Abstract: An office automation system that provides for the incorporation of documents of all types by integrating images into the system. A minicomputer-based system includes applications such as word processing, data base, and mail, each of which can access image documents. Bulk storage of document images is provided using a variety of storage media such as microfilm, microfiche, and optical disks. An image access subsystem provides to each of the office automation applications uniform access to images stored on all of the media. The image access subsystem can use a hardward controller to handle some of the complexity of retrieval of images from the image storage devices. A relational data base system is used to organize the stored images so as to provide flexible access to the images and to isolate any effects of reconfiguration of the image storage system.

Abstract: A digital memory comprising a multiplicity of circulating storage loops, in each of which, a plurality of digital data records are stored, and apparatus for sorting the data records. More particularly, a plurality of distributed processing elements perform a parallel sorting operation of each column of data records, where each column of data records is comprised of one data record in each circulating storage loop and the data records comprising each column are disposed in the same record position within their respective circulating storage loops. Thereafter, the apparatus performs a "precession" of the data records whereby the data records in each circulating storage loop are shifted one record position, in a common direction, with respect to the data records stored in the next preceding circulating storage loop.

Abstract: A digital memory comprising a plurality of contiguous circulating serial data storage loops and a plurality of processing elements. Each pair of adjacent loops are coupled to a processing element such that each loop is coupled through two processing elements displaced by one-half loop length. Each processing element includes a serial comparator and a loop control circuit for either isolating or exchanging the data on the two incident loops. Additional circuits are included in each processing element which in combination with the comparator and loop control provide the memory, as the loop data circulates through the processing elements, with the capability of performing an ascending or descending sort of its contents, an associative search of its contents with retrieval of located data, an updating of stored data records, a loading or unloading of a record file or data base and a dynamic reconfiguration of the memory structure.