International Business Machines Corporation

Marion E Getz

Christopher J Harris

John P Garrett

Philip J McConnell

Angela I Harding

Mark L Norton

A modified hierarchical homogeneous real time transaction, consolidated auditing and side processing business system, operating under a system wide parameter control, processes and encapsulates each transaction as a plurality of parameter dominated records in an input terminal, transmitting the records to an attached controller at the end of the transaction. Parameters, required but not stored in the terminal, are requested from the attached controller and stored for the duration of the transaction. First level processors are provided with a tandem pair of facilities to trap, process and re-route system messages, all system interfaces being individually addressable. Additional force to interface paths are provided. Unit inputs incorporate parallel high speed buffers and a terminal record flushing mechanism is incorporated in each transaction terminal. The buffers, mechanisms, and critical registers have their own standby power supplies. Terminals have switches to couple them to one of two alternate bus structures ideally to two different controllers, and the controllers maintain files dedicated to each potentially attached terminal as well as undedicated files. The arrangement permits transactions to be suspended and resumed without disruption, eliminates the first level processor message bottle neck and supports described features of advantage in various combinations.

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Marion E Getz