GB1428035A - System for memorising and processing data - Google Patents

Abstract

1428035 Selective signalling COMPAGNIE INDUSTRIELLE DES TELECOMMUNICATIONS CIT-ALCATEL 19 April 1973 [20 April 1972] 19083/73 Heading G4H [Also in Division H4] A central location EC for processing data supplied by peripheral devices in remote locations TC1, TC2 ... comprises means AN, AD and ME whereby the data is validated, updated and stored. The system may be used for accumulating the charges incurred by using telephones, or (e.g. in hotels) TV sets, automatic dispensing devices, or the like. The data is received in the form of "charge pulses" (one per use of the device) on inputs FT1 ... FTN (Fig. 2) to an "interface matrix" IF containing N relay circuits Rr. Memory ME contains a section DA and units ... thousands sections MU ... MM (Fig. 3, not shown) linked to corresponding registers RSE and RSU ... (RSM). Each section MU &c. contains 1024-bit sections B1-B8 (for 1-, 2-, 4- and 8-weighted bits respectively) so that the charges from up to 1024 devices may be accumulated in ME in BCD form. IF and ME are addressed by a counter CA, the state of each relay contact r being scanned and transmitted to a multiplexer MX while the corresponding location in ME is accessed. To avoid errors caused by relay contact bounce or interference pulses, ME is only updated when a relay has been scanned four times and a 1100 result has been obtained: this is checked by AN in conjunction with DA and RSE, which respectively store the result of a current scan and of the previous scan. A 1100 result (LKJI) causes AN to transmit a 1-signal to the units section ADU of adder AD, which incorporates carry logic P5-P7 and co-operates with registers RSU ... to update the relevant total in MU... To ascertain the charges incurred by any peripheral device, its identity is entered on a keyboard CL and fed to a comparator CR connected to CA via a code converter TR: when the inputs to CR agree, ME is accessed and the required data is fed to a register RT, whence it passes via a multiplexing switch AM to a visual display VS. A printed tape output of the contents of ME may also be obtained, and there may be more than one device per location.