Remote terminal system

Claim 2

A data processing terminal system comprising: a bus; a plurality of peripheral devices; a plurality of addressable device control means, each of said device control means being coupled to said bus and to at least one of said plurality of devices for enabling the transfer of data characters between said one device and said bus; a device scanning means, said device scanning means being coupled to said bus and including addressing means for generating sequentially a plurality of address codes for addressiNg each one of said plurality of addressable device control means for activating a corresponding ones of said plurality of peripheral devices ready to transfer data; and, mode selection means coupled to said device scanning means and being operative when placed in a first state to selectively condition said device scanning means to operate said system in a first data transfer mode wherein said scanning means only in response to signals from said bus indicating that a first one of said devices activated by the addressable control means associated therewith to transfer data has completed a transfer of a portion of the data constituting the entire data supply generates signals on said bus for logically disconnecting said addressable control means of said first one of said devices from said bus releasing said device and said addressing means being operative to initiate again generating address codes for activating a next device ready to transfer data in response to said signals and said mode selection means being operative when placed in a second state to condition said scanning means to operate said system in a second transfer mode during which said device scanning means generates signals for initiating again the generating of said address codes by said addressing means only in response to signals applied to said bus by said activated device signaling that it has completed the transfer of said entire data supply.

Claim 3

A data processing system comprising: a bus; a plurality of input devices and output devices; a plurality of addressable device controllers, each of said controllers being coupled to said bus and to at least a different one of said devices for conditioning said one device for a data transfer operation; and, a device scanning means, said device scanning means being connected to said bus and including: addressing means for generating a sequence of address codes to be applied to said bus for initiating said data transfer operation; control means coupled to said addressing means and to said bus; and, manually operable mode selection means coupled to said control means, said mode selection means when placed in a first state conditioning said scanning means to operate in a first mode wherein said scanning addressing means generates address codes in sequence activating each of the devices previously conditioned by said corresponding device controllers to transfer data, said control means being operative in said first mode to condition said addressing means to initiate again generating said address codes only in response to signals from said bus indicating that the device transferring data has transferred a portion of the data constituting the entire data supply of said device and said mode selection means when placed in a second state conditioning said scanning means to operate in a second mode, said control means being operative in said second mode to condition said device scanning addressing means to initiate again generating said addess codes address in response to signals applied to said bus by said device transferring data indicating that it has transferred said entire data supply.

Claim 4

A data processing system comprising: a bus; a plurality of input devices and output devices; a plurality of addressable device controllers, each of said controllers being coupled to said bus and to at least a different one of said devices for conditioning said one device for a data transfer operation; and, a device scanning means, said device scanning means being connected to said bus and including: addressing means for generating a sequence of address codes to be applied to said bus for initiating said data transfer operation; control means coupled to said addressing means and to said bus; and, manually operable mode selection means coupled to said control means, said mode selection means when placed in a first state conditioning said scanning means to operate in a first mode wherein said scanning addressing means generates address codes in sequence activating each of the devices previously conditioned by said corresponding device controllers to transfer data, said control means being operative in said first mode to condition said addressing means to initiate again generating said address codes only in response to signals from said bus indicating that the device transferring data has transferred a portion of the data constituting the entire data supply of said device and said mode selection means when placed in a second state conditioning said scanning means to operate in a second mode, said control means being operative in said second mode to condition said device scanning addressing means to initiate again generating said addess codes address in response to signals applied to said bus by said device transferring data indicating that it has transferred said entire data supply.

Claim 5

The system of claim 2 wherein said bus includes a plurality of data and control lines and wherein said device scanning control means and said controllers each includes means being coupled to a predetermined one of said lines, each said means being operative for releasing an activated device prior to said addressing means initiating again the generating of address codes by applying signals along said predetermined one of said control lines.

Claim 6

The system of claim 2 wherein said device scanning means includes timing means for generating signal levels defining alternatively occurring ON-LINE and OFF-LINE bus cycle intervals; each of said device controllers including state selection means for selecting one of a plurality of different operational states for the device associated therewith, and said timing means conditioning said state selection means to enAble the transfer of data characters between said bus and said associated device during either said ON-LINE or OFF-LINE bus cycle intervals in accordance with operational state selected for said device.

Claim 7

The system of claim 2 wherein each of said device controllers includes a device control means and memory storage means coupled to said bus, said memory storage means of each of said device controllers being coupled to one of said peripheral devices and including a plurality of memory character storage locations sufficient in number for storing all of the data characters of at least a record, said device control means of each of said device controllers being coupled to the device controller memory storage means and including state selection means for selecting one of a plurality of operational states for said one device, and one of said device controllers further including format selection means coupled to said device control state selection means for enabling said memory storage means of said one of said device controllers to read format characters constituting a first record from said one device into said memory storage means only when said state selection means is in a predetermined one of said operational states and said state selection means upon being switched to another predetermined state being operative to condition said memory storage means to transfer selectively to said bus data characters of a next record subsequently transferred to said memory storage means by said device in accordance with the coding of said format characters prestored in said memory storage means.

Claim 8

The system of claim 5 wherein said one of said device controllers further includes character generation means and sensing means coupled to said memory storage means, said character generation means being coupled to said sensing means and said sensing means in the absence of detecting a character having a predetermined bit pattern during the transfer of a predetermined number of data characters by said memory storage means to said bus being operative to condition said generation means to transfer a character having a said predetermined bit pattern to said bus after said predetermined number of data characters have been transferred so that said character having said predetermined bit pattern spaces said predetermined number of data characters from data characters subsequently transferred.

Claim 9

The system of claim 5 wherein said bus includes a plurality of data and control lines, said device scanning control means including control response means; and each of said device control means of each of said output devices further including control response means coupled in common to a first one of said control lines, said control response means of each of said output devices being conditioned by said memory storage means to generate a predetermined change of state in a signal level to be applied to said first one of control lines when said memory means has stored a bit representation of a character applied by an input device to said data lines of said bus, and said control response means of said scanning control means being operative to generate a control response signal only in response to a resultant change of state in said first control line indicating that all of the active ones of said output devices have taken said character applied to said data lines.

Claim 10

The system of claim 7 wherein each of said device control means of each of said input devices includes input data control means coupled to said memory storage means and to a second control line, said input data control means of each of said input devices being conditioned to apply a predetermined signal level to said signal level to said second line signaling each time said memory storage means associated therewith applies a data character to said bus.

Claim 11

A terminal system comprising: a data and control bus; a plurality of addressable device control elements, each of said elements being coupled to said bus; a correspOnding number of input and output devices, each device being interconnected through a different one of said device control elements for transferring data characters between the device and said bus; and, a device control scanning means, said device scanning means including: address generating means coupled to said bus for applying different address codes to said bus for addressing each of said device control elements of corresponding ones of said input devices; a plurality of sensing means coupled to said address generating means and to said bus; and, mode selection means coupled to one of said sensing means, said mode selection means when placed in a first mode being operative to condition said one of said sensing means to enable said address means to address the device control element of a different device only when an input device of a previously addressed device control element transferring data characters signals completing the transfer of all of the data characters constituting of a portion of the entire supply of data to be transferred by said input device by applying a character having a predetermined bit pattern to said bus; and said mode selection means when placed in a second mode being operative to disable said one sensing means from sensing said character, said address means being enabled by another one of said sensing means to address said device control element of said different device only when said input device signals of completing a transfer of all of the data characters constituting said entire supply of data by applying a predetermined signal level to said bus.

Claim 12

A terminal system comprising: a data and control bus; a plurality of addressable device control elements, each of said elements being coupled to said bus; a correspOnding number of input and output devices, each device being interconnected through a different one of said device control elements for transferring data characters between the device and said bus; and, a device control scanning means, said device scanning means including: address generating means coupled to said bus for applying different address codes to said bus for addressing each of said device control elements of corresponding ones of said input devices; a plurality of sensing means coupled to said address generating means and to said bus; and, mode selection means coupled to one of said sensing means, said mode selection means when placed in a first mode being operative to condition said one of said sensing means to enable said address means to address the device control element of a different device only when an input device of a previously addressed device control element transferring data characters signals completing the transfer of all of the data characters constituting of a portion of the entire supply of data to be transferred by said input device by applying a character having a predetermined bit pattern to said bus; and said mode selection means when placed in a second mode being operative to disable said one sensing means from sensing said character, said address means being enabled by another one of said sensing means to address said device control element of said different device only when said input device signals of completing a transfer of all of the data characters constituting said entire supply of data by applying a predetermined signal level to said bus.

Claim 13

The system of claim 9 wherein said device scanning means further includes timing means coupled to said bus for generating signal levels defining alternatively occurring ON-LINE and OFF-LINE bus cycle intervals; each of said device control elements including state selection means for selecting one of a plurality of operational states for said device associated therewith and said timing signal levels conditioning said state selection means to enable the transfer of data characters between said bus and said device during either said ON-LINE or OFF-LINE bus cycle intervals in accordance with the operational state selected for said device.

Claim 14

The system of claim 9 wherein each of said device control elements includes a device control means and memory storage means coupled to said bus, said memory storage means of each of said device control elements being coupled to one of said input and output devices and including a plurality of memory character storage locations for storing at least a record of data characters; said device control means of each of said device control elements being coupled to said memory storage means and including state selection means for selecting one of a plurality of operational states for said one device, and one of said device control elements further including format selection means coupled to said device control state selection means for enabling said memory storage means of said one of said device control elements to read format characters of a first record from said one device into said memory storage means only when said state selection means is in a predetermined one of said operational states and said state selection means upon being switched to another predetermined state being operative to enable said memory storage means to transfer selectively to said bus characters of a next record subsequently transferred to said memory storage means by said device in accordance with the coding of said format characters prestored in said memory storage means.

Claim 15

The system of claim 11 wherein said one of said device control elements further includes character generation means and sensing means coupled to said memory storage means, said character generating means being coupled to said sensing means and said sensing means in the absence of detecting a character having a predetermined bit pattern during a transfer of a predetermined number of data characteRs by said memory storage means to said bus being operative to condition said generation means to transfer a character having a different predetermined bit pattern to said bus when said predetermined number of data characters constituting a record have been transferred so that said character having said different predetermined bit pattern spaces said record from a succeeding record of data characters.

Claim 16

The system of claim 12 wherein said bus includes a plurality of control and data lines and each of said device control elements of each of said input devices includes input data control means coupled to said memory storage means and to a predetermined one of said control lines, said input data control means being operative to apply a predetermined signal level to said predetermined one of said control lines each time said memory storage means applies a data character to said bus.

Claim 17

A data processing terminal system coupled to communicate with a remote processing system, said terminal system comprising a central device controller; a common bus for transferring information; a plurality of input and output peripheral devices; a plurality of device controllers, each controller being coupled to said bus and to at least one of said peripheral devices for enabling the transfer of data characters between said one device and said bus; each device controller including mode control selection means for selecting one of a plurality of operational states for said device; and, said central device controller being coupled to said bus and including cyclic timing means for generating timing signals on said bus establishing timing intervals defining alternately occurring intervals of time when on-line character transfers between said remote processing system and selected ones of said peripheral devices and off-line character transfers between other ones of said input and output devices are effected, each of said device controllers further including transfer control means coupled to said mode selection means associated therewith, said transfer control means of each of said peripheral devices selected to engage in said on-line and off-line transfers being operative in response to said timing signals to enable selectively either said on-line transfers or said off-line transfers during said alternately occurring intervals of time in accordance with the state selected by said associated mode selection means so that said terminal system performs both on-line and off-line operations simultaneously.

Claim 18

A data processing terminal system coupled to communicate with a remote processing system, said terminal system comprising a central device controller; a common bus for transferring information; a plurality of input and output peripheral devices; a plurality of device controllers, each controller being coupled to said bus and to at least one of said peripheral devices for enabling the transfer of data characters between said one device and said bus; each device controller including mode control selection means for selecting one of a plurality of operational states for said device; and, said central device controller being coupled to said bus and including cyclic timing means for generating timing signals on said bus establishing timing intervals defining alternately occurring intervals of time when on-line character transfers between said remote processing system and selected ones of said peripheral devices and off-line character transfers between other ones of said input and output devices are effected, each of said device controllers further including transfer control means coupled to said mode selection means associated therewith, said transfer control means of each of said peripheral devices selected to engage in said on-line and off-line transfers being operative in response to said timing signals to enable selectively either said on-line transfers or said off-line transfers during said alternately occurring intervals of time in accordance with the state selected by said associated mode selection means so that said terminal system performs both on-line and off-line operations simultaneously.

Claim 19

The system of claim 14 wherein each of said device controllers includes a device control means and memory storage means coupled to said bus, said memory storage means of each of said device controllers being coupled to a different one of said peripheral devices and including a plurality of memory character storage locations for storing at least a record of data characters; said device control means of each of said device controllers being coupled to said memory storage means and including state selection means for selecting one of a plurality of operational states for said device, and at least one of said device controllers including format selection means coupled to said device control means for enabling said memory storage means to read format characters constituting a first record from said device into said memory storage means only when said state selection means is in a predetermined one of said operational states and said state selection means upon being switched to another predetermined state being operative to condition said memory storage means to transfer selectively to said bus characters of a next record subsequently transferred to said memory storage means by said device in accordance with the coding of said format characters prestored in said memory storage means.

Claim 20

The system of claim 15 wherein said one of said device controllers further includes character generation means and sensing means coupled to said memory storage means, said character generatIon means being coupled to said sensing means and said sensing means in the absence of detecting a character having a predetermined bit pattern during the transfer of a predetermined number of data characters by said memory storage means to said bus being operative to condition said generation means to transfer a character having said predetermined bit pattern to said bus after said predetermined number of data characters have been transferred so that said character having said predetermined bit pattern spaces said predetermined number of data characters constituting a record from a next record.

Claim 21

The system of claim 15 wherein said bus includes a plurality of data and control lines; said central device controller further including control response means and each of said device control means of each of said output devices further including control response means coupled in common to a first one of said control lines, said control response means of each of said output devices being conditioned by said memory storage means to generate a predetermined change of state in a signal level to be applied to said first one of said control lines when said said memory means has stored a bit representation of a character applied by an input device to said data lines of said bus and said central device controller control response means being operative to generate a control response signal only in response to a resultant, change of state in said first control line indicating that all of the active ones of said output devices have taken said character applied to said bus.

Claim 22

A remote terminal system comprising: a multiline bus; a plurality of input and output devices; a device scanner, said device scanner being coupled to said bus and including; address generating means for generating a sequence of device address codes to be applied to said lines for addressing said plurality of input and output devices, mode selection means when placed in first and second states respectively being operative to enable said terminal system to operate in a first mode wherein each addressed input device transfers one block of data characters and in a second mode wherein each addressed input device transfers all of the data characters it has assembled, address control and response means being coupled to said bus and to said mode selection means, said address control and response means including first means coupled to a first one of said bus lines, said first means being operative to generate a predetermined signal level to a first one of said bus lines signaling that a device address code is being applied to said bus and release control means coupled to said bus and to said address control and response means for applying a predetermined signal level to said bus signaling the termination of a data transfer operation; a plurality of addressable device control means corresponding in number to the number of said plurality of input and output devices, each of said control means being coupled to said bus and to a different one of said devices for enabling the transfer of data characters between said one device and said bus, each of said device control means including; state selection means for selecting one of a plurality of operating states for said one device, memory storage means coupled to said bus and said one device, said memory storage means including a plurality of memory character storage locations sufficient in number for storing at least a block of data characters for said one device, a general device control means, said general device control means including state selection storage means coupled to said state selection means for storing indications defining each of said plurality of operational states, addressing decoding means coupled to said bus, said address decoding means being operative to decode a predetermined address code assigned to the device associated therewith, and control response means coupled to said bus and to said address decoding Means, said control response means being operative to apply a predetermined signal level to a second line of said bus indicating when said one device is ready to transfer data characters between said memory storage means and said bus; said address decoding means of a device ready to transfer data characters when conditioned by said predetermined signal applied to said first one of said lines being operative to generate an output signal level upon detecting an assigned device address code identifying its respective device, said control response means being conditioned by said output signal level to apply said predetermined level to said second line and conditioning said state selection storage means to switch to a predetermined one of said plurality of operational states; and, said scanner address control and response means including second means coupled to said second line and to said first means, said second means being operative in response to each application of said predetermined signal level to said second line to condition said first means to switch said first line from said predetermined signal level to a different state removing said address code from said bus, said scanner mode selection means including means operative when said selection means is in said first state for conditioning said first means of said address control and response means to maintain said first line in said different state until the device control means of said one device applies a character having a predetermined bit pattern to said bus indicating the end of a transfer of a block of characters and said means of said scanner mode selection means being operative when said selection means is in said second state for conditioning said first means of said address control and response means to maintain said first line in said different state until said device control means of said one device generates a release signal on a third line of said bus in response to an end of media signal from said one device indicating the end of a rransfer of all of the device characters, said first means of said scanner address control and response means further including means operative in response to said character having said predetermined bit pattern to condition said release control means to generate said release signal in said first mode and said address control and response means including second means coupled to said third line and to said first means, said second means being operative in response to said release signal to switch said first line to said predetermined signal level thereby applying the address code assigned to a next input device to said bus.

Claim 23

A remote terminal system comprising: a multiline bus; a plurality of input and output devices; a device scanner, said device scanner being coupled to said bus and including; address generating means for generating a sequence of device address codes to be applied to said lines for addressing said plurality of input and output devices, mode selection means when placed in first and second states respectively being operative to enable said terminal system to operate in a first mode wherein each addressed input device transfers one block of data characters and in a second mode wherein each addressed input device transfers all of the data characters it has assembled, address control and response means being coupled to said bus and to said mode selection means, said address control and response means including first means coupled to a first one of said bus lines, said first means being operative to generate a predetermined signal level to a first one of said bus lines signaling that a device address code is being applied to said bus and release control means coupled to said bus and to said address control and response means for applying a predetermined signal level to said bus signaling the termination of a data transfer operation; a plurality of addressable device control means corresponding in number to the number of said plurality of input and output devices, each of said control means being coupled to said bus and to a different one of said devices for enabling the transfer of data characters between said one device and said bus, each of said device control means including; state selection means for selecting one of a plurality of operating states for said one device, memory storage means coupled to said bus and said one device, said memory storage means including a plurality of memory character storage locations sufficient in number for storing at least a block of data characters for said one device, a general device control means, said general device control means including state selection storage means coupled to said state selection means for storing indications defining each of said plurality of operational states, addressing decoding means coupled to said bus, said address decoding means being operative to decode a predetermined address code assigned to the device associated therewith, and control response means coupled to said bus and to said address decoding Means, said control response means being operative to apply a predetermined signal level to a second line of said bus indicating when said one device is ready to transfer data characters between said memory storage means and said bus; said address decoding means of a device ready to transfer data characters when conditioned by said predetermined signal applied to said first one of said lines being operative to generate an output signal level upon detecting an assigned device address code identifying its respective device, said control response means being conditioned by said output signal level to apply said predetermined level to said second line and conditioning said state selection storage means to switch to a predetermined one of said plurality of operational states; and, said scanner address control and response means including second means coupled to said second line and to said first means, said second means being operative in response to each application of said predetermined signal level to said second line to condition said first means to switch said first line from said predetermined signal level to a different state removing said address code from said bus, said scanner mode selection means including means operative when said selection means is in said first state for conditioning said first means of said address control and response means to maintain said first line in said different state until the device control means of said one device applies a character having a predetermined bit pattern to said bus indicating the end of a transfer of a block of characters and said means of said scanner mode selection means being operative when said selection means is in said second state for conditioning said first means of said address control and response means to maintain said first line in said different state until said device control means of said one device generates a release signal on a third line of said bus in response to an end of media signal from said one device indicating the end of a rransfer of all of the device characters, said first means of said scanner address control and response means further including means operative in response to said character having said predetermined bit pattern to condition said release control means to generate said release signal in said first mode and said address control and response means including second means coupled to said third line and to said first means, said second means being operative in response to said release signal to switch said first line to said predetermined signal level thereby applying the address code assigned to a next input device to said bus.

Claim 24

The system of claim 18 wherein said state selection storage means includes means operative in response to said scanner release signal level to switch said state selection storage means from said predetermined one of said plurality of operational states to an intermediate state, said state selection storage means being conditioned by said control response means to again switch to said predetermined one of said plurality of operational states in response to said assigned device address code

Claim 25

The system of claim 18 wherein said state selection storage means further includes means coupled to said device, said means being operative in response to an out of media signal from the device associated therewith to switch said state selection storage means from said predetermined one of said plurality of operational state to an inactive one of said operational states.

Claim 26

The system of claim 20 wherein said intermediate state is identified as a ready state, said inactive one of said operational states is identified as an idle state and said predetermined one of said plurality of operational states is identified as an ON-LINE state.

Claim 27

The system of claim 18 wherein said device scanner further includes timing means coupled to said bus for applying to a bus line levels defining successively occuring ON-LINE and OFF-LINE bus cycles for enAbling simultaneous ON-LINE and OFF-LINE data transfer operations and each of said device control means being conditioned by said ON-LINE and OFF-LINE bus signal levels and signals from said state selection storage means to enable the transfer of data characters between said memory storage means and said bus only during those cycles selected by said state selection means.

Claim 28

The system of claim 22 wherein said device scanner further includes means for selecting different durations of said time intervals of said ON-LINE and OFF-LINE bus cycles.

Claim 29

The system of claim 22 wherein said device scanner timing means includes means coupled to another one of said bus lines, said means being operative to generate and apply a timing strobe signal level to said another one of bus lines for defining the interval during which signal levels applied to said bus are to be sampled and each of said general device control means further including timing means coupled to said another one of said bus lines operative in response to said timing strobe signal level for processing internal transfers within the device control means associated therewith.

Claim 30

The system of claim 18 wherein said address generating means includes a counter coupled to said address control and response means, said counter being operative to be continuously incremented for generating said sequence of device address codes, said address control and response means inhibiting said counter in response to said predetermined signal level being applied to said second line by the control response means of an addressed input device indicating that its address decoding means has decoded the device assigned address code.

Claim 31

The system of claim 18 wherein said scanner control and response means further includes control generating means for generating a control pulse to be applied to another line of said bus in response to a predetermined change of state in the signal level applied to said second line indicating that all of the device control means of each of the output devices whose selection storage means have been switched to an active state have accepted the data character applied to said bus by an input device, the general device control means of said input device including means operative in response to said scanner control pulse to condition the memory storage means of said input device for transfer of a next data character to said bus and said general device control means of each of said output devices including means operative in response to said control pulse to condition said control response means to switch the state of said level applied to said second line enabling the processing of said next data character.

Claim 32

The system of claim 26 wherein the general device control means of each of said device control means of said input devices includes input data control means coupled to a predetermined line of said bus and said memory storage means of each of said device control means further including memory addressing means for addressing said storage locations within said memory storage means and an output register means coupled to said memory storage means and to said bus, said memory addressing means being coupled to said input data control means, said memory storage means being operative in response to said scanner control pulse to address a next storage location and said input data control means being operative in response to said scanner control pulse to apply a predetermined signal level to said predetermined line upon the read out of a complete data character into said output register signaling the application of a next data character to said bus.

Claim 33

The system of claim 26 wherein said general device control means of each device control means coupled to an input and to an output device further includes mode control means for selecting either of said devices and function control selection means coupled to said address decoding means for selectively conditioning address decoding means so as to Activate said state storage means of said respective device control means in accordance with a setting of said mode control means.

Claim 34

The system of claim 28 wherein said function control selection means includes switch means for selecting remote activation and local activation of said device control means coupled to said input and output device to operate as either said input or said output device.

Claim 35

The system of claim 29 wherein selection by said function control means is made only when said general device control means is in another one of said plurality of states corresponding to an idle state.

Claim 36

The system of claim 29, wherein said remote activation takes place only when said state selection storage means is in a ready, on-line, or audit trail state.

Claim 37

The system of claim 31 wherein said state selection storage means includes a predetermined number of bistable storage devices for defining said plurality of operational states, said bistable storage devices being interconnected so that only one bistable device is switched to a binary ONE between the time occurrence of said timing strobe signal levels during either said ON-LINE or OFF-LINE bus cycles.

Claim 38

The system of claim 18 wherein each of said device control means further includes device transfer and control logic means coupled to said memory storage means and to the device associated therewith, said device including means for applying strobe signals to said control logic means, said device control logic means being operative to condition said memory storage means to initiate an asynchronous transfer of data characters between said device and said memory storage means in accordance with said strobe signals.

Claim 39

The system of claim 18 wherein at least one of said device control means further includes format selection means for conditioning said memory storage means when said state selection storage means is in a predetermined state to enable a transfer format character codes of a first record from said device into said memory storage locations for coding said memory storage means, said memory storage means being operative to transfer to said bus characters of other blocks of data characters subsequently read into said memory storage means only when a predetermined bit position of said character storage locations storing said format character codes is coded in a predetermined manner.