MEMORY SYSTEM

• US 3,824,375 A
• Filed: 08/28/1970
• Issued: 07/16/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles W. Wood, Edwin S. Wydro, Wilmer Gross
• Original Assignee: Charles W. Wood, Edwin S. Wydro, Wilmer Gross
• Inventors: Gross, Wilmer, Wydro, Edwin S., Wood, Charles W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fears, Terrell W.
• Application Number:
  US05/067,717
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 340/173R,174.1C,146.2 235/61.7,61.7B
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90344 by using string matching techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/347 Passive cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1075 PIN is checked remotely

Abstract

A memory system for simultaneously accessing a memory from a large number of sources includes a cyclic memory from which stored information is continuously read by a plurality of read means and temporarily entered into comparison registers, input registers receive and temporarily store at least one of the coded digits on said memory, and comparators generate a signal upon the existence of a coincidence between a coded digit momentarily in said comparator register and a coded digit temporarily stored in said input register. The existence of such coincidence is used to trigger arithmetic and logic units for further processing of the information.

Claims

1. A memory system, comprising:

a cyclic memory means for storing information relating to a plurality of accounts, each account being assigned an account number or identification word comprised of a predetermined number of decimal digits or characters, each decimal digit or character being comprised of a predetermined number of bits, the account number of each account being the address of the account in said cyclic memory means;

read means for cyclically reading the account numbers and applying the account numbers to a buss;

a plurality of comparator storage means connected to said buss for simultaneously receiving the account number being read by said read means, each of said plurality of comparator storage means being operative to store a complete account number;

a plurality of input storage means for receiving account numbers from a plurality of remote sources, each of said plurality of input storage means being operative to store a complete account number;

a plurality of account number comparators, the number of comparator storage means, input storage means and account number comparators being equal, each account number comparator being provided with a predetermined number of stages sufficient to compare all of the bits of an account number, each of said account number comparators being provided with a first and second set of input terminals and an output terminal, said first set of input terminals of each of said account number comparators being connected to one of said plurality of comparator storage means, said second set of input terminals of each of said account number comparators being connected to one of said plurality of input storage means, each of said account number comparators generating a coincidence signal on said output terminal in response to the detection of coincidence between account numbers on said first and second sets of input terminals, and means responsive to the generation of a coincidence signal.

2. A memory system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cyclic memory means comprises a drum memory.

3. A memory system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means responsive to the generation of a coincidence signal includes a logic unit. 4 A memory system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means responsive to the generation of a coincidence signal includes an arithmetic unit controlled by a logic unit.

5. A memory system in accordance with claim 1 including a further processing temporary storage means, said further processing temporary storage means being controlled by a gate, said gate being responsive to the generation of a coincidence signal of one of said plurality of account number comparators, whereby information stored in said cyclic memory means is entered into said temporary storage means.

6. A memory system in accordance with claim 5 including a logic unit for further processing of the information stored in said temporary storage means.

7. A memory system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said plurality of remote sources include terminals provided with means for reading indicia on physical records and means for inputting a secret code, said secret code being comprised of predetermined information previously provided to an authorized physical record holder.

8. A memory system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said means for reading indicia on physical records comprises credit card reading means.

9. A memory system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said means for inputting a secret code comprises keyboard means.

10. A memory system in accordance with claim 7 wherein Said information stored in said cyclic memory comprises a record of the indicia on said physical record and an associated secret code.

11. A memory system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said record of the indicia on said physical records stored in said cyclic memory comprises said account number and the address of said information stored in said cyclic memory.

12. A memory system in accordance with claim 10 including a plurality of secret code comparator means for detecting coincidence between the secret code from said plurality of remote terminals and the associated secret codes stored in said cyclic memory.

13. A memory system in accordance with claim 12 including means for detecting a predetermined number of times of attempted detection of coincidence and failure to detect coincidence between the secret code from said plurality of remote terminals and the associated secret code stored in said cyclic memory.

14. A memory system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said detection means provides an indication to an inquiring remote terminal in response to detection of a predetermined number of times of failure to detect coincidence.

15. A memory system, comprising:

a cyclic memory means for storing information relating to a plurality of accounts, each accunt being assigned an account number or identification word comprised of a predetermined number of alphanumeric characters, each alphanumeric character being comprised of a predetermined number of bits, the account number of each account being the address of the account in said cyclic memory means;

read means for cyclically reading the account numbers and applying the account numbers to a buss;

a plurality of input storage means for receiving account numbers from a plurality of remote sources, each of said plurality of input storage means being operative to store a complete account number;

a plurality of account number comparators, the number of input storage means and account number comparators being equal, each account number comparator being provided with a predetermined number of stages sufficient to compare all of the bits of an account number, each of said account number comparators being provided with a first and second set of input terminals and an output terminal, said first set of input terminals of each of said account number comparators being connected to said buss, said second set of input terminals of each of said account number comparators being connected to one of said plurality of input storage means, each of said account number comparators generating a coincidence signal on said output terminal in response to the detection of coincidence between account numbers on said first and second sets of input terminals; and

means responsive to the generation of a coincidence signal.

16. A memory system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said cyclic memory means comprises a drum memory.

17. A memory system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said means responsive to the generation of a coincidence signal includes a logic unit.

18. A memory system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said means responsive to the generation of a coincidence signal includes an arithmetic unit controlled by a logic unit.

19. A memory system in accordance with claim 15 including a further processing temporary storage means, said further processing temporary storage means being controlled by a gate, said gate being responsive to the generation of a coincidence signal of one of said plurality of account number comparators, whereby information stored in said cyclic memory means is entered into said temporary storage means.

20. A memory system in accordance with claim 19 including a logic unit for further processing of the information stored in said temporary storage means.

21. A memory system in accordance with claim 15 wherein said plurality of remote sources include terminals provided with means for reading indicia on physical records and means for inputting a secret code, said secret cOde being comprised of predetermined information previously provided to an authorized physical record holder.

22. A memory system in accordance with claim 21 wherein said means for reading indicia on physical records comprises credit card reading means.

23. A memory system in accordance with claim 21 wherein said means for inputting a secret code comprises keyboard means.

24. A memory system in accordance with claim 21 wherein said information stored in said cyclic memory comprises a record of the indicia on said physical record and an associated secret code.

25. A memory system in accordance with claim 24 wherein said record of the indicia on said physical records stored in said cyclic memory comprises said account number and the address of said information stored in said cyclic memory.

26. A memory system in accordance with claim 24 including a plurality of secret code comparator means for detecting coincidence between the secret code from said plurality of remote terminals and the associated secret codes stored in said cyclic memory.

27. A memory system in accordance with claim 26 including means for detecting a predetermined number of times of attempted detection of coincidence and failure to detect coincidence between the secret code from said plurality of remote terminals and the associated secret code stored in said cyclic memory.

28. A memory system in accordance with claim 27 wherein said detection means provides an indication to an inquiring remote terminal in response to detection of a predetermined number of times of failure to detect coincidence.

29. A memory system comprising a cyclic memory and means for continuously reading out the information stored in said memory, said information including a record of indicia on a physical record and an associated secret code, a plurality of means each being connected to said read means for simultaneously temporarily storing the information read out from said memory, a plurality of means for temporarily storing information communicated to said memory system from a plurality of remote terminals, each of said plurality of remote terminals being provided with means for reading indicia on physical records and means for inputting a secret code, a plurality of coincidence means for determining coincidence between the information temporarily stored in said means for temporarily storing information communicated from said memory, and the information temporarily stored in said means for temporarily storing information communicated to said memory system, means responsive to the detection of said coincidence including a plurality of secret code comparator means for detecting coincidence between the secret code from said plurality of remote terminals and associated secret code stored in said cyclic memory, and means for detecting a predetermined number of times of attempted detection of coincidence and failure to detect coincidence between the secret code from said plurality of remote terminals and the associated secret code stored in said cyclic memory.

30. A memory system in accordance with claim 29 wherein said detection means provides an indication to an inquiring remote terminal in response to detection of a predetermined number of times of failure to detect coincidence.