System for data storage indexing

Abstract

Abstract 818,470. Electrical digital-data-storage apparatus. TELEREGISTER CORPORATION. Sept. 11, 1957 [Sept. 24, 1956], No. 28634/57. Class 106 (1). In a data processing system in which there is encoded a group of item-designating characters represented by electrical signals, a translator is operative under control of an added supplemental coding character to select an item corresponding to selected ones of the item-designating characters plus the supplemental character, such characters being smaller in number than those in the encoded item-designating group. In the system described, there is obtained from a savings bank account number, an address number having less digits; and the address number is used to select a storage location which may contain data relating to the account. This smaller number can be obtained in cases where the number of account numbers in active use is considerably less than the value of the largest account number. In the embodiment shown, a 6-digit account number set up on keys K, Fig. 1, is associated with an additional digit, set up on keys K1, Fig. 2, which causes 3 of the 6 digits to be selected to form with the additional digit a 4-digit address number, the formulas for these selections being predetermined by a mathematical analysis of the active account numbers to ensure that a unique address number may be always obtained. The 1st digit of the account number appears in binary coded form on lines 14-17 Fig. 1, connected to contacts of relay 39, similar lines for the other 5 digits being similarly connected to the contacts of one or two relays as shown. The additional digit similarly appears in binary coded form on lines 24-27, Fig. 2, and also causes energization of a corresponding relay, such as 33, which closes contacts to effect energization of 3 of the relays, such as 39, to select the required 3 digits; for example, relay 33 energizes over lines A2, B3, C4, relays 39, 40 and 41 to select the 1st, 2nd and 3rd account number digits. The additional digit, and the 3 selected digits are passed over cables 42 and 43-45 respectively to the addressselecting circuits, Figs. 3 and 4. The store may comprise storage tubes, electromagnetic relays, a magnetic core matrix or, as shown, a magnetic drum 50 having 100 data tracks each containing 100 30-bit storage locations, and timing tracks 70-73 on which are permanently recorded 3000 (one per bit), 100, 10 pulses and a single pulse respectively. A data track is selected by the address digits on cables 42, 43 through relay contact pyramids P1 and P2 respectively which cause the appropriate read/record head, such as 52 to be connected to amplifier 65, and the storage location on the track is selected by the address digits on cables 44 and 45 which are set up on relays stores 86, 89 and compared in circuits 85, 86 with the current time addresses registered on binary counters 79, 81. Counter 79 is stepped by the 10 pulses from 72 and is reset by the pulse from 73, while counter 81 is stepped by the 100 pulses from 71 and is reset, after every 10 pulses, by one of the pulses from 72. When both circuits 85, 88 indicate comparison agreement, gate 66 applies a control signal to be applied to the amplifier 65, the recording or read-out of bits for the selected storage location then being effected under control of the pulses from 70.

Inventors

• 👤 Evans James

Bibliographic Details