the operation of the switches 37 to 52. If the binary elements a, b, d and e are connected as a cyclic counter, then the sixteen conditions which can be represented by the four-element counter during a cycle, can be read off on the output of the gate 117. Whether the condition of such an electronic wheel is read as " zero " or as " one " depends on the position of the switches 37 to 52. The periphery of such a wheel formed by the binary elements a, b, d, e is adjustable at will. In a modification (Fig. 2, not shown) there are five binary elements a . . . e divided into a group a, b, c having six connection points 15 . . . 20 and eight " or " gates 25 . . . 32 and a group d, e having four connection points 21 . . . 24 and four " and " gates 33 . . . 36 arranged as in Fig. 1.