Data communication system incorporating device selection control

Claim 1

A data communication system comprising: a communication channel; a transmitting station including; a data character input device for providing a sequence of data character signals, idle generating means for providing delay signals, mode selection means for selecting one of at least two output device modes, and for providing an output selection signal indicative of the selected mode to the communication channel, and control means, responsive to the mode selection means, for gating successive data character signals from said input device to said communication channel when a first mode is selected, and for gating data character signals and delay signals alternately to said communication channel when a different mode other than said first mode is selected; a receiving station including: an actuable first output device, responsive to the data character signals of the communication channel, for recording data characters at a relatively low recording rate, an actuable second output device, responsive to the data character signals of the communication channel for recording data characters at a relatively high recording rate, and gating means, responsive to the output selection signal of the communication channel, for actuating said second output device when said first mode is selected, and for actuating said first output device only when said different mode is selected.