On-line Data Collection Without Updating
John E. Bingham, Garth W. P. Davies · 1977
In this case, the transmission device remains linked ‘live’ to the central computer throughout working hours. Typically, however, transmission is intermittent, data travelling along the telephone lines only when some event takes place at the remote location. Hence, although the telephone line usage may be high (perhaps 10 hours a day) the volume of data actually transmitted may be low. The advantage of this arrangement is that, when the remote locations do cease operating, all the data are already stored in the central computer system. No delay for transmission and data entry into the computer system is necessary before batch processing of the day’s data can begin. A particular advantage is that any queries and errors on the data received can have been identified and mostly cleared during the day as they arrive. However, it is important to note that no on-line updating of the central file occurs. Normal batch operations handle this at the end of the input phase. Hence, in the simplest case the software used and the system design need only be very simple indeed, just enough to receive and edit incoming data. No special software for the control of files as they are simultaneously interrogated and updated is required.