Patent GB-1373664-A (GB)
Title: Data communication systems
IPC: H04L5/02
Filed: 1971-09-30
Abstract: 1373664 Digital transmission; multi format arrangements HONEYWELL INFORMATION SYSTEMS Inc 30 Sept 1971 [2 Nov 1970] 45655/71 Heading H4P In an arrangement whereby a central processing unit communicates with a plurality of radially disposed out stations operable at different speeds and/or formats, identical units are provided one for each channel which adapt signals to and from the processor to be suitable for the transmission path and terminal. Each unit is adaptable by control signal groups to operate in a sync. mode, provide if necessary start/stop bits and determine the number of bits in each character. In the async. mode the baud rate and number of stop bits is specified. In both cases additional signals are generated which control sending and reception of data from terminal devices. The groups of control signals are held in a programme within the processing unit. Configuration register 57 receives command bits 1-8 which determine in async. mode one of the baud rates generated by an oscillator 63, bit 9 determines number of stop bits and 10-13 selects one of 5-8 bit groups; 14-15 determine send, receive or both operations. A comparator 17 compares a pattern sorted in 57 with that received from a modem (8) Fig. 1 (not shown) into shift register (181) Fig. 4 (also not shown). When placed in a send mode, a SEND signal from control register 59 forwards a character request signal to the communications controller hence a character is placed in a buffer (169). If there is no character in line register (174) the character from (169) is dumped into it and after a delay through (154) another character is placed in (169) et seq.  When the modem is ready to receive a character it sends a signal through Fig. 3 (not shown) also receiving a send signal from register 59 terminal 108 and a character in register signal from Fig. 5 on terminal (146) thus enabling AND (178 or 179) permitting bits in shift register (175) to be shifted to line through OR (180). Bits are counted out through counter (160) which is preset according to character length by signals on lines 122-125, &c. causing the counter to be initially advanced, e.g. by one for a 7 bit group. Characters are transmitted until a control register 59 through terminal 108 turns off gate (97). For reception in sync. mode AND gate 40 sets flip-flop 54 and a character is loaded into positions 1-3 of a register 57, and a bit in 14 giving a signal on line 107 which through Fig. 3 permits timing signals (89) Fig. 4 to shift data into received register (181). This comprises a series of JK flip-flops, the first two (185, 193) being used in async. mode only and bypassable by gates; (119) &c. are also bypassable for characters less than 8 bits. After each timing pulse, content of (181) is compared at 17 for number of bits with the character sorted in register 57, hence flip-flop 19 is set giving a signal at 116 through Fig. 3, (127) Fig. 4 enabling counter (123) which when the relevant number has been counted returns a signal to 114 thus enables gate 20 setting flipflop 22 presenting a signal on terminal 117 causing register (181) to dump into buffer (234). In the async. mode each character has an 0 start bit and 1-2 stop bits hence NAND 39 is enabled resetting flip-flop 54 giving an output on terminal 112. On reception sync. is located on the start bit of each character. The start signal from the modem is sent to Fig. 3 (as before) which enables counter (74) recording send shift to pulses. At a count of 8 a matrix (75) causes a start bit to be gated into receiver register (181) flip-flop (185) this also enabling receive counter (223). Timing pulses on terminal (118) Fig. 3, continue to increment counter 74 and count proceeds to 15 and then to 8 when another pulse causes start bit at the inlet (118) to be shifted to (193) and first data bit into (185). Stepping is continued until the start bit is passed out of the register when the character is dumped from (181) into receive buffer by a pulse from (123) which also resets flip-flops (61, 49) and subsequently counter (74) is reset to zero.