GB2048022A - Data handling and distribution - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for distributing information comprises a data ordering and memorizing centre (1) connected by a common line (4) to a plurality n of peripheral user devices (5....5n), each peripheral user device having a memory unit (5/1) arranged to receive and store all the information contained in the memorizing centre, the memory unit of the peripheral user device being arranged for use independently of the operation of the ordering centre. The peripheral memory unit 5/1 is scanned by a selector unit 5/2 to find an item identified by code matching a user- selected code: the item is then copied onto local store 5/4 for display 5/3 as required. Means is provided for updating the information stored in the memories 5/1 of the peripheral user devices. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Data handling and distribution DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to systems for the handling and distribution of data, and in particular to a system for supplying an indefinite number of users, on request therefrom, with up to date information.

Known systems for transferring information to a plurality of users respond to a logic configuration, which joints them in common, that is to say, there exists always an automatic, manually operated distribution center to which the requests of the users are lead.

The distribution center can store a plurality of information items and the user directly requests a part thereof by "interrogating" the center itself and then receiving the response.

Some recent systems use the technique of continuously or cyclically transmitting all the information, of which they are able to dispose, the user having receiving apparatus arranged to select, by means of a code inserted by, and known to, the user himself, only that part of information which he needs.

In the first instance, when a direct request of the user is necessary, problems arise in respect of both the speed and ability of the center for selecting and transmitting the requested information to each single user. In the second instance, in which the selection is carried out by the user himself, the receipt of the requested information occurs only when the information is transmitted in the cycle, so there is the necessity of awaiting the proper turn. In both these instances, any stoppage at the center deprives the user of the requested service.

The present invention thus provides a system for distribution of data comprising a receiving centre with a central memory unit connected by means of common line to a plurality of peripheral user devices, each peripheral user device comprising a memory unit arranged to receive and store all the information contained in the central memory unit, the memory unit of each user device being arranged for interrogation independently of the operation of the ordering center.

The system of the present invention thus differs from the prior art by that the distribution center is arranged to transmit all the available information directly to the single user or group of users, without a specific request therefrom, because any user or group users is provided with a local memory, so as to receive at any instant all the necessary information without any waiting time.

Obviously, information remains available even if the center itself has gone out of service.

Moreover, the center is able at any instant to update all the information memorized by the user devices, by cancelling information which is no longer useful and adding new information, so affording independence of the distribution center.

The present invention will now be further described by way of illustration with reference to the single figure of the accompanying schematic drawing.

The illustrated information distribution system comprises a central assembly 1 for storing and ordering information comprising an encoder 1 a, a buffer or transit memory 2 and a translator or transmitter 3. The encoder 1 a receives input information in various ways, on lines A, B, C, for example from alpha-numeric keyboards, teletypewriters, recording tapes. The transit or buffer memory 2 has stored therein, in order, line by line, all the information received by the ordering center 1, and the transfer unit 3 has the functions of reading in order all the lines of the transit memory 2 and transferring the contents thereof along a common line 4 which connects all the users with one another and with the center 1.

Reference numerals 5,...5n each denote a user's device. Each user device comprises a local memory 5/1, local selector 5/2, a display unit 5/3, and a local memorizer 5/4. The local memory or memory unit 5/1 wholly corresponds to the transit or buffer memory 2 of the center 1; in this local memory there are stored, in order, under the control of the transfer unit 3, all the information lines corresponding to those of the memory 2. The local selector 5/2 is arranged to select one by one all the information lines by directly reading from the local memory 5/1 in accordance with the user requests and to directly transmit them to the display unit 5/3 which is capable of displaying the selected information in order, thus allowing the visual reading thereof.Finally, the local memorizer 5/4 is arranged to store, for further use, the information selected by the user shown or not shown on the display unit 5/3.

The operation of the system according to the present invention will now be described.

First to be described will be the manner by which information coming from an outside source through the lines A, B, C, etc. is entered into the transit memory 2.

Each piece of information, for example, a written text, is subdivided into pages and lines.

Each page has a maximum number of lines depending on what can be displayed in practice on a single screen having a standard size, for example, a television screen.

Each text line has a maximum number of characters and spaces depending on the practical sizes of the user display unit.

The user may wish to display an entire page or one or more lines only; for example reported news may require an entire page, as may a list of museums with their addresses, telephone numbers and hours of opening. The timetable of a transport system or a security listed on the Stock Exchange may on the other hand require a line only. Thus the user should be able to select according to his own judgement specific information which he needs to receive from his own apparatus and only that item of information from among a plurality of information items stored therein.

For the purpose of rendering this service possible, all the pages and all the lines are provided with a reference code as their are entered into the transit memory 2.

Each page differs from all the other pages by an alpha-#numerical character, and each line differs from all the other lines of the same page by an alphabetical character.

All the information, formed by the alphanumerical character lines each preceded by its own identification code, is stored in the transit memory 2 and is always ready to be transmitted to the users.

For updating the transit memory 2, new lines may be entered into the memory, after having been provided with page and line codes, which new lines automatically replace the previous lines, character by character.

After they have been memorized, the information lines are read by the transmitter 3 and transmitted through the line 4 to the memory provided in the device of each user or user group.

The transmission of the whole contents of the memory 2 is performed each time the memory is updated, even if only a single information item of part of a line is replaced by a new one.

The line 4 connects all the user devices 5--5n to the center 1 and is constituted by a single pair of conductors.

The arrangement of the user devices will now be described.

The memory unit 5/1 of each such device is connected to the conductor line 4. This means that all the information, codified and ordered, line by line and page by page in the memory 2, is transferred, under control of the center 1, to the memory units of the user devices, thus establishing chronological independence of the operative lines of the center from those of the users.

This feature distinguishes the system of the present invention from known systems in which the centre and the users operate contemporarily, so that the user devices are inoperative when the center stops.

To the memory device 5/1 of the user device, the selector 5.2 is connected; this is controlled by the user by insertion of the code of the page and/or line which he wishes to see displayed.

Downstream of the selector 5/2 is connected the display device 5/3 and/or other memorizing devices for further utilization by the user of the information taken from the memory 5/1.

It will thus be clear that the display of the information by the user is in no way dependant on the operation, at the instant of display of the center.

As characterizing features of the system according to the present invention, there will be noted firstly, the particular manner of entering the information into the memory 2.

All the information is entered by an operator who transduces, as by means of a conventional alphanumerical keyboard (not shown), the lines which have a defined number of characters of each of the word groups forming the information itself. The operator has the task of providing any line with characters indicating the pages and lines.

A continuous scanning means, which "scans" the input memory 2, is arranged to cause the scanning itself to stop at the coincidence of the page and line code, at the position of introduction of a message opening on a selected line, so that the operator may complete the message which will be stored in the available space of the memory. if in the same space other information was stored previously, the information arriving replaces it thus forming the new message.

The succession order in which the characters are memorized allows them to be considered as arranged in a column, so that the first two (page and line) will be always on the same column, at the head of the message, which might or might not be of a size to occupy a whole line.

Once stored in the memory line by line, the messages are ready to be displayed successively for use at any time.

The following step is performed automatically, cyclically or imperatively by means of the transmitter 3. This consists of a scanning display unit, arranged to display the contents of the entire memory, sending through the line 4 the entire contents to the memories 5/1 which are at disposal of the users, so that these memories will be updated line by line. As the transmitter transmits any line preceded by its own code, it is not necessary to put the lines in any natural succession, it being sufficient to provide each line with a page and line code.

The manner by which the user may extract information will now be described.

The user has available both the memory 5/1 in which are stored all the lines transmitted by the transmitter 3, and the selector 5/2 with an alphanumerical keyboard which has the function of selecting the requested information starting from the page and line code.

When the user wishes to receive an entire page he introduces into the selector the character indicating the page and if he wishes to receive one or more specific lines he introduces the page code and the code of the desired line. As already noted, the lines may be arranged in the memory in any order even if located in a column starting from the initial code.

The display unit performs the display along the column, starting from the code characters so as to localize firstly the page and line requested by the keyboard of the selector 5/2.

It should be emphasized that the reading is performed column by column, starting from the code characters, thus practically avoiding the waiting times which would be necessary if the reading were carried out line by line, since reading all the lines requires a time much longer than that required for reading only the column of the code characters.

This feature distinguishes the invention and qualifies the system as comprising a real time display unit since, in effect, the short time within which a request is dealt with, owing to the column reading, is not perceived by the user who has the sensation of instantaneous response.

The present invention has been disclosed with reference to a single embodiment but it is to be understood that variations and modifications can be adopted without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following

Claims (4)

claims. CLAIMS

1. A system for distribution of data comprising a receiving center with a central memory unit connected by means of common line to a plurality of peripheral user devices, each peripheral user device comprising a memory unit arranged to receive and store all the information contained in the central memory unit, the memory unit of each user device being arranged for interrogation independently of the operation of the ordering center.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 having means for updating the contents of all the memory units of the user devices, independently of the specific willingness of the users.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the selection of the information is performed by the peripheral user in real time on the user device by initial analysis of page and line codes having information associated therewith.

4. A system for distribution of data substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.