System For Providing A Video Display Having Differing Video Display Formats

Abstract

A system for providing a video character display containing at least two different types of video display formats which are comprised of independently self-generated digital-to-video scan signals. These scan signals are combined to provide a composite video signal which, when supplied to a television display device which utilizes a raster scan-line pattern, provides the various video display formats in different scan-line areas of the display screen. Each of the display formats is individually controllable. The various types of display formats which are provided include a ticker display, a text and/or graph display, and a crawl display. Means are provided for controlling the movement of the character display across the screen so as to vary the rate of movement of the character display across the screen in accordance with the rate of information input to the system. In this manner, a smooth video display format is provided at all input rates. Each display format comprises a plurality of character spaces and the system determines the character to be displayed in the given space on a space-by-space basis.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to systems capable of providing a video display containing at least two different types of video display formats.

Description of the Prior Art

There are several prior art video display systems. Prior art systems, however, are normally of the type which utilize a television camera in order to provide the information to be displayed on the screen. In such a system, at least one television camera is provided for each display area on the screen to which different information is to be supplied. Furthermore, in such systems, the television cameras are slaved to each other and the various display areas on the screen are, therefore, not independently controllable with respect to each other. These systems are not capable of displaying different types of display formats on the video display screen so that if it is desired to display two types of information which each lend themselves to a different type of display format, such as a display of a news report for a predetermined interval of time, and a display of stock ticker information in a continuously moving format, these prior art systems cannot accomplish this. In an attempt to overcome this problem, prior art systems have utilized a separate television camera for scanning a moving tape containing the stock ticker information. However, such a system is inefficient and costly as it requires an additional television camera to scan the tape rather than directly utilizing the signals which cause the tape to be printed.

Prior art video display systems are also available of the type in which a selected one of a plurality of digitally stored messages may be displayed either as a message page or in a moving format across the video display screen. In such prior art systems, a combination of a given sequence of dot signals and a given sequence of line signals is utilized to define a character space area. Such systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,426,344; 3,422,420 and 3,345,458. These prior art systems, however, are not capable of providing different types of display formats on the common video display screen; rather, only one type of display format is displayed. Thus, as was previously mentioned, when it is desired to display two different types of display formats these systems cannot be utilized. In addition, such prior art systems which utilize a moving character display across the video display screen are not able to compensate for variations in the input rate of data to the system when such variations occur. Thus, if the device feeding information data to the system is such as a keyboard, as the rate of input of information by the keyboard operator varies, the moving character display on the screen will appear discontinuous or jerky so that a smooth display will not be provided as the data input rate varies. Thus, the display provided is undesirable as it is annoying to the viewer. Furthermore, such prior art video display systems capable of converting stored digital signals into a video display do not have sufficient flexibility in order to display alphanumeric information and fractions as well as graphic information simultaneously on the video display screen, such as for providing a video display of a graph having notations thereon. Thus, although television display systems capable of converting binary input signals into video signals for displaying the data in readable form on a conventional television picture tube have been available, they have not been utilized to maximum efficiency in areas where it is desired to display different types of information simultaneously, such as when it is desired to provide an up to data business forecast.

These disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system for providing a video character display containing at least two different types of video display formats is provided. These video display formats are independently self-generated digital-to-video scan signals which are provided in different areas of the television display screen. The display format displayed in each of the display areas is individually controllable. Conventional scanning techniques are utilized for display of the digital information in readable form on a conventional television picture tube. Preferably, at least one of the display formats provides a movable character display across the video display screen. Means are provided for controlling the motion of this character display across the screen by varying the rate of movement of the character display across the screen in accordance with the rate of information input to the system. In this manner, compensation for variations in input rate is provided so that a smooth moving display format is provided for all input rates. The system is capable of providing a character display composed of alphanumeric characters, fraction characters, and graph characters, so that a composite display of a graph having notational information thereon may be provided. Each display row is divided into a number of character spaces, a character space being defined by a predetermined sequence of lines and a predetermined sequence of dots.

The system determines the information to be displayed in each character space on a space-by-space basis so that one space may contain an alphanumeric character, another space in the row may contain a fraction character, and another space in the row may contain a graph character so that the composite graph display may be provided. In addition, the system is capable of providing a ticker type of display, which is normally a moving display format, a text type of display comprising a plurality of rows wherein the rows are painted on a row-by-row basis to form a message page which is held for a predetermined time, as well as a crawl type of display which is a moving display. In this manner different types of video display formats may be simultaneously displayed on the video display screen. If desired, any one or more of the plurality of display formats may be independently removed from the composite video display without altering the display of any of the other portions.

The system is also capable of controlling the display of one or more television display devices and may be utilized in conjunction with a remote computer which could be utilized to distribute different information through a plurality of television monitors on a time shared basis. In such instance, a particular channel is assigned to each television monitor and when the channel address associated therewith is transmitted from the computer and decoded by the system, the particular channel will be accessed. In such instance, if desired, the text message page which has been painted on a given television monitor can be held until the channel associated with this monitor is addressed again by the remote computer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram, partially in schematic of the ticker input buffer portion of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram partially in schematic of the ticker character generation portion of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram, partially in schematic of the text input buffer portion of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram, partially in schematic of the text memory portion of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram, partially in schematic of the text display portion of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram, partially in schematic of the timing signals generation portions of the system of FIG. 1 which is omitted from FIG. 1 for purposes of clarity; and

FIGS. 8A through 8F are graphical illustrations exemplary of the various types of character displays which may be achieved with the system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and especially to FIG. 1 thereof which is a functional block diagram of the preferred embodiment of the system, generally referred to by the reference numeral 10, of the present invention. For purposes of clarity, the portion of the system which generates the timing signals utilized for controlling operation throughout the system, as will described in greater detail hereinafter, has been omitted from FIG. 1, although the appropriate timing signals are shown throughout the figures. The timing signal generation network will be described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 7 hereinafter. The system 10 of the present invention preferably includes a TEXT INPUT BUFFER PORTION 12, a TEXT MEMORY PORTION 14, a DISPLAY PORTION 16, a TICKER NUMBER 1 INPUT BUFFER PORTION 18, a TICKER CHARACTER GENERATION PORTION 20, a TICKER NUMBER 2 INPUT BUFFER PORTION 22, a SCROLL INPUT BUFFER PORTION 24, a SCROLL CHARACTER GENERATION PORTION 26 and a STOCKS 15 MIN. DELAY MESSAGE GENERATION PORTION 28. For purposes of illustration, and not by way of limitation, the system 10 of the present invention will be described with respect to provision of a composite plural display having a text and/or graph portion, two ticker portions, a delay message portion and a scroll portion. Any other desirable combination of plural display may be accomplished without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the following description.

The text input buffer portion 12, which is preferably capable of receiving either a text line input 30 and/or an auxiliary line input 32, such as from an external digital system, includes an input gating circuit comprising AND gate 34 associated with the text line input 30 and AND gate 36 associated with the auxiliary line input 32, both of which are fed to an OR gate 38. The output of the OR gate 38 is connected in parallel to a conventional resynchronizer 40 and an input register 42. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the resynchronizer 40 is connected to the clock terminal of the input register 42. The input register 42 is connected to a character detector 44 which, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter, detects the presence of the start bit of the input signal. The output of the input register 42 is also connected to a storage register 46 which is in turn connected in parallel to a function decoder network 48, to be described in greater detail hereinafter, which provides control functions for the system 10 of the present invention, and to an address decoder network 50 for detecting the appropriate channel to be addressed with the input information. The character detector 44 is also connected in parallel to the transfer terminal of the storage register 46 for controlling the transfer of data from the input register 42 to the storage register 46, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter, and to the text memory portion 14.

The output of the storage register 46 is connected in parallel to memory networks 52 and 54, one such memory network being provided for each channel, only two channels A and B being shown for purposes of illustration. Each of the memories 52 and 54 is preferably a seven by 256 bit memory; that is, seven stages, one per bit, each having a capacity of 256 bits. The address decoder 50 is connected in parallel to the load terminal of memories 52 and 54. The output of memories 52 and 54 are connected in parallel to the recirculation register network 56 which, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter, enables the scanning of one character row of data, which is preferably 16 horizontal lines.

The output of the recirculation registers 56 of the text memory portion 14 is connected to a conventional character generator 58 contained in the display portion 16. The output of the character generator 58 is connected to a conventional output register 60 whose output is in turn connected to an output gating network which preferably includes a pair of AND gates 62 and 64 connected in parallel, one AND gate being provided for each channel, AND gates 62 and 64 being connected to an enable text signal generator 66. The output of AND gate 62 is connected to a three input OR gate 68. The other two inputs to OR gate 68 are provided from a pair of AND gates 70 and 72, AND gate 70 being associated with the ticker character generation portion 20 output and AND gate 72 being associated with the scroll character generation portion 26 output, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. The output of OR gate 68 is connected to a conventional video mixer 74 which is also connected to a sync signal generator 76 in order to provide a composite video signal which may be transmitted to a conventional television display 78 in order to provide a plural display of the text, ticker and scroll information, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. Similarly, AND gate 64 associated with channel B, has its output connected to another three input OR gate 80 whose other two inputs are provided by a pair of AND gates 82 and 84, AND gate 82 being associated with the scroll character generation portion 26 and AND gate 84 being associated with the ticker character generation portion 20. The output of OR gate 80 is similarly connected to another conventional video mixer 86 which also has a sync signal generator 88 connected thereto in order to provide a composite video signal on channel B to a separate conventional television display device 90, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Now, generally describing the ticker number 1 input buffer portion 18, the functional diagram except for the associated timing signals and input information signals, being preferably identical with that of the ticker number 2 input buffer portion 22 and the scroll input buffer portion 24, the same reference numerals therefore being utilized for functionally identical components followed by the letters a and b, respectively, for input buffer portions 22 and 24. The ticker number 1 input buffer portion 18 preferably includes a resynchronizer 92 connected to the ticker number 1 input 94. The input 94 further being connected in parallel to an input register 96. The output of the resynchronizer 92 is connected to the clock terminal of the input register 96 in the same manner as described with reference to a similar connection in the text input buffer portion 12. The output of the input register 96 is connected to a character detector 98 which senses the start bit of the input signal, and to a storage register 100. The output of the character detector is connected to a space detector 102 which, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter, has its output connected to a motion control network 104 so as to enable movement of the ticker character display across the video display screen of the display devices 78 and 90 in a smooth manner. The character detector circuit 98 via the space detector network 102 is connected to the transfer terminal of the storage register 100 to enable the loading of data, the output of the storage register 100 being connected to the space detector 102. The output of the motion control network 104 is connected in parallel to the ticker number 1 input buffer memory 106, which is preferably a six by 32 bit memory which is enabled by an enable ticker number 1 output signal 108, and to the ticker character generation portion 20.

The ticker character generation portion 20 includes a character generation 110 whose output is connected to an output register 112 which output, in turn, is connected to position gating circuitry 114, to be described in greater detail hereinafter, the position gating network 114 being responsible for the movement of the ticker character display across the screen. The motion control 104 is connected to the position gating network 114 via an OR gate 116 which is provided with another input from the motion control 104a of the ticker number 2 input buffer portion 22. The output of the position gating network 114 of the ticker character generation portion 20 is connected to AND gates 70 and 84 of the display portion 16. The character generator 110 of the ticker character generation portion 20 is connected in parallel to the output of the memories 106 and 106a of the ticker number 1 input buffer portion 18 and the ticker number 2 input buffer portion 22, respectively. In addition, the output of the "stocks 15 min. delay" message generator 28 is also connected in parallel with the memory 106 and 106a outputs to the character generator 110 of the ticker character generation portion 20.

The functional description of the scroll input buffer portion 24, as was previously mentioned, is identical with that previously described with reference to the ticker number 1 input buffer portion 18, except that in place of the enable ticker number 1 output signal generator 108 there is an enable scroll signal generator 118, the balance of the function diagram being identical except that in place of the ticker number 1 input 94 there is a scroll input 120 and, in the ticker number 2 input buffer portion 22, in place of the ticker number 1 input 94 there is a ticker number 2 input 121. Similarly, the functional portions of the scroll character generator portion 26 are identical with that previously described with reference to the ticker character generation portion 20, the scroll character generation portion 26 including a character generator 122 whose output is connected to an output register 124 whose output is, in turn, connected to position gating network 126. The motion control network 104b of the scroll input buffer portion 24 has its output connected also to the position gating network 126. In addition, the output of the memory 106b of the scroll input buffer portion 24 is connected to the input of the character generator 122 of the scroll character generation portion 126. The output of the position gating network 126 of the scroll character generation portion 26 is connected in parallel to AND gates 72 and 82 of display portion 16.

TICKER NUMBER 1 INPUT BUFFER PORTION

Referring now to FIG. 2 and describing the ticker number 1 input buffer portion 18 in greater detail. As was previously mentioned, the ticker number 2 input buffer portion 22 and the scroll input buffer portion 24 are preferably identical in structure and operation, the only differences being in the nature of the input signal processed through the corresponding input buffer portion and the associated timing signals necessary to process this input signal. However, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, the ticker character generation portion 20 and the scroll character generation portion 26 provide different types of output signals through the display portion 16, the ticker signal, whether it be from the ticker number 1 input buffer portion 18 or the ticker number 2 input buffer portion 22 ultimately providing a display of associated ticker information which is preferably sixteen lines high, the first eight lines being for display of the letter relating to the stock symbol, the bottom eight lines being for the display of alphanumeric characters associated with the symbol, and the bottom ten of these lines being for display of fraction characters associated with this symbol. The scroll character generation portion 26 ultimately provides a scroll display which is preferably only eight lines high. However, for purposes of explanation, since the circuitry associated with the input buffer portions 18, 22 and 24 are essentially the same, by way of example, only the associated circuitry of the ticker number 1 input buffer portion 18 will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The ticker number input buffer portion 18, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, receives the ticker number 1 input 94 from any conventional source of such information, such as a remote computer, teletype, or keyboard, the ticker number 1 input preferably being a conventional ticker code which is a nine unit code comprising a start bit, six information bits and two stop marks, this code being similar to a teletype code. This ticker number 1 input 94 is normally at EIA compatible voltage levels and is, therefore, preferably fed through a conventional level changer 130 which changes the EIA compatible voltage level input to TTL compatible levels in a conventional manner. The output of this level changer 130 is connected in parallel to resynchronizer 92 and to the data input of input register 96 which is preferably an eight bit input register. As was previously mentioned, the output of the resynchronizer 92 is connected to the clock terminal of the input register 96. The resynchronizer 92 also preferably receives a clock input via path 132, the clock input preferably being sixteen times the frequency of the ticker input 94. The resynchronizer 92, which is preferably a conventional resynchronizer which functions in a conventional manner, resynchronizing on the leading edge of each new space pulse to insure center sampling of the input pulses and to minimize spurious noise pulses, may be any conventional type, such as one comprising a flip-flop arrangement connected in a conventional fashion to a divide-by-16 counter, which counter receives the clock input 132 such as through an inverter.

The eight bit input register 96 is preferably connected to the storage register 100 to provide a parallel transfer thereto. Preferably, one of the stages of the eight bit input register 96 is also connected in parallel to the conventional character detector circuit 98 which, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, senses the start bit. This character detector 98 may be any conventional character detector circuit such as one comprising a flip-flop network. As will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, the character detector 98 receives timing signals VB3 via path 134 and SDET via path 136 from the basic timing chain to be described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 7, and from the space detector 102 associated with the input buffer portion 18, respectively. The character detector 98 is connected to the clear-reset terminal of the input register 96 via path 138 so as to provide a reset pulse thereto. In addition, the character detector is connected to the load terminal of the storage register 100 via path 140. The space detector 102 is preferably a conventional type of space detector network comprising a flip-flop 142, and receives timing input signals VB2 and C6 from the basic timing chain (FIG. 7). The data input terminal of the flip-flop 142 is preferably connected to the output of an OR gate 144 which has one input connected in a feedback path to the output of the flip-flop 142 and the other input connected to the motion control network 104 to be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The output of the storage register 100, which conventional storage register 100 preferably comprises six four-bit-recirculation memories, one for each output bit, is connected to memory 106 so as to preferably supply a parallel transfer of data thereto. Memory 106 also preferably comprises six thirty-two-bit-recirculation memories. As will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, memory 106 preferably is connected to the motion control network 104 so as to receive transfer pulses labeled XFER and XFER via paths 146 and 148. The output of memory 106, is preferably also a parallel transfer of data, each of the six parallel transfer bits being connected as an input to an associated two input NAND gate 150, 152, 154, 156, 158 and 160. These NAND gates 150 through 160 inclusive preferably have the other input thereto connected in parallel to a conventional enable ticker number 1 generator 108 (FIG. 7) to receive an enabling pulse therefrom via path 866 in order to provide a parallel transfer of ticker bits TKB1, TKB2, TKB3, TKB4, TKB5 and TKB6 via paths 162, 164, 166, 168, 170 and 172 respectively, to the ticker character generation portion 20 which will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Now describing the motion control network 104 of the ticker number 1 input buffer portion 18, the motion control network 104 providing a character incrementing function, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter in the discussion of the operation of the input buffer portion 18. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the motion control network 104 cooperates with the position gating network 114 of the ticker character generation portion 20 to control the movement or motion of the resultant ticker display across the video display screen. The resultant motion is dependent on the rate of loading the data into the storage register 100; that is, whether 1, 2, 3 or 4 bits of data are loaded into the storage register 100 for a given associated bit, before the associated recirculating memory is able to transfer the data from the storage register to the memory 106. The motion control network 104 preferably includes a motion control register 174, which is preferably a conventional four bit register, and an output motion control counter 176, which is preferably a conventional divide-by-12 counter, and associated gating circuitry so as to provide the appropriate control signals to the position gating network 114 in order to control the motion of the ticker display. The C6 timing pulse provided from the basic timing chain shown in FIG. 7 is fed via path 178 through an inverter 180 to one input of a NAND gate 182 whose other input is the transfer pulse XFER which is also fed via path 148 to the memory 106. The output of the NAND gate 182 is connected in parallel to a pair of NAND gates 184 and 186 which also have their other inputs connected in parallel to a clock input CK provided via path 188 from a conventional clock generator as shown in FIG. 7.

The output of NAND gate 186 is connected to the clock terminal of the motion control register 174. The data input terminal of the motion control register 174 is connected to the output of a two input NOR gate 190, one input of which is the transfer pulse XFER which is also provided via path 146 to the memory 106. The output of the motion control register 174 preferably comprises four parallel bits Q0, Q1, Q2, Q3 and, in addition, the complement of Q3 which is Q3, provided via paths 192, 194, 196, 198 and 200, respectively. The Q3 output bit via path 198 is connected in parallel to one input of a two input OR gate 202, the outer input of gate 202 being a timing signal LC (load character) via path 204. The output of OR gate 202 is provided in parallel as one input to OR gate 144 of space detector 102 via path 206, and as an input to NOR gate 190 via path 208. The output of OR gate 202 via path 208 is also provided in parallel to the preset input of a flip-flop 210 whose output in the set state is S1 via path 212. The inputs to the flip-flop 210, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter, are provided from the output motion control counter 176.

The Q0 bit via path 192 from motion control register 174 is provided as an input to an AND gate 214 whose output is connected to one input of a two input NOR gate 216. The Q1 output bit of motion control register 174 via path 194 is provided as an input to another AND gate 218 whose output is connected to the other input of the NOR gate 216. The output of NOR gate 260 is connected to the data input terminal of a flip-flop 220 which provides an output S4 via path 222 in the Q state. The output in the Q state is also provided via a feedback path 224 as an input to AND gate 218. The Q state output of flip-flop 220 is connected via path 226 to the clock input of a flip-flop 228.

The input to the data terminal of the flip-flop 228 is connected to the output of a two input NOR gate 230, one input to NOR gate 230 being connected to the output of an AND gate 232, the other input to the NOR gate 230 being connected to the output of AND gate 234. The Q1 output bit of motion control register 174 bia path 194 is provided as an input to AND gate 232 and the Q2 output bit of motion control register 174 via path 196 is provided as an input to AND gate 234. The Q state output of flip-flop 228 is a pulse S3 via path 236. The Q state output is also connected via a feedback path 238 to an input to AND gate 234. The Q state output of flip-flop 228 is connected via a path 240 to the clock terminal input of another flip-flop 242 whose Q state output is a pulse S2 via path 244. The data input terminal of flip-flop 242 is connected to the output of a two input OR gate 246. One input to OR gate 246 is the Q2 output bit from the motion control register 174 via path 196, while the other input to OR gate 246 is connected to the output of a two input NOR gate 248. One input to NOR gate 248 is the Q3 output bit of motion control register 174 provided via path 200 while the other input to NOR gate 248 is connected to the Q state output of flip-flop 242 via path 250. The signal C6 provided from the basic timing chain of FIG. 7, to be described in greater detail hereinafter, is connected in parallel as an input to flip-flops 220, 228 and 242 via path 178.

Now describing the gating circuitry associated with the output motion control counter 176. Another timing signal C2 provided from the basic timing chain shown in FIG. 7 via path 254 is connected through an inverter 256 to one input of a two input NOR gate 258. The other input to NOR gate 258 is the S1 output of flip-flop 210 via path 212. The output of NOR gate 258 is connected through one input of a two input AND gate 260 whose output is connected to one input of a four input NOR gate 262. The other input to AND gate 260 is connected to the C1 timing signal output via path 264 of the basic timing chain shown in FIG. 7. This signal is connected in parallel to one input of another AND gate 266, the output of AND gate 266 being connected to a different input to NOR gate 262. The other input to AND gate 266 is connected to the S3 output of flip-flop 228 via path 236. A third input to NOR gate 262 is connected to the output of another two input AND gate 268 whose inputs are a timing signal C2 provided from the basic timing chain shown in FIG. 7 via path 270, and the S2 output of flip-flop 242 provided via path 244. The fourth input of NOR gate 262 is connected to the output of another AND gate 272 whose input is connected to the S4 output of flip-flop 220 via path 222. The output of NOR gate 262 is connected to one input of a two input NOR gate 274 whose other input is a timing signal delay clock (DCK) supplied from the output of a conventional timing generator 852 shown in FIG. 7 via path 276. The output of NOR gate 274 is connected to an input to the output motion control counter 176.

The outputs of the output motion control counter 176 are parallel signals D1, D2, D3 and D4 provided via paths 278, 280, 282 and 284, respectively. As will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, the D1 output via path 278 represents the output of the most rapid moving stage of counter 176 and the D4 output of counter 176 via path 284 represents the slowest moving stage of the counter 176. The D1 output via path 278 is connected in parallel to one input of an NAND gate 286 and to associated circuitry, such as flip-flop 210, via path 288. The D2 output via path 280 is connected as one input to another NAND gate 290. The D3 output via path 282 is connected in parallel to one input to another NAND gate 292 and to one input of another NAND gate 294 via path 296. The D4 output via path 284 is connected in parallel to one input of a two input NAND gate 298 and to the other input of NAND gate 294 via path 300. The other inputs of NAND gates 286, 290, 292 and 298 are connected in parallel to the output of an NOR gate 302 whose inputs, for purposes of ticker display, are timing signal R2.sup.2 amd R2.sup.1 which are provided from the basic timing chain of FIG. 7 via paths 304 and 306 to provide an enable signal to gates 286, 290, 292 and 298. The outputs of gates 286, 290, 292 and 298 are the complemeents D1, D2, D3 and D4 of the respective inputs D1, D2, D3 and D4 provided via paths 291, 293, 295 and 297, respectively. When the network shown in FIG. 2 is utilized as a scroll input buffer, terminals 304 and 306 are grounded as shown by the dotted lines.

The D4 output via path 284 is also connected through an inverter 308 to a flip-flop 310. The Q state output terminal of flip-flop 310 is connected to the data input terminal of another flip-flop 312 which receives the timing signal C6 from the basic timing chain of FIG. 7 as another input thereto. The Q state output terminal of flip-flop 312 is connected in parallel to the data terminal and clock terminal of flip-flop 310 to provide the transfer output pulse XFER via path 148. The Q state output terminal of flip-flop 312 provides the transfer pulse XFER via path 146. The timing signal C1 provided from the basic timing chain of FIG. 7 via path 264 is connected in parallel through an inverter 314 to provide timing output signal C1.sup.1 via path 316, and to the clear input terminal of flip-flop 312.

The motion control circuitry 104 is also connected to the storage register 100 to provide a transfer pulse thereto. The transfer pulse XFER provided via path 146 is connected to one input of a two input OR gate 320 whose output is connected via path 322 to the transfer input of storage register 100. The other input to OR gate 320 is the enable load data (ELD) output signal from character detector 98 via path 140. This signal via path 140 is fed through an inverter 324 to the input of OR gate 320 and also provides the signal LC (load character) via path 204 to OR gate 202. The ELD signal via path 140 is also connected in parallel to one input of a two input NOR gate 326 whose output via path 328 is also connected to the transfer input of the storage register 100. The other input to NOR gate 326 is connected to the output of another two input NOR gate 330. One input to NOR gate 330 is connected to timing signal TKE (ticker enable) via path 332, which signal is preferably grounded when this input buffer network is utilized as a scroll input buffer, as shown by the dotted lines. The signal TKE (ticker enable) via path 332 is also connected in parallel to an inverter 334 whose output is the complement thereof TKE via path 336. The other input to NOR gate 330 is connected to the output of an NAND gate 338 whose two inputs are two of the seven parallel bits provided as the output of input register 96, preferably the sixth and seventh bits.

TICKER CHARACTER GENERATION PORTION

Now referring to FIG. 3 and describing the ticker character generation portion 20 in greater detail. As was previously mentioned, the circuitry associated with the ticker character generation portion 20 is preferably identical with that associated with the scroll character generation portion 26 with the exception of the type of signal input and the various timing signals utilized to control the processing of the signal through the character generation circuitry. In addition, the character generator 122 utilized for scroll character generation preferably differs from the character generator 110 utilized for ticker character generation in that the scroll character generator 122 is preferably not programmed to provide fraction characters, although, if desired, this could also be accomplished. As will be explained in a more detailed description of the operation of the system of the present invention, and as was previously mentioned, the timing signals associated with the scroll character generation portion 26 as compared to those associated with the ticker character generation portion 20 are such as to provide only eight horizontal scan lines for a scroll character space as opposed to sixteen horizontal scan lines for a ticker character space. Since, however, the ticker character generation portion 20 and the scroll character generation portion 26 are preferably identical but for the exceptions mentioned above, only the ticker character generation portion will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The character generator portion 110 of the ticker character generation portion 20 is preferably a conventional character generator such as a read only memory (ROM) preprogrammed for a desired character generation function. Preferably, the character generator 110 is capable of generating both alphanumeric characters and fractions in response to the ticker bit outputs of memory 106 via paths 162, 164, 166, 168, 170 and 172 in the horizontal line scan signals. If desired, the conventional character generator could be a single metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) read only memory chip preprogrammed for these functions, a pair of MOS read only memory chips wherein one is preprogrammed for alphanumeric characters and the other for fraction characters, or a single read only memory (MOS) chip which is preoprogrammed for alphanumeric characters in conjunction with supplementary TTL logic in order to generate the necessary fractions which are outside the range of the preprogrammed MOS chip. The horizontal line scan timing signals which are utilized to interrogate the read only memory character generator 110 in conjunction with the ticker bit input signal via paths 162 through 172 are provided from the basic timing chain of FIG. 7 in a manner to be described in greater detail hereinafter. Suffice it to say at this point that in response to these interrogation signals the character generator 110 provides an appropriate output character via a parallel transfer into the conventional output register 112 which is preferably a two stage register.

The output register is connected to a master oscillator associated with the basic timing chain of FIG. 7 via path 340 so that the register 112 will shift at the video dot frequency provided by the oscillator, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. The output register 112 is also provided with a transfer pulse XFERTK via path 342 from an OUTPUT REGISTER-OUTPUT TRANSFER PORTION 344, which will be described in greater detail hereinafter. Transfer pulse XFERTK permits the parallel loading of the output register 112 from the character generator 110. The output of the output register 112 is transferred in parallel to the position gating network 114. Oscillator timing pulse OSC via path 340 is also passed through an inverter 344 to provide a timing pulse OSCT which is the complement thereof via path 346. One of the parallel output bits from output register 112 is connected via path 348 to one input of a two input NAND gate 350, the other input to gate 350 being an enable delay output signal (EDO) provided via path 352 from a conventional timing generator 354 shown in FIG. 7, and omitted from this figure for purposes of clarity. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the output of gate 350 is a timing signal delay output (DO) via path 356 which signal enables a black on white display of the message (STOCK 15 MIN. DELAY) on the video display screen instead of the normal white on black display which is preferably provided for the ticker information.

Another parallel bit output of output register 112 is provided via path 358 to one input of a two input AND gate 360 whose output is provided as one input to a NOR gate 362. The other input to NOR gate 362 is connected to the output of another two input AND gate 364 which has one input connected to another one of the parallel bit outputs of output register 112 via path 366. The other input to AND gate 364 is connected in parallel to one input of another two input AND gate 368 whose other input is connected to another one of the parallel bit outputs of output register 112 via path 370. The output of AND gate 368 is connected to one input of a two input NOR gate 372 whose other input is connected to the output of another AND gate 374. One input of AND gate 374 is connected to another parallel bit output of output register 112 via path 376 and the other input to gate 374 is connected in parallel to one input of AND gate 360.

Another one of the parallel bit outputs of output register 112 is connected to one input of another two input NAND gate 378 via path 380, the other input to NAND gate 378 being connected in parallel to one input of another two input NAND gate 382. The other input to NAND gate 382 is connected to another parallel bit output of output register 112 via path 384. The parallel connected inputs of AND gates 364 and 368 are connected in parallel via path 386 to the output of an inverter 388 whose input is connected to the D2 output associated with the output motion control counter 176 via path 293. The parallel connected inputs of AND gates 360 and 374 are connected in parallel via path 390 to the output of an inverter 392 whose input is the D3 output associated with output motion control counter 176 via path 295. The outputs of inverters 388 and 392 are also connected in parallel to the inputs of a two input NOR gate 394 whose output is connected in parallel to one input of NAND gates 378 and 382 via path 396. The output of NOR gate 372 and the output of NAND gate 382 are respectively connected to the input of a two input OR gate 398 whose output is connected to the input of a two input AND gate 400. The other input to AND gate 400 is connected to the D4 output associated with motion control counter 176 via path 297, this D4 output being connected in parallel to the input of an inverter 402.

The output of inverter 402 is connected to one input of a two input AND gate 404, the other input to AND gate 404 being connected to the output of a two input OR gate 406. The two inputs of OR gate 406 are connected to the outputs of NOR gate 362 and NAND gate 378, respectively. The outputs of AND gates 400 and 404 are connected to the inputs of a two input NOR gate 408 whose output is connected in parallel to the data input terminal of a pair of flip-flops 410 and 412, respectively. The clock terminal of flip-flop 410 is connected to the oscillator timing signal OSC via path 340, and the clock terminal of flip-flop 412 is connected to the OSCT timing signal output of inverter 344 via path 346. The Q state output of flip-flop 410 is connected to one input of a two input AND gate 414 and the Q state output of flip-flop 412 is connected to one input of another two input AND gate 416.

The D1 output associated with output motion control counter 176 via path 291 and the enable delay output signal (EDO) via path 352 of timing generator 354 (FIG. 7) are connected to the inputs of a two input NOR gate 418 whose output is a timing signal D1.sup.1 via path 240 which is connected in parallel to one input of a two input NOR gate 422. The other input to NOR gate 422 is connected in parallel to the EDO input to NOR gate 418, the output of NOR gate 422 being a timing signal D1' via path 424. Timing signal D1.sup.1 via path 420 is provided as the other input to AND gate 416 and timing signal D1' via path 424 is provided as the other input to AND gate 414. The output of AND gates 416 and 414 are connected to the inputs of a two input NOR gate 426 whose output is connected to one input of a two input OR gate 428. The other input to OR gate 428 is the timing signal DO via path 356 provided from NAND gate 350. The output of OR gate 428 is connected to one input of the two input NAND gate 430 which provide a ticker position gating output signal TICKER to the display portion 16 via path 432. The other input to NAND gate 430 is connected to a portion of the position gating network referred to as the position gating-horizontal blanking portion or window generation circuit 434.

This horizontal blanking portion 434, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter, provides a window which is thirty one characters long in order to provide a display of this length in this window. More particularly, the other input to NAND gate 430 is connected to the Q state output of a flip-flop 436 whose Q state output is connected to one input of a two input NAND gate 438, the other input to NAND gate 438 being connected to the C1 timing signal generated from the basic timing chain of FIG. 7 via path 264. The output of NAND gate 438 is connected to one input of a two input OR gate 440 whose other input is connected to the C6 output of the basic timing chain of FIG. 7 via path 178 and whose output is connected to the data input terminal of flip-flop 436. Flip-flop 436 is connected to the output register-output transfer portion 344. More particularly, flip-flop 436 is connected in parallel to the Q state output of a flip-flop 442 associated with the output transfer portion 344 and to the data input terminal of flip-flop 442, the Q state output of flip-flop 442 being the transfer pulse XFERTK via path 342. The output of an NOR gate 444 is also connected to the flip-flop 442, the input to NOR gate 444 being connected to the timing signal output VB3 of the basic timing chain of FIG. 7 via path 446. The clock terminal of flip-flop 442 is connected to the timing signal output VB1 of the basic timing chain of FIG. 7 via path 448.

TEXT INPUT BUFFER PORTION

For purposes of clarity, before describing the display portion 16 in greater detail, the balance of the circuitry associated with providing the signal to the display portion 16 will now be described. Referring now to FIG. 4 and describing the text input buffer portion 12 in greater detail. The text line input via path 30, which may be provided from a remotely located computer, keyboard, or teletype type of device, or any other conventional type of information input device, is connected to the input of a conventional level changer 450 which is capable of changing EIA compatible voltage levels to TTL compatible voltage levels. The output of level changer 450 is connected to one input of a two input AND gate 452 whose other input is connected to the enable line output signal ELINE provided via path 454 from a function decoder 456 of the function decoder network 48. The output of AND gate 452 is connected to one input of a two input OR gate 458, the other input to OR gate 458 being connected to the output of another two input AND gate 460. One input to AND gate 460 is connected to the enable line output signal ELINE provided via path 462 from function decoder 456, and the other input to AND gate 460 is connected to the output of another conventional level changer 464 capable of changing EIA compatible voltage levels to TTL compatible voltage levels. The input to level changer 464 is connected to the auxiliary line input AUX. LINE INPUT provided via path 32.

The output of OR gate 458 is connected in parallel to conventional resynchronizer 40 and to the data input of input register 42, which is preferably an eight bit input register. The output of resynchronizer 40, as was previously mentioned, is preferably connected to the clock input terminal of input register 42. The resynchronizer 40 is connected to the conventional clock signal generator shown in FIG. 7 via path 132, the clock signal preferably being 16 times the input rate of the text line input signal provided via path 30 or the auxiliary line input signal provided via path 32. Resynchronizer 40 is connected to the C4 timing signal provided from the basic timing chain of FIG. 7 via path 466. The input register 42 is connected to a conventional character detector 44 and to the storage register 46 in a manner similar to that previously described with reference to the interconnection of input register 96, character detector 98 and storage register 100 of the ticker number 1 input buffer portion 18. The input register 42 preferably provides a parallel output, character detector 44 preferably being connected to one of the parallel output bits of input register 42 to sense the occurrence of a start bit.

The character detector 44 is connected to the transfer terminal input of storage register 46 so as to cause a parallel transfer of the data present in input register 42 when the start bit is detected. In addition, the character detector 44 is connected to the clear-reset terminal of input register 42 via path 468 to provide a reset pulse RIR to the input register 42 after the transfer of the data from the input register 42 to the storage register 46. The character detector 44 is connected to the basic timing chain of FIG. 7 to receive timing pulses C1 and VB3 via paths 264 and 446, respectively. The character detector 44 operates in a conventional manner to sense the bits transferred to the storage register 46 to determine if the character is a displayable character in which instance an enable load data signal ELD will be sent via path 470 to address decoder 472, a displayable character being defined as one of the 64 ASCII characters including space plus the graph and fraction characters. If the character detected by the character detector 44 is not a displayable character, but rather is a control character such as line feed (LF), carriage return (CR), or start of text (STX), then the control signal CONT or CONT will be provided from the character detector 44 via paths 472 and 474, respectively.

Storage register 46 preferably provides a parallel output which is illustrated by parallel bits B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6 and B7 via paths 476, 478, 480, 482, 484, 486 and 488, respectively. The parallel output provided via paths 476 through 486 inclusive provides a parallel input to address decoding matrices A, B and Z, 490, 492 and 494, respectively. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, these decoding matrices are conventional decoding matrices which provide a conventional output control pulse in response to the decoding of a given selected input signal code. For purposes of illustration, decoding matrix 490 is associated with channel 1 or A for video display device 78, decoding matrix 492 is associated with channel 2 or B for video display device 90 and decoding matrix 494 is associated with both devices 78 and 90 to simultaneously turn them both on, as opposed to only turning on one channel. Decoding matrices 490, 492 and 494 are connected in parallel to the enable load data signal output ELD provided via path 470 from character detector 44 and to an enable load header signal output ELH provided via path 496 from a function decoder 498 of function decoder network 48.

The output of decoding matrix 490 is connected to the input of a flip-flop 500 whose output is connectecd in parallel to one input of a pair of two input NOR gates 502 and 504 associated with the address decoder network 50. The other input to NOR gate 504 is a clear pulse CL provided via path 506 from a function decoder 508 of the function decoder network 48. Another input to NOR gate 502 is connected to the output of a three input NAND gate 510 whose inputs are a coincidence pulse COIN provided via path 512 from the conventional coincidence circuit 514 shown in FIG. 7, the enable load data pulse ELD provided via path 470 and the enable load header pulse ELH provided via path 516 from function decoder 498. The output of NOR gate 502, which is the load data signal LD1, is connected in parallel to the load input terminal of memory 52 via path 518 and to one input of a two input OR gate 520, the other input to OR gate 520 being connected to the output of NOR gate 504. The output of OR gate 520 is a clear plus CL1 provided via path 522 to the clear terminal of memory 52. The output of NAND gate 510 is also connected in parallel to one input of a two input NOR gate 524.

Decoding matrix 492 has its output connected to a flip-flop 526 whose output is in turn connected in parallel to the other input of NOR gate 524 and to one input of another two input NOR gate 528. The other input to NOR gate 528 is the clear pulse CL provided via path 506. The output of NOR gate 528 is connected to one input of an OR gate 530. The output of NOR gate 524 is connected in parallel to the other input of OR gate 530 and to the load data terminal of memory 54 to provide a load data signal LD2 via path 532. The output of OR gate 530 is connected to the clear terminal of memory 54 to provide a clear pulse CL2 via path 534 to memory 54. Control signals start of header (SOH) and end of text (ETX) provided via path 536 from function decoder 498 are connected in parallel to flip-flops 500 and 526. Decoding matrix 494 is connected in parallel to flip-flops 500 and 526 for simultaneously controlling the operation of these flip-flop upon the decoding of the appropriate input signal.

The control signal inputs, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, are detected by means of the function decoder network 48 comprising function decoders 456, 498, 508, 538, 540, 542 and 544. By way of example, and not limitation, various parallel output bits from storage register 46 are illustrated as providing the various control vunction inputs to the function decoder network 48. Now describing function decoder 498. The parallel output bits provided via paths 480, 482 and 484 from storage register 46 are connected to the inputs of a three input NAND gate 546 whose output is connected to one input of a two input NOR gate 548. The othe input to NOR gate 548 is the control pulse output CONT from character detector 44 via path 474. The output of NOR gate 548 is connected in parallel to one input of a pair of two input NAND gates 550 and 552, respectively. The other input to NAND gate 550 is connected to parallel bit outputs 476 and 478 of storage register 46, and the other input to NAND gate 552 is connected to parallel output bit 476 of storage register 46. The output of NAND gate 550 is connected in parallel to function decoder 508 to provide a start of text signal (STX) via path 554, and to the input to a flip-flop 556 which provides the enable load header signal ELH via path 516 in one state, and the enable load header signal ELH via path 496 in the other state. The output of NAND gate 552 is connected in parallel to flip-flop 500 to provide the start of header (SOH) and end of text (ETX) signals thereto via path 536, and to flip-flop 556.

Now describing function decoder 544. Parallel output bits 480, 482 and 484 from storage register 46 are connected to the inputs of a three input NAND gate 558 whose output is connected to one input of a two input NOR gate 560. The other input to NOR gate 560 is connected to the control pulse output CONT of character detector 44 via path 474. The output of NOR gate 560 is connected to an input of NAND gate 562 whose other input is connected to parallel output bits 476 and 478. The output of NAND gate 562 is a tape control signal TAPE provided via path 564 to function decoder 456.

Now describing function decoder 542. An output coincidence signal COIN provided via path 512 from coincidence circuit 514 is connected in parallel to the input of an inverter 566 to provide the complement thereof, the coincidence signal COIN, and to one input of a two input OR gate 568. The other input to OR gate 568 is connected to the enable load header signal output ELH of function decoder 498 via path 516. The output of OR gate 568 is connected to one input of a two input NAND gate 570 whose other input is connected to the enable load data output ELD of character detector 44 via path 470. The output of NAND gate 570 is connected to the data input terminal of a flip-flop 572. The timing signal VB3 from the basic timing chain of FIG. 7 is also connected to the flip-flop 572 via path 446. In addition, the preset terminal of flip-flop 572 is connected to a master oscillator shown in FIG. 7 via path 340. The output of flip-flop 572 in the Q state is the advance control pulse ADV provided via path 574 to function decoders 508 and 540 and, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter, to a cursor character counter 576 (FIG. 7).

Now describing function decoder 508. The advance control pulse ADV provided via path 574 from function decoder 542, and the enable load header pulse ELH via path 496 from function decoder 498, are connected to the inputs of a two input NOR gate 580 whose output is connected to a flip-flop 582. The timing signal C6 via path 252 is provided to flip-flop 582 from the basic timing chain of FIG. 7. The output of flip-flop 582 is connected to one input of a two input OR gate 584 whose output is the clear pulse CL provided via path 506. The other input of OR gate 584 is connected to the Q state output of a flip-flop 586. The Q state output of flip-flop 586 is connected to the input of another flip-flop 588 whose output is connected to the data input terminal of flip-flop 586. A timing signal R2.sup.O is provided from the basic timing chain of FIG. 7 to flip-flop 586 via path 590. Flip-flop 588 is also connected to the start of text (STX) output of NAND gate 550 of function decoder 498 via path 554.

Now describing function decoder 538. Control signal CONT from character detector 44 via path 472 and parallel output bits 482 and 484 of storage register 46 are connected to the input of a three input NAND gate 592 whose output is connected in parallel to one input or NOR gates 594 and 596. The other inputs to NOR gates 594 and 596 are connected to parallel output bit 480 of storage register 46. The output of NOR gate 594 is connected in parallel to one input of NAND gates 598, 600 and 602. The other inputs to NAND gate 598 are parallel output bits 476 and 478. The output of NAND gate 598 is the control pulse or character carriage return CR provided via path 604 from function decoder 538. The other inputs to NAND gate 600 are also parallel output bits 476 and 478, more particularly the compliments thereof. The output of NAND gate 600 is the control character shift in SI provided via path 606 from function decoder 538. The other input to NAND gate 602 is parallel output bits 476 and 478, NAND gate 602 providing the control character shift out SO via path 608 from function decoder 538. This input of NAND gate 602 is connected in parallel to one input of another NAND gate 610, this input being connected to the output of an NOR gate 612 whose input is the parallel output bits 476 and 478, from which the input to NAND gates 602 and 610 is derived. Another input to NAND gate 610 is connected to the output of NOR gate 596 which is also connected in parallel to one input of a three input NAND gate 614. The output of NAND gate 610 is connected to the input of an inverter 616 whose output is the control character line feed LF provided via path 618 from function decoder 538. The other inputs to NAND gate 614 are parallel output bits 476 and 478. The output of NAND gate 614 is the control character tab TAB provided via path 620 from function decoder 538.

Now describing function decoder 540. The shift out SO character output of function deocder 538 via path 608 is connected in parallel to the data input terminal of a flip-flop 622 and to the input of an inverter 624 whose output is connected to another flip-flop 626. The control signal CONT output of character detector 44 via path 474 is connected in parallel to flip-flop 622 and to another flip-flop 628. The Q state output of flip-flop 622 is connected to the data input terminal of flip-flop 626 and the Q state output terminal of flip-flop 626 is connected to the input of an inverter 630 whose output is the control character enable shift out ESO which is preferably provided to an external device for control thereof via path 632 from function decoder 540. The preset terminals of flip-flop 622 and 628 are connected together and in parallel to the advance control signal output ADV of function decoder 542 via path 574. The shift in control character SI output of function decoder 538 via path 606 is connected in parallel to the data input terminal of flip-flop 626 and to the input of an inverter 634 whose output is connected to another flip-flop 636. The Q state output of flip-flop 636 is connected to the clock terminal of flip-flop 626. The clock terminal of flip-flop 636 is connected to the shift out control character output SO of function decoder 538 via path 608.

Now describing function decoder 456. Function decoder 456 is specifically related to the control of a video display of an auxiliary input from a remote source. The input control signal auxiliary ready to send AUX. RTS via path 638 is connected to the input of a conventional level changer 640 which changes EIA voltage compatible levels to TTL voltage compatible levels. The output of the level changer 640 is connected in parallel to one input of a two input NOR gate 642 and to a flip-flop 644. The other input to NOR gate 642 is connected to the tape control signal output TAPE of function decoder 544 provided via path 564. The output of NOR gate 642 is also connected to flip-flop 644 which provides the control signal enable line ELINE via path 462 in one state and the control signal enable line ELINE via path 454 in the other state. The enable line output ELINE of flip-flop 644 provided via path 454 is also connected in parallel to the input of a NOR gate 646 whose output is connected to the input of another conventional level changer 648 which changes TTL voltage compatible oevels to EIA voltage compatible signal levels and provides as an output the control signal auxiliary clear to send AUX. CTS via path 650.

TEXT MEMORY PORTION

Referring now to FIG. 5 and describing in greater detail the text memory portion 14 associated with the text input buffer 12. As was previously mentioned, the text memory portion 14 preferably includes memories 52 and 54 which are preferably each recirculating memories. Both memory 52 and 54 each preferably comprise seven stages, one for each input bit, each stage preferably being 256 bits. Each of these memories 52 and 54 is a conventional recirculating memory network and is represented by the symbol labeled MEMORY (7X256) which is a symbol defined as meaning seven stages, 256 bits each. The parallel output bits from storage register 46 (FIG. 4) are each connected in parallel to the parallel inputs to memory 52 and memory 54, respectively, one bit per stage of each memory 52 and 54. In addition, as was previously mentioned, the load input terminal of memory 52 is connected to the output of NOR gate 502 of address decoder 472 (FIG. 4) via path 518 and the clear input terminal of memory 52 is connected to the output of OR gate 520 of address decoder 472 (FIG. 4) via path 522. Similarly, as was also previously mentioned, the load input terminal of memory 54 is connected to the output of NOR gate 524 of address decoders 472 (FIG. 4) via path 532 and the clear input terminal of memory 54 is connected to the output of OR gate 530 of address decoder 472 (FIG. 4) via path 534. The parallel output bits of memory 52 are labeled respectively MB1A, MB2A, MB3A, MB4A, MB5A, MB6A and MB7A and are provided via paths 660, 662, 664, 666, 668, 670 and 672, respectively, from memory 52. Similarly, the parallel output bits of memory 54 are labeled, respectively, MB1B, MB2B, MB3B, MB4B, MB5B, MB6B and MB7B and are provided via paths 674, 676, 678, 680, 682, 684 and 686, respectively, from memory 54.

As was previously mentioned, memories 52 and 54 have their outputs connected in parallel to the recirculation register network 56 which preferably comprises seven recirculation registers 688, 690, 692, 694, 696, 698 and 700, one register being provided for each bit, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter. Recirculation registers 688 through 700 inclusive are preferably identical in structure and operation, and are preferably conventional. For purposes of explanation, a typical recirculation register 688 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 5. Each recirculation register 688 to 700 inclusive preferably includes a 32 bit register 702. Register 702 preferably has its clock input connected to a conventional clock generator shown in FIG. 7 via path 704 so as to receive the clock signal CKR via path 704. A break recirculation control signal BKR from coincidence circuit 514 of FIG. 7 is connected in parallel to one input of a two input NAND gate 706 and to the corresponding inputs of recirculation registers 690 through 700 inclusive, via path 708. The other input to NAND gate 706 is the recirculation output of register 702.

Recirculation registers 688 through 700 inclusive are also provided with enable load signals E1 and E2, respectively, provided from a conventional clock generator 710 of FIG. 7 via paths 712 and 714, respectively. The enable load signal E1 is connected in parallel to one input of a NAND gate 716 and to the corresponding inputs of recirculation registers 690 through 700 inclusive. The enable load signal E2 provided via path 714 is connected in parallel to one input of another NAND gate 718 and to the corresponding inputs of recirculation registers 690 through 700 inclusive. The other input to NAND gate 716 is the parallel output bit from memory 52 provided via path 660 and the other input bit to NAND gate 718 is the parallel output bit of memory 54 provided via path 674. The outputs of NAND gate 706, 716 and 718 are connected in parallel. The output of NAND gate 718 is also connected to the input of an inverter 720 whose output is connected to the input of register 702.

The output of NAND gate 716 is the recirculation register output bit RB1 provided via path 722 to the character generator network 58 of display portion 16, shown in greater detail in FIG. 6. Similarly, the parallel output bits from memories 52 and 54 provided via path 662 and 676, respectively are connected to the input of recirculation register 690 whose output is recirculation bit RB2 provided via path 724 to the character generator network 58 of the display portion 16; the parallel outputs of memories 52 and 54 provided via paths 664 and 678, respectively, are connected to the input of recirculation register 692 whose output is recirculation bit RB3 provided via path 726 to the character generator network 48 of display portion 16; the parallel output bits of memories 52 and 54 provided via paths 666 and 680 are connected to the input of recirculation register 694 whose output is recirculation bit RB4 provided via path 728 to the character generator network 58 of display portion 16; the parallel output bits of memories 52 and 54 provided via paths 668 and 682 are connected to the inputs of recirculation register 696 whose output is recirculation bit RB5 provided via path 730 to the character generator network 58 of the display portion 16; the parallel output bits of memories 52 and 54 provided via paths 670 and 684 are connected to the input of recirculation register 698 whose output is recirculation bit RB6 provided via path 732 to the character generator network 58 of display portion 16; and the parallel output bits of memories 52 and 54 provided via paths 672 and 686 are connected to the input of recirculation register 700 whose output is recirculation bit RB7 provided via path 734 to the character generator network 58 of display portion 16.

DISPLAY PORTION

Referring now to FIG. 6 and describing the display portion 16 in greater detail. Character generator network 58 preferably includes a pair of conventional character generators 736 and 738. These conventional character generators are preferably MOS read only memories which are preprogrammed for the desired character generation functions. Preferably, character generator 736 is preprogrammed to provide alphanumeric characters and fraction characters in response to the recirculation bits and the horizontal line scanning signals, and character generator 738 is preferably preprogrammed to provide graph characters in response to the recirculation bits and the horizontal line scanning signals. The appropriate line scanning signals for triggering character generators 736 and 738 will be discussed in greater detail with reference to FIG. 7. The output of character generator 736, which is preferably a plurality of parallel output bits, is connected to the input of output register 60, which is preferably a conventional two stage output register. The clock input of the output register 60 is connected via path 340 to the master oscillator associated with the basic timing chain of FIG. 7. The transfer terminal input of output register 60 is connected to the transfer pulse output XFERTK of the output transfer portion 61 via path 63, output transfer portion 61 preferably being similar in structure and operation to output transfer portion 344 (FIG. 3).

The output of output register 60 is connected to one input of a two input OR gate 740. The other input to OR gate 740 is connected to the output of character generator 738. The output of OR gate 740 is connected in parallel to one input of a pair of two input AND gates 62 and 64, respectively. The other inputs of AND gates 62 and 64, respectively, are connected to the output of a conventional timing generator 746 labeled ENABLE TEXT GENERATOR (1 AND 2) which generator 746 provides the timing pulse enable text 1 (ETX1) via path 748 to AND gate 62, and the timing pulse enable text 2 (ETX2) via path 750 to AND gate 64. The timing signals utilized to control the operation of enable text generator 746 are provided from the basic timing chain of FIG. 7 and are, respectively, the timing signal output of the master oscillator OSC provided via path 340, the VB3' timing signal output of the basic timing chain provided via path 446 and the R2.sup.3 timing signal output provided via path 752.

The output of AND gate 62, which is the information signal text data 1 (TXDATA1), is connected in parallel to the input of the three input OR gate 68. Another input to OR gate 68 is the scroll data output SCROL1 provided from the scroll character generation portion 26. The third input to OR gate 68 is connected in parallel to the ticker data output TK1 of the ticker character generation portion 20 and to the output of a two input AND gate 70. One input of AND gate 70 is the enable text signal ETX2 provided via path 748. The other input to AND gate 70 is connected in parallel to one input of another two input AND gate 84 and to the output of an inverter 764 whose input is connected to the TICKER output of position gating circuit 114 provided via path 432. The output of AND gate 84 is connected in parallel to the ticker data input TK2 associated with the ticker number 2 input buffer portion 22 to one input of the three input OR gate 80. The other inputs to OR gate 80 are the text data information TXDATA2 provided via path 753 from AND gate 64, and the scroll data input SCROL2, if a second scroll data display is utilized.

As was previously mentioned, the output of OR gate 68 is connected to the input of a conventional video mixer 74 together with the composite sync signal output of the conventional mixed horizontal and vertical sync pulse generator 766 of FIG. 7 labeled SYNC1 (represented by sync generator 76 in FIG. 1), provided via path 768. The output of mixer 74, which is associated with channel A is a composite video signal output to television display device 78 which output is preferably a video display similar to that illustrated in FIG. 8D, and which will be described in greater detail in the discussion of the operation of the circuit. Similarly, the output of OR gate 80 is connected to the input of another conventional video mixer 86 together with the sync signal output SYNC2 (represented by sync generator 88 in FIG. 1) from sync generator 766 of FIG. 7 provided via path 770. The output of mixer 86, which is associated with channel B is a composite video signal to TV display device 90, similarly resulting in a video display preferably similar to that illustrated in FIG. 8D. As will be discussed in the operation of the circuit, the video displays provided from mixers 74 and 86 need not be the same and are preferably different.

TIMING SIGNAL GENERATION PORTION

Referring now to FIG. 7 and describing in greater detail the timing signal generation portion which is the source of the timing signals which control the operation of the various portion of the system 10 and which has previously been referred to in the detailed discussion of the other portions of system 10. The timing generator network shown in FIG. 7 includes the basic timing chain network 772 which provides the horizontal line scanning timing signals and the character counter timing signals utilized for controlling the timing of the various portions of the system 10 in a manner to be discussed in greater detail in the discussion of the operation of the system 10.

The basic timing chain 772 includes a master oscillator 774 of a predetermined frequency, such as 4.5 megahertz, which provides the oscillator clock signal OSC via path 340 and which is connected in parallel to the clock input of the video bit counter 776, which is a conventional divide-by-six counter whose outputs are the timing signals VB1, VB2 and VB3 provided on paths 448, 778 and 446, respectively. Preferably, counter 776 is a two stage counter consisting of a divide-by-two stage between output bits provided via paths 448 and 778, and a divide-by-three stage between output bits provided via paths 778 and 446 so that timing signal VB1 is equivalent to OSC/2, and VB2 and VB3 are each equivalent to OSC/6. The output of video bit counter 776 is connected to the clock input of a character counter 780 which is preferably a conventional divide-by-48 counter which provides the timing signal outputs C1, C2, C3, C4, C5 and C6 along paths 264, 270, 782, 466, 784 and 178, respectively. Preferably, these timing signals are such that C1 is equivalent to VB3/2, C2 is equivalent to VB3/4, C3 is equivalent to VB3/8, C4 is equivalent to VB3/16, and C5 and C6 are each equivalent to VB3/48. The output of character counter 780 is connected to the clock input of a line counter 786 which is preferably a conventional divide-by-eight counter whose outputs are L2.sup.O, L2.sup.1 and L2.sup.2 provided from counter 786 via paths 788, 790 and 792, respectively. Preferably, the timing signals L2.sup.0, L2.sup.1 and L2.sup.2 are such that L2.sup.0 is equivalent to C6/2, L2.sup.1 is equivalent to C6/4 and L2.sup.2 is equivalent to C6/8. The output of line counter 786 is connected to the clock input of a half-row counter 794 which is preferably a conventional divide-by-two flip-flop whose output is the timing signal R/2 provided via path 796. Preferably, the timing signal R/2 is equivalent to L2.sup.2 /2. The output of half-row counter 794 is connected to the clock input of a row counter 798 which is preferably a conventional divide-by-16 counter 798 whose outputs are R2.sup.0, R2.sup.1, R2.sup.2 and R2.sup.3 provided via paths 590, 800, 802 and 752, respectively.

The reset terminal of row counter 798 is connected to a line adder network 804 which provides a reset pulse RRC to row counter 798 at the end of six additional horizontal scan lines provided by line adder 804, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter. Line adder 804 includes flip-flops 806, 808 and 810. The R2.sup.2 output of row counter 798 provided via path 802 is connected to flip-flop 806. Flip-flop 806 provides the timing signal R2.sup.3 in the Q state and R2.sup.3 in the Q state. The Q output of flip-flop 806 is connected in parallel to the data terminal input of flip-flop 806 and to flip-flop 808. The Q state output of flip-flop 808 provides a signal which adds six horizontal scan lines labeled +6L provided via path 812. In the Q state, flip-flop 808 also provides a signal which adds six horizontal scan lines labeled +6L provided via path 814. The Q state output of flip-flop 808 is connected in parallel to the data input terminal of flip-flop 808 and to one input of a two input NAND gate 816. The other input to NAND gate 816 is the timing signal L2.sup.2 provided via path 792 from line counter 786. The output of NAND gate 816 is connected to the data terminal input of flip-flop 810 which is also connected to the timing signal L2.sup.1 output of line counter 786 provided via path 790. The preset terminal of flip-flop 810 is connected to the VB2 output of video bit counter 776 provided via path 778. The Q state output of flip-flop 810 is connected to the preset terminal of flip-flop 808 and the Q state output of flip-flop 810 is connected to the reset terminal of row counter 798 to provide the reset pulse RRC to clear row counter 798 via path 818.

The cursor character counter 576 is preferably a conventional divide-by-32 counter which provide cursor character signal outputs CC1, CC2, CC3, CC4 and CC5 via paths 820, 822, 824, 826 and 828, respectively, to the coincidence circuit 514. The clear input terminals of the cursor character counter 576 is connected to the output of a two input OR gate 830 whose inputs are the control character outputs carriage return (CR) provided via path 604 from function decoder 538 (FIG. 4) and start of text (STX) provided via path 554 from function decoder 498 (FIG. 4). The inputs to cursor character counter 576 are the timing signals VB2 provided via path 778 from video bit counter 776, the complement CC3 of the cursor character output CC3 provided path 824, the control character tab (TAB) provided via path 620 from function decoder 538 (FIG. 4) and the control character advance ADV provided via path 574 from function decoder 542 (FIG. 4). The output of the cursor character counter 576 is connected to a flip-flop 832. The clear input terminal of flip-flop 832 is connected to the VB3 output of video bit counter 776 via path 446. The Q state output of flip-flop 832 is connected in parallel to one input of a two input OR gate 834, and to the clear input terminal and the data input terminal of another flip-flop 836. The other input to OR gate 834 is connected to the output of a two input NAND gate 838. One input and NAND gate 838 is connected to the Q state output of flip-flop 836 and the other input to NAND gate 838 is connected to the control character output line feed LF provided via path 618 from function decoder 538 (FIG. 4). The line feed LF input is connected in parallel to one input of a two input OR gate 840 whose other input is connected to the control character output advance ADV of function decoder 542 provided via path 574 (FIG. 4). The output of OR gate 840 is connected to flip-flop 836. Referring once again to OR gate 834, the output of this gate is connected to the input of a cursor row counter 842 which is preferably a conventional divide-by-eight counter whose outputs are the signals CR2.sup.0, CR2.sup.1, CR2.sup.2 provided via paths 844, 846 and 848, respectively, to the coincidence circuit 514. The clear input of the cursor row counter 842 is connected to the start of text (STX) output of function decoder 498 provided via path 554 (FIG. 4).

As was previously mentioned, the coincidence circuit 514 is a conventional coincidence circuit which compares the cursor character counter 576 outputs against the respective character counter 780 outputs, and the cursor row counter 842 outputs against the respective row counter 798 outputs to provide the output coincidence signal COIN preferably at line 1 of the appropriate 16 line row of the video display for one character time. In addition, the coincidence circuit 514 preferably provides the break recirculation signal BKR via path 708 from timing signals L2.sup.2, L2.sup.1, and L2.sup.0, providing the timing signal L1 via path 850 and together with the half-row counter timing signal R/2 provided via path 796 providing the break recirculation signal BKR. This signal preferably occurs at line 1 of each 16 line row for the entire line time except for character time C6.

The balance of the timing signal generation network shown in FIG. 7 provides the various enable and clock signals for the previously discussed portions of the system 10 as well as the sync signals for the mixer portions 74 and 86 (FIG. 6) of the system 10 in a conventional manner. The delay clock generator 852 which is a conventional clock generator provides a clock output signal delay clock DCK via path 276 through NOR gate 274 of motion control network 104 (FIG. 2) in response to timing signal inputs L1, +6L, VB3, C6, C3 and C4. The clock text signal generator 131 provides the clock signal output CKR, CKTX and CK via paths 704, 854 and 188, respectively, in response to input signals VB2, VB1, +6L, L2.sup.1, C6, R/2, L2.sup.0, +6L and L2.sup.2. The clock ticker signal generator 856 provides the clock output signal CKTK via path 858 in response to the input signal C4. The clock scroll signal generator 860 provides the clock scroll signal CKS via path 862 in response to the input signal C3. Enable test memory signal generator 710 provides the enable memory output signals E1 and E2 via paths 712 and 714, respectively, in response to the input timing signals R2.sup.3, +6L and BKR. The enable ticker number 1 signal generator 108 provides the enable ticker number 1 output signal ETK1 via path 866 in response to input timing signals R/2, R2.sup.0, R/2, R2.sup.0, R2.sup.2 and R2.sup.1. The enable delay signal generator 354 provides the enable delay output signal EDO via path 352 and the enable delay signal ED via path 868 in response to the input timing signals L2.sup.1, R/2 and L2.sup.2. The enable ticker number 2 signal generator 109 provides the enable ticker number 2 output signal ETK2 via path 872 in response to input timing signals R2.sup.1, R2.sup.2 and R2.sup.0. The enable scroll signal generator 118 provides the enable scroll output signal ESCROLL via path 876 in response to input timing signals R/2, R2.sup.0, R2.sup.1 and R2.sup.2. Lastly, the mixed horizontal and vertical sync signal generator 766 provides the mixed sync signal output SYNC1 and SYNC2 via paths 768 and 770, respectively, in response to input timing signals C3, C4, C6, L2.sup.2, L2.sup.0, L2.sup.1,, R2.sup.1, R2.sup.3, R2.sup.0, R2.sup.2 and R/2.

OPERATION

Now describing the operation of the system 10 in response to the timing signals so as to provide a video display including at least two different independent video display formats. However, before describing the operation of the system 10 of the present invention in greater detail, the operation of the timing signal generation network shown in FIG. 7 will be summarized hereinafter. The basic timing chain 772 is clocked by the master oscillator 774, which as was previously mentioned, is preferably a crystal controlled oscillator having a frequency such as 4.5 megahertz. This oscillator 774 clocks the video bit counter 776 which provides the timing signals VB1, VB2 and VB3 at the respective frequencies discussed above. The video bit counter 776, in turn, clocks the character counter 780 which provides the timing signal outputs C1, C2, C3, C4, C5 and C6 at the respective frequencies discussed above. The timing signal C6, which is preferably at a frequency of VB3/48, which is equivalent to OSC/288, is utilized for horizontal blanking in the position gating horizontal blanking portion 434 (FIG. 3). The output of character counter 780 triggers the line counter 786 which provides output signals L2.sup.0, L2.sup.1 and L2.sup.2 with the respective frequencies of C6/2, C6/4 and C6/8. The line counter 786, in turn, triggers the half-row counter 794 which provides a timing signal R/2 which is equivalent to L2.sup.2 /2, which is also equal to C6/16. This half-row counter 794, in turn, triggers the row counter 798 to provide the timing signals R2.sup.0, R2.sup.1, R2.sup.2 and R2.sup.3 which are equivalent, respectively, to L2.sup.2 /4, L2.sup.2 /8, L2.sup.2 /16 and L2.sup.2 /32. At the end of the row counter 798 the line adder 804 is triggered to add six horizontal lines of scan in order to preferably generate 262 lines per frame. At the end of the sixth line from the line adder 804, the reset pulse RRC is provided to the line counter 786 which is thereby reset to zero, all other counters 776, 780, 798 and 794 being in the zero state at this time. The coincidence circuit 514, which is preferably a conventional coincidence circuit has been previously discussed and its operation will not be discussed in further detail.

The cursor character counter 576 and cursor row counter 842 comprise what may be collectively termed the cursor counter. When the cursor character counter 576 is incremented by the control pulse advance ADV provided via path 574, or by the control pulse tab TAB provided via path 620, it will be incremented to the next group of eight characters. For example, if seven characters have been loaded and the control pulse TAB occurs, the cursor character counter 576 will increment to the seventeenth character instead of the ninth character, similar to the operation of a conventional typewriter. When the cursor character counter 576 recycles from the 32 character (32) to the first character (1), the cursor row counter 842 will automatically be incremented. If directly after, the control pulse line feed LF is received via path 618, that particular line feed will be suppressed unless the control pulse advance ADV via path 574 has occurred prior to the occurrence of the line feed control pulse, or unless a subsequent line feed control pulse occurs via path 618. If a subsequent line feed control pulse occurs via path 618, then that line feed control pulse will activate the system in a normal manner and will increment the cursor row counter 842 one increment. It should be noted that in discussing the various timing signals, the video bit counter 776 controls the number of bits per character, the character counter 780 controls the number of characters per line, the line counter 786 controls the number of lines per row and the half-row counter and row counter 794 and 798, respectively, control the number of rows per frame. It should be further noted, that although the character counter 780 is preferably a divide-by-48 counter, only 32 of the 48 characters are preferably utilized.

As was previously mentioned, the timing signal generation circuit shown in FIG. 7 also provides the break recirculation signal BKR which occurs at line 1 of each 16 line row of the entire character time except for character time C6, and the clock signals for the recirculation registers which signals are clock recirculation register CKR, clock CK, clock text memory CKTX, clock scroll CKS, clock ticker CKTK, the sync signals SYNC1 and SYNC2, the enable ticker signals ETK1 and ETK2, the enable scroll signal ESCROLL, the enable delay signals ED and EDO, the enable text memory signal E1 and E2 and the clock signals for the motion control delay clock DCK, these signals being provided throughout various portions of the system 10 to control the operation in the manner to be described in greater detail hereinafter.

DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM OPERATION

The system 10 of the present invention preferably provides a video character display containing at least two different types of video display formats, such as those illustrated in FIGS. 8A through 8F, which are independently self-generated digital-to-video scan signals. These video display formats or character displays are provided in different areas on a common display screen, such as shown in FIG. 8D. Particularly, the signals that are generated preferably include two ticker display type of signals which are vertically spaced apart from each other and may be either continuously moving across the display screen or momentarily stationary, the rate of movement of the ticker type display across the screen varying with the rate of data input to the system 10. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the movement of the ticker display across the screen is continually smooth with variations in the rate of the data input due to the acceleration and deceleration of the movement or motion of the data by means of the motion control network 104, 104a and 104b, and the associated position gating networks 114 and 126, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter.

In addition to the two ticker displays, which are each preferably 31 characters in length and are represented in FIG. 8D as displays 900 and 902, respectively, a stationary or static display of the message "STOCKS 15 MIN. DELAYED," display 904 of FIG. 8D, is preferably vertically spaced apart from the lowermost ticker display 902 and has the same character length. This display 904 is optional and is only utilized in accordance with the requirement of the Stock Exchanges. This message can therefore be removed, independently of the ticker displays 900 and 902 if desired, such as when the tickers are in real time displayed "live." In addition, this message which is provided from the STOCKS 15 MIN. DELAYED message generator 28, may also be removed in conjunction with the removal of the portions of the displays of FIG. 8D corresponding to the ticker displays 900 and 902.

In addition to the display 900, 902 and 904 a text display is also preferably provided which comprises a maximum of eight rows having 32 characters each, each row of text having a maximum height of 16 horizontal scan lines for each character. The text display 906 (FIG. 8D) is preferably vertically spaced from the delay message display 904 which has a 31 character length per row as do displays 900 and 902. In addition, a scroll or crawl display 908 is provided at the bottom portion of the screen vertically spaced from the last row of the text display 906, the scroll display 908 preferably being a display having a movement across the screen similar to that of ticker displays 900 and 902 under the control of motion control network 104b and position gating network 126. A typical scroll type display is shown in FIG. 8F wherein the scroll display is provided in a plurality of character spaces which are each eight horizontal scan lines high and six dots wide. The height of the scroll display of FIG. 8F is, therefore, half the height of a row of the text display 906 which is illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8C, one text row being divided into character spaces which are 16 horizontal scan lines high by six dots wide.

The ticker displays 900 and 902, however, are preferably comprised of character spaces which although 16 horizontal scan lines high, utilize only the uppermost eight lines to display an alpha character such as relating to a stock symbol only seven of these lines being utilized for the symbol, the lowermost line providing a space, and the bottommost eight lines of the 16 being utilized for the display of alphanumeric characters associated with the stock symbol, such as the price of the stock as well as a symbol such as B for bid, or C for close if such a symbol is transmitted with the price. In this instance only seven of the lower most eight lines are utilized for this alphamumeric display. Preferably, in the ticker display 900 or 902, which display is illustrated in FIG. 8B, the alphanumeric lower portion cannot be displayed directly under the stock symbol portion but must be displayed in its own separate character space of 16 horizontal scan lines, only utilizing the bottom eight scan lines. As also illustrated in FIG. 8B, when fraction characters are displayed in the ticker display 900 or 902, the lowermost 10 lines of the 16 line character space area are utilized for display of the fractions; the top five lines of these 10 are utilized for the display of the numerator of the fraction and the bottom five lines being utilized for the display of the denominator of the fraction. The numerator and denominator are displaced from each other, preferably, so that they do not appear underneath each other but rather the denominator appears to the side of the numerator as shown in FIG. 8B. Furthermore, in displaying fraction characters, the entire composite fraction, both numerator and denominator, are displayed in a character space six dots wide. However, both the numerator and the denominator utilize only half the character space width for display; that is, three dots in width. Except for the numerator and the denominator of fraction characters, the alphanumeric characters displayed on the lowermost portion of the ticker display are each preferably displayed in character spaces six dots wide.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 8E, a simplified graph character display may also be provided on the video display screen in place of or in conjunction with the text display 906. In such instance, the graph characters, which preferably utilize the standard ASCII code, are preferably at least four horizontal scan lines high by six dots wide and may go as high as 16 scan lines high by six dots wide, in which instance they would occupy the entire height of the character space area. When a graph display is desired, various combinations of graph characters are utilized to provide a composite block type of graph picture on the video display screen, such as illustrated in FIG. 8E, or may be utilized to provide a step type of graph. In addition, alphanumeric characters may appear at any desired location in the graph area as the scanning of the graph and alphanumeric characters in display portion 906 is determined on a character space-by-character space basis, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, so that the system 10 interrogates or determines what character is to be placed in a particular character space as the video system scans across the display screen in the text and/or graph display area 906. It should be noted that, if desired, any one or more of displays 900, 902, 904, 906 or 908 can be independently removed from the video display screen without affecting the other displays on the screen.

Now describing the operation of the ticker number 1 input buffer portion 18 shown in greater detail in FIG. 2, the operation of this portion being similar to that of the ticker number 2 input buffer portion 22 and the scroll input buffer portion 24, whose operations will therefore, not be described in greater detail hereinafter. The ticker number 1 input buffer 18 receives the ticker number 1 input signal, which is a conventional nine bit ticker code comprising a start bit, six information bits and two stop marks, via path 94 through level changer 130 which changes the EIA compatible voltage level input to TTL compatible levels. This signal is then supplied to the resynchronizer 92 to ensure center sampling of the input pulses and to minimize spurious noise pulses. The resynchronizer 92 functions in a conventional manner, resyncronizing on the leading edge of each new space pulse. The output of resynchronizer 92 is provided to the input register 96. The character supplied to register 96 shifts through the stages of the input register 96 in order to provide an output from each of the stages of the register, the output being a parallel bit output. The output bit from one of the stages of register 96 is supplied to the character detector 98 which senses the start bit. The character detector 98 upon sensing the start bit provides a load signal to load the data into storage register 100 and, at the completion of the loading of the data, a reset clear pulse is provided via path 138 to the input register 96 in anticipation of receipt of the next character. Preferably, at the same time as the character is loaded into the storage register 100 a mark is loaded into the motion control register 174. The motion control register 174 provides the output Q3 via path 206 which is sensed by the spaced detector register 142, which space detector 102 senses the next available portion of the storage register 100 immediately behind the previous character so that the next character will be loaded into this portion.

Now describing the motion control network 104 in greater detail. Flip-flop 210 becomes preset anytime there is data present in the storage register 100. This data present conditon provides an output for the motion control register 174 to preset flip-flop 210. Each time an S1 ouput pulse is provided from flip-flop 210, it is fed to the gating circuitry associated with the input of the output motion control counter 176 via path 212 which allows the counter 176 to increment once each frame. Anytime output motion control counter 176 returns to zero, an output is provided via path 284 which output causes a transfer pulse to be provided via paths 148 and 146. This transfer pulse causes the data which is in the storage register 100 to be transferred to the memory 106. The transfer of the character from the storage register 100 to the memory 106 removes that character from the storage register 100 and places it in the memory 106. Character 1 of the storage register 100 thereby becomes character 32, the last character, of the memory 106 and is off-line at transfer time. This character is then no longer stored in storage register 100 but is deleted therefrom after transfer. The next character is then advanced in position in the storage register 100 and, similarly, is advanced in position in the memory 106 upon transfer so that, for example, character 2 in the storage register 100 becomes character 1 in position in the storage register 100, and character 32 in position in the memory 106 becomes character 31 in position in the memory 106, and so forth. In this manner the characters are incremented as they are transferred. This character incrementing function is similar to that described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,426,344 and 3,422,420. If the character present in the storage register 100 is the last character then, on transfer, the motion control register 174 will become empty and flip-flop 210 will stay on providing pulse S1 until the output motion control counter 176 increments 11 times, which moves the new character on to the video display screen while moving the oldest character off the screen or, in other words, deleting this old character from the screen.

During normal operation, as the first character is loaded flip-flop 210 is set and S1 is provided; as two characters are loaded flip-flop 242 is set and S2 and is provided; as three characters are loaded flip-flop 228 is set and S3 is provided and as four characters are loaded, the preferred capacity of the motion control register 174, flip-flop 220 is set and S4 is provided. In other words, if on character is present in the storage register 100 then S1 is provided; if two characters are present in the storage register 100 then S2 is provided; if three characters are present in the storage register 100 and then S3 is provided and if four characters are present in the storage register 100, S4 is provided. Once flip-flop 220 is set and S4 is provided, it will remain set until there are only two characters present in storage register 100. Once flip-flop 228 is set and S3 is provided, it will remain set until only one character is left in the storage register 100. Once flip-flop 242 is set and S2 is provided, it will remain set until there are no characters left in the storage register 100. Once flip-flop 210 is set and S1 is provided, it will remain set until the last character loaded into the memory 106 is brought out onto the display in the manner previously discussed with respect to the last character condition.

Preferably, the recirculating memories which comprise the storage register 100 are preferably each four bit memories, the storage register configuration 100 preferably being a four-by-six memory configuration, one memory being provided for each bit. The outputs of memory 106 which are the ticker bit signals, are gated with the appropriate ticker enabling signal to provide ticker bit signals TKB1 through TKB6, which are provided to the character generator 110 of the ticker character generation portion 20.

Now describing the operation of the ticker character generation portion 20 shown in FIG. 3. As was previously mentioned, the ticker character generator 110 is a preprogrammed read only memory which provides alphanumeric characters and fraction characters in response to the ticker input bit signals TKB1 through TKB6 and the horizontal line scan signals L1, L2, L3, L7, L8, L2.sup.0, L2.sup.1, L2.sup.2, R2.sup.0, R2.sup.2 and R/2. The output of character generator 110 is supplied to output register 112 which is provided with a transfer pulse from output transfer portion 344 via path 342 at the start of each character. This transfer pulse permits the parallel loading of data from the character generator 110 to the output register 112. Output register 112 then shifts at the video dot frequency provided by the master oscillator 774 via path 340. The output of output register 112 is provided to the position gating network, which senses the appropriate motion control counter output when more than one ticker input is provided, as in the example utilized in the description of the present invention where two ticker inputs one from the ticker number 1 input buffer portion 18 and from the ticker number 2 input buffer portion 22, respectively, are provided, in order to provide the proper readout from the output register 112 so as to provide a ticker output signal to the appropriate mixer 74 or 86. This signal represents the proper motion or rate of movement of the ticker display to be provided on the video display screen.

In describing the motion control counter 176 (FIG. 2), whose outputs are D1 through D4, D1 is the most rapid moving stage and D4 the slowest moving stage. Motion control counter output signal D1 provided via path 288 causes the movement of the data in half dot increments. When the first half is present, D4 is high, allowing the last three bits of the output register 112 to be sensed. When D4 is present it will allow the next to the last three bits of the output register 112 to be sensed. When D2 and D3 are not present, the last bit and the fourth from the last bit of output register 112 are allowed to be sensed. When D2 is present, the second from the last and the fifth from the last bit of output register 112 are allowed to be sensed. When D3 is present the third from the last and the sixth from the last bit of output register 112 are allowed to be sensed. Since the output motion control counter 176 is preferably composed of a divide-by-two, divide-by-three and divide-by-two counter configuration, both D2 and D3 cannot be present simultaneously. In this manner, the ouput moves closer to the horizontal sync pulse of the appropriate horizontal scan line. The output register 112 preferably delays the data by six bit times. It should be noted that the ticker input can normally only load three characters of data into the storage register 100 at its normal rate, the fourth character of each of the memories comprising storage register 100 accounting for a one percent deviation in the ticker rate.

In the manner described above, as data is input to the storage register 100 at the normal ticker rate, then flip-flop 228 will remain set and S3 will be provided. In the event ticker data is input to the storage register 100 at greater than the normal rate, flip-flop 220 will become set and S4 will be provided; however, the rate will in all probability return to the normal input rate and flip-flop 220 will change state so that S4 will no longer be provided, although flip-flop 228 will remain set and S3 will be provided. In the event that the data is input at less than the normal ticker rate, flip-flop 228 will change state and S3 will no longer be provided; however, flip-flop 242 will remain set and S2 will be provided or, if teh rate is even slower, flip-flop 242 will change state and S2 will no longer be provided, although flip-flop 210 will remain set and S1 will be provided. The rate of movement of the data across the video display screen will accordingly be reduced as the data input rate is reduced and increased as the data input rate is increased. It should be noted that the number of characters present in the storage register 100 is preferably equivalent to the number of bits present in the motion control register 174, the motion control register being synchronous with the storage register. Summarizing the operation of the motion control register 174, when the data input and the corresponding movement of the display is accelerating in speed, Q3 will place you at S1, Q2 will place you at S2, Q1 will place you at S3 and Q0 will place you at S4, the maximum speed. When the rate of input data and the corresponding movement of the display is decelerating in speed, S4 will stay set until Q1 has been cleared, S3 will stay set until Q2 has been cleared, S2 will stay set until Q3 has been cleared and S1 will stay set until the last character has been cleared and displayed from memory 106. In this manner the electronic flywheel function of the motion control network 104 occurs.

Now describing the operation of the horizontal blanking portion 434 (FIG. 3) of the ticker character generation portion 20. The horizontal blanking portion 434 provides the length of window in which the character display is to appear on the screen, this window preferably being 31 characters long. Since the character counter 780 is capable of providing a total character length of 48 characters between horizontal sync pulses, the horizontal blanking portion 434 enables the character display for 31 characters while blanking 17 characters of the total 48 character length between the horizontal sync pulses. This provides a visual effect of the characters sliding onto and off the screen as the character display moves across the screen, as illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8F. The horizontal blanking pulse C6 provided via path 178 is the non-display time of this data, the C6 disabling pulse being delayed by one bit time by being fed through flip-flop 436 and by being triggered with the trailing edge of the transfer pulse. The disabling pulse output of flip-flop 436 will not be released until one bit time after character one time. Character one is the character which slides off the screen and is hidden. At this point a new character is loaded in for subsequent sliding onto the screen at the entry portion which is at the beginning of the corresponding row. The enable ticker number 1 signal, the enable ticker number 2 signal and the enable delay signal allow the data to be gated from the respective portions of the ticker generation circuitry to the character generator 110, the time being determined by the output of the master clock oscillator 774 which provides the necessary row and line time of the gating in a conventional manner. The enable delay output provided to NAND gate 350 causes an inversion of the data so that a black on white display of the message "STOCK 15 MIN. DELAYED" is provided instead of the normal white on black display provided for the ticker display, text display and scroll display. In addition, the enable delay output provided to the position gating portion 114 via path 356 to OR gate 428 disables the position gating network 114 so that no output is provided which would interfere with the output of message generator 28, otherwise this message would be repeated with a delay introduced into the message which would create a distorted message on the screen. It should be noted that no such signal is required for scroll character generation since no such message is introduced in this portion and, therefore, no such enable delay pulse is present.

Now describing the generation of the text display 906. First describing the operation of the text input buffer portion 12 (FIG. 4). The text input signal is provided via path 30 to level changer 450 which changes EIA compatible voltage levels to TTL compatible voltage levels, this signal being provided to the resynchronizer 40 as well as to the input register 42. Input register 42 functions in a conventional manner to shift the input character through the register 42 to the character detector 44. The character detector 44 transfers the data into the storage register 46 when a start bit is detected. After the transfer of the data from the input register 42 to the storage register 46, the transfer pulse from character detector 44 is removed and both the character detector 44 and the input register 42 are cleared for receipt of the next character. This operation is similar to that previously described with reference to the operation of the ticker input buffer portion 18. When input register 42 is reset, the bias present in the storage register 46 are sensed to determine if the character is a displayable character, that is, if it is one of the 64 ASCII characters including space, graph or function characters. If the character is a displayable character, then the enable load data signal ELD will be sent from character detector 44 via path 470. If this character is not a displayable character, but rather is a control character such as line feed LF, carriage return CR or start of text STX, the control signal CONT will become present on path 472 and the particular control function will occur assuming, of course, that it is one of the functions to be performed by the system 10. When the enable load data signal is sent via path 470 is will be gated with the coincidence signal COIN provided from coincidence circuit 514 via path 512 in address decoder 50 to generate the load signals LD1 and LD2 to load the data into any memory or memories which are addressed. Naturally, if these memories are not addressed, they are not loaded. At the trailing edge of both the coincidence COIN and enable load data ELD signals, an advance pulse ADV will be provided from flip-flop 572 of function decoder 542 removing the enable load data signal from the character detector 44. This advance pulse will then be cleared by generation of any output pulse from the oscillator 774. This loading continues as each character is received until the control signal start of header SOH or end of text ETX is received.

In the addressing sequence, the first character received will normally be the control character start of header SOH via path 536 which will set enable load header which will, in turn, enable the address decoding matrices 490, 492 and 494. As was previously mentioned, decoding matrices 490 and 492 will be programmed for any of the ASCII characters whereas coding matrix 494 is preprogrammed for the character "Z," the presence of which cause the generation of an output pulse which will turn on all channels. After start of header SOH is received, one or more alphabetic characters will be received. If this or these alphabetic characters correspond to the programming of matrix 490 and/or matrix 492, the associated channel will be enabled. As previously mentioned, if that alphabetic character happens to be a "Z", then both channels will be enabled due to the detection of this character by matrix 494. The next character which will be received to end the addressing sequence will be start of text STX which will reset enable load header, which will also clear the appropriate memory or memories. Each time enable load data ELD occurs and enable load header is set, an advance pulse ADV will be set without necessity of the presence of the coincidence pulse COIN. After start of text STX is received, which clears the memory, the data will be loaded into memories 52 and 54 in the manner previously described. When data is loaded into the appropriate memory, as the first character is loaded into a line of memory, any data present on that line will be cleared from that character on so that the character will be loaded into a cleared line of memory, the loaded character only clearing the line into which it is being loaded. Accordingly, if the memory, as is preferred, is only eight lines long, after eight lines of data have been loaded in the memory, when the ninth line of data, if a ninth line is present, is loaded into the memory at line 1 of the memory, the data previously present on line 1 will be erased when the first character of line 9 is loaded onto line 1; at this point nothing happens to lines 2 through 8 of the memory unless new data is specifically loaded into any one or more of these given lines.

When the control character tape TAPE is received and the auxiliary ready to send pulse RTS is present (FIG. 4), the enable line ELINE pulse will be reset causing the occurrence of an auxiliary clear to send pulse CTS. This will, in turn, allow the data from the auxiliary line input to be entered into the input register 42, which will operate on this data in the same manner as previously discussed with respect to the text line input. The auxiliary ready to send pulse will remain present on path 638 until all auxiliary supplied data has been received, at which time the auxiliary unit, such as an external computer, or teletype input, will remove its ready to send pulse. At this time enable line ELINE will be set and the clear to send signal will be removed from path 650. After this occurrence, the ready to send pulse may be brought up again to await the occurrence of another control signal tape TAPE at a subsequent time. As soon as the auxiliary input removes the ready to send signal from path 638, the enable line is set allowing the text line input via path 30 to be inserted into the system 10.

When the control character shift out SO is received two times in succession by function decoder 540, the signal enable shift out ES0 will be set, activating an external device, such as a coaxial switch, in order to permit display of advertising on the screen in place of information generated from the system 10. When the control character shift in SI is received two times in succession by function decoder 540, the enable shift out signal will be removed from path 632.

When the control character carriage return CR is received via path 604 (FIG. 7), the cursor character counter 576 will be reset. When the control character start of text STX is received via path 554, it will reset both the cursor character counter 576 and the cursor row counter 842. When the control character line feed LF is received via path 618 it will increment the cursor row counter 842, with the exception previously discussed. When the control character tab TAB is received via path 620, it will increment the cursor character counter 576 at the start of the next increment of eight characters, except when it is present in the seventh count of a group of eight, in which instance it will advance to the start of the following group of eight characters.

Now describing the operation of the text memory portion 14 (FIG. 5) of the system 10. The loading of data into memories 52 and 54 has been previously described above in the discussion of the operation of the text input buffer portion 12. The outputs of memories 52 and 54 are gated into the recirculation registers 688 through 700 inclusive by the enable signals E1 and E2 provided via paths 712 and 714. When enable pulses E1 and E2 are enabling the loading of data into the recirculation registers 688 through 700, inclusive, the break recirculation signal BKR provided via path 708 is breaking the associated recirculation paths of the recirculation registers 688 through 700, inclusive, so that the data may be loaded into these registers. The break recirculation signal BKR breaks the recirculation path every line one of each 16 lines whether or not enable signals E1 and/or E2 are present; in other words, whether or not the data is being loaded into these registers. Memory 52 and memory 54 are each, as was previously mentioned, preferably both recirculating memories, operated in response to clear signals CL1 and CL2, respectively, which signals break the associated recirculation paths when data is being loaded into memories 52 and 54 due to the presence of the load data signals LD1 and LD2, respectively, in the same manner as previously discussed with reference to the break recirculation signal BKR associated with the recirculation registers 688 through 700 inclusive. The clear signals CL1 and CL2 also act independently to clear memories 52 and 54 at the appropriate times independent of the presence of load data signals LD1 and LD2.

The outputs of recirculation registers 688 through 700 which are recirculation bits RB1 through RB7, inclusive, provided via paths 722 through 734, inclusive, are fed to character generators 736 and 738 respectively (FIG. 6). Character generator 736 is preprogrammed to provide alphanumeric characters and fractions in response to the recirculation bit input and scanning signals L2.sup.0, R/2, L1, L8, L7, L6, L5, VB3, L3, L4, LWC, L2.sup.1 and L2.sup.2, as well as the enable delay message signal ED. Character generator 738 is preprogrammed to provide various graph characters in response to the recirculation bit input and timing signal L2.sup.2, R/2, L2.sup.2, R/2, C6, LWC, VB3 and OSC. The output of character generator 736, which is preferably a parallel bit output, is transferred into output register 60 at the occurrence of the transfer pulse XFERTX from output register output transfer portion 61 via path 63. This transfer pulse occurs at VB3 time except during C6 time. The output of character generator 738 is transferred to OR gate 740 at VB3 time except during C6 time. The output of either output register 60 or character generator 738 passes through OR gate 740 and is then gated with the enable text 1 ETX1 or enable text 2 ETX2 signals to provide the text data information signals TXDATA1 and TXDATA2 for the character display. These text data information signals are OR'd with the appropriate scroll and ticker data signals in gates 68 and 80, respectively, the output of OR gates 68 and 80 being fed to mixers 74 and 86, respectively, together with the respective mixed horizontal and vertical sync signals SYNC1 and SYNC2, wherein the vertical sync pulse is preferably equal to three horizontal line times, to provide a video composite output signal via paths 1000 and 1002, respectively, to video display devices 78 and 90, respectively. It should be noted that the output transfer portion 61 is preferably disabled both when graph characters are being generated, on a character spaced-by-character space basis, and during the first eight of the 16 lines in a row when a text type display is being provided, except when fractions are being generated, in which instance it is disabled for the first six of the 16 lines.

During the operation of the system 10 of the present invention, when a text display 906 is provided to the display screen, this display will preferably remain on the screen until the appropriate channel is again addressed via the appropriate decoding matrix so that new information may be displayed in its place. Furthermore, the channel associated with decoding matrix 490 may be addressed with one text message while the channel associated with decoding matrix 492 may be addressed with another text message so that two different text messages may be simultaneously displayed on different video display screens. In this manner, if desired, several display screens may time share a remotely located computer.

It is to be understood that the above described embodiment of the invention is merely illustrative of the principles thereof and that numerous modifications and embodiments of the invention may be derived within the spirit and scope thereof, such as splitting the video display screen vertically instead of horizontally, or vertically as well as horizontally.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A system for providing character patterns for display on a display device screen that utilizes a television raster scan-line pattern to provide a composite video display, each character pattern being displayed in one character space, said system comprising means for generating a first video display format of character patterns in response to a first digital signal; means for generating a second video display format of character patterns in response to a second digital signal, said second format being different from said first format, said first and second generated video display formats being independent from each other; and means for combining said first and second video display formats to provide said composite video display for said display device in which said first and second display formats occupy different scan-line areas of said scan-line pattern on said screen; said character spaces associated with said character patterns each being defined by a predetermined number of scan lines in said scan-line pattern and a predetermined number of elemental dots; said scan lines having a given direction of scan with respect to said screen; said first video display format generating means including means for generating a plurality of dot signals in repetitive sequences during said scan lines to correspond to elemental dots on said display device to divide said device in said first video display format area in a first direction into a plurality of said character spaces, and means for generating a plurality of line signals in repetitive sequences in synchronism with said scan lines to divide said device in said first video display format area in a second direction into at least one row, the combination of a plurality of said dot signals and a plurality of sequences of said line signals defining a character space; said first digital signal having an associated information input rate to said first generating means, said first video display format generating means further including means for controllably periodically shifting each of said character spaces in said row an incremental distance in a given direction parallel to said direction of scan across said screen at a rate dependent on said information input rate to controllably move the character patterns displayed in said character spaces in said given direction across said screen in accordance with said input rate; said shifting means comprising means for varying said shifting rate in accordance with variations in said information input rate for accelerating said character movement in accordance with an acceleration in said information input rate and for decelerating said character movement in accordance with a deceleration in said information input rate; said first video display format generating means further comprising recirculating register storage means for receiving said first digital signal and loading therein said characters in response thereto at an associated data loading rate corresponding to said input rate, said storage register means having a character storage capacity of a plurality of said characters in length, and memory means operatively connected to said storage register means for receiving said characters therefrom upon transfer therefrom, said shifting means comprising motion control means for providing a transfer signal to said storage register for incrementally transferring said characters therefrom to said memory, said first video display format being provided in response to an output from said memory, said motion control means comprising means responsive to changes in said data loading rate from providing a different motion control signal in response to a different quantity of characters being loaded into said storage register for a given character prior to said transfer, and position gating means responsive to said motion control signals for controlling a change in incremental dot position of said given character in said display in accordance with said change in said data loading rate whereby the relative movement of said character patterns across said screen in said direction parallel to said direction of scan may be controlled in accordance with said information input rate.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said video display formats is independently controllable.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said line signal generating means generates said plurality of line signals in repetitive sequences in synchronism with said scan lines to divide said device in said first video display format area in a second direction into a plurality of rows, the combination of a plurality of said dot signals and a plurality of sequences of said line signals defining a character space in a given one of said rows, the character spaces in each of said rows being equal.

4. A system in accordance with claim 3 wherein said first video display format generating means includes means for providing a complete character pattern in at least a portion of said character space which is less than said total plurality of line signals.

5. A system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said first video display format generating means includes means for generating at least complete graph character patterns, a complete graph character pattern being provided in at least said character space portion.

6. A system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said first video display format generating means includes means for generating at least complete graph character patterns and alphanumeric character patterns, a complete graph character pattern being provided in at least said character space portion, and means for controlling which particular character pattern is to be displayed in a given character space for each of said character spaces.

7. A system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said character pattern generating means includes means for generating fraction character patterns, said fraction character patterns including a complete numerator character pattern and a complete denominator character pattern, said complete numerator character pattern being provided in a portion of a given character space which is less than said total plurality of lines and dots, said complete denominator character pattern being provided in a different dot portion of said character space which is adjacent to said numerator character space dot portion, said denominator character pattern space line portion being lower than said numerator character pattern space line portion in said first video display format, whereby a complete fraction character pattern is provided in said adjacent character space portions.

8. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first video display format generating means includes means for providing a complete character pattern in a portion of said character space which is less than said total plurality of line signals.

9. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said first video display format generating means includes means for generating at least alphabetic character patterns, a complete alphabetic character pattern being provided in said character space portion.

10. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said first video display format generating means includes means for generating at least alphanumeric character patterns, a complete alphanumeric character pattern being provided in said character space portion.

11. A system in accordance with claim 10 wherein each of said character spaces has an upper portion comprising a portion of said total plurality of line signals and a lower portion comprising the balance of said total plurality of line signals, said first video display format generating means providing a ticker video display format wherein said upper portions are utilized for providing complete alphabetic character patterns relating to a given stock ticker symbol and said lower portions are utilized for providing at least complete numeric character patterns relating to a given price associated with said symbol, only said upper portion or said lower portion of a given ticker video display format character space being utilized dependent on the type of stock ticker information to be displayed in a given character space.

12. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said first video display format generating means includes means for generating at least fraction character patterns, said fraction character patterns including a complete numerator character pattern and a complete denominator character pattern, said complete numerator character pattern being provided in a portion of a given character space which is less than said total plurality of lines and dots, said complete denominator character pattern being provided in a different dot portion of said character space which is adjacent to said numerator character space dot portion, said denominator character pattern space line portion being lower than said numerator character pattern space line portion in said first video display format, whereby a complete fraction character pattern is provided in said adjacent character space portions.

13. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said first video display format generating means includes means for generating at least complete alphanumeric character patterns for said character space portions and fraction character patterns, said fraction character patterns including a complete numerator character pattern and a complete denominator character pattern, said complete numerator character pattern being provided in a portion of a given character space which is less than said total plurality of lines and dots, said complete denominator character pattern being provided in a different dot portion of said character space which is adjacent to said numerator character space dot portion, said denominator character pattern space line portion being lower than said numerator character pattern space line portion in said first video display format, whereby a complete fraction character pattern is provided in said adjacent character space portions, said character space comprising 16 of said scan lines, said first video display format generating means generating an alphabetic character pattern in a character space portion comprising the uppermost eight scan lines of said 16 and a numeric character in a character space portion comprising the lowermost eight scan lines of said 16.

14. A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said first video display format generating means generates a denominator fraction character pattern in a character space portion comprising the lowermost five scan lines of said 16 and a numerator fraction character pattern in said character space portion comprising the five scan lines of said 16 immediately above said lowermost five scan lines.

15. A system in accordance with claim 14 wherein said numerator character space dot portion and said denominator character space dot portion each comprise at least half the total plurality of dots.

16. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said system further includes means for controlling which character pattern is to be displayed in a given character space for each character space of said first and second video display formats.

17. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said movement controlling means includes means for controlling the total number of character spaces across said screen in said parallel direction in which said character patterns can be displayed.

18. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said system includes means for inhibiting the generation of said second video display format without affecting the generation of said first video display format, said combining means including means for enabling only said first video display format for said display device when said second video display format is inhibited.

19. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said motion control signal providing means comprises means having a different associated motion control signal corresponding to an incrementally different quantity of said characters, said motion control signal being initially provided in accordance with said initial loading rate and changing to incrementally increase said dot position change to a final initial value in accordance with an incremental increase in said initial loading rate as said character movement accelerate.

20. A system in accordance with claim 19 wherein said motion control signal providing means further comprises means for maintaining said motion control signal final initial value until the quantity of characters stored in said storage register decreases to a predetermined lower level, said motion control signal changing to a control signal indicative of said lower level quantity to decelerate said character movement.

21. A system for providing character patterns for display on a display device screen that utilizes a television raster scan-line pattern to provide a composite video display, each character pattern being displayed in one character space, said system comprising means for generating at least a first video display format of character patterns in response to a first digital signal; and means for providing said composite video display for said display device from said first video display format in which said first display format occupies a given scan-line area of said scan-line pattern on said screen; said character spaces associated with said character patterns each being defined by a predetermined number of scan lines in said scan-line pattern and a predetermined number of elemental dots; said scan lines having a given direction of scan with respect to said screen; said first video display format generating means including means for generating a plurality of dot signals in repetitive sequences during said scan lines to correspond to elemental dots on said display device to divide said device to said first video display format area in a first direction into a plurality of said character spaces, and means for generating a plurality of line signals in repetitive sequences in synchronism with said scan lines to divide said device in said first video display format area in a second direction into at least one row, the combination of a plurality of said dot signals and a plurality of sequences of said line signals defining a character space; said first digital signal having an associated information input rate to said first generating means, said first video display format generating means further including means for controllably periodically shifting each of said character spaces in said row an incremental distance in a given direction parallel to said direction of scan across said screen at a rate dependent on said information input rate to controllably move the character patterns displayed in said character spaces in said given direction across said screen in accordance with said input rate; said shifting means comprising means for varying said shifting rate in accordance with variations in said information input rate for accelerating said character movement in accordance with an acceleration in said information input rate and for decelerating said character movement in accordance with a deceleration in said information input rate; said first video display format generating means further comprising recirculating register storage means for receiving said first digital signal and loading therein said characters in response thereto at an associated data loading rate corresponding to said input rate, said storage register means having a character storage capacity of a plurality of said characters in length, and memory means operatively connected to said storage register means for receiving said characters therefrom upon transfer therefrom, said shifting means comprising motion control means for providing a transfer signal to said storage register for incrementally transferring said characters therefrom to said memory, said first video display format being provided in response to an output from said memory, said motion control means comprising means responsive to changes in said data loading rate for providing a different motion control signal in response to a different quantity of characters being loaded into said storage register for a given character prior to said transfer, and position gating means responsive to said motion control signals for controlling a change in incremental dot position of said given character in said display in accordance with said change in said data loading rate whereby the relative movement of said character patterns across said screen in said direction parallel to said direction of scan may be controlled in accordance with said information input rate.