Abstract:
In a data communication system a plurality of remote stations and a central station are arranged in a series loop. The central station transmits a succession of time slots to the loop and information is transferred between the central station and the remote stations with character interleaving under control of the central station. Each remote station includes one or more terminals. A terminal wishing to transmit a message sends a request-for-service signal to the central station in the first free time slot received by its remote station. The terminal cannot transmit a message or a further request-for-service signal until it receives a proceed signal from the central station. After receiving a proceed signal the terminal can transmit a message. At the end of the message the terminal is again locked out (i.e. it cannot transmit message data) but remains free to transmit a request-for-service signal by which means it may again obtain a line position.
Abstract:
The disclosed data processing system, which includes plural processing units, plural storage units and plural input/output units, can be configured into various groups of interconnected units. In response to a single pattern of signals broadcast to configuration control registers in each unit, a particular unit can be disconnected from one group of units and connected to another group. This invention relates to a data processing system, and more particularly to a system including plural units which, in response to a single program instruction, can be configured into various interconnected groups of units.
Abstract:
1283445 Data transmission systems INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP 9 Nov 1970 [10 Nov 1969] 53154/70 Heading H4P In a data processing system a number of remote stations, each having one or more terminal units, such as input/output typewriters, are connected in a loop with a central station which gathers messages from the terminal units for transmission to a central computer or distributers messages from the central computer. Communication between the remote stations and the central station is by multi-bit words which circulate round the loop. Each station receives each word in turn, interogates it to see for example if the word is free or is addressed to that station, is able to modify it and pass it on to the next station. Each input/output terminal has an operators calling key which causes the associated remote station to seize the next multi-bit word marked free, and to insert a calling signal character and the address of the calling terminal. A mechanical key-loose lock prevents the keying-in of data until a proceed to send signal has been received from the central station in the same multi-bit word. Transmission of a message proceeds using the word and at the end the central station sends an end of message signal to free the remote station, reset the lock, and also frees the multi-bit word. The central station can only accommodate a limited number of transmitting terminals and after that a calling terminal is queued and a free multi-bit word allocated on a priority basis. In addition to the free/busy bit, the multi-bit words contain an acknowledge and sequence bit, a bit indicating whether message transmission is to or from the central station and a parity bit.