Jump to content

Draft:30-bit computing

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  • Comment: No significant coverage in any other section than the "Examples" – Kilaseell - Message me! - 20:00, 7 November 2023 (UTC)

In computer architecture, 30-bit integers, memory addresses, or other data units are those that are 30 bits wide. Also, 30-bit central processing unit (CPU) and arithmetic logic unit (ALU) architectures are those that are based on registers, address buses, or data buses of that size.

A 30-bit word can also store 5 6-bit characters. Generally if floating-point arithmetic was supported in such systems they had option of using double-precision format of 60-bits. Systems with a 30-bit architecture were heavily used for military and aerospace applications particularly with projects initiated in the 1950/60's.

One of the most notable families of machines to use a 30-bit words were those developed for the Naval Tactical Data System.[1][2] The first machine in the class been the AN/USQ-17 which was designed by Seymour Cray,[1] subsequently variations of this architecture would be used by the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, NASA and the FAA for the ARTS III TRACON.[3] This was based around the Univac 8303 IOP (I/O Processor) which could be configured in a multiprocessor configuration, depending on the specific Air traffic control site (New York had the largest). It was also used by several airlines in the form of the UNIVAC 490-494 to provide a Airline reservations system in competition with IBM's Sabre Reservation system.

The unrelated Univac 1050 system was notable for been the largest military order for commercial computers in the early 1960's.[4] It was deployed in Vietnam and other parts of SE Asia and was heavily used with regards to Air Materiel Command logistic supply chain.[5] [6]

The RCA 4100 series was a family of militarized machines that was used in Aerospace operations. The RCA 4101 model been used in the AN/FPQ-6 radar system to provide corrections to the output data. The 4202-S model was built for use in tracking of recently launched Space vehicles.[7]

The Adage Graphics Terminal family was built around a 30-bit processor with up to 32KW of core memory combined with a specialised DAC, vector generator and display.[8][9][10]

Examples

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Boslaugh, David L. (16 April 2003). When Computers Went to Sea: The Digitization of the United States Navy. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-47220-9.
  2. ^ Lundstrom, David E. (1987). A few good men from Univac. Cambridge, Mass.: Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-12120-0.
  3. ^ Walther, W. (1 January 1973). "Multiprocessor self diagnosis, surgery, and recovery in air terminal traffic control". ACM SIGOPS Operating Systems Review. 7 (4): 38–44. doi:10.1145/957195.808047. ISSN 0163-5980. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  4. ^ Gene Smith (27 August 1964). "Past and Present Officials Deny Wall St. Rumor of Univac Woes". The New York Times. pp. 45, 50.
  5. ^ Beth F. Scott; James C. Rainey; Andrew W. Hunt, eds. (2000). The Logistics of War – a historical perspective. The Air Force Logistics Management Agency. pp. 133, 140, 345. ISBN 978-1-4289-9378-5. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  6. ^ Nalty, Bernard C. (2000). Air war over South Vietnam, 1968-1975. Washington, D.C. : Air Force History and Museums Program. p. 226. ISBN 9781478118640. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  7. ^ Garner, E. T.; Oseas, J. (27 October 1964). "The 4102-s space track program". Proceedings of the October 27-29, 1964, fall joint computer conference, part I. Association for Computing Machinery. pp. 517–526. doi:10.1145/1464052.1464100. ISBN 9781450378895. S2CID 15789998. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  8. ^ Hagan, Thomas G.; Nixon, Richard J.; Schaefer, Luis J. (1968). "The adage graphics terminal". Proceedings of the December 9-11, 1968, fall joint computer conference, part I. Association for Computing Machinery. pp. 747–755. doi:10.1145/1476589.1476685. ISBN 9781450378994. S2CID 8455740. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  9. ^ "Adage Graphics Terminal (Brochure 1969)" (PDF). bitsavers.org. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  10. ^ "ADAGE GRAPHICS SYSTEMS - GENERAL INFORMATION MANUAL" (PDF). bitsavers.org. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  11. ^ George Gray (January 2002). "The 1104". Unisys History Newsletter. 6 (1). Archived from the original on March 5, 2016.
  12. ^ a b c d e "30-bit Computers, Ch 52". vipclubmn.org. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  13. ^ Boslaugh, David L. (12 May 2021). "IEEE Global History Network - First-Hand:Building the U.S. Navy's First Seagoing Digital System - Chapter 4 of the Story of the Naval Tactical Data System". ETHW. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  14. ^ a b c "Real Machines with 16, 32, and 30-bit words". www.quadibloc.com. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  15. ^ "UNIVAC 494 System Description" (PDF). Bitsavers.org. Sperry Rand Corporation. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  16. ^ "RCA 4100 Programmers Reference" (PDF). Bitsavers.org. RCA. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

Category:Computer data