Patent GB-843004-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in data processing apparatus
IPC: G06F11/08
Filed: 1956-12-11
Abstract: 843,004. Statistical apparatus. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION. Dec. 11, 1956 [Dec. 14, 1955], No. 37840/56. Class 106 (1). Verifying records during punching.-The accuracy of the' punching operation in the preparation of a telegraphic tape is checked by two counters one adapted to add up the number of data bits in the message sent to the tape punch and the other arranged to add up the number of punching operations actually performed on the tape (i.e. the number of holes formed). If the counters agree, a code representing the totalled data bits is punched in the tape at the end of the message, this being used later in conversion equipment to check that the message has been correctly sensed and transmitted. Fig. 2 shows a length of record tape 50 having data entered thereon under the control of a unit 52. Characters represented in the tape by perforations are for greater convenience shown in the drawings by the characters themselves. The beginning of a message is indicated by signals " <SP>F</SP> S  " on the tape and the end by signals " <SP>L</SP> F  " following a <SP>"C</SP> R .<SP>"</SP> In the cycle following the end of message signal the check signal is entered, this being the units order of the counted number of bits, in the message. The tape perforator control unit 52, Fig. 1a, may be a card-to-tape converter, a calculator or a keyboard mechanism, and is connected to a tape punch 56 by cable 54. This cable has six lines, five being for the message to be entered and the other is used to determine whether or not an odd number of pulses have been emitted by the control unit. This is done for additional checking purposes As the punches in the tape punch perforate the tape, a ball check unit 58 (described in U.S.A. Specification 2,901,041) is operated to indicate positively by closing contacts that the punches have in fact perforated the tape. The bit signals sent to the tape punch 56 are also fed to the first bit-counter 62-1 and the ball check unit 58 controls the operation of the second bit counter 62-2 as the punching takes place. The values registered in the two counters are compared for agreement at each tape column and the end of the message a further comparison is made and if they agree a code representing the units value of the total number of bits in the counters is sent through cable 68 to the tape punch 56 to enter this value after the end of the message as previously described. Any check finding disagreement causes the machine to stop. Counters.-The counters are reset to zero at the beginning of each message and a check is made to see if they have been properly reset. Each counter 62-1, 62-2 consists of ten relays of which relay 10 represents zero in the counter, the hold coils of all the other relays 1-9 being energized through a normally closed contact of relay 10. When the reset relay is energized it picks up relay 10 and de-energizes all the other relays. A test pulse is then passed through contacts of the counter reset relay to test that relay 10 is picked up and relays 1-9 are not picked up. If this test is not satisfied contacts of these relays transmit the pulse to an Error control-relay. Following the reset check an " Add " relay which is a latching relay, is energized to cause both counters to start adding the bits of the message. The <SP>" F</SP> S ,<SP>"</SP> which was perforated in the tape before this relay became operative, is not included in the summation but all subsequent message bits are added up. As shown in Fig. 5a, the five bit lines from the control unit which energize appropriate ones of the punch magnets 88 are also connected to the counter control relays 90. Contacts of these relays are arranged in a pyramid so that for each relay combination there will be a circuit to one of lines 62-1-1 to 62-1-5. If a circuit is not available through this pyramid, one will be made to line 62-1-6 for energizing the Error relay. A pulse is emitted from cam 33 to pass through the selected circuit 62-1-1 to 62-1-5 to the counter network (Fig. 5b). The pulse passes through " Add " relay contacts 110-1, through the pyramid of contacts to, say, line 62-1-2, through a network of normally closed relay contacts associated with relays 1-9, through normally open contacts of relay 10 to energize counter relay 2. This causes the relay 10 to drop out. Successive bit counts for each column are added in to the relay counter, the appropriate counter relay being energized by circuits through the network shown in Fig. 5b, these circuits being determined by the entry line 62-1-1 to 62-1-5 and the counter relay already energized. The counter 62-2 is similar in construction to counter 62-1, there being six relays energized by pulses from the ball check unit 58, to set up contacts arranged in a pyramid to select lines to the counter relays similar to those shown in Figs. 5a, 5b. Contacts of corresponding relays in the two counters are interconnected in pairs to form a comparison circuit checking that the same value is registered in each. If it is not a counter check relay fails to energize and the error relay picks up to stop the machine. If each counter holds the same value a read-out relay is energized to cause a pulse to pass through contacts associated with that counter relay which was energized (in this case 4), through rectifiers to a recoding network. The pulse appears on appropriate ones of lines 68 which are connected to lines 54 to energize the punch magnets. An odd count check takes place during the punching of the bit count digit in the tape as in all previous punching cycles, but no adding takes place in the counters since the " Add relay is deenergized. Checking data transmission to conversion unit.-A tape prepared as described is read and the signals are transmitted to a copying punch which makes a second tape with like perforations for use in conventional conversion equipment. Errors may occur in the reading, transmitting, copying or conversion and checking means is accordingly provided. In Fig. 7 the tape 50 has been punched as a copy of the first tape. It is fed into a reading unit 252, the signals from which are fed to a code analysing unit 254. The output from this unit is passed to a control unit 256 which determines whether the data is information to be passed to the data storage unit 258 or whether it is control data for function control of the conversion equipment. As the tape is read, the bits are counted in the adder 278 which is similar to counter 62-1 described above. During each reading cycle the information is entered into the storage unit 258 which may be a printer, a tape unit, a card punch, a magnetic drum, core storage or other form of storage. In the control unit 256 a " storage entry "relay ensures that the adding circuit is working by testing a circuit involving contacts of the " Add " relay (as described above) and if this relay is de-energized a circuit is completed to the " error memory relay " 296. This latter relay is also energized if the reader reads a blank column. During the twentieth tape cycle, which contains the check digit for the message a " compare " relay is energized which causes a circuit to compare the value standing in the adder 278 with the bit count digit recorded after the message. If the value is correct, indicating correct data transmission, a signal from the comparing circuit passes to a " check indicate " socket. If the value is incorrect, a signal passes to the " error indicate " socket. These signals are taken to the storage unit, the former through normally closed contacts of the error memory relay, to make suitable indications that the message has been correctly or wrongly converted. Specifications 644,576, 690,852, 840,894 and 843,005 are referred to.