US3725870A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Parallel-access data file system
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Alpex Inc
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Filing: 1970-12-24
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Granted: 1973-04-03
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Expires: 1990-12-24
Abstract
Abstract A central file system in which information in the form of data associated with identifying operands is stored in random sequence at separate locations of a storage medium, and these locations are cyclically scanned by read/write means at the storage medium. Multiple participating access stations having display means and data-input means are each coupled with their own comparator means, and all comparator means can simultaneously receive the scanned operands and data on an equal priority basis, and compare the operands arriving on-the-fly with operands respectively entered at the associated stations. When coincidence is found at any comparator, the data associated with that operand is temporarily stored for display at the associated station. At the beginning of each storage medium location being read-out, each station seeking coincidence has its search logic reset to assume coincidence for that particular storage location, and then a bitby-bit on-the-fly comparison is made as the information is read out. If coincidence persists for the whole operand being read from that storage location, the data therein is retained for display. If not, the data is dumped from that station''s temporary storage register by replacement with data read-out from the next storage location to be scanned. Any station can update the central storage medium''s information by entering a priority mode, in which the other stations are momentarily locked-out from access, and then erasing and/or replacing data in a particular storage medium location.
Inventors
- 👤 M Felcheck
- 👤 W Kirschner
- 👤 R Jarosik
- 👤 C Capes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 17:39
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07G; G07G1/00; G07G1/12; G07G1/14; G07G1/145; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/903; G06F16/90335; G06F16/90344; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
285 words
A data file system for storing messages including information data identified uniquely by multi-bit operands and for presenting the stored operands and messages in serial fashion simultaneously at multiple remote places for selective message identification and retrieval thereat, comprising: a. continuously cycling memory means having discrete messagestoring locations which are read out sequentially bit-by-bit including the operand and the information data from each location, and the memory means having internally-generated output clock pulses synchronized with the read-out of the messages; b. multiple participating stations coupled to said memory means and the stations being located at said remote places, each participating station including its own output message register connected to receive said read-out messages and including gating means controlling entry into the register of the readout messages from the memory means, each participating station further including means for introducing a query operand and an input register for receiving the query operand, and each participating station further including comparator means coupled to receive the operands being read out from the memory locations and to receive the query operand circulating in the input register of the station and compare them for coincidence; and c. logic means in each station responsive to introduction of a query operand and responsive to said clock pulses to enable the comparator means during read-out of each memory operand and operative to circulate the query operand in the input register synchronously with the read-out operand, and said logic means further including coincidence-responsive means which is responsive to coincidence of said operands at said comparator means and to said pulses to control said gating means to prevent entry into said output register of further read-out messages and retain therein the message corresponding with said coincidence.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
285 words
A data file system for storing messages including information data identified uniquely by multi-bit operands and for presenting the stored operands and messages in serial fashion simultaneously at multiple remote places for selective message identification and retrieval thereat, comprising: a. continuously cycling memory means having discrete messagestoring locations which are read out sequentially bit-by-bit including the operand and the information data from each location, and the memory means having internally-generated output clock pulses synchronized with the read-out of the messages; b. multiple participating stations coupled to said memory means and the stations being located at said remote places, each participating station including its own output message register connected to receive said read-out messages and including gating means controlling entry into the register of the readout messages from the memory means, each participating station further including means for introducing a query operand and an input register for receiving the query operand, and each participating station further including comparator means coupled to receive the operands being read out from the memory locations and to receive the query operand circulating in the input register of the station and compare them for coincidence; and c. logic means in each station responsive to introduction of a query operand and responsive to said clock pulses to enable the comparator means during read-out of each memory operand and operative to circulate the query operand in the input register synchronously with the read-out operand, and said logic means further including coincidence-responsive means which is responsive to coincidence of said operands at said comparator means and to said pulses to control said gating means to prevent entry into said output register of further read-out messages and retain therein the message corresponding with said coincidence.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
125 words
The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the clock pulses generated in said memory means include location pulses marking each new location being read out, and said logic means for each station including bistable means controlling the coincidence-responsive means and operative in response to each new location pulse to reset the bistable means to a coincidence condition, said logic means being responsive to failure of operand coincidence during circulation of said query operand to set said bistable means to a condition indicating failure of coincidence; and said coincidence-responsive means including means responsive to the reset condition of the bistable means and to the next new location pulse to actuate said gating means to block further entry of information in the associated output register.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
In a system as set forth in claim 2, said means in said coincidence-responsive means which is responsive to the reset condition of the bistable means and to said next new location pulse maintaining said gating means continuously blocked; and means responsive to the introduction of a new query operand into the input register of the same station to unblock said gating means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
84 words
In a system as set forth in claim 2, each stored message comprising an operand having a fixed number of bit positions, followed by information data; counter means for counting said fixed number of bit positions and operative in response to a clock pulse to commence counting at the bEginning of the read-out of each operand and to reach its full count at the end of each operand; and means responsive to receiving said full count to disable subsequent operation of said comparator means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
177 words
The file system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the memory means includes means to write data into said separate storage locations, said write means being rendered operative by a command signal to write data into a location of said memory means; means at each station to initiate a command signal; counter means for repeatedly counting said memory locations to identify them as they are cyclically read-out; means in said logic means actuated in response to a query operand and to a command signal initiated at a given station and to operation of its coincidence-responsive means to retain in the counter means the memory location in which coincidence was found; means for entering the system into a priority mode including means for temporarily disabling the coincidence-responsive means of the other stations; means in said logic means responsive to a command signal for enabling said write means for writing data into that retained memory location during a subsequent cycle of the memory means; and means for releasing the system from the priority mode after said subsequent cycle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
127 words
In a system as set forth in claim 5, each participating station having in its logic means also other means for initiating a command signal which is a write command, and having means operative in response to a write command to introduce zeros into its comparator means for comparison with said operands being read out from the memory means thereinto, and operative upon a finding by its coincidence-responsive means of coincidence with an empty storage location to thereupon actuate said counter means to retain the memory location; and said means for entering the system into a priority mode including means for actuating said write means to write the contents of the input register means in said given station into said retained memory location during said subsequent cycle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
115 words
In a system as set forth in claim 5, each participating station having in its logic means also other means for initiating a command signal which is an erase command, and having means operative upon introducing of a query operand for comparison with operands read-out from said storage locations and upon initiation of an erase command, and further operative upon said coincidence-responsive means indicating coincidence of said query operand with a readout operand, to actuated said counter means to retain that memory location, and said means for entering the system into the priority mode including means for actuating said write means to write zeros into the location during said subsequent cycle to erase its information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
149 words
In a system as set forth in claim 1, said memory means having in said message locations preamble bits stored together with said operands and with said information data to be read-out therewith at a fixed bit rate; means in each participating station upon entry of a query operand into the input register to actuate the logic means upon the occurrence of said preamble bits to circulate the operand in search of coincidence with the operand being read from the storage medium; timer means in the logic means initiated by said actuation thereof to time an interval sufficient to include one complete read-out of the memory means, and thereafter to disable the logic means; and means at each station and responsive to expiration of said interval in the absence of a finding of coincidence by said coincidence-responsive means to indicate absence of the information sought in the memory means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
83 words
In a system as set forth in claim 8, said memory means having postamble pulses at the end of each message stored in each of said locations; means in each participating station in the logic means and operative upon the finding of coincidence by said coincidence-responsive means and upon occurrence of said postamble pulses to control saId gating means to retain in the output register data read from that memory location and to indicate the presence of the data in the output register.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
178 words
In a system as set forth in claim 1, said memory means having multiple cyclically rotating tracks having multiple discrete information storing sectors each comprising one of said message locations, and said memory means for reading out the address of each sequentially recurring sector; and each participating station having means operative in a priority mode to write new data into a sector; means in all participating stations comprising a part of the logic means thereof for entering the station into the priority mode and including means for enabling a given station initiating said mode to write new data into a sector and means in the logic means for disabling the coincidence-responsive means in the other stations; and means in the logic means and operative in said given station when in said priority mode to retain the address of a sector when coincidence is detected by its coincidence-responsive means between the operand read from a sector and a query operand entered in its input register; and means to actuate said write means to write new data into that sector.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
In a system as set forth in claim 10, means in the logic means and operative in said priority mode to recognize an empty sector being read out from the memory means and to retain its address; and means responsive to the next cyclic recurrence of said read-out address to write into that sector an operand and information data contained in said input register.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
101 words
In a system as set forth in claim 10, erase means in said logic means and operative in a given station in said priority mode, in response to a finding of coincidence by the coincidence-responsive means between a read-out operand and a query operand in the input register indicating a sector to be erased, to actuate said means in the logic means to retain the address of that sector; and means operative upon the next recurrence of said retained address to actuate said means to write new data to write all zeros in that sector to erase the information contained therein.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-02 | 1976-10-02 | 1977-04-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-02 | 1980-10-02 | 1981-04-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-02 | 1984-10-02 | 1985-04-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |