The OKITACsystem50 was marketed in 1978. While providing real-time processing such as data collection/processing and data communications, it was equipped with multiprogramming functions for parallel processing of scientific/engineering calculations and business calculations, with some level prince as previous minicomputers.
The design was supported by the remarkable development of semiconductor technology at that time, for example by LSI. One-chip CPUs called microprocessors appeared, and the trend of eroding the minicomputer lower-end market became entrenched. On the other hand, technologies using computers became more sophisticated, and the trend was toward use of minicomputers in the areas previously thought to be the domain of general-purpose mid/large-size machines decome the trend.
The OKITACsystem50 was designed to meet those needs and provided features such as: online capability, multiprogramming capability, OS (DOS/FOS/MOS) capability, high-functionality instructions with awareness of high-level language processing (FORTRAN, COBOL, BASIC, RPG etc.), a memory protection mechanism, task switching, a high-speed interrupt mechanism, input/output control and high-capacity files.
| Model 10 | Model 20 | Model 40 | Model 60 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Announcement date | March 1978 | July 1975, | July 1975 | March 1978 | |
| CPU | 16bit independently developed CPU | ||||
| Memory elements | Magnetic core/MOS IC | Magnetic core/IC | MOS IC | ||
| Cycle time | 650nsec | 650nsec | 600nsec | ||
| Memory capacity | 32KB-65KB | 32KB-256KB | 256KB-2MB | ||
| Control system | Microprogram control | ||||
| Number of instructions | Basic 57, Optional 43 | Basic 57, Optional 43 | Basic 66, Optional 34 | Basic 81, Optional 37 | |
| Data format | Fixed point numbers (single/double), Floating point numbers (single/double), Decimal data (variable length), logic data (bit, byte, word, variable length) | ||||
| Add/Subtract speed*1 | R-R 1.60µsec | R-R 1.02µsec | R-R 1.02µsec | R-R 0.25µsec | |
| R-M 3.52µsec | R-M 2.04µsec | R-M 2.04µsec | R-M 0.75µsec | ||
| Registers | 16bit general-purpose registers (x8), 32-bit floating point registers (x2), 16-bit control registers (x8) | ||||
| CPU mechanisms | Memory protect mechanism | Added | Basic function | ||
| Timer mechanism | Added | Basic function | |||
| Multiple job mechanism | Basic function | Added | Basic function | ||
| Floating point operation mechanism | Added | ||||
| Decimal operation mechanism | Added | ||||
| IPL mechanism | Basic function | ||||
| Automatic restart mechanism | Basic function (Desk type) | Added | Basic function | ||
| Power supply error detection mechanism | Basic function (Desk type) | Added | Basic function | ||
| Temperature error detection function | None | Added | |||
| Ventilation error detection function | None | Basic function | |||
| Dual interface mechanism | None | Added | |||
| Other | For control and for dedicated systems | Large-scale dedicated systems, Multi-purpose systems | |||
