The combi-system - A proposal for new concepts in digital data processing

Abstract

A new systematic organization of the field of digital data processing is proposed. This is motivated by recent extensive developments in this area. The subgroups - data acquisition, data handling, data evaluation, and data display - are distinguished, and defined; and it is shown that most problems of industrial or commercial data processing belong to the group of data handling. Data-handling problems in the past have been mostly solved by general purpose computers or systems based on computer technology. A new approach, based on basic functions of data handling is proposed. In the field of computing, basic functions are: add, subtract, multiply, and divide. In the field of circuit logic, basic functions are: and, or, not, memory, and time. The proposed basic functions for data handling are: position-selection, value-comparison, switching, memory, control, and translation. Similar to proceedings in computer technology or circuit logic, symbols are proposed for the basic data handling functions. These symbols allow a block diagram approach as well as eventually a new type of algebra in solving data handling problems. The use of these symbols is demonstrated in some practical examples. The practical building blocks for a data handling system based on the forementioned functions are discussed. To each of the functions corresponds one or a group of building blocks as selector, comparator, buffer, switch, and control unit. The advantages of this system are briefly discussed. It seems possible to combine the advantages of flexibility and ease of modification in general purpose machines with the advantages of simplicity and efficiency in special purpose equipment through a building block design of the proposed system.