- Email: [email protected]
Foreign exchange service
Foreign exchange service The Dealing Operation, Rate Information System (Doris), used for sevral years by Midland Bankto deliver foreign exchange services through a widely distributed branch banking network, is now available to other banks with similar branch banking requirements. The system, developed by I P Sharp Associates and Midland Bank, provides online two-way communications between Midland's group treasury and the bank's branches. Exchange rates are transmitted continuously to the branch
network, and transactions are booked using those rates on the same terminal: dealer information is electronically delivered into the central dealing room in an aggregated form suitable for the interbank position dealers. The immediacy of the system therefore offers significant advantages over conventional means of providing information to geographically distant branches, such as daily rate sheets or one-way communications such as viewdata. Doris has been designed for any
Computer peripheral protection against lightning A device designed to protect computer peripherals and communication equipment from damage by lightning has been introduced by the Remark Datacom division of the US company Telebyte Technology. The Model 22 Lightning Sponge has been devised to meet the growing concern over atmospheric disturbances destroying components of multiuser computer systems. The device accommodates lightning strikes and diverts them to a low impedance path to earth before they can damage display ter-
minals and computers. A transient caused by a direct strike of lightning, or by induced ground currents in the vicinity of data lines, can produce a leading edge wavefront that rises at the rate of approximately I 000 volts/ms. The Lightning Sponge is designed to accept such transients, slow them down, limit them and redirect them to a low impedance path to earth. (Advanced Technology Maintenance Ltd., 2 Norwich Road, Metropolitan Centre, Greenford, Midctx., UB6 SUB, UK. Tel: 01-578
9222)
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Code communications simplified Communications between MSI portable bar code data terminals and the host computer system have been simplified by the introduction of a device known as Soundcom. The unit, made by Eyetech Security Print, enables data to be sent direct into a local computer system from the MSI 80/85 range of handheld terminals without additional communications equipment or special software. Previously, data had to be transmitted from a telephone
268
handset over the public telephone network via the built-in acoustic coupler on each MSI terminal. To initiate transmission, the operator presses the 'send' button on the MSI terminal when Soundcom's status indicator shows that the host computer is waiting to receive data. (Eyetech Security Print, 35B Dukesway, Teesside Industrial Estate, Thomaby, Cleveland TS17 9LT, UK. Tel: (0642) 760306, Telex: 556217) []
bank that has to provide a wide range of rate information in a number of branches. The system quotes as many currencies as required and holds spot and forward rates. Cross rates and nonstandard forward rates are automatically calculated, either for quotations or for transactional purposes. As information is captured, it can be used to create management information and to analyse turnover, currency usage and branch activity. The system is claimed to provide not only a better service for the customer, but also operational savings, achieved by linking Doris with the bank's data-processing activities.
(IP Sharp Associates, 132 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1, UK. Tel: 01-730 4567) []
Unibus Ethernet controller for VAX users A high performance Unibus Ethernet controller, known as Easyway, has been announced by the Data Communications Division of Sintrom Electronics. The controller, which conforms to layers 1 to 4 of the Open Systems Interconnection model, offers DEC VAX users high speed data transfer from Unibus to Ethernet networks. Easyway supports a data rate of 100 Mbit/s, which is achieved by offloadingthe network architecture layers I - 4 from the CPU on to the Easyway board. This releases the processor for more important processing tasks. The controller combines two modules in a single hex width board. A host protocol processor contains the Unibus interface and the transport protocols. The link and physical protocol to the Ethernet network is provided by a communications adaptor board plug-in module. This design allows future communications needs to be effected with minimum disruption to the hardware design. (Sintrom Electronics, 14 Arkwright Roa~ Reading, Berks RG2 0/_S, UK. Tel: (0734) 875464) []
computer communications
network, and transactions are booked using those rates on the same terminal: dealer information is electronically delivered into the central dealing room in an aggregated form suitable for the interbank position dealers. The immediacy of the system therefore offers significant advantages over conventional means of providing information to geographically distant branches, such as daily rate sheets or one-way communications such as viewdata. Doris has been designed for any
Computer peripheral protection against lightning A device designed to protect computer peripherals and communication equipment from damage by lightning has been introduced by the Remark Datacom division of the US company Telebyte Technology. The Model 22 Lightning Sponge has been devised to meet the growing concern over atmospheric disturbances destroying components of multiuser computer systems. The device accommodates lightning strikes and diverts them to a low impedance path to earth before they can damage display ter-
minals and computers. A transient caused by a direct strike of lightning, or by induced ground currents in the vicinity of data lines, can produce a leading edge wavefront that rises at the rate of approximately I 000 volts/ms. The Lightning Sponge is designed to accept such transients, slow them down, limit them and redirect them to a low impedance path to earth. (Advanced Technology Maintenance Ltd., 2 Norwich Road, Metropolitan Centre, Greenford, Midctx., UB6 SUB, UK. Tel: 01-578
9222)
[]
Code communications simplified Communications between MSI portable bar code data terminals and the host computer system have been simplified by the introduction of a device known as Soundcom. The unit, made by Eyetech Security Print, enables data to be sent direct into a local computer system from the MSI 80/85 range of handheld terminals without additional communications equipment or special software. Previously, data had to be transmitted from a telephone
268
handset over the public telephone network via the built-in acoustic coupler on each MSI terminal. To initiate transmission, the operator presses the 'send' button on the MSI terminal when Soundcom's status indicator shows that the host computer is waiting to receive data. (Eyetech Security Print, 35B Dukesway, Teesside Industrial Estate, Thomaby, Cleveland TS17 9LT, UK. Tel: (0642) 760306, Telex: 556217) []
bank that has to provide a wide range of rate information in a number of branches. The system quotes as many currencies as required and holds spot and forward rates. Cross rates and nonstandard forward rates are automatically calculated, either for quotations or for transactional purposes. As information is captured, it can be used to create management information and to analyse turnover, currency usage and branch activity. The system is claimed to provide not only a better service for the customer, but also operational savings, achieved by linking Doris with the bank's data-processing activities.
(IP Sharp Associates, 132 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1, UK. Tel: 01-730 4567) []
Unibus Ethernet controller for VAX users A high performance Unibus Ethernet controller, known as Easyway, has been announced by the Data Communications Division of Sintrom Electronics. The controller, which conforms to layers 1 to 4 of the Open Systems Interconnection model, offers DEC VAX users high speed data transfer from Unibus to Ethernet networks. Easyway supports a data rate of 100 Mbit/s, which is achieved by offloadingthe network architecture layers I - 4 from the CPU on to the Easyway board. This releases the processor for more important processing tasks. The controller combines two modules in a single hex width board. A host protocol processor contains the Unibus interface and the transport protocols. The link and physical protocol to the Ethernet network is provided by a communications adaptor board plug-in module. This design allows future communications needs to be effected with minimum disruption to the hardware design. (Sintrom Electronics, 14 Arkwright Roa~ Reading, Berks RG2 0/_S, UK. Tel: (0734) 875464) []
computer communications