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

(1) Note. The subject matter of this class 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 class 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) Note. 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) are 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.