TERMINAL MESSAGE MONITOR

• US 3,701,971 A
• Filed: 10/09/1970
• Issued: 10/31/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Charles B. Hebeler, Gary L. Sanner
• Inventors: Sanner, Gary L., Hebeler, Charles B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paul J. Henon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sydney R. Chirlin
• Application Number:
  US05/079,563
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 340/172.5
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/22 using successive scanning, e.g. polling G06F13/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/38 Information transfer, e.g. on bus G06F13/14 takes precedence

Abstract

A monitoring system to permit a first terminal computer on line with a central processor to monitor message traffic from the central processor to other terminals concatenated or in a multidrop mode with the first. When messages are sent through a modem to a plurality of terminal computers in a concatenated configuration a verification of message traffic is provided. Logic circuitry is provided for monitoring both transmitted and received information and providing a printout of the communication line information. The monitoring terminal, regardless of the address of the message, will store the communication line information in its memory and print out the stored information to provide a positive communication system check.

Claims

1. In a system wherein a central data source communicates messages with a plurality of concatenated remote terminals, each of said terminals normally comparing a received message address from said central source with its terminal address to exclude messages to other terminals, a method for temporarily utilizing one of said terminals having memory means and display means for monitoring terminals more remote from the central data source, comprising the steps of:

clearing a portion of said monitoring remote terminal memory means for temporarily storing said messages received from said central data source, suppressing said address comparison in said monitoring terminal to allow all received messages, regardless of their address, to enter said monitoring terminal, temporarily storing said received messages in said cleared portion of said terminal memory means, and displaying said temporarily stored messages in response to an inquiry command.

2. The monitoring method according to claim 1 additionally including the step of:

gating messages transmitted by said more remote terminals to said monitoring terminal memory.

3. The monitoring method according to claim 2 additionally including the step of:

selectively isolating the monitoring of messages received from said central data source and transmitted from said more remote terminals.

4. The monitoring method according to claim 2 additionally including the step of:

registering the concurrent monitoring of messages received from said control data source and messages transmitted from said more remote terminals at said monitoring terminal.

5. In a system wherein a central data source communicates with a plurality of concatenated remote terminals, each of said terminals having means for normally comparing the address of a message received from said central source with its terminal address to exclude messages to other terminals, apparatus for temporarily converting one of said terminals having memory means and display means to a monitor as to terminals more remote from said central data source comprising:

means for suppressing said comparison means and for routing all messages received from said central data source, regardless of address, to said memory of said monitoring terminal, means for gating messages transmitted from said more remote terminals to said monitoring terminal memory, and means for selectively isolating said suppressing and routing means and said gating means.

6. In a system wherein a central source communicates data through a selected remote terminal, having memory means and display means, and being serially connected to at least one other more remote terminal, each terminal normally comparing the address of a received message from said central source with its terminal address to exclude messages to other terminals, a method for temporarily utilizing said selected remote terminal for monitoring communications between said central source and said more remote terminal comprising the steps of:

clearing a portion of said memory means of said selected remote terminal for temporarily storing said received message;

suppressing said address comparison in said selected remote terminal to allow all received messages, regardless of their address, to enter said selected remote terminal;

storing said received message temporarily in said cleared portion of said memory means; and

displaying said temporarily stored message in response to an inquiry command.