A micrologic vector generator

The specification, logical design and construction of a vector generator are described. The input data comprise two coordinate pairs giving the start and end points of the vector and a pair of single decimal digits which determine the gradient of the vector with respect to the two coordinate axes in the plane. The intermediate coordinate points are generated sequentially from the starting point of the vector and are equidistantly spaced from each other by one unit of the least significant digit of the coordinate system. By necessity the intermediate points cannot all lie exactly on the vector joining the start and end points. The generator is intended for the control of the deflexion of an electron beam in an electron beam milling machine or in a cathode-ray tube display system. In these applications the beam is required to trace specific patterns determined by data punched on paper tape. However, the system is potentially useful in many two-coordinate position control systems. The generator has been implemented using r.t.l.-micrologic integrated circuits.