An automatic addressing device

In many computations the identification of an item or items requires several decimal digits, an index which cannot be accommodated readily as a machine address. It is characteristic of these indices that the cardinality of the actual range is within the limits determined by conventional high‐speed storage. This fact is exploited by means of the system under discussion. The device1 to be discussed consists chiefly of a magnetic drum with a capacity of about 400,000 decimal digits with variable word lengths of 4 to 64 digits, a register (FR) with capacity varying from 4 to 64 digits, and an address register (FADR). Upon the execution of a SEARCH command, the entire surface (about 30,000 words at WL=12) is scanned in 32 ms, and, if the contents of FR are found anywhere, this information is made available in the form of an output which can be used to cause a transfer—similarly, if this number is not present. When the number is found its location is entered into FADR. This system may be employed as a conventional storage device with the usual READ, WRITE instructions. The various commands and logical elements of the FDS are discussed.