Realization of Randomly Timed Computer Input and Output by Means of an Interrupt Feature

The Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics is assigned the primary task of research into the basic problems of the design and operation of aircraft power plants. Since World War II this has primarily meant research in the field of jet and turbine engines. Although these engine types are simple in concept, it was quickly realized that they could not be developed adequately by research on small-scale models. It has been necessary to build large facilities in which research could be conducted under conditions approximating those expected of actual flight. With new facilities under construction or being planned, it became clear in the late 1940´s that only some form of mechanization could cope with the growing problem of data-processing. The resulting studies led to a plan in early 1950 for the construction of a data-recording system aimed toward digital data-processing techniques. In January, 1952, the first model of an automatic digital pressure recorder with mechanized, manually-controlled computing was put into operation. From this point the system gradually evolved in concept and in working equipment to its present form in which a central editing and computing station serves a number of remote research facilities. The operation of data collecting and input editing is described in considerable detail by Ryskamp.1 It is sufficient at this time to give a brief description of the system.