GB1098178A - Improvements relating to data processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,098,178. Circuits employing bi-stable magnetic elements; pulse radar. ELECTRIC & MUSICAL INDUSTRIES Ltd. Sept. 16, 1964 [Oct. 30, 1963], No. 42729/63. Headings H3B and H4D. [Also in Division G4] In a shift register an output conductor linking all the cores of the register is connected to a threshold device so that when a series of binary signals applied to the register is shifted along the register an output signal is obtained from the threshold device when the series of binary signals includes more than a predetermined number of signals of one binary value. In one embodiment quantized signals derived from the signals produced by a target at a selected range are applied to the input winding W 1 of core C 1 and if a core is in the " 1 " state prior to the application of the shift pulse the resultant change in flux includes a signal in winding W 0 . This signal after being delayed by D is applied through gate G, opened when the shift pulse ceases, to switch the next core to the " 1 " state. If a core is in its " 0 " state no signal is induced in the corresponding output winding and the following core remains in the " 0 " state set by the shift pulse. Since the sense conductor threads all cores in the same sense the amplitude of the signal induced therein when a shift pulse is applied is indicative of the number of " 1's " stored in the cores so that when the number of cores switched from the " 1 " state to the " 0 " state is greater than a predetermined number a threshold device T produces an output signal. The centre of a group of " 1's " applied to the input may be detected by providing those cores in the vicinity of the centre of the register with more windings of the sense conductor than those near the ends of the register so that those cores with the larger number of windings produces a larger signal in the sense conductor. The delay elements D and gates G may be replaced by a further set of cores. Recognizing characters.-The shift register may also be used to identify patterns of binary signals derived by scanning printed characters. A plurality of sense conductors may be threaded through the cores of a single-shift register or a separate shift register with a single sense conductor may be provided for each pattern and the binary input signals applied to all the registers simultaneously. Each sense conductor is threaded through the cores in a unique pattern so that at any instant the largest output signal will appear on the sense conductor associated with the pattern which is most similar to the pattern of binary signals in the register at that instant. An improvement in the discrimination between patterns may be obtained by providing different numbers of sense-conductor windings on different cores.