International Business Machines Corporation

Gary E Leikam

Robert J Grafe

Dennis G Busch

Robert L Wierwille

Rebecca S Wood

In a text processor including a communications facility, different tasks, such as typing tasks and communications tasks are entered into the machine from different program diskettes. As each is so entered, in view of the fact that main memory space is limited, it overlays control data in the main memory relating to the previous task. In a communications session, the operator has to build a queue of documents for sending under the control of communications foreground control (CFC) and communications background control (CBC) blocks in the main memory. If the operator is required to terminate this task before its completion, his queue data is lost as it is overlaid by control data relating to a new task that is entered, so on return to the communications task, he has to start from the beginning. In order to enable him to exit the communications task without losing the queue data, an arrangement is employed whereby this data can be entered on to the communications program diskette prior to termination of a communications session.

Text processing system with communication data save facility

A data communications system for asynchronous communication having at least two data transmit/receive terminals wherein the display is periodically updated with new send or receive data. In the receive mode the data is accumulated in a receive buffer for a predetermined time interval and then transferred into a text storage buffer which then activates a display access method to process the stored data and update the display. The display access method then goes into an 'idle' mode and waits for the next transfer of data which does not occur until the predetermined time interval has expired. In the transmit mode the send data is transmitted without a delay but the display is updated after the predetermined time interval has expired.

Timer driven display updating

A data communications system to provide for the dynamic modification of a queue of documents arranged sequentially for transmission. An operator interacts with the send queue by making the send queue selection from a menu of communication request tasks on a display. Selection of the addition to the send queue option invokes a routine to add a send job. Operator selection of the display send queue option invokes a routine to display the send queue in the display for review of the current send queue and its status. A delete send job option invokes a routine to allow the operator to delete any job from the send queue except the one currently being sent. The select next send job option invokes a routine to allow the operator to start or restart the sending process from any point within the send queue.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Gary E Leikam