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CLASS 709,	ELECTRICAL COMPUTERS AND DIGITAL PROCESSING SYSTEMS: MULTICOMPUTER DATA TRANSFERRING
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SECTION I - CLASS DEFINITION

GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE CLASS SUBJECT MATTER

This class provides for an electrical computer or digital data processing system or corresponding data processing method including apparatus or steps for transferring data or instruction information between a plurality of computers wherein the computers employ the data or instructions before or after transferring and the employing affects said transfer of data or instruction information.

The class includes the following subject matter:

Process or apparatus for transferring data among a plurality of spatially distributed (i.e., situated, at plural locations) computers or digital data processing systems via one or more communications media (e.g., computer networks).

SCOPE OF THE CLASS

This class is limited to digital data processing systems and funtions for transferring unspecified data or instruction information and the proceesing thereof by digital data processing systems. Systems concerned with movement or processing of other specific types of information and digital signals, per se, areclassified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below.

LINES WITH OTHER CLASSES AND WITHIN THIS CLASS

A. Electric Computers and Data Processing Systems, Related Systems and Functions in General.

(1) Systems directed to a specific end use of information, for example, senor data processed by a computer means for control purposes in systems classified external to this class, are classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below

B. Communications Classes

This class includes significant data processing in combination with communication of data, and allowed types of information, amongst digital processing systems.

For multiplexing see the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below.

For systems directed to selective communication systems. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below.

For systems directed to communication techniques such as pulse or digital communications. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below.

C. Additional Notes

SECTION II - REFERENCES TO OTHER CLASSES

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:

SECTION III - GLOSSARY

ACCESS

To obtain entry to, or to locate, read into memory, and make ready for, some operation, for example, regarding disks, files, records, and network entry procedures.

APPLICATION PROGRAM

A computer program designed to perform a certain type of work, such as an application to manipulate text, numbers, graphics, or a combination of these elements. An application differs from an operating system (which runs a computer), a utility (which performs maintenance or general-purpose chores), and a language (with which computer programs are created).

BUS

A conductor used for transferring data, signals, or power.

COMPUTER

A machine that inputs data, processes data, stores data, and outputs data.

DATA

Representation of information in a coded manner suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing.

Address data: data that represent or identify a source or destination.

Instruction data: data that represent an operation and identify its operands, if any.

Status data: data that represent conditions of data, digital data processing systems, computers, peripherals, memory, etc.

Streamed data: data consisting of a more-or-less continuous series of bits, bytes, or other small, structurally uniform units.

User data: data other than address data, instruction data, or status data.

DATA PROCESSING

See PROCESSING, below.

DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM

An arrangement of processor(s) in combination with either memory or peripherals, or both, performing data processing.

ENTITY

A computer or process that can be treated as a unit and, often, as a member of a particular category or type.

ENVIRONMENT

A set of resources made available to the user of a system which defines specifications such as the command path (where to look for files), the system prompt and, sometimes, the location of resources or working files.

INFORMATION

Meaning that a human being assigns to data by means of the conventions applied to that data.

INTERFACE

A connection between two elements so that they can work with one another.

MEMORY

A functional unit to which data can be stored and from which data can be retrieved.

MULTITASKING

A mode of operation in which a computer works on more than one task at a time.

NETWORK

A group of computers and associated devices that are connected by communications facilities which exists to provide computer users with the means of communicating and transferring information electronically. Some types of communication are simple user-to-user messages; others, of the type known as distributed processes, can involve several computers and the sharing of workloads or cooperative efforts in performing a task.

OBJECT

A variable comprising routines and data that is treated as a discrete entity.

OPERATING SYSTEM

Software responsible for controlling the allocation and usage of hardware resources such as memory, central processing unit (CPU) time, disk space, and peripheral devices. The operating system is the foundation on which applications programs (e.g., word processing, spreadsheets) are built.

PERIPHERAL

A functional unit that transmits data to or receives data from a computer to which it is coupled.

PROCESS

A coherent sequence of steps undertaken by a program to manipulate data such as an internal or external data-transfer operation, handling an interrupt, or evaluation of a function.

PROCESSING

Methods or apparatus performing systematic operations upon data or information exemplified by functions such as data or information transferring, merging, sorting, and computing (e.g., arithmetic operations or logical operations).

PROCESSOR

A functional unit that interprets and executes instruction data.

PROTOCOL

A set of rules or processes which enable computers to exchange information with as little error as possible.

RESOURCE

Any part of computer system or a network, such as a disk drive, printer, or memory, that can be allotted to a program or process while it is running. In programming, a resource can be used by more than one program or in more than one place in a program; for example, dialog boxes, bitmaps, and fonts are resources in many windowing programs.

ROUTING

Receiving transmitted messages within a network and forwarding them to their correct destinations over a available route selected according to a predetermined criteria.

SERVER

A computer running administrative software that controls access to all or part of a network and its resources (such as disk drives and printers). A computer acting as a server makes resources available to computers acting as workstations on the network.

SYNCHRONIZATION

Matching of timing between separate computers or among the components of a system so that all are coordinated.

TASK

A standalone application or a subprogram that is run as an independent entity.

THREAD

A path of processing execution within a larger process or program.

TRANSFER

The movement of data from one location to another or the passing of program control from one portion of a program to another.

SUBCLASSES

200	MISCELLANEOUS:
	This subclass is indented under the class definition.  Subject matter not provided for in any of the preceding subclasses. (1) Note. The subject matter of this subclass is characterized by data transfer occurring as an external communication between separate computers which themselves are distinguishable processing entities. (2) Note. The basic distinctions between this subclass together with its indented subclasses and the communications classes are (a) the subclasses herein include computers, rather than other data communications devices, and (b) the computers perform data processing in addition to transferring data there between; overall combinations directed to a system for performing communications functions only are classified in the communications art classes. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below. (3) Processes and apparatus for preprocessing or postprocessing of signals in the data transfer to effect a particular method of communications (e.g., modulating, demodulating, encoding, decoding, phase locking) is classified in the appropriate communications class. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below for examples. (4) Note. Subject matter relating to transmission or interconnection systems not classifiable herein and not appropriate for the communication classes is classified in the residual class for all transmission or interconnection systems. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below. (5) Note. Processes and apparatus for error detection and correction (EDAC), fault detection and recovery, and for increasing the probability of a computer, digital data processing system, or computer network performing correctly (i.e., increasing its reliability and availability), per se, are classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below. (6) Note. Processes and apparatus for enhancing the security of computers, digital data processing systems, and computer networks, per se, are classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below. (7) Note. Processes and apparatus for housing or mounting computers, digital data processing systems, calculators, or components thereof are classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below. (8) Note. Subject matter relating to neural networks, per se, are classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below. (9) Note. Subject matter relating to distributed or remote accessing of databases or files, per se, is classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS notes below. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 307,  Electrical Transmission or Interconnection Systems,   for all subject matter relating to electrical transmission or interconnection systems not classified elsewhere 326,  Electronic Digital Logic Circuitry,   appropriate subclasses for electronic digital logic circuitry. 329,  Demodulators,   appropriate subclasses for data demodulators. 332,  Modulators,   appropriate subclasses for data modulators. 340,  Communications: Electrical,   subclasses 825 through 825.98for controlling one or more devices to obtain a plurality of results by transmission of a designated one of plural distinctive control signals over a smaller number of communication lines or channels, particularly subclasses 2.1-2.8 for path selection, subclasses 3.1-3.9 for communication systems where status of a controlled device is communicated, subclasses 7.2-7.63 for code responsive selective call receiving, subclass 825.02 for tree or cascade selective communication, subclasses 825.2-825.21 for synchronizing selective communication systems, subclasses 825.52 and 825.53 for addressing, and subclasses 825.57-825.69 for pulse responsive actuation. 342,  Communications: Directive Radio Wave Systems and Devices (e.g., Radar, Radio Navigation),   various subclasses for communications via directive radio waves and related systems. 345,  Computer Graphics Processing and Selective Visual Display Systems,   subclasses 1.1 through 3.4for plural display systems, and subclass 526 for transferring data between graphic system components in a computer graphic computer system. 348,  Television,   various subclasses for generating, processing, transmitting or transiently displaying a sequence of images, either locally or remotely, in which the local light variations composing the images may change with time (e.g., natural "live" scenes). 358,  Facsimile and Static Presentation Processing,   various subclasses for systems that transmit and reproduce arbitrarily composed pictures in which the local light variations composing each of the pictures are not subject to variation with time; e.g., documents both written and printed, maps, charts, and photographs (other than motion picture film). 361,  Electricity: Electrical Systems and Devices,   subclasses 683+ for housings or mounting assemblies for computers, digital data processing systems, calculators, or components thereof. 370,  Multiplex Communications,   for the simultaneous transmission of two or more signals over a common medium where the transmitted data are generic to the transmission activity, particularly subclasses 351+ for time division multiplex (TDM) switching, subclasses 498+ for time division bus transmission, and subclass 475 for asynchronous TDM communications including addressing. 375,  Pulse or Digital Communications,   various subclasses for digital communications including modulating, demodulating, encoding, decoding, and phase locking. 379,  Telephonic Communications,   various subclasses for two-way electrical communication of audio information of arbitrary content. 380,  Cryptography,   various subclasses for concealing, obscuring, and extracting intelligible information by, for example, coding and decoding, and foreign art collections FOR 149 and FOR 150 for cryptographic digital signal handling which may include cryptographic computer communication. 381,  Electrical Audio Signal Processing Systems and Devices,   various subclasses for wired one-way audio systems, per se. 386,  Television Signal Processing for Dynamic Recording or Reproducing,   various subclasses for apparatus and corresponding processes for processing (which may include receiving) a sequence of images in which the light variation composing the images may change with time (e.g., natural "live" scenes) for dynamic recording or reproducing of the sequence of images. 398,  Optical Communications,   various subclasses optical communication in combination with electrical communication and subclasses 43 through 103for multiplexing in an optical communication system. 455,  Telecommunications,   for modulated carrier wave communications, per se. 700,  Data Processing: Generic Control Systems or Specific Applications,   subclasses 2 through 7for plural processors in a digital generic control system. 704,  Data Processing: Speech Signal Processing, Linguistics, Language Translation, and Audio Compression/Decompression,   subclass 270.1 for speech assisted network. 706,  Data Processing: Artificial Intelligence,   subclasses 15+ for neural networks. 707,  Data Processing: Databases and File Management or Data Structures,   subclasses 1+ for computerized database and file accessing and retrieving, subclasses 100+ for organizing and interrelating data or files, and subclasses 200+ for managing and maintaining files and databases. 710,  Electrical Computers and Digital Data Processing Systems: Input/Output,   subclasses 1 through 74for transferring data from one or more peripherals to one or more computers for the latter to process, store, or further transfer, or for transferring data from the computers to the peripherals, subclasses 100-132 for transferring data among the memories, processors, and buses of a single computer, and subclass 316 for cross-bar switching. 711,  Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Memory,   subclasses 100+ for transferring data between locations in the same memory or between memories. 712,  Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Processing Architecture and Instruction Processing (e.g., Processors),   subclasses 1+ for digital data computer system architectures such as multiple instruction multiple data (MIMD) computers, vector and array computers, and single-chip computers, and subclass 225 for computer control for data transfer. 713,  Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Support,   subclasses 1 and 2 for determining the initial configuration of a single computer, and subclass 100 for altering an established configuration of a single computer. 714,  Error Detection/Correction and Fault Detection/Recovery,   subclasses 1+ for increasing the probability of a computer, digital data computer system, or a computer network performing correctly (i.e., increasing its reliability and availability) and subclasses 746+ for correcting errors in the transmitted data such as parity checking and cyclical redundancy checking. 717,  Data Processing: Software Development, Installation, and Management,   subclass 11 for installing and managing particular versions of executable programs and operating systems in a single computer. 718,  Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Virtual Machine Task or Process Management or Task Management/Control,   appropriate subclassesfor administrating process or job execution over a digital data processing systems. 719,  Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Interprogram Communication or Interprocess Communication (IPC),   appropriate subclassesfor interprogram or interprocess communicating. 726,  Information Security,   subclasses 1 through 36for information security in computers or digital processing system.

201	DISTRIBUTED DATA PROCESSING:
	This subclass is indented under the class definition.  Subject matter wherein the separate computers or digital data processing systems performing different tasks share data to accomplish an overall goal. (1) Note. Means or steps for computerized database and file accessing and retrieving, especially hierarchical, bit-mapped and flat indexing, hashing, stapling, and containerizing database operations and methods are classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below. (2) Note. Means or steps for organizing and interrelating data or files, including relational, network, hierarchical, and entity-relationship models for databases are classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below. (3) Note. Means or steps for managing and maintaining files and databases in computers and digital data processing systems are classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below. (4) Note. Means or steps for exchanging data or messages between two executing programs or processes with only nominal recitation of processing data transferred between the computers are classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below. (5) Note. Means or steps for controlling operations to execute processes or jobs within the operating system environment of a digital data processing system with only nominal recitation of processing data transferred between the computers are classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 208+, for master/slave computer arrangements for transferring data. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 707,  Data Processing: Databases and File Management or Data Structures,   subclasses 1+ for means or steps for computerized database and file accessing and retrieving, especially hierarchical, bitmapped and flat indexing, hashing, stapling, and containerizing database operations and methods, subclasses 100+ for means or steps for organizing and interrelating data or files, including relational, network, hierarchical, and entity-relationship models for databases, and subclasses 200+ for means or steps for managing and maintaining files and databases in computers and digital data computer systems. 711,  Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Memory,   subclasses 147+ for shared memory accessing and control. 712,  Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Processing Architecture and Instruction Processing (e.g. Processors),   subclasses 28+ for distributed computer system architectures. 718,  Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Virtual Machine Task or Process Management or Task Management/Control,   appropriate subclassesfor means or steps for controlling operations to execute processes or jobs within the operating system environment of a digital data computer system with only nominal recitation of computer data transferred between the computers. 719,  Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Interprogram Communication or Interprocess Communication (IPC),   appropriate subclassesfor means or steps for exchanging data or messages between two executing programs or processes with only nominal recitation of computer data transferred between the computers.

202	Processing agent:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 201.  Subject matter wherein a data processing entity, executing within a computer, autonomously establishes a dialog (e.g., a negotiation) with another computer, on behalf of a user or another processing entity, in order to transfer data between the computers.

203	Client/server:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 201.  Subject matter wherein at least one local computer provides a user interface and performs local data processing to interact with at least one remote computer which implements data processing (e.g., data management, data sharing) within a generic time-sharing environment in response to the local computer to transfer data between the local computer and the remote computer. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 715,  Data Processing: Presentation Processing of Document, Operator Interface Processing, and Screen Saver Display Processing,   subclasses 700 through 866for operator interfaces, and particularly subclass 744 for particular operator client/server interface customized by modifying links between interface features and routines performed.

204	COMPUTER CONFERENCING:
	This subclass is indented under the class definition.  Subject matter further comprising means or steps for enabling collaborative processing of data by the computers or digital data processing systems. (1) Note. Means or steps for computerized database and file accessing and retrieving, especially hierarchical, bit-mapped and flat indexing, hashing, stapling, and containerizing database operations and methods are classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below. (2) Note. Means or steps for organizing and interrelating data or files, including relational, network, hierarchical, and entity-relationship models for databases are classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below. (3) Note. Means or steps for managing and maintaining files and databases in computers and digital data processing systems are classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS notes below. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 370,  Multiplex Communications,   subclasses 260+ for multiplexed communications enabling three or more terminals to be included in a single call connection. 707,  Data Processing: Databases and File Management or Data Structures,   subclasses 1+ for means or steps for computerized database and file accessing and retrieving, especially hierarchical, bit-mapped and flat indexing, hashing, stapling, and containerizing database operations and methods, subclasses 100+ for means or steps for organizing and interrelating data or files, including relational, network, hierarchical, and entity-relationship models for databases, and subclasses 200+ for means or steps for managing and maintaining files and databases in computers and digital data computer systems. 715,  Data Processing: Presentation Processing of Document, Operator Interface Processing, and Screen Saver Display Processing,   subclasses 733 through 759for concurrently established related or collaborative user interfaces including computer conferencing and computer supported cooperative work.

205	Cooperative computer processing:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 204.  Subject matter wherein the plural computers or digital data processing systems jointly operate on the same data. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 345,  Computer Graphics Processing and Selective Visual Display Systems,   subclasses 1.1 through 3.4for plural display systems. 715,  Data Processing: Presentation Processing of Document, Operator Interface Processing, and Screen Saver Display Processing,   subclasses 733 through 759for operator interfaces for cooperative computer work.

206	Demand based messaging:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 204.  Subject matter further comprising means or steps for processing user data in response to a demand to transfer data between the computers (e.g., electronic mail messaging). SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 379,  Telephonic Communications,   subclasses 93.01+ for transmitting a digital message signal over a telephone line.

207	Priority based messaging:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 204.  Subject matter further comprising means or steps for processing data in response to the priority characteristics of data transferred between the computers (e.g., message priority alerts).

208	MASTER/SLAVE COMPUTER CONTROLLING:
	This subclass is indented under the class definition.  Subject matter wherein one or more of the computers (i.e., master computers) regulates the operations of one or more of the other computers (i.e., slave computers). SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 201+, for distributed data processing data transfer. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 340,  Communications: Electrical,   subclasses 825 through 825.98for controlling one or more devices to obtain a plurality of results by transmission of a designated one of plural distinctive control signals over a smaller number of communication lines or channels, particularly subclasses 3.1-3.9 for communication systems where status of a controlled device is communicated. 700,  Data Processing: Generic Control Systems or Specific Applications,   subclass 3 for master/slave arrangements in general purpose digital processing control systems (e.g., feedback control systems). 710,  Electrical Computers and Digital Data Processing Systems: Input/Output,   subclass 110 for master/slave controlling within a single digital data processing system. 712,  Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Processing Architecture and Instruction Processing (e.g., Processors),   subclass 31 for master/slave distributed processing system architectures.

209	Master/slave mode selecting:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 208.  Subject matter wherein at least one of the computers can function either as a master computer or as a slave computer.

210	Slave computer locking:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 208.  Subject matter further comprising means or steps for restricting at least one of the slave computers to exchange data with only one of a plurality of master computers.

211	Master accessing slave storage:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 208.  Subject matter further comprising means or steps for enabling at least one of the regulating (i.e., master) computers to store data to or read data from memory of at least one of the of the regulated (i.e., slave) computers.

212	COMPUTER-TO-COMPUTER DIRECT MEMORY ACCESSING:
	This subclass is indented under the class definition.  Subject matter further comprising means or steps for transferring data between memories of different computers with minimal or no intervention from main processors of the computers. (1) Note. Subject matter comprising means or steps for transferring data directly between the peripherals and memories of computers rather than between computers is classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS note below. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 710,  Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Input/Output,   subclasses 22+ for input/output data processing with direct memory accessing (DMA) for transferring data directly between the peripheral and memories of computers.

213	MULTICOMPUTER DATA TRANSFERRING VIA SHARED MEMORY:
	This subclass is indented under the class definition.  Subject matter wherein the computers transfer data through one or more memories accessible by the computers. (1) Note. Means or steps for employing shared memory in computer graphics processing and for accessing and controlling shared memory, per se, are classified elsewhere. See the SEE OR SEARCH CLASS, notes below. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: 345,  Computer Graphics Processing and Selective Visual Display Systems,   subclass 512 for employing shared memory in computer graphics computer. 711,  Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Memory,   subclasses 147+ for shared memory accessing and controlling, per se.

214	Plural shared memories:
	This subclass is indented under subclass 213.  Subject matter wherein at least one of the computers selects at least one of a plurality of memories and transfers the data through the selected memories. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS: