- Email: [email protected]
Word processing
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Financial terminals A modular online branch-terminal family of equipment, System 90, ranging from a programmable control unit to a variety of terminals, has been introduced by Plessey Communications & Data Systems, primarily for banks and financial institutions, but with a range of general applications. The system includes floppy-disc storage units, display teller stations, document printers, transaction-card readers and customer identification devices, all operating under the control of a programmable branch minicomputer. The financial-transaction terminal system (FTT), designed for use in retail environments to provide remote banking and other financial services at the point of sale, has also been introduced. It can be used in a network of FTTs, in the same network with online banking terminals, or directly linked to a mainframe computer. The System 90 is adaptable to different types of needs, depending on the requirements of the institution, and it can be linked with inhouse VDUs and mainframes. It is compatible with a range of computers, including IBM, Burroughs, Sperry Univac and Honeywell systems. The system is centred around a programmable control unit (PCU) and a teller terminal that includes a 5 in CRT and a transaction keyboard. This terminal may be shared by two tellers at a workstation that can be equipped with a validation/journal printer, with or without passbook-printing capabilities, and a magnetic-stripe card reader, with or without a customer security keypad, for customer entry of a personal identification number. The basic PCU has I kbyte of memory, expandable in 8 kbyte or 16 kbyte increments up to 256 kbyte.
System 90
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The floppy-disc storage unit holds programs and records transaction data on single or dual floppy-disc drives. Each floppy disc stores about 250 000 character on 74 tracks, each containing 26 sectors of 128 byte. The rotational speed is 360 rev/min with track-totrack and average rotational latency times of 10 ms and 83 ms respectively. The range of peripheral devices includes VDUs, printers, magnetic-stripe card readers and PIN keyboards. The smallest in the family of VDUs is the teller terminal, which has been designed for use at front offices or teller windows. Its CRT can display up to 480 alphabetic, numeric and special characters. Each character is formed as a 5 x 7 dot matrix. Different keyboard options are available, each having 11 numeric keys, four adding-machine keys, and 12, 20 or 30 function keys. The numeric keypad is used for entering data such as the account number and the transaction amounts. The two larger administrative VDU terminals may be used at any location where large-screen file-enquiry and dataentry functions are performed. One terminal displays 960 characters on a 9 in screen, and the other displays 1 920 characters on a 12 in screen. Both terminals are equipped with a keyboard with a separate numeric keypad and function and editing keys. A lock provides physical security against unauthorized system access. A range of printers is available of which two are financially oriented the validation/journal printer and the passbook validation/journal printer. The V/J printer prints at 110 character/s on a 40 character line. The printer will print onto separate documentation for validation - for example, the reverse side of cheques or paying-in slips. In addition, these transactions can be recorded on a two-part journal roll, the top copy of which is available for teller use while the second copy remains locked within the machine for security. The passbook printer provides all the facilities of the V/J printer, and it will also print information into a passbook or other multipart document. Two heavy-duty administrative printers are also available. One unit prints at 30 characters and the other at 120 character/s, and both provide up to six copies on multipart stationary.
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Financial-transaction terminal system Most commonly available printers can also be interfaced with the System 90. To enter customer details, a keypad and a magnetic-stripe card reader are available. The devices can be used in conjunction with the teller terminal and will enable a dialogue between the teller or the teller and customer and the system. The use of the PIN keypad enables additional security in the accessing of customer records or accounts. The keypad consists of 12 touchtone, alphanumeric keys recessed for privacy. This unit is able to establish a bona fide customer at the appropriate point of entry of information. I he magnetic-stripe transaction-card reader, which is a separate device and can be attached to the side of the teller terminal, enables customer information - from credit cards, debit cards, bank cards or cash cards - to be entered automatically into the system. The magnetic stripe conforms to international standards and the reading is made from track 2. The FTT can work with or independently of the System 90, and it includes a keyboard, numeric display and message lights. A card reader, a forms printer and a customer keypad are optional. It provides a range of services such as cheque verification, cheque guarantee, credit/debit card authorization, payments and EFT. A range of communications control software application programs is available. (Plessey,
22 Red Lion Street, London WCI R 4PX, UK. Tel: 01-405 3353) []
Word processing A multiterminal series of WS200 wordprocessing computer systems and a new single/dual user system, the WS80, have
computer communications
Bm',t been announced by the Digital Equipment Co. The WS200 systems use VT100W terminals and have a maximum storage exceeding 8 000 pages. The terminals are expected by DEC to foster the workgroup concept, whereby document processing is carried out by several users who share a central document bank. For example, corporate counsel can monitor the development of complex contracts, executive and secretary can share telephone logs and correspondence files, or large tasks can be subdivided within a work group to spread out peak loads. The VT100W word-processing video terminal has a detached keyboard, double-width and height characters, smooth scrolling, reverse video, blinking and underlining, and normal video at dual intensity. Support for a column width of 132 characters is planned. The storage medium for the WS200 system is the RL01 removable-cartridge disc unit, which stores up to 2 000 pages of text per cartridge. Systems can accommodate up to four units, and storage can be supplemented by a dual-drive RX02 floppy-disc unit for up to 250 pages of additional space. The WS80 system also uses the RX02, and a second unit and another VT100W terminal can be added to the basic WS80 configuration for simultaneous input and editing by two users. WS80 systems can perform communications tasks and list processing in a background mode while interactive text entry and editing continues in the foreground, a feature that would be useful in electronic mail networks. Background communication permits the transmission of messagesand documents between word-processing systems without operator intervention, and there is no interruption of local activity for message dispatching. The system can use a letter-quality printer or the LA180 dot matrix draft printer, which operates at 180 character/s. A data-processing option is available for development of business applications that can be run interactively, and, on WS200 systems, concurrently, with word processing. WS200 systems begin with WS224, which includes a central controller and TL01 disc unit and a maximum of two
vol 2 no 2 april 1979
printers and four word-processing terminals. The WS236 accommodates up to three printers and six terminals, and the WS248 supports a maximum of four printers (typically three letterquality printers and one LA180) and eight VTI00W terminals. (D/g/tel
Equipment Co. Ltd, Digital House, 252-256 Kings Road, Reading, Berks., UK. Tel: (0734) 583555) []
Immigration terminal A prototype automated immigration terminal, developed with support from the UK Department of Industry, has been produced by EMI Data. The terminal is designed to read a new type of travel document, the passport card. The card contains personal data in a machine-readable optical character recognition font and a photograph of the holder. The prototype card also incorporates an EMI Watermark magnetic tape to provide security. The 'watermark' is formed during the manufacture of the magnetic tape by making the iron-oxide particles align in a pattern to form a unique code. The code cannot be altered or erased without destroying the material. Each passport card will have a unique tape, encoded with the card number. The terminal is microprocessorcontrolled, and incorporates an OCR reader to read the personal data from the card and a unit to read the Watermark magnetic number. (EMI Indus-
trial Electronics Ltd, Astronaut House, Hounslow Road, Feltham, Middx. TW14 9AD, UK. Tel: 01-571 3271, Tx: 933169) []
Public telegraphy Philips Telecommunications have upgraded their Telecommunication System for Automatic Public Telegraphy (TSAPT) package. In addition to public message switching, the new version of the system provides telex service in store-and-forward and circuit-switching modes and leased channel operation. The package allows connection to up to six telex exchanges for store-andforward message handling. Acceptance and delivery of telegrams can be carried out via the telex network. Direct con-
u-t r
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nection of telex subscribers is also possible through the incorporation of high-speed circuit switching capable of handling up to 4000 lines. The system's leased channel services are provided using ATA/IATA and AFTN formats, and can be shared by a number of independent user groups. Public message-switch i ng facilities of the system include printergram and phonogram acceptance, format conversion, and routing on destination indicator, town name, street name and registered telegraph address. The package will serve up to I 000 public telegraph and leased circuits operating at speeds of between 50 and 2 400 bit/s, and has a busy-hour traffichandling capacity of I 5 000 messages. The system is claimed, however, to be economically viable at much lower traffic levels and with as few as 64 connected circuits. The system can also provide shortand long-term retrieval with rerun and putback capabilities, IBM-compatible accounting, online statistics and polling.
(Philips' Telecommunicatie Industrie BV, PO Box 32, 1200JD Hilversum, The Netherlands. Tel: 31 35 891850, Tx: 43712) []
Multitask operating system A multitask operating system that provides local intelligence and processing at the terminal has been introduced by Data Logic. Raysolve uses the Raytheon Cossor PTS I00 hardware and emulators for the IBM 3270, ICL 7181 and Burroughs TD Series. The system has been designed to handle throughput normally associated with data entry applications. It can handle remote or local applications online or offline at the same time. The same displays can be used in intelligent or nonintelligent modes. Formats are generated using an interactive English language dialogue. The minimum configuration comprises a 48 kbyte PTS processor, a single floppy disc and two VDUs. The system can support up to 128k of memory, 32 terminals (VDUs or printers), eight floppy discs each of 300k capacity or four 10 Mbyte discs.
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Financial terminals A modular online branch-terminal family of equipment, System 90, ranging from a programmable control unit to a variety of terminals, has been introduced by Plessey Communications & Data Systems, primarily for banks and financial institutions, but with a range of general applications. The system includes floppy-disc storage units, display teller stations, document printers, transaction-card readers and customer identification devices, all operating under the control of a programmable branch minicomputer. The financial-transaction terminal system (FTT), designed for use in retail environments to provide remote banking and other financial services at the point of sale, has also been introduced. It can be used in a network of FTTs, in the same network with online banking terminals, or directly linked to a mainframe computer. The System 90 is adaptable to different types of needs, depending on the requirements of the institution, and it can be linked with inhouse VDUs and mainframes. It is compatible with a range of computers, including IBM, Burroughs, Sperry Univac and Honeywell systems. The system is centred around a programmable control unit (PCU) and a teller terminal that includes a 5 in CRT and a transaction keyboard. This terminal may be shared by two tellers at a workstation that can be equipped with a validation/journal printer, with or without passbook-printing capabilities, and a magnetic-stripe card reader, with or without a customer security keypad, for customer entry of a personal identification number. The basic PCU has I kbyte of memory, expandable in 8 kbyte or 16 kbyte increments up to 256 kbyte.
System 90
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The floppy-disc storage unit holds programs and records transaction data on single or dual floppy-disc drives. Each floppy disc stores about 250 000 character on 74 tracks, each containing 26 sectors of 128 byte. The rotational speed is 360 rev/min with track-totrack and average rotational latency times of 10 ms and 83 ms respectively. The range of peripheral devices includes VDUs, printers, magnetic-stripe card readers and PIN keyboards. The smallest in the family of VDUs is the teller terminal, which has been designed for use at front offices or teller windows. Its CRT can display up to 480 alphabetic, numeric and special characters. Each character is formed as a 5 x 7 dot matrix. Different keyboard options are available, each having 11 numeric keys, four adding-machine keys, and 12, 20 or 30 function keys. The numeric keypad is used for entering data such as the account number and the transaction amounts. The two larger administrative VDU terminals may be used at any location where large-screen file-enquiry and dataentry functions are performed. One terminal displays 960 characters on a 9 in screen, and the other displays 1 920 characters on a 12 in screen. Both terminals are equipped with a keyboard with a separate numeric keypad and function and editing keys. A lock provides physical security against unauthorized system access. A range of printers is available of which two are financially oriented the validation/journal printer and the passbook validation/journal printer. The V/J printer prints at 110 character/s on a 40 character line. The printer will print onto separate documentation for validation - for example, the reverse side of cheques or paying-in slips. In addition, these transactions can be recorded on a two-part journal roll, the top copy of which is available for teller use while the second copy remains locked within the machine for security. The passbook printer provides all the facilities of the V/J printer, and it will also print information into a passbook or other multipart document. Two heavy-duty administrative printers are also available. One unit prints at 30 characters and the other at 120 character/s, and both provide up to six copies on multipart stationary.
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Financial-transaction terminal system Most commonly available printers can also be interfaced with the System 90. To enter customer details, a keypad and a magnetic-stripe card reader are available. The devices can be used in conjunction with the teller terminal and will enable a dialogue between the teller or the teller and customer and the system. The use of the PIN keypad enables additional security in the accessing of customer records or accounts. The keypad consists of 12 touchtone, alphanumeric keys recessed for privacy. This unit is able to establish a bona fide customer at the appropriate point of entry of information. I he magnetic-stripe transaction-card reader, which is a separate device and can be attached to the side of the teller terminal, enables customer information - from credit cards, debit cards, bank cards or cash cards - to be entered automatically into the system. The magnetic stripe conforms to international standards and the reading is made from track 2. The FTT can work with or independently of the System 90, and it includes a keyboard, numeric display and message lights. A card reader, a forms printer and a customer keypad are optional. It provides a range of services such as cheque verification, cheque guarantee, credit/debit card authorization, payments and EFT. A range of communications control software application programs is available. (Plessey,
22 Red Lion Street, London WCI R 4PX, UK. Tel: 01-405 3353) []
Word processing A multiterminal series of WS200 wordprocessing computer systems and a new single/dual user system, the WS80, have
computer communications
Bm',t been announced by the Digital Equipment Co. The WS200 systems use VT100W terminals and have a maximum storage exceeding 8 000 pages. The terminals are expected by DEC to foster the workgroup concept, whereby document processing is carried out by several users who share a central document bank. For example, corporate counsel can monitor the development of complex contracts, executive and secretary can share telephone logs and correspondence files, or large tasks can be subdivided within a work group to spread out peak loads. The VT100W word-processing video terminal has a detached keyboard, double-width and height characters, smooth scrolling, reverse video, blinking and underlining, and normal video at dual intensity. Support for a column width of 132 characters is planned. The storage medium for the WS200 system is the RL01 removable-cartridge disc unit, which stores up to 2 000 pages of text per cartridge. Systems can accommodate up to four units, and storage can be supplemented by a dual-drive RX02 floppy-disc unit for up to 250 pages of additional space. The WS80 system also uses the RX02, and a second unit and another VT100W terminal can be added to the basic WS80 configuration for simultaneous input and editing by two users. WS80 systems can perform communications tasks and list processing in a background mode while interactive text entry and editing continues in the foreground, a feature that would be useful in electronic mail networks. Background communication permits the transmission of messagesand documents between word-processing systems without operator intervention, and there is no interruption of local activity for message dispatching. The system can use a letter-quality printer or the LA180 dot matrix draft printer, which operates at 180 character/s. A data-processing option is available for development of business applications that can be run interactively, and, on WS200 systems, concurrently, with word processing. WS200 systems begin with WS224, which includes a central controller and TL01 disc unit and a maximum of two
vol 2 no 2 april 1979
printers and four word-processing terminals. The WS236 accommodates up to three printers and six terminals, and the WS248 supports a maximum of four printers (typically three letterquality printers and one LA180) and eight VTI00W terminals. (D/g/tel
Equipment Co. Ltd, Digital House, 252-256 Kings Road, Reading, Berks., UK. Tel: (0734) 583555) []
Immigration terminal A prototype automated immigration terminal, developed with support from the UK Department of Industry, has been produced by EMI Data. The terminal is designed to read a new type of travel document, the passport card. The card contains personal data in a machine-readable optical character recognition font and a photograph of the holder. The prototype card also incorporates an EMI Watermark magnetic tape to provide security. The 'watermark' is formed during the manufacture of the magnetic tape by making the iron-oxide particles align in a pattern to form a unique code. The code cannot be altered or erased without destroying the material. Each passport card will have a unique tape, encoded with the card number. The terminal is microprocessorcontrolled, and incorporates an OCR reader to read the personal data from the card and a unit to read the Watermark magnetic number. (EMI Indus-
trial Electronics Ltd, Astronaut House, Hounslow Road, Feltham, Middx. TW14 9AD, UK. Tel: 01-571 3271, Tx: 933169) []
Public telegraphy Philips Telecommunications have upgraded their Telecommunication System for Automatic Public Telegraphy (TSAPT) package. In addition to public message switching, the new version of the system provides telex service in store-and-forward and circuit-switching modes and leased channel operation. The package allows connection to up to six telex exchanges for store-andforward message handling. Acceptance and delivery of telegrams can be carried out via the telex network. Direct con-
u-t r
**j I I
nection of telex subscribers is also possible through the incorporation of high-speed circuit switching capable of handling up to 4000 lines. The system's leased channel services are provided using ATA/IATA and AFTN formats, and can be shared by a number of independent user groups. Public message-switch i ng facilities of the system include printergram and phonogram acceptance, format conversion, and routing on destination indicator, town name, street name and registered telegraph address. The package will serve up to I 000 public telegraph and leased circuits operating at speeds of between 50 and 2 400 bit/s, and has a busy-hour traffichandling capacity of I 5 000 messages. The system is claimed, however, to be economically viable at much lower traffic levels and with as few as 64 connected circuits. The system can also provide shortand long-term retrieval with rerun and putback capabilities, IBM-compatible accounting, online statistics and polling.
(Philips' Telecommunicatie Industrie BV, PO Box 32, 1200JD Hilversum, The Netherlands. Tel: 31 35 891850, Tx: 43712) []
Multitask operating system A multitask operating system that provides local intelligence and processing at the terminal has been introduced by Data Logic. Raysolve uses the Raytheon Cossor PTS I00 hardware and emulators for the IBM 3270, ICL 7181 and Burroughs TD Series. The system has been designed to handle throughput normally associated with data entry applications. It can handle remote or local applications online or offline at the same time. The same displays can be used in intelligent or nonintelligent modes. Formats are generated using an interactive English language dialogue. The minimum configuration comprises a 48 kbyte PTS processor, a single floppy disc and two VDUs. The system can support up to 128k of memory, 32 terminals (VDUs or printers), eight floppy discs each of 300k capacity or four 10 Mbyte discs.
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