Self-configuring terminal

Claim 2

In a distributive data processing system wherein a computer is coupled through a loop communications network to a plurality of terminals and each terminal is connected by a serial channel to a plurality of I/O devices, a method for providing an operating system within each terminal comprising the steps of: (a) generating at each terminal a first list including identifying indicia for all devices that can be coupled to the terminal; (b) transmitting a status message from the terminal to each of the devices recorded in said list; (c) transmitting a response message to the terminal from a device that is active in response to receiving the status message; (d) generating in said terminal a second list including the identifying indicia of only those devices that have responded to the status message; (e) providing in said computer a plurality of program support modules, with each module including support programs that control a particular I/O device and indicia identifying the particular I/O device that it controls; (f) receiving and loading in the memory of said terminal only the program support modules whose identifying indicia matches identifying indicia in the second list.

Claim 3

The method set forth in claim 1 further including the steps of: displaying, to a user, a visual listing of devices which are attached to the terminal; prompting the user to adjust and verify the correctness of the visually displayed list; and storing at each terminal a copy of the verified list.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 further including the steps of transmitting the verified list to the computer; and setting an indicator in said terminal thereby signifying that configuration has taken place.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 further including the steps of electronically erasing stored program support modules in the terminal; requesting a complete program load from the computer; and receiving and loading in the terminal only the program support modules that control active devices connected to said terminal.

Claim 6

In a data processing system arranged in a hierarchical structure with a control processor coupled by a loop communications network to a plurality of second order processors and each second order processor coupled through a second communications network to a plurality of third order processors with each third order processor designated to control an I/O device a method for providing an operating system in each second order processor comprising the steps of: generating at each second order processor, a first list including an identifying indicia of all possible third order processors that can be connected to said each second order processor; transmitting a first message including the identifying indicia from said each second order processor to all third order processors recorded in said list; receiving and copying, at each attached third order processor, said message only if the identifying indicia matches that of the third order processor; transmitting to the second order processor a response message from each third order processor whose identifying indicia was in the first message; generating, at each said second order processor, a second list including the identifying indicia of only the third order processors responding to the first message; and thereafter, polling only third order processors whose identifying indicia appears in the second list.

Claim 7

In a data processing system arranged in a hierarchical structure with a control processor coupled by a loop communications network to a plurality of second order processors and each second order processor coupled through a second communications network to a plurality of third order processors with each third order processor designated to control an I/O device a method for providing an operating system in each second order processor comprising the steps of: generating at each second order processor, a first list including an identifying indicia of all possible third order processors that can be connected to said each second order processor; transmitting a first message including the identifying indicia from said each second order processor to all third order processors recorded in said list; receiving and copying, at each attached third order processor, said message only if the identifying indicia matches that of the third order processor; transmitting to the second order processor a response message from each third order processor whose identifying indicia was in the first message; generating, at each said second order processor, a second list including the identifying indicia of only the third order processors responding to the first message; and thereafter, polling only third order processors whose identifying indicia appears in the second list.

Claim 8

The method set forth in claim 5 wherein the identity indicia includes an address for each third order processor.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6 further including the steps of requesting program support modules from the control processor; and loading, at each second order processor only those programs which are required to control the attached third order processors.

Claim 10

The method of claim 7 further including the steps of displaying to a user a configuration table for each said second order processor; prompting the user to verify the configuration; storing a copy of the verified configuration; and utilizing said verified configuration for loading said second order processor thereafter.

Claim 11

In a data processing system arranged in a hierarchical structure with a control processor coupled by a first communications network to a plurality of second order processors and each second order processor coupled through a second communications network to a plurality of third order processors a device for providing an operating system within the second order processor comprising: means for generating at each second order processor a first list including an identity indicia of all possible third order processors that can be connected to said each second order processor; means for transmitting a first message including the identity indicia from said each second order processor to all third order processors recorded in said list; means for receiving and copying, at each attached third order processor, said message if the identity indicia matches that of the third order processor; means for transmitting a response message to said second order processor; means for generating, at each said second order processor, a second list including the identity indicia of only the third order processors responding to the first message; means, at the control processor, for transmitting modules including identifying indicia for controlling the third order processor.

Claim 12

In a data processing system arranged in a hierarchical structure with a control processor coupled by a first communications network to a plurality of second order processors and each second order processor coupled through a second communications network to a plurality of third order processors a device for providing an operating system within the second order processor comprising: means for generating at each second order processor a first list including an identity indicia of all possible third order processors that can be connected to said each second order processor; means for transmitting a first message including the identity indicia from said each second order processor to all third order processors recorded in said list; means for receiving and copying, at each attached third order processor, said message if the identity indicia matches that of the third order processor; means for transmitting a response message to said second order processor; means for generating, at each said second order processor, a second list including the identity indicia of only the third order processors responding to the first message; means, at the control processor, for transmitting modules including identifying indicia for controlling the third order processor.

Claim 13

In a data processing system arranged in a hierarchical structure with a control processor coupled by a first communications network to a plurality of second order processors and each second order processor coupled through a second communications network to a plurality of third order processors a method for configuring the system comprising the steps of: (a) generating at each second order processor a list including an identifying indicia of all possible third order processors that can be connected to said each second order processor; (b) transmitting poll messages from each second order processor, to all third order processors which can be attached to each said second order processor; (c) examining the poll messages and transmitting a response message from each third order processor whose address is in the poll message; (d) generating an active poll list, at each said second order processor, containing addresses of only those third order processors responding to the poll messages; and (e) utilizing, thereafter, the poll list to load from said control processor into each said second order processor control modules which allow communication with devices connected to said third order processor.

Claim 14

In a data processing system arranged in a hierarchical structure with a control processor coupled by a first communications network to a plurality of second order processors and each second order processor coupled through a second communications network to a plurality of third order processors a method for configuring the system comprising the steps of: (a) generating at each second order processor a list including an identifying indicia of all possible third order processors that can be connected to said each second order processor; (b) transmitting poll messages from each second order processor, to all third order processors which can be attached to each said second order processor; (c) examining the poll messages and transmitting a response message from each third order processor whose address is in the poll message; (d) generating an active poll list, at each said second order processor, containing addresses of only those third order processors responding to the poll messages; and (e) utilizing, thereafter, the poll list to load from said control processor into each said second order processor control modules which allow communication with devices connected to said third order processor.

Claim 15

The distributive data processing system of claim further including the steps of: (a) sequentially transmitting a poll message for said terminal to each device listed in the second list; and (b) if said terminal has data to be transmitted to a device listed in the second list using a program module for formatting the data.

Claim 16

An improved distributive data processing system comprising: (a) a communications media configured into a loop; (b) a plurality of terminals connected to the communications media; (c) a plurality of I/O devices connected to respective ones of said terminals; (d) a control computer connected to the communications media; (e) first means in said control computer for storing an operating system which controls operation of said terminals and a plurality of program support which controls operation of said terminals and a plurality of program support modules which contain support programs to control a particular I/O device; (f) second means in each one of said terminals for storing a list of all I/O devices that can be connected to each one of said terminals; (g) third means in each of said terminals for transmitting a status message to each of the I/O devices recorded in said list; (h) fourth means in each of said I/O devices for transmitting to each one of said terminals a message in response to a received status message; (i) fifth means in each of said terminals for receiving the message of step (h) and generating therefrom a list of all responsive devices; (j) sixth means in said control computer for transmitting on the communications media, the operating system and the plurality of program support modules; and (k) seventh means in said terminal for receiving and loading the operating system and only program support modules which control I/O devices which are recorded in the list of step (i).

Claim 17

An improved distributive data processing system comprising: (a) a communications media configured into a loop; (b) a plurality of terminals connected to the communications media; (c) a plurality of I/O devices connected to respective ones of said terminals; (d) a control computer connected to the communications media; (e) first means in said control computer for storing an operating system which controls operation of said terminals and a plurality of program support which controls operation of said terminals and a plurality of program support modules which contain support programs to control a particular I/O device; (f) second means in each one of said terminals for storing a list of all I/O devices that can be connected to each one of said terminals; (g) third means in each of said terminals for transmitting a status message to each of the I/O devices recorded in said list; (h) fourth means in each of said I/O devices for transmitting to each one of said terminals a message in response to a received status message; (i) fifth means in each of said terminals for receiving the message of step (h) and generating therefrom a list of all responsive devices; (j) sixth means in said control computer for transmitting on the communications media, the operating system and the plurality of program support modules; and (k) seventh means in said terminal for receiving and loading the operating system and only program support modules which control I/O devices which are recorded in the list of step (i).

Claim 18

In a distributive data processing system wherein a master computer is coupled through a serial communications network to a plurality of terminals and each terminal is connected to a plurality of I/O devices, an apparatus for providing computer programs in each terminal comprising: a first means, provided in each terminal, for storing a first list of all devices which can be coupled to the terminal; a second means for generating and transmitting status messages from the terminal to each of the devices recorded in said first list; a third means, provided in each terminal, for analyzing response messages which are generated and transmitted by devices which receive the status messages, said third means establishing a second list including identifying indicia of only those devices responding to the status messages; and fourth means provided in each terminal for requesting the master computer to download computer programs to each device which is recorded in the second list.

Claim 19

In a distributive data processing system wherein a master computer is coupled through a serial communications network to a plurality of terminals and each terminal is connected to a plurality of I/O devices, an apparatus for providing computer programs in each terminal comprising: a first means, provided in each terminal, for storing a first list of all devices which can be coupled to the terminal; a second means for generating and transmitting status messages from the terminal to each of the devices recorded in said first list; a third means, provided in each terminal, for analyzing response messages which are generated and transmitted by devices which receive the status messages, said third means establishing a second list including identifying indicia of only those devices responding to the status messages; and fourth means provided in each terminal for requesting the master computer to download computer programs to each device which is recorded in the second list.