Business machine communication system and data display

Claim 2

In a data display system including a plurality of business machines each having a central processing unit, a data memory, a plurality of device controllers each adapted for connection to a data device, and a multiplexer connected to the memory and to the device controllers, permitting multiplexed transfer of data between the data devices and the memory under control of the central processing unit, with at least one of the data devices coupled to its associated device controller on a party line in which each such associated business machine is assigned an address, each part line data device generating an attention character indicative of an impending transfer of data and generating at lesast one address character indicative of the address of the business machine with which the data transfer is to take place, the improvement comprising; means within each device controller for detecting the attention character to activate the device controller for the transfer of data therethrough; means within each device controller responsive to activation of the device controller for transferring through the multiplexer to the data memory characters received on the party line subsequent to the attention signal; means within the central processing unit responsive to activation of the device controller for interpreting the address characters transferred to the data memory; and means within the central processing unit responsive to interpretation of an address signal indicative of an address other than the address of the business machine to deactivate the device controller associated with the party line data device transmitting such address.

Claim 3

A data display system as claimed in claim 1, the improvement further comprising means within the central processing unit for assigning an address to the business machine.

Claim 4

second means for storing address information obtained from the first memory portion;

Claim 5

second means for storing address information obtained from the first memory portion;

Claim 6

a second memory portion for storing the group address, and

Claim 7

a second memory portion for storing the group address, and

Claim 8

a third memory portion for storing as a display address the address of the area within the first memory portion at which is stored the first data character of the display; b. a central processing unit coupled to said data memory to store a group address in said second memory portion and a display address in said third memory portion; c. a timing circuit for generating character pulses at time intervals at which video signals of data characters are to be generated and frame pulses at time intervals during which video signals in one display of data characters is generated; d. an address register coupled to said data memory; e. a display address memory for storing the address of said third memory portion, said display address memory coupled to said data memory and to said timing circuit for receipt therefrom of display pulses, said display address memory, in response to a frame pulse, interrogating said third memory portion to store the display address into said address register; f. output means coupled to said main memory and adapted for connection to a video signal generator; g. coupling means coupling said timing circuit with said address register to apply character pulses thereto to increment by one the address stored in said address register, said address register in response to a character pulse interrogating the memory location of the plurality of memory locations indicated by the address stored in the address register to apply to said output means the data character stored therein to cause a video signal generator connected to said output means to generate a video signal indicative thereof; h. boundary detector means coupled to said address register and responsive to detection of the address of the boundary data character of the group for generating a detection signal; i. a group address memory for storing the address of the second memory portion, said group address memory coupled to said boundary detector means for receipt therefrom of the detection signal, to said data memory, and to said address register and responsive to the detection signal for interrogating said second memory portion to store the group address into said address register; whereby by changing the address stored in said third memory portion the display is scrolled.

Claim 9

a third memory portion for storing as a display address the address of the area within the first memory portion at which is stored the first data character of the display; b. a central processing unit coupled to said data memory to store a group address in said second memory portion and a display address in said third memory portion; c. a timing circuit for generating character pulses at time intervals at which video signals of data characters are to be generated and frame pulses at time intervals during which video signals in one display of data characters is generated; d. an address register coupled to said data memory; e. a display address memory for storing the address of said third memory portion, said display address memory coupled to said data memory and to said timing circuit for receipt therefrom of display pulses, said display address memory, in response to a frame pulse, interrogating said third memory portion to store the display address into said address register; f. output means coupled to said main memory and adapted for connection to a video signal generator; g. coupling means coupling said timing circuit with said address register to apply character pulses thereto to increment by one the address stored in said address register, said address register in response to a character pulse interrogating the memory location of the plurality of memory locations indicated by the address stored in the address register to apply to said output means the data character stored therein to cause a video signal generator connected to said output means to generate a video signal indicative thereof; h. boundary detector means coupled to said address register and responsive to detection of the address of the boundary data character of the group for generating a detection signal; i. a group address memory for storing the address of the second memory portion, said group address memory coupled to said boundary detector means for receipt therefrom of the detection signal, to said data memory, and to said address register and responsive to the detection signal for interrogating said second memory portion to store the group address into said address register; whereby by changing the address stored in said third memory portion the display is scrolled.

Claim 10

a data buffer coupled to said device controller for transfer of data therebetween;

Claim 11

a data buffer coupled to said device controller for transfer of data therebetween;

Claim 12

A data display system as claimed in claim 2, the improvement further comprising means within the central processing unit responsive to a signal from a data device for assigning an address to the business machine.

Claim 13

third means coupled to said data buffer, to said second means, and to said data memory for transferring a data character between the data buffer and the location within the data memory identified by the address information stored within said second means;

Claim 14

third means coupled to said data buffer, to said second means, and to said data memory for transferring a data character between the data buffer and the location within the data memory identified by the address information stored within said second means;

Claim 15

In a data display system including: a data memory and a display screen; with the data memory having character storage locations for storage of data character signals and control signals, with a character storage location within the data memory assigned to each character position on the display screen for storage of data character signals indicative of data characters to be displayed in the associated display screen character position, and with the display screen displaying, in a plurality of character positions, data characters indicated by data character signals stored in the memory; and means for reading sequentially the data character signals stored in the character storage locations; means for generating display signals in response to each data character signal applied thereto; and means for applying to the display screen in text line sweeps the data character display signals to cause display on the display screen of the plurality of text lines of data characters; the improvement comprising: means for assigning a first unique control character to indicate that the balance of a text line on the display screen is to be unconditionally cleared; meanS for applying the first unique control character to the character storage locations assigned to the first character position to be cleared on each text line to be unconditionally cleared; first sensing means within said reading means for sensing the first unique control character; means for generating a data character signal indicative of a clear display signal; and switching means having a first signal input connected to said reading means for receipt of data characters therefrom, a second signal input connected to said data character generating means for receipt of the clear display signal data character therefrom, an output connected to said display signal generating means for application of data characters thereto, and a control input connected to said first sensing means, said switching means normally assuming a first condition in which said first input is connected to said output for passage of data characters therebetween, said switching means in response to sensing of the unique control character by said sensing means assuming for the balance of a text line a second condition in which said second input is connected to said output for passage of data characters therebetween.

Claim 16

In a data display system including: a data memory and a display screen; with the data memory having character storage locations for storage of data character signals and control signals, with a character storage location within the data memory assigned to each character position on the display screen for storage of data character signals indicative of data characters to be displayed in the associated display screen character position, and with the display screen displaying, in a plurality of character positions, data characters indicated by data character signals stored in the memory; and means for reading sequentially the data character signals stored in the character storage locations; means for generating display signals in response to each data character signal applied thereto; and means for applying to the display screen in text line sweeps the data character display signals to cause display on the display screen of the plurality of text lines of data characters; the improvement comprising: means for assigning a first unique control character to indicate that the balance of a text line on the display screen is to be unconditionally cleared; meanS for applying the first unique control character to the character storage locations assigned to the first character position to be cleared on each text line to be unconditionally cleared; first sensing means within said reading means for sensing the first unique control character; means for generating a data character signal indicative of a clear display signal; and switching means having a first signal input connected to said reading means for receipt of data characters therefrom, a second signal input connected to said data character generating means for receipt of the clear display signal data character therefrom, an output connected to said display signal generating means for application of data characters thereto, and a control input connected to said first sensing means, said switching means normally assuming a first condition in which said first input is connected to said output for passage of data characters therebetween, said switching means in response to sensing of the unique control character by said sensing means assuming for the balance of a text line a second condition in which said second input is connected to said output for passage of data characters therebetween.

Claim 17

fourth means for interrogating said second memory portion to obtain control information pertaining to the data transfer;

Claim 18

fourth means for interrogating said second memory portion to obtain control information pertaining to the data transfer;

Claim 19

A data display system as claimed in claim 4 in which the improvement further comprises: means for assigning a second unique control character to indicate that the balance of a text line on the display screen is to be conditionally cleared; means for applying the second unique control character to the character storage locations assigned to the first character position to be cleared on each text line to be conditionally cleared; means for assigning a tagging characteristic to data character signals which are not to be cleared from a text line being conditionally cleared; second sensing means within said reading means for sensing the second unique control character; third sensing means for sensing the tagging characteristic; and gating mans coupled to said second sensing means and to said third sensing means and responsive to sensing in a text line of the second unique control character for generating a gating signal for the data characters in that portion of the balance of the text line for which the tagging characteristic is absent; said switching means further responsive to the gating signal to assume the second condition.

Claim 20

A data display system as claimed in claim 5 in which the tagging characteristic is at least one additional data bit in each data character not to be cleared.

Claim 21

fifth means for storing control information obtained from the second memory portion;

Claim 22

fifth means for storing control information obtained from the second memory portion;

Claim 23

evaluation means coupled to said fifth means for evaluating the data transfer and the control information to provide an evaluation output signal indicative of the evaluation of the data transfer.

Claim 24

evaluation means coupled to said fifth means for evaluating the data transfer and the control information to provide an evaluation output signal indicative of the evaluation of the data transfer.

Claim 25

A data display system as claimed in claim 5 in which the tagging characteristic is a particular combination of data bits in each data character not to be cleared.

Claim 26

A data display system as claimed in claim 5 in which the tagging characteristic is a particular sequence of data characters.

Claim 27

In a method of displaying data in a data display system having a data memory, with character storage locations for storage of data characters and control characters, and a display screen for display of data characters stored in the memory, with the display including a plurality of text lines, each with a plurality of character positions, with each text line applied to the data display screen in a text line sweep, the improvement of clearing displays from text lines of the display screen to provide variable length display lines with fixed line-length of character storage locations by the method which comprises: assigning to each character position on the display screen a character storage location within the data memory; assigning a first unique control character to indicate that the balance of a text line on the display screen is to be unconditionally cleared; applying the first unique control character to the character storage locations assigned to the first character position to be cleared in each text line the balance of which is to be unconditionally cleared; applying sequentially to the display screen the characters from the character storage Locations to be displayed in each text line; sensing the first unique control character; and for each text line of the display for which the first unique control character is sensed, clearing the data display screen for the balance of the text line.

Claim 28

In a method of displaying data in a data display system having a data memory, with character storage locations for storage of data characters and control characters, and a display screen for display of data characters stored in the memory, with the display including a plurality of text lines, each with a plurality of character positions, with each text line applied to the data display screen in a text line sweep, the improvement of clearing displays from text lines of the display screen to provide variable length display lines with fixed line-length of character storage locations by the method which comprises: assigning to each character position on the display screen a character storage location within the data memory; assigning a first unique control character to indicate that the balance of a text line on the display screen is to be unconditionally cleared; applying the first unique control character to the character storage locations assigned to the first character position to be cleared in each text line the balance of which is to be unconditionally cleared; applying sequentially to the display screen the characters from the character storage Locations to be displayed in each text line; sensing the first unique control character; and for each text line of the display for which the first unique control character is sensed, clearing the data display screen for the balance of the text line.

Claim 29

In a method of displaying data as claimed in claim 9 which further comprises sharing the data memory with a data processing unit, the improvement in which the data processing unit applies the first unique control character to the character storage locations of the first character position to be cleared in each text line the balance of which is to be unconditionally cleared.

Claim 30

A method as claimed in claim 9 in which the improvement further comprises: assigning a second unique control character to indicate that characters for the balance of text line on the display screen are to be conditionally cleared; assigning a tagging characteristic to data characters stored in the data memory which are to be protected from clearing; applying the second unique control character to the character storage locations assigned to the first character position to be cleared in each text line to be conditionally cleared; sensing the second unique control character; sensing the tagging characteristic; and for each text line of the display for which the second unique control character is sensed, clearing form the data display screen those data characters for the balance of the text line for which the tagging characteristic is not sensed.

Claim 31

In a method of displaying data as claimed in claim 11 which further comprises sharing the data memory with a data processing unit the improvement in which the data processing unit applies the first unique control character to the storage locations of the first character position to be cleared in each text line the balance of which is to be unconditionally cleared and applies the second unique control character to the character storage locations assigned to the first character position to be cleared in each text line the balance of which is to be conditionally cleared.

Claim 32

In a data system including a data device, a device controller, a data memory, and a central processing unit, wherein normally the central processing unit includes means for storing and executing detailed instructions for controlling data transfer and the device controller includes instruction decoders, registers for storing information such as address information and control information, and control circuitry responsive to such information for causing transfer of data messages between the data devices and the data memory, the improvement comprising: a. a first memory portion within said data memory and assigned to the device controller for storing address information; b. a second memory portion within said data memory and assigned to the device controller for storing control information; and c. a multiplexer including:

Claim 33

In a data system including a data device, a device controller, a data memory, and a central processing unit, wherein normally the central processing unit includes means for storing and executing detailed instructions for controlling data transfer and the device controller includes instruction decoders, registers for storing information such as address information and control information, and control circuitry responsive to such information for causing transfer of data messages between the data devices and the data memory, the improvement comprising: a. a first memory portion within said data memory and assigned to the device controller for storing address information; b. a second memory portion within said data memory and assigned to the device controller for storing control information; and c. a multiplexer including:

Claim 34

In a data system as claimed in claim 13, the improvement in which said control information includes a control character indicating the termination of a data message and in which said evaluation means is further coupled to said data buffer to compare the data character being transferred with the control character to detect termination of the data message.

Claim 35

In a data system as claimed in claim 13, the improvement in which said control information includes a control address indicating the termination of a data message and in which said evaluation means is further coupled to said second means to compare the address information stored therein with the control address stored in said fifth means to detect termination of the data message.

Claim 36

In a data system as claimed in claim 15, the improvement in which said control information further includes a control character indicating the termination of a data message and in which said evaluation means is further coupled to said data buffer to compare the data character being transferred with the control character to detect termination of the data message.

Claim 37

In a data system as claimed in claim 13, the improvement in which the address information includes count information indicative of count of the number of data characters that have been transferred in the data message and in which the control information includes a control count indicating the termination of a data message and in which said evaluation means is further coupled to said second means to compare to count information stored therein with the control count stored in said fifth means to detect termination of the data message.

Claim 38

In a data system as claimed in claim 13, and further including a plurality of data devices and a plurality of device controllers each uniquely associated with one of the data devices, wherein normally each device controller generates a request signal to indicate a request by the associated device for access to the data memory, the improvement further comprising: a. a plurality of first memory portions, each assigned to a uniquely associated one of the device controllers for storing address information pertaining to the associated device controller; b. a plurality of second memory portions, each assigned to a uniquely associated one of the device controllers for storing control information pertaining to the associated device controller; c. a priority selection circuit within said multiplexer and including means for sensing the presence of request signals from the device controllers, means for selecting from those request signals present at any one time the device controller to be given access to the data memory, and means for generating an acknowledging signal indicative of the selected device controller; d. means coupled to said first means and responsive to the acknowledging signal for causing said first means to interrogate the first memory portion associated with the selective device controller; and e. means coupled to said fourth means and responsive to the acknowledging signal for causing said fourth means to interrogate the second memory portion associated with the selected device controller.

Claim 39

In a data system as claimed in claim 13, in which the device controller normally transmits a unique signal to indicate transfer of the first data character of a data message, the improvement further comprising: a first location within said first memory portion for storing the address of the location within the data memory for transfer of the first data character of the data message; a second location within said first memory portion for storing the address of the location within the data memory for transfer of the most recently transferred data character of the data message; means within said first means responsive to presence of a unique signal for interrogating the first memory portion first location and further responsive to absence of the unique signal for interrogating the first memory portion seconD location.

Claim 40

In a method of transferring data in data system including a data device, a device controller, a data memory, and a central processing unit, wherein normally the central processing unit stores and executes detailed instructions controlling data transfers and the device controller includes instruction decorders, registers for storing information such as address information and control information, and control circuitry responsive to such information to cause transfer of data messages between the data device and the data memory, the improvement comprising: a. storing the address information within a first portion of the data memory rather than within the device controller; b. storing the control information within a second portion of the data memory rather than within the device controller; c. interrogating the first portion of the data memory to obtain the address of a location within the data memory with which data is to be transferred; d. transferring data between the device controller and the location within the data memory identified by the address obtained from the first portion of the data memory; e. modifying the address obtained from the first portion of the data memory; f. storing the modified address within the first portion of the data memory; g. interrogating the second portion of the data memory to obtain control information pertaining to the data transfer; h. evaluating the data transfer and the control information obtained from the second portion of the data memory to evaluate the data transfer; whereby the address information and control information are stored only in the data memory and are available therefrom to the central processing unit for monitoring and revision, and resulting in reduction of the detailed instructions stored and executed by the central processing unit and reduction of the instruction decoders registers and control circuitry in the device controller.

Claim 41

In a method of transferring data in data system including a data device, a device controller, a data memory, and a central processing unit, wherein normally the central processing unit stores and executes detailed instructions controlling data transfers and the device controller includes instruction decorders, registers for storing information such as address information and control information, and control circuitry responsive to such information to cause transfer of data messages between the data device and the data memory, the improvement comprising: a. storing the address information within a first portion of the data memory rather than within the device controller; b. storing the control information within a second portion of the data memory rather than within the device controller; c. interrogating the first portion of the data memory to obtain the address of a location within the data memory with which data is to be transferred; d. transferring data between the device controller and the location within the data memory identified by the address obtained from the first portion of the data memory; e. modifying the address obtained from the first portion of the data memory; f. storing the modified address within the first portion of the data memory; g. interrogating the second portion of the data memory to obtain control information pertaining to the data transfer; h. evaluating the data transfer and the control information obtained from the second portion of the data memory to evaluate the data transfer; whereby the address information and control information are stored only in the data memory and are available therefrom to the central processing unit for monitoring and revision, and resulting in reduction of the detailed instructions stored and executed by the central processing unit and reduction of the instruction decoders registers and control circuitry in the device controller.

Claim 42

In a method as claimed in claim 20, in which the data system further includes a plurality of data devices and a plurality of device controllers each uniquely associated with one of the data devices, wherein normally each device controller generates a request signal to indicate a request by the associated data device for access to the data memory, the improvement further comprising: a. assigning a unique first memory portion to each of the device controllers; b. storing address information pertaining to each device controller within the first memory portion assigned to that device controller; c. assigning a unique second memory portion to each of the device controllers; d. storing control information pertaining to each device controller within the second memory portion assigned to that device controller; e. sensing the presence of request signals from the device controllers; f. selecting from those request signals present at any one time the device controller to be given access to the data memory; g. generating an acknowledging signal indicative of the selected device controller; and in which: h. the first portion of the data memory which is interrogated is the first portion assigned to the selected device controller; i. the data is transferred between the selected device controller and the data memory; j. the modified address is stored in the first portion assigned to the selected device controller; and k. the second portion of the data memory which is interrogated is the second portion assigned to the selected device controller.

Claim 43

In a data system including a data device, a device controller, a data memory, and a central processing unit, and capable of transferring data messages including a plurality of data characters, by way of the device controller, between the data device and the data memory, wherein normally the device controller includes circuitry storing control information indicative of the end of data message, the improvement comprising: a memory portion wIthin said data memory and coupled to said central processing unit for storing control information received therefrom; means within the central processing unit for storing control information within said memory portion; means for evaluating the data transfer and the control information to provide an evaluation output signal indicative of the evaluation of the data transfer.

Claim 44

In a data system including a data device, a device controller, a data memory, and a central processing unit, and capable of transferring data messages including a plurality of data characters, by way of the device controller, between the data device and the data memory, wherein normally the device controller includes circuitry storing control information indicative of the end of data message, the improvement comprising: a memory portion wIthin said data memory and coupled to said central processing unit for storing control information received therefrom; means within the central processing unit for storing control information within said memory portion; means for evaluating the data transfer and the control information to provide an evaluation output signal indicative of the evaluation of the data transfer.

Claim 45

Apparatus for generating a video signal of a display of data characters including a plurality of text lines, each with a plurality of data characters, with the display of data characters selected from a group of data characters including a plurality of text lines, at least equal in number to the plurality of text lines in the display, said apparatus comprising: a. a data memory having:

Claim 46

Apparatus for generating a video signal of a display of data characters including a plurality of text lines, each with a plurality of data characters, with the display of data characters selected from a group of data characters including a plurality of text lines, at least equal in number to the plurality of text lines in the display, said apparatus comprising: a. a data memory having:

Claim 47

Apparatus as claimed in claim 23 further comprising counting means connected to said timing circuit for generating a count signal in response to counting of the number of character pulses equal to the number of data characters in a text line; and in which: said timing circuit further generates text line pulses at time intervals during which video signals in one text line of data characters is generated; said coupling means includes first gating means connected to said counting means And responsive to a particular count signal to inhibit application of character pulses to said address register until the next text line pulse; and said output means includes second gating means connected to said counting means and responsive to the particular count signal to inhibit application of data characters to the video signal generator until the next text line pulse.

Claim 48

Apparatus as claimed in claim 23 further comprising a video signal generator connected to said output means for generating a video signal of data characters applied thereto.

Claim 49

In a method of generating a video signal of a display of data characters including a plurality of text lines, each with a plurality of data characters, with the display of data characters selected from a group of data characters including a plurality of text lines at least as great in number as the plurality of text lines in the display, wherein normally a central processing unit causes transfer of data characters from a data memory to a separate display buffer from which the data characters are applied to display circuitry, with scrolling of the display, movement of the cursor, and alteration of the style of the display being achieved by detailed instructions from the central processing unit in conjunction with complex circuitry, the improvement comprising the steps of: a. storing a group of data characters in a data memory in a group storage area having a group address indicative of the storage area of the first data character of the first text line of the display, the group storage area including a plurality of text line storage positions each having a plurality of character storage areas; b. storing the group address in the data memory in a second storage area; c. storing in the data memory in a third storage area a display address indicative of the location within the group storage area at which is stored the first data character of the display; d. interrogating the third storage area to obtain the display address; e. storing the display address in an address register; f. interrogating the storage area indicated by the address stored in the address register to obtain a data character to be displayed; g. applying the obtained data character to a video signal generator; h. incrementing the address stored in the address buffer; i. repeating steps (f) through (h) to continuously apply a data character to the video signal generator until a full display of data characters has been applied; j. repeating steps (d) through (j) to repeatedly apply the display of data characters to the video signal generator; k. throughout steps (f) through (j) continuously monitoring the address stored in the address buffer to detect a group boundary address; l. upon detection of the group boundary address, interrogating the second storage area to obtain the group address; m. storing the group address in the address buffer; and n. repeating steps (f) through (j) to complete generation of the video signal of the display.

Claim 50

In a method of generating a video signal of a display of data characters including a plurality of text lines, each with a plurality of data characters, with the display of data characters selected from a group of data characters including a plurality of text lines at least as great in number as the plurality of text lines in the display, wherein normally a central processing unit causes transfer of data characters from a data memory to a separate display buffer from which the data characters are applied to display circuitry, with scrolling of the display, movement of the cursor, and alteration of the style of the display being achieved by detailed instructions from the central processing unit in conjunction with complex circuitry, the improvement comprising the steps of: a. storing a group of data characters in a data memory in a group storage area having a group address indicative of the storage area of the first data character of the first text line of the display, the group storage area including a plurality of text line storage positions each having a plurality of character storage areas; b. storing the group address in the data memory in a second storage area; c. storing in the data memory in a third storage area a display address indicative of the location within the group storage area at which is stored the first data character of the display; d. interrogating the third storage area to obtain the display address; e. storing the display address in an address register; f. interrogating the storage area indicated by the address stored in the address register to obtain a data character to be displayed; g. applying the obtained data character to a video signal generator; h. incrementing the address stored in the address buffer; i. repeating steps (f) through (h) to continuously apply a data character to the video signal generator until a full display of data characters has been applied; j. repeating steps (d) through (j) to repeatedly apply the display of data characters to the video signal generator; k. throughout steps (f) through (j) continuously monitoring the address stored in the address buffer to detect a group boundary address; l. upon detection of the group boundary address, interrogating the second storage area to obtain the group address; m. storing the group address in the address buffer; and n. repeating steps (f) through (j) to complete generation of the video signal of the display.

Claim 51

A method as claimed in claim 26, the improvement further comprising periodically at a desired scrolling rate and between steps (i) and (j) incrementing the display address stored in the third storage area by the number of data characters in each display line, until the display address exceeds the group boundary; then changing the display address to be the same as the group address, whereby scrolling of the display is achieved without a separate display buffer and solely by address manipulation.