30-bit computing
| Computer architecture bit widths |
|---|
| Bit |
| Application |
| Binary floating-point precision |
| Decimal floating-point precision |
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 the option of using a 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 1950s/60s.
One of the most notable families of machines to use 30-bit words were those developed for the Naval Tactical Data System.[1][2] The first machine in the class was 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 an Airline reservations system in competition with IBM's Sabre Reservation system.
The unrelated Univac 1050 system was notable for being the largest military order for commercial computers in the early 1960s.[4] It was deployed in Vietnam and other parts of Southeast 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 was 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
- UNIVAC 1104[11][12]
- AN/USQ-17[13][12][14]
- AN/USQ-20[12]
- AN/UYK-8[12]
- UNIVAC 1289 (CP-890/UYK) - used as the primary navigation computer of the Trident SSBN.
- UNIVAC 490[12]
- UNIVAC 491
- UNIVAC 492
- UNIVAC 494[15]
- UNIVAC 1050[14]
- RCA 4100[14][16]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 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. Search this book on
- ↑ Lundstrom, David E. (1987). A few good men from Univac. Cambridge, Mass.: Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-12120-0. Search this book on
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Gene Smith (27 August 1964). "Past and Present Officials Deny Wall St. Rumor of Univac Woes". The New York Times. pp. 45, 50.
- ↑ 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. Search this book on
- ↑ 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. Search this book on
- ↑ 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. Retrieved 12 December 2023. Unknown parameter
|s2cid=ignored (help) - ↑ 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. Retrieved 27 November 2023. Unknown parameter
|s2cid=ignored (help) - ↑ "Adage Graphics Terminal (Brochure 1969)" (PDF). bitsavers.org. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ↑ "ADAGE GRAPHICS SYSTEMS - GENERAL INFORMATION MANUAL" (PDF). bitsavers.org. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ↑ George Gray (January 2002). "The 1104". Unisys History Newsletter. 6 (1). Archived from the original on March 5, 2016.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 "30-bit Computers, Ch 52". vipclubmn.org. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "Real Machines with 16, 32, and 30-bit words". www.quadibloc.com. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ↑ "UNIVAC 494 System Description" (PDF). Bitsavers.org. Sperry Rand Corporation. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ↑ "RCA 4100 Programmers Reference" (PDF). Bitsavers.org. RCA. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
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