Data management software for minicomputer production monitoring and control systems

A two-level software system for minicomputers suitable for use in real-time production monitoring and control applications has been designed and implemented. The first level consists of a general-purpose file system implemented in the form of a voluntary virtual memory which can be added to most minicomputer software systems. The second-level software is a set of data management primitives which permit the definition, creation, maintenance, modification, and referencing of large, interlinked, complex data bases which arise in discrete parts manufacturing applications. The software system is described. The application to a discrete parts manufacturing control system is described along with experimental measures of response time and memory requirements.