US3665406A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic polling systems
Assignee: Bunker Ramo Corp
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Filing: 1970-04-13
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Granted: 1972-05-23
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Expires: 1990-04-13
Abstract
Abstract A device for generating polling messages to a plurality of addressable stations. A central processing unit (CPU) generates a polling table which is stored in an external automatic polling device. The polling device detects an address in the polling table and generates a polling message to the indicated station. The device receives responses to polling messages and tests to determine if they are positive or negative. A negative response causes a polling message to be sent to the station indicated by the next address in the polling table. A positive response causes an interrupt to the CPU which then receives the reply message. Interrupts to the CPU may also be generated when there is no response to a polling message, when there is an error response, or when the end of the polling table is reached.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank William Gallagher
- 👤 Richard C Casey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 20:37
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/14; G06F13/20; G06F13/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
A device for generating polling messages to a plurality of addressable stations comprising; means for storing a table of addresses of said stations in the order in which they are to be polled; means for applying said table to said storing means; means for detecting a selected station address in said table; means responsive to said address detection for generating a polling message for sending said polling message to the addressed station, and for designating a subsequent address in said address table as said selected station address; means responsive to a negative response to a polling message for causing said detection means to detect said subsequent address; and means responsive to a positive response to a polling message for generating an output message from said device.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
126 words
A device for generating polling messages to a plurality of addressable stations comprising; means for storing a table of addresses of said stations in the order in which they are to be polled; means for applying said table to said storing means; means for detecting a selected station address in said table; means responsive to said address detection for generating a polling message for sending said polling message to the addressed station, and for designating a subsequent address in said address table as said selected station address; means responsive to a negative response to a polling message for causing said detection means to detect said subsequent address; and means responsive to a positive response to a polling message for generating an output message from said device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
A device of the type described in claim 1 including means for detecting one or more conditions at said device incluDing selected types of poll responses; and means responsive to said condition detecting means for causing said table applying means to apply a new polling table to said table storing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device of the type described in claim 2 wherein said condition detecting means includes means for detecting that the stations represented by all addresses in said polling table have been polled.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device of the type described in claim 2 wherein said condition detecting means includes means for detecting a positive response or a no-response to a poll message.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device of the type described in claim 2 wherein said condition detecting means includes means for detecting a positive response or a no-response to a poll message.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
A device of the type described in claim 1 wherein said selected station address is the first uninhibited address in said polling table; and wherein said subsequent address designating means includes means for inhibiting subsequent detection of said selected address.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device of the type described in claim 6 wherein said inhibiting means includes means for erasing said selected address from said table storing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
A device of the type described in claim 1 wherein said table storing means may also store other messages and including means for detecting that a polling table is stored in said storing means; and means responsive to said polling table detecting means for enabling said selected address detecting means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device of the type described in claim 1 wherein said table applying means is connected to receive table inputs from a CPU.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A device of the type described in claim 9 wherein there are a plurality of said devices, each of which generates polling messages to, and receives responses from, a different plurality of remote stations; and wherein a single CPU is connected to the table applying means of all of said devices.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
A device of the type described in claim 1 including means for indicating that a predetermined period of time has passed since a poll message to a station was generated; and means responseive to said indicating means for generating a noresponse output message from said device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device of the type described in claim 11 including means responsive to said no-response indicating means for inhibiting said selected address detecting means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device of the type described in claim 12 including means responsive to said no-response indicating means for causing said table applying means to apply a new polling table to said storing means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
A device of the type described in claim 1 wherein said selected station address detecting means includes means for detecting that the stations represented by all the addresses in said polling table have been polled; and including means responsive to said detecting means for generating an end-of-table output message from said device.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
A device of the type described in claim 1 including means for receiving a response to a poll message; means for detecting an error in said response; and means responsive to said error detecting means for generating an error output message from said device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
55 words
A device of the type described in claim 1 including means for storing a poll response message in said storing means; a response-utilization means connected to receive responses from said device; and means for storing a flag character with said response message to alert said utilization means that said device has a message to send.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device of the type described in claim 16 wherein said response utilization means is a CPU.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device of the type described in claim 16 wherein said pole response storing means includes means for storing a response message in place of said polling table in said storing means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
A device of the type described in claim 1 including means in said device for generating output messages in response to the detection of selected poll responses and other conditions; and means operative when an ouTput message is generated for inhibiting said selected address detecting means.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of generating polling messages to a plurality of addressable stations including the steps of: generating in a CPU a table of addresses of said stations in the order in which they are to be polled; storing said table in an automatic polling device external to said CPU; utilizing the addresses in said polling table in succession to generate polling messages from said automatic polling device to the addressed remote stations; receiving responses at said automatic polling device from the polled remote stations and testing each response to determine if it is positive or negative; generating a poll message to the station indicated by the next address in the poll table each time a negative response is received to a poll message; and generating an interrupt to the CPU, permitting the CPU to receive a message from the automatic polling device, each time a positive response is received to a poll message.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of generating polling messages to a plurality of addressable stations including the steps of: generating in a CPU a table of addresses of said stations in the order in which they are to be polled; storing said table in an automatic polling device external to said CPU; utilizing the addresses in said polling table in succession to generate polling messages from said automatic polling device to the addressed remote stations; receiving responses at said automatic polling device from the polled remote stations and testing each response to determine if it is positive or negative; generating a poll message to the station indicated by the next address in the poll table each time a negative response is received to a poll message; and generating an interrupt to the CPU, permitting the CPU to receive a message from the automatic polling device, each time a positive response is received to a poll message.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method of the type described in claim 20 including the steps of: testing to determine if a response is received to a poll message within a predetermined period of time; and generating an interrupt and a no-response message to the CPU if a response is not received within said predetermined period of time.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method of the type described in claim 20 including the steps of: testing to determine if the end of the polling table has been reached; and generating an interrupt and an end-of-table message to the CPU when the end of the polling table is reached.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-23 | 1975-11-22 | 1976-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-23 | 1979-11-22 | 1980-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-23 | 1983-11-22 | 1984-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |