Termiflex Corporation

Gould Inc. Modicon Division

Richard E Morley

George G Schwenk

William E Fletcher

Michael Arnold Bromberg

A digital computer with the capability of incorporating multiple central processing units (CPU's), utilizes an address and data bus between each central processing unit and from one to fifteen intelligent composite memory and input/output modules (MIO). Data is transferred to and from each MIO and the CPU synchronously by a bus during one phase of a three phase clocking cycle. During a second phase of the clocking cycle data on one or more low speed serial data channels within each MIO is transferred to and from the MIO and external devices. During the third phase of the clocking cycle data on a high speed direct memory access channel (DMA) is transferred to and from the MIO and one or more external devices. Additional CPU's can be interconnected with the first CPU by means of an inter-processor buffer module (IPB) which interconnects to the bus at one end and the additional CPU, by means of a bus, at its other end. The IPB may be a software modifiable MIO and can store data addressable by the two interconnected CPU's. In turn, the additional CPU and its associated bus interconnects by the second bus with from one to fifteen additional MIO's or IPB's, allowing cascading of CPU's and associated MIO's and IPB's. Since all data transfers to and from the MIO's and external devices occur at time phases separate from the first time phase in which the CPU communicates with the MIO's and IPB's, the computational speed of any CPU is independent of the quantity of data transferred between the MIO's and IPB's and associated external devices or additional CPU's.

Digital computer with multi-processor capability utilizing intelligent

An interactive terminal which is capable of complete hand-held operation with total freedom of position and location is provided. The terminal incorporates a self contained full 128-character keyboard, a 20-character alphanumeric readout, and a 1000-character memory. The terminal allows the generation of all 128 ASCII characters plus 'break.' In order to assure review of any message, a conveniently positioned scroll switch is incorporated to advance or roll back any messsage in the memory for presentation on the display. When previous messages are displayed and incoming information is being received by the terminal, the light intensity of the displayed messages modulates to indicate to the operator that information is being received but not displayed. The unique, totally portable, hand-held interactive terminal is provided with a 20 key keyboard which is operated with one hand, while the other hand selects one of four different information levels for each key. Consequently, each of the 20 keys is capable of transmitting four different characters or other information thereby assuring easy, compact transmission of all numeric, alphabetic, and punctuation characters, and command information to an interconnected device. The interactive computer terminal prevents the transmission of information when more than one of the twenty keys of the keyboard is depressed simultaneously In addition, the terminal allows for the automatic transmission of any characters when the corresponding key is depressed for a short period of time. Furthermore, an audible alarm is incorporated which automatically sounds when improper keyboard operation is attempted. The interactive terminal provides for local operation that allows the invention to display information without transmitting this information to any interconnected device. The display of the present terminal incorporates a cursor that indicates the position, type and information level of the next character to be generated and transmitted if a keyboard key is depressed. Furthermore, the interactive terminal provides for the selection of various parameters; including communication speed, parity, half-duplex or full-duplex mode, upper or lower case alphanumeric transmission from the keyboard, and a 'justify' operation for presenting of words on more than one line if these words are equal to or less than 10 characters.

Hand-held interactive terminal

An interactive computer terminal which is capable of complete hand-held operation with total freedom of position and location is provided. The terminal incorporates a self-contained full 75-character keyboard, a 20-character alpha numeric readout, and a 100-character memory. In order to assure review of any message, a conveniently positioned scroll switch is incorporated to advance or roll back any message in the memory for presentation on the display. The unique, totally portable hand-held interactive terminal is provided with a 20-key pad which is operated with one hand, while the other hand selects one of four different information levels for each key. Consequently, each of the 20 keys is capable of transmitting four different characters or other information, thereby assuring easy, compact transmission of all numeric, alphabetic, and punctuation characters with sufficient keyboard room available for command capability.

Growing community of inventors

Greenville, NH, United States of America

Richard E Morley