Abstract: The present invention describes an integrated text and data processing system allowing processing of link data before output. The system also provides simultaneous dual emulation of a display and printer normally associated with a host data processor. In accordance with the first aspect of the invention, an input/output terminal includes a support logic circuit for interconnecting the input/output terminal to a port of an intermediate control unit attached to a central processing unit. The input/output terminal includes separate link and display buffers whereas link data may be stored in the link buffer for processing before output to the display associated with a text processor. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the input/output terminal may include a plurality of support logic circuits each connected to one of the ports of one or more control units associated with one or more central processing units.

Abstract: A method for structuring a display font for a full page display device for a text processing system in which a text stream input by way of a keyboard is stored and displayed to the operator on a display device including a cathode ray tube, the electron beam of which is modulated and scanned in a series of horizontal traces to produce an image of the text line on the screen of the display device. The method comprises blocking the characters making up the font to the extent that each character is more distinguishable within a word, double dotting the vertical portions of the characters and single dotting the horizontal portions of the characters to provide even brightness characters so that operator eye fatigue is reduced and brightness can be lowered to reduce flicker.

Abstract: A full page display device for a text processing system in which a text stream input by way of a keyboard is stored and displayed to the operator on a display device including a cathode ray tube, the electron beam of which is modulated and scanned in a series of horizontal traces to produce an image of the text line on the screen of the display device. The system comprises storage means which includes a plurality (four in a specific embodiment) of separate storage devices. In the specific embodiment, when the storage devices are accessed for display, one character is accessed simultaneously from the same location in each of the storage devices. The data is latched and coupled to a character generator to read out character dot pattern data which is latched and then interleaved with the data from other accessed character data by transferring the data one character at a time in parallel to a serializer.

Abstract: A computer system having a CPU connected to I/O devices via a channel sets addresses into the I/O devices by the CPU. The I/O devices, for purposes of control, are grouped in types. To load device addresses or identifiers, the processor sends a type identifier to the I/O devices. The device having the highest ordered priority of the same type of device and which does not have an assigned identifier responds by inhibiting all lower ordered devices of its type. It is then loaded with its unique assigned identifier which results in the setting of a status latch therein. This setting allows the next lowest ordered device of the same type of devices to then be assigned and loaded with an identifier by the processor. This process continues until all I/O devices of the same type are loaded with identifiers. The process is then repeated for each other type of I/O devices in the system.