| 摘要 |
An apparatus is disclosed for use with teletypewriter consoles in teleprinter communication networks for providing transmission time information during message preparation; namely, the number of whole minutes of message time plus either the number of characters remaining to the next full minute, or tenths of minutes of additional message time used. Such information enables the user to anticipate and thus optimize message time for which he is charged in a rounding-up charge procedure commonly used in such teleprinter communication networks. A preferred embodiment consists of a microprocessor-based computer for converting each character on a perforated tape to a sub-unit of time corresponding to the appropriate transmission rate of either TELEX or TWX network services. A 6-digit display permits the user to observe the actual number of whole minutes and either number of characters to the next whole minute or number of tenths of minutes already used in addition to whole minutes as he is preparing a perforated tape containing the message to be transmitted at a subsequent time. By merely checking the display, the operator may be continuously apprised of the time in minutes and tenths of minutes, or time in whole minutes plus the number of characters remaining until the next whole minute of message time, based on the characters already punched onto the perforated tape. In addition, in the preferred embodiment the user may preset a minimum on-line time to account for time lost during answer-back and signing-off which does not ordinarily constitute actual message time but which is still charged to the user. A keyboard is provided for selecting the appropriate message rate for either TELEX or TWX and for entering the appropriate sign-on and sign-off additional time for which he is charged. A particularly novel feature of the invention, which precludes the need for modifying a teletypewriter console device with which the present invention is to be used, is a photosensor circuit through which perforated tape passes as it emanates from the tape perforating device connected to the teletypewriter console.
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