Patent US3733588A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3733588A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Digital computer having a plurality of serial storage devices for central memory
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1971-05-17
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Granted: 1973-05-15
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Expires: 1991-05-17
Abstract
Abstract A small digital computer is described having a unique memory configuration which makes the computer quite suitable for highly interactive uses and yet places it in a price range similar to that of an electric desk calculator. The computer includes an input keyboard arrangement enabling an operator to directly deliver data to the computer, as well as a processor for manipulating data. The central memory is made up of four magnetostrictive delay lines, and secondary storage is provided in the form of a tape cassette. The control unit for directing operation of the computer is adapted to transfer data between one of the delay lines of central memory and the secondary storage at the same time data is being directed between another one of the storage devices and the processor for manipulation.
Inventors
- 👤 R Conn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 20:24
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/14; G06F13/16; G06F15/00; G06F15/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
247 words
A digital computer comprising a central memory for receiving and storing data to be manipulated; means enabling an operator to directly deliver data to said central memory; means for delivering to and removing from said central memory, data supplied by a secondary data source; a processor in communication with said central memory for receiving data therefrom and manipulating the same; control means for directing operation of said processor and said means for delivering and removing data supplied by a secondary data source from said central memory; and means for delivering data from said central memory or said processor to an output device; said central memory comprising at least two separate serial data storage devices, both of which communicate with said processor and with said means for delivering and removing data supplied by a secondary data source from said central memory; and said control means coupled with both of said serial data storage devices for selecting one of said devices to be in data communication with said processor and for selecting the other of said devices to be at the same time in data communication with said secondary data source, and coupled with said means for delivering and removing data supplied by said secondary source to direct data supplied by said secondary source to be delivered to or removed from said other one of said serial storage devices while data from the first one of said serial storage devices is simultaneously being delivered to said processor for manipulation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
247 words
A digital computer comprising a central memory for receiving and storing data to be manipulated; means enabling an operator to directly deliver data to said central memory; means for delivering to and removing from said central memory, data supplied by a secondary data source; a processor in communication with said central memory for receiving data therefrom and manipulating the same; control means for directing operation of said processor and said means for delivering and removing data supplied by a secondary data source from said central memory; and means for delivering data from said central memory or said processor to an output device; said central memory comprising at least two separate serial data storage devices, both of which communicate with said processor and with said means for delivering and removing data supplied by a secondary data source from said central memory; and said control means coupled with both of said serial data storage devices for selecting one of said devices to be in data communication with said processor and for selecting the other of said devices to be at the same time in data communication with said secondary data source, and coupled with said means for delivering and removing data supplied by said secondary source to direct data supplied by said secondary source to be delivered to or removed from said other one of said serial storage devices while data from the first one of said serial storage devices is simultaneously being delivered to said processor for manipulation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
101 words
The digital computer of claim 1 wherein said central memory includes one other data storage device in communication with said control means; and said control means includes indicating means communicating with said serial storage devices for indicating that data is in the process of being transferred between one of said serial data storage devices and said secondary data source, and interrupting means responsive to a request by said control means for use of a storage device having data being transferred between it and said secondary data source by transferring control to a predetermined location in said one other data storage device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The digital computer of claim 2 wherein manually controllable switching means are connected wiTh said interrupting means for enabling independent selective transfer of control to said predetermined location in said one other data storage device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The digital computer of claim 2 wherein said one other data storage device is of the recirculating serial type and is in communication with said means for delivering data to an output device for feeding data thereto in a recirculating manner.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The digital computer of claim 4 wherein a cathode ray tube is included in said combination as a display portion of said output device, said tube being in communication with said means for delivering data to said output device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The digital computer of claim 1 wherein each of said separate serial data storage devices is a recirculating data storage device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The digital computer of claim 6 wherein said means for delivering to and removing from said central memory, data supplied by a secondary data source is adapted to so deliver and remove data from a secondary serial memory device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
131 words
The digital computer of claim 6 wherein said separate serial data storage devices have generally the same data recirculating speeds; and said control means includes a memory address register communicating with said data storage devices for specifying both the data storage device from which data is requested and a general address for said requested data, which general address is applicable to any one of said storage devices, and a single memory word counter and comparator in communication with said devices for simultaneously monitoring the state of data recirculation in all of said devices and for removing the requested data from the device specified by said memory address register upon the data at said general address in said specified device being positioned in the recirculating cycle of said device for removal therefrom.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
The digital computer of claim 6 wherein said means for delivering and removing data supplied by a secondary data source from said central memory is adapted to deliver the data from said secondary data source in blocks of data, each one of which includes sufficient data to fill one of said separate serial storage devices of said central memory.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
128 words
The digital computer of claim 9 wherein said control means further includes recording means associated with each of said data storage devices for recording which blocks of data are present in said devices, comparison means cooperable with said recording means for determining whether or not the block of data having data specified by an instruction is present within any one of said serial storage devices, and block exchange means responsive to a determination that the block of data having the specified data is not in one of said serial storage devices by directing said means for delivering and removing data supplied by a secondary data source from said central memory, to deliver said block of data from said secondary data source to one of said serial storage devices.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
82 words
The digital computer of claim 10 further including means for determining whether or not any block of data stored in each of said serial storage devices is different from said block of data when it was transferred from said secondary storage to said central memory, and means responsive to a difference by transferring the different block of data from the serial storage device to said secondary storage device before delivering to the serial storage device the data block containing the specified data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
61 words
The digital computer of claim 1 wherein said control means includes both a memory address register coupled with said data storage devices for specifying which one of said devices is communicated with said processor and a secondary memory address register coupled with said storage devices for specifying which one of said storage devices is simultaneously communicated with said secondary data source.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
158 words
The digital computer of claim 12 wherein said central memory comprises more than two of said separate serial storage devices which commUnicate with said processor and with said means for delivering and removing data supplied by a secondary data source from said central memory, said control means coupled with all of said serial storage devices for selecting one of said devices to be in data communication with said process and for selecting any other one of said devices to be at the same time in data communication with said secondary data source and coupled with said means for delivering and removing data supplied by said secondary source to direct data supplied by said secondary data source to be delivered to or removed from said other one of said serial data storage devices while data from the first one of said devices is being simultaneously transferred between said first one of the storage devices and said processor for manipulation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
103 words
The digital computer of claim 13 wherein said central memory includes one other data storage device in communication with said control means; and said control means includes indicating means communicating with said serial storage devices for indicating that data is in the process of being transferred between one of said serial data storage devices and said secondary data source, and interrupting means responsive to a request by said control means for use of a particular data storage device having data being transferred between it and said secondary data source by transferring control to a predetermined location in said one other data storage device.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
130 words
The digital computer of claim 14 wherein each of said separate serial data storage devices is a recirculating data storage device and the data recirculating speeds thereof are generally the same and said memory address register communicates with said data storage devices for specifying both the data storage device from which data is requested and a general address for said request data, which general address is applicable to any one of said storage devices, and a single memory word counter and comparator for simultaneously monitoring the state of data recirculation in all of said devices and for gating the requested data from the device specified by said memory address register upon said general address in said specified device being positioned in the recirculation cycle of said device for gating therefrom.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
181 words
The digital computer of claim 15 wherein said means for delivering and removing from said central memory data supplied by a secondary data source is adapted to deliver the data from said secondary data source in blocks of data, each one of which includes sufficient data to fill one of said separate serial storage devices of said central memory; and said control means further includes recording means associated with each of said data storage devices for recording which blocks of data are present in said devices, comparison means cooperable with said recording means for determining whether or not the block of data having data specified by an instruction is present within any one of said serial storage devices, and block exchange means responsive to a determination that the block of data having the specified data is not in one of said serial storage devices by directing said means for delivering and removing data supplied by said secondary data source from said central memory, to deliver said block of data from said secondary data source to one of said serial storage devices.
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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) | 1976-05-14 | 1976-11-13 | 1977-05-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-14 | 1980-11-13 | 1981-05-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-14 | 1984-11-13 | 1985-05-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |