Data storage system

Claim 2

A self-sequencing storage system having shift registers for storing in a data file information records comprising key data and record data in a predetermined sequence based upon the key data in said information records and including a control circuit for controlling the access of records in said data file, the deletion of records from said data file, the shifting of said shift registers storing said data file, and the counting of records in said data file, said storage system comprising: first shift register means for storing said information records; second shift register means for storing said information records; data port register means coupled to said first shift register means and said second shift register means, said first shift register means, said second shift register means and said data port register means controlled by said control circuit for shifting of information records between said first shift register means and said second shift register means, through said data port register means, said data port register means including a key data storage location and a record data storage location; input/output register means for storing an information record, said input/output register means being coupled to said data port register means for the bidirectional transfer of key data and record data therebetween; and key data comparator means coupled to said data port means and said input/output register means for comparing the key data of said information records shifted between said first shift register means and said second shift register means through said data port register means with key data in said information record stored in said input/output register and for gating an information record between said data port register means and said input/output register means during said addition of information records to said data file, said deletion of information records from said data file, and said access of information records in said data file to maintain said sequential order of said information records shifted between said first shift register means and said second shift register means through said data port register means.

Claim 3

The self-sequencing information storage system according to claim 1 further including a word counter controlled by said control circuit for counting the number of information records stored in said data file.

Claim 4

A closed-loop, self-sequencing information storage system having shift registers for storing in a data file information records comprising key data and record data in a predetermined sequence based upon the key data in said information records, and including a control circuit for controlling the access of records in said data file, the insertion of records into said data file, the deletion of records from said data file, the shifting of shift registers storing said data file, and the counting of records in said data file, said storage system comprising: first shift register means for storing a plurality of information records, said first shift register means having a first storage location and a last storage location; second shift register means for storing a plurality of information records, said second shift register means having a first storage location and a last storage location, said first shift register means and said second shift register means together storing said data file as a continuous series of information records in said sequential order based upon said key data in said information records; first data transfer means for transferring information records from said first storage location of said second shift register means to said last storage location of said first shift register means; second data transfer means for transferring information records from the first storge location of said first shift register means to said last storage location of said second shift register means, said information records being shifted from said second shift register means through said first data transfer means to said first shift register means and from said first shift register means through said second data transfer means to said second shift register means under the control of said control circuit; input/output register means for storing information records; first data port means coupling said input/output register means to said first data transfer means for the bidirectional transfer of information records therebetween; second data port means coupling said input/output register means to said second data transfer means for the bidirectional transfer of information records therebetween; first key comparator means for comparing key data in said input/output register means with key data in said first storage location of said second shift register means; second key comparator means for comparing key data in said input/output register means with said key data in said first storage location of said first shift register means, said first key comparator means and said second key comparator means together gating the bidirectional transfer of information records between said input/output register means and first data transfer means and said input/output register means and said second data transfer means, respectively, as said information records are shifted between said first shift register means and said second shift register means under the control of said control circuit to maintain said sequence of said data file stored in said first shift register means and said second shift register means when information records are added to said data file, deleted from said data file and accessed in said data file.

Claim 5

A closed-loop, self-sequencing information storage system having shift registers for storing in a data file information records comprising key data and record data in a predetermined sequence based upon the key data in said information records, and including a control circuit for controlling the access of records in said data file, the insertion of records into said data file, the deletion of records from said data file, the shifting of shift registers storing said data file, and the counting of records in said data file, said storage system comprising: first shift register means for storing a plurality of information records, said first shift register means having a first storage location and a last storage location; second shift register means for storing a plurality of information records, said second shift register means having a first storage location and a last storage location, said first shift register means and said second shift register means together storing said data file as a continuous series of information records in said sequential order based upon said key data in said information records; first data transfer means for transferring information records from said first storage location of said second shift register means to said last storage location of said first shift register means; second data transfer means for transferring information records from the first storge location of said first shift register means to said last storage location of said second shift register means, said information records being shifted from said second shift register means through said first data transfer means to said first shift register means and from said first shift register means through said second data transfer means to said second shift register means under the control of said control circuit; input/output register means for storing information records; first data port means coupling said input/output register means to said first data transfer means for the bidirectional transfer of information records therebetween; second data port means coupling said input/output register means to said second data transfer means for the bidirectional transfer of information records therebetween; first key comparator means for comparing key data in said input/output register means with key data in said first storage location of said second shift register means; second key comparator means for comparing key data in said input/output register means with said key data in said first storage location of said first shift register means, said first key comparator means and said second key comparator means together gating the bidirectional transfer of information records between said input/output register means and first data transfer means and said input/output register means and said second data transfer means, respectively, as said information records are shifted between said first shift register means and said second shift register means under the control of said control circuit to maintain said sequence of said data file stored in said first shift register means and said second shift register means when information records are added to said data file, deleted from said data file and accessed in said data file.

Claim 6

The closed-loop, self-sequencing information storage system according to claim 3 wherein said first shift register means comprises a plurality of parallel shift registers.

Claim 7

The closed-loop, self-sequencing information storage system of claim 3 wherein said second shift register means comprises a plurality of parallel shift registers.

Claim 8

The closed-loop, self-sequencing information storage system of either claim 4 or 5 wherein said shift registers in said plurality of parallel shift registers are unidirectional.

Claim 9

The closed-loop, self-sequencing information storage system of claim 3 further including a head counter controlled by said control circuit for storing the location in said first shift register means or said second shift register means where the first information record in said data file is stored.

Claim 10

The closed-loop, self-sequencing information storage system of claim 3 urther including a tail counter controlled by said control circuit for storing the location in said first shift register means or said second shift register means where the last information record in said data file is stored.

Claim 11

A self-sequencing information storage system having shift registers for storing a data file including variable length information records comprising key data and record data in a predetermined sequence based upon key data in said information records and for storing a control file associated with said data file and including a control circuit for controlling the access of records in said data file, the insertion of records into said data file, the deletion of records from said data file, the shifting of shift registers storing said data file and said control file, and the counting of bytes of information stored in said data file, said storage system comprising: record data register means for storing record data in a series of storage positions; key data register means for storing key data in a series of storage positions; first shift register means for storing key data and record data in a series of storage positions; first control shift register means for storing control data in a series of storage positions, said storage positions in said first control shift register being in a one-to-one association with said storage positions in said first shift register means, each storage position in said first control shift register means storing an indicator for indicating whether its associated storage position in said first shift register means contains key data or record data; data port means including a port shift register and a port control shift register; first transfer means for transferring said key data and said record data from said first shift register means to said port shift register; second transfer means for transferring control data from said first control shift register to said port control shift register; second shift register means for storing key data and record data in a series of storage positions, said first shift register means and said second shift register means together storing said data file; third transfer means for transferring key data and record data from said port shift register to said second shift register means; second control shift register means for storing control data in a series of storage position, said storage positions in said second control shift register means being in a one-to-one association with said storage positions in said second shift register means, each storage position in said second control shift register means storing an indicator for indicating whether its associated storage position in said second shift register means contains key data or record data, said first control shift register means and said second control shift register means together storing said control file; fourth transfer means for transferring control data from said port control shift register to said second control shift register means, said information records being shifted from said first shift register means to said port shift register through said first transfer means and from said port shift register to said second shift register means through said third transfer means under the control of said control circuit and said control data being shifted from said first control shift register means to said port control shift register through said second transfer means and from said port control shift register to said second control shift register means through said fourth transfer means under the control of said control circuit; fifth transfer means coupling said record data register means and said key data register means to said third transfer means for the bidirectional transfer of key data and record data therebetween; first comparator means in said data port means, said first comparator means being coupled to said first control shift register means for also receiving said control data transferred from said first control shift register means to said port control shift register and for determining from said received control data whether said data transferred to said port shift register from said first shift register means is key data or record data; and second comparator means coupled to said record data register means, said key data register means, said first comparator means, and said first transfer means and responsive to a said determination by said first comparator means that key data is being transferred from said first shift register means to said port shift register for comparing said transferred key data to key data stored in said key data register means and for gating the transfer of key data and record data between said third transfer means and said key data register means and said record data register means, respectively, during said shifting of said information records from said port shift register to said second shift register means to maintain said sequential order to key data and record data in said data file as information records are accessed in said data file, added to said data file, or deleted from said data file.

Claim 12

A self-sequencing information storage system having shift registers for storing a data file including variable length information records comprising key data and record data in a predetermined sequence based upon key data in said information records and for storing a control file associated with said data file and including a control circuit for controlling the access of records in said data file, the insertion of records into said data file, the deletion of records from said data file, the shifting of shift registers storing said data file and said control file, and the counting of bytes of information stored in said data file, said storage system comprising: record data register means for storing record data in a series of storage positions; key data register means for storing key data in a series of storage positions; first shift register means for storing key data and record data in a series of storage positions; first control shift register means for storing control data in a series of storage positions, said storage positions in said first control shift register being in a one-to-one association with said storage positions in said first shift register means, each storage position in said first control shift register means storing an indicator for indicating whether its associated storage position in said first shift register means contains key data or record data; data port means including a port shift register and a port control shift register; first transfer means for transferring said key data and said record data from said first shift register means to said port shift register; second transfer means for transferring control data from said first control shift register to said port control shift register; second shift register means for storing key data and record data in a series of storage positions, said first shift register means and said second shift register means together storing said data file; third transfer means for transferring key data and record data from said port shift register to said second shift register means; second control shift register means for storing control data in a series of storage position, said storage positions in said second control shift register means being in a one-to-one association with said storage positions in said second shift register means, each storage position in said second control shift register means storing an indicator for indicating whether its associated storage position in said second shift register means contains key data or record data, said first control shift register means and said second control shift register means together storing said control file; fourth transfer means for transferring control data from said port control shift register to said second control shift register means, said information records being shifted from said first shift register means to said port shift register through said first transfer means and from said port shift register to said second shift register means through said third transfer means under the control of said control circuit and said control data being shifted from said first control shift register means to said port control shift register through said second transfer means and from said port control shift register to said second control shift register means through said fourth transfer means under the control of said control circuit; fifth transfer means coupling said record data register means and said key data register means to said third transfer means for the bidirectional transfer of key data and record data therebetween; first comparator means in said data port means, said first comparator means being coupled to said first control shift register means for also receiving said control data transferred from said first control shift register means to said port control shift register and for determining from said received control data whether said data transferred to said port shift register from said first shift register means is key data or record data; and second comparator means coupled to said record data register means, said key data register means, said first comparator means, and said first transfer means and responsive to a said determination by said first comparator means that key data is being transferred from said first shift register means to said port shift register for comparing said transferred key data to key data stored in said key data register means and for gating the transfer of key data and record data between said third transfer means and said key data register means and said record data register means, respectively, during said shifting of said information records from said port shift register to said second shift register means to maintain said sequential order to key data and record data in said data file as information records are accessed in said data file, added to said data file, or deleted from said data file.

Claim 13

A self-sequencing information storage system according to claim 9 wherein said information records in said data file are stored in sequence positions and wherein said storage positions in said first control shift register means each contain a sequence indicator for indicating the sequence positions in said data file of said data stored in said storage positions of said first shift register means associated with said storage positions in said first control shift register means.

Claim 14

The self-sequencing information storage system according to claim 10 wherein each of said information records in said data file comprise a plurality of bytes and said system further includes a byte counter controlled by said control circuit for counting the number of bytes in said data file.