Data storage and retrieval systems for use with plural track storage medium

Claim 1

A system for the storage and retrieval of information including at least one address message and one data message on a movable multi-track tape storage medium and which tape medium has a leader portion and a message recording portion; said system comprising: a. at least one information handling terminal capable of recording information on said tape storage medium and including a tape transport and a terminal processor and memory means, b. controller means operatively connected to each terminal processor of each information handling terminal, c. pulse generating means operatively associated with said tape transport of said information handling terminal to generate an index pulse and an index number therefrom for each data message recorded on the message recording portion of said storage medium, and which index number is related to the location of the address message on the storage medium, d. recording means operatively associated with said information handling terminal for recording each address message and data message on the message recording portion of said tape medium and thereafter recording the index number for each address message on the leader portion of said tape medium, e. terminal storage means forming part of each said terminal processor for introducing and storing the index numbers in said terminal storage means and forming a general index of such index numbers, f. means permitting operative connection between said information handling terminal and controller means to said storage means to receive the index numbers at the storage means, g. said information handling terminal also including reading means for reading an index number on the leader portion of the tape medium and introducing said index number into said terminal storage means as an instruction for reproducing a data message associated with a particular address message, h. means operatively associated with said information handling terminal to access the storage means for the index number associated with a particular desired address message from the general index and cross-referencing the index number read from the leader portion against a like index number in the general index for retrieving the address message on said tape storage medium at said information handling terminal with such index number, i. a central computer operatively connected to said controller means and each said information handling terminal being remote to said computer, and j. a video display terminal operatively connected to said controller means and being located at said information handling terminal.

Claim 2

A system for the storage and retrieval of information including at least one address message and one data message on a movable multi-track tape storage medium and which tape medium has a leader portion and a message recording portion; said system comprising: a. at least one information handling terminal capable of recording information on said tape storage medium and including a tape transport and a terminal processor and memory means, b. controller means operatively connected to each terminal processor of each information handling terminal, c. pulse generating means operatively associated with said tape transport of said information handling terminal to generate an index pulse and an index number therefrom for each data message recorded on the message recording portion of said storage medium, and which index number is related to the location of the address message on the storage medium, d. recording means operatively associated with said information handling terminal for recording each address message and data message on the message recording portion of said tape medium and thereafter recording the index number for each address message on the leader portion of said tape medium, e. terminal storage means forming part of each said terminal processor for introducing and storing the index numbers in said terminal storage means and forming a general index of such index numbers, f. means permitting operative connection between said information handling terminal and controller means to said storage means to receive the index numbers at the storage means, g. said information handling terminal also including reading means for reading an index number on the leader portion of the tape medium and introducing said index number into said terminal storage means as an instruction for reproducing a data message associated with a particular address message, h. means operatively associated with said information handling terminal to access the storage means for the index number associated with a particular desired address message from the general index and cross-referencing the index number read from the leader portion against a like index number in the general index for retrieving the address message on said tape storage medium at said information handling terminal with such index number, i. a central computer operatively connected to said controller means and each said information handling terminal being remote to said computer, and j. a video display terminal operatively connected to said controller means and being located at said information handling terminal.

Claim 3

A system for the storage and retrieval of information including at least one address message and one data message on a movable multi-track tape storage medium and which tape medium has a leader portion and a message recording portion; said system comprising: a. at least one information handling terminal capable of recording information on said tape storage medium, b. controller means operatively connected to each information handling terminal, c. pulse generating means operatively associated with said information handling terminal to generate an index pulse and an index number therefrom for each data message recorded on the message recording portion of said storage medium, and which index number is related to the location of the address message on the storage medium, d. recording means operatively associated with said information handling terminal for recording each address message and data message on the message recording portion of said tape medium and thereafter recording the index number for each address message on the leader portion of said tape medium, e. terminal storage means for introducing and storing the index numbers in said terminal storage means and forming a general index of such index numbers, f. means permitting operative connection between said information handling terminal and controller means to said storage means to receive the index numbers at the storage means, g. said information handling terminal also including reading means for reading an index number on the leader portion of the tape medium and introducing said index number into said terminal storage means as an instruction for reproducing a data message associated with a particular address message, h. means operatively associated with said information handling terminal to access the storage means for the index number associated with a particular desired address message from the general index and cross-referencing the index number read from the leader portion against a like index number in the general index for retrieving the address message and associated data message on said tape storage medium at said information handling terminal with such index number, and i. video display means operatively associated with said information handling terminal to display the data messages and/or address messages associated therewith.

Claim 4

A system for the storage and retrieval of information including at least one address message and one data message on a movable multi-track tape storage medium and which tape medium has a leader portion and a message recording portion; said system comprising: a. at least one information handling terminal capable of recording information on said tape storage medium, b. controller means operatively connected to each information handling terminal, c. pulse generating means operatively associated with said information handling terminal to generate an index pulse and an index number therefrom for each data message recorded on the message recording portion of said storage medium, and which index number is related to the location of the address message on the storage medium, d. recording means operatively associated with said information handling terminal for recording each address message and data message on the message recording portion of said tape medium and thereafter recording the index number for each address message on the leader portion of said tape medium, e. terminal storage means for introducing and storing the index numbers in said terminal storage means and forming a general index of such index numbers, f. means permitting operative connection between said information handling terminal and controller means to said storage means to receive the index numbers at the storage means, g. said information handling terminal also including reading means for reading an index number on the leader portion of the tape medium and introducing said index number into said terminal storage means as an instruction for reproducing a data message associated with a particular address message, h. means operatively associated with said information handling terminal to access the storage means for the index number associated with a particular desired address message from the general index and cross-referencing the index number read from the leader portion against a like index number in the general index for retrieving the address message and associated data message on said tape storage medium at said information handling terminal with such index number, and i. video display means operatively associated with said information handling terminal to display the data messages and/or address messages associated therewith.

Claim 6

A method for storage and retrieval of information including a plurality of address messages and a plurality of data messages on a plural track storage medium, said method comprising: a. recording a plurality of address messages, each one of said address messages comprising a plurality of multi-bit address words on one track of the storage medium, b. one of the address words in each address message being a most significant address word and another one of the address words being a least significant address word, the most significant bit of each most significant address word in each address word always being the same bit, and the most significant bit of each least significant address word in each address message also being the same bit, c. recording a data message associated with each address message on another track of the storage medium and which data messages are addressably located with respect to the address messages with which they are associated, d. generating an index number for each of the address messages which is related to the location of the address and data messages on the storage medium, e. generating a general index of each of the index numbers to identify the address messages from their respective index numbers, f. storing such general index in a processing terminal number, g. locating each address message and the data message associated therewith by accessing the general index in the processing terminal for the index number associated with such address message, h. and both audially and visually presenting the data messages.

Claim 7

A method for storage and retrieval of information including a plurality of address messages and a plurality of data messages on a plural track storage medium, said method comprising: a. recording a plurality of address messages, each one of said address messages comprising a plurality of multi-bit address words on one track of the storage medium, b. one of the address words in each address message being a most significant address word and another one of the address words being a least significant address word, the most significant bit of each most significant address word in each address word always being the same bit, and the most significant bit of each least significant address word in each address message also being the same bit, c. recording a data message associated with each address message on another track of the storage medium and which data messages are addressably located with respect to the address messages with which they are associated, d. generating an index number for each of the address messages which is related to the location of the address and data messages on the storage medium, e. generating a general index of each of the index numbers to identify the address messages from their respective index numbers, f. storing such general index in a processing terminal number, g. locating each address message and the data message associated therewith by accessing the general index in the processing terminal for the index number associated with such address message, h. and both audially and visually presenting the data messages.