Patent US2894150A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3597744A
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Digital computing and information processing machine and system
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1969-09-11
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Granted: 1971-08-03
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Expires: 1989-09-11
Abstract
Abstract This invention provides a new parallel digital computing and information processing machine and system, which is word organized and can be appropriately described as of ''''short wire'''' type. The basic machine has an array of an arbitrarily large number of relatively simple information processing and transferring cells, which are arranged for independent operation in parallel at very high speeds. There is no overall command organization. When properly activated each cell processes or transfers information only within a region of influence containing the cell. Any such array has at least two and may have a multitude of such nonoverlapping regions of influence. The information transfer means between the cells are all ''''short'''' in that no such means connect between cells which are not in each other''s influence regions. Long distance information transfer is achieved by programming means- duplicating information in a ''''bucket brigade'''' fashion from cell to cell. Each cell in the array contains at least one word of information, representing a four address instruction referring to cells in its influence region; and, when properly activated, each cell will decode its respective instruction word, obtain or send the addressed operand-information to neighboring cells; execute the instruction, store any results in the appropriate cells; and activate the next cell in the influence region.
Inventors
- 👤 James H Case
- 👤 Neil C Stewart
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:28
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K19/00; H03K19/02; H03K19/173; H03K19/1733; G; G06; G06F; G06F15/00; G06F15/76; G06F15/80; G06F15/8007; G06F15/8023; H03K19/0175; H03K19/0185; H03K19/018557
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
188 words
A digital computing and information processing machine, comprising an array of information processing and transferring cells of word organized type arranged for independent operation in parallel; each cell of said array containing means for addressing all of the cells within a respective surrounding region containing said cell and limited in extent by bit length of the instruction word; said array having at least two different such surrounding regions associated with two different cells, respectively, which have no cells in common; means for transferring information between any cell in said array and other cells within the region surrounding said any cell; means for deactivating the cells of said array in order to stop their execution of the instructions; and power and clock buslines connected to each cell of said array so that power and clock pulses can be supplied from external sources at such a rate and in such a manner that consecutive pulses are separated from each other far enough in both space and time that, for any given cell within the said array, the surrounding region will contain, at most, one such pulse at any given time.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
188 words
A digital computing and information processing machine, comprising an array of information processing and transferring cells of word organized type arranged for independent operation in parallel; each cell of said array containing means for addressing all of the cells within a respective surrounding region containing said cell and limited in extent by bit length of the instruction word; said array having at least two different such surrounding regions associated with two different cells, respectively, which have no cells in common; means for transferring information between any cell in said array and other cells within the region surrounding said any cell; means for deactivating the cells of said array in order to stop their execution of the instructions; and power and clock buslines connected to each cell of said array so that power and clock pulses can be supplied from external sources at such a rate and in such a manner that consecutive pulses are separated from each other far enough in both space and time that, for any given cell within the said array, the surrounding region will contain, at most, one such pulse at any given time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A machine according to claim 1, wherein there is additionally provided at least one input-output means connected to at least one cell of the array of cells for exchanging information with an external digital device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A machine according to claim 2, wherein there are additionally provided starting means for operating the deactivating means, for initiating the loading of a program into, and for initiating the execution of instructions within certain cells in said input-output means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A machine according to claim 1, wherein there is additionally provided at least one digital storing and transferring machine, and means functionally connecting each of said storing and transferring machines to a cell of the machine of claim 1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A machine according to claim 1, wherein power and clock supply means are connected with the power and clock buslines, respectively, said means being adapted to supply power and clock pulses in the prescribed manner.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A digital computing and information processing system, comprising at least two machines in accordance with claim 1; and means for transferring information between at least one cell of any one of the machines and at least one cell of at least one other of the machines.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein there is additionally provided at least one digital storing and transferring machine; and means functionally connecting each said storing and transferring machine to a cell of the system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system according to claim 7, wherein there is additionally provided at least one input-output means which is functionally attached to at least one cell of one of the machines for exchanging information with an external digital device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
124 words
A digital storing and transferring machine, comprising an array of storing and transferring cells of word organized type arranged for operation in parallel; each cell having means for exchanging information with neighboring cells in a region surrounding said cell; at least two cells of said array having respective surrounding regions which have no cells in common; power and clock pulse buslines connected to each cell of said array, so that external power and clock pulses can be supplied at such a rate and in such a manner that consecutive pulses are separated from each other far enough in space and time so that the surrounding region of any cell within said array contains, at most, one power and clock pulse at any given time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
124 words
A digital storing and transferring machine, comprising an array of storing and transferring cells of word organized type arranged for operation in parallel; each cell having means for exchanging information with neighboring cells in a region surrounding said cell; at least two cells of said array having respective surrounding regions which have no cells in common; power and clock pulse buslines connected to each cell of said array, so that external power and clock pulses can be supplied at such a rate and in such a manner that consecutive pulses are separated from each other far enough in space and time so that the surrounding region of any cell within said array contains, at most, one power and clock pulse at any given time.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
A machine according to claim 9, wherein the cells are arranged in a 1-dimensional array.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
A machine according to claim 9, wherein the cells are arranged in a 2-dimensional array.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
A machine according to claim 9, wherein the cells are arranged in a 3-dimensional array.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
107 words
A machine according to claim 9, wherein the cells of said array have control submodules and double register submodules for storing and transferring information within the said array of cells and have the said means for exchanging information with neighboring cells arranged so that the information may be stored or retrieved in a cyclic fashion, with the cyclic operations proceeding in either a forward or reverse sequence; at east one cell of said array having additional means for transferring the information into or out of said cell, and having means for receiving and operating or information designating the type and extent of cyclic operation to be performed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
A machine according to claim 9, wherein power and clock supply means are connected with the power and clock buslines, respectively, said means being adapted to supply power and clock pulses in the prescribed manner.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
163 words
An information processing and transferring cell of word organized type, comprising means for storing at least one word of information; means for storing and sensing the invention in a special bit contained in a selected one of said at least one word of information, and for initiating the execution of the appropriate instruction in said cell as determined from the information in said bit; means for decoding the said selected one word in said cell; means for exchanging infoRmation with other similar cells as determined by the address in the selected word; means for executing at least two instructions, one being a duplication instruction, wherein information is moved from one set of cells to another set of cells, and the other being a branching instruction, wherein alternative sets of cells are activated for executing their respective instructions; and means connected to said executing means for utilizing signals from a deactivating means for the purpose of stopping the execution of instructions within the cell.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
163 words
An information processing and transferring cell of word organized type, comprising means for storing at least one word of information; means for storing and sensing the invention in a special bit contained in a selected one of said at least one word of information, and for initiating the execution of the appropriate instruction in said cell as determined from the information in said bit; means for decoding the said selected one word in said cell; means for exchanging infoRmation with other similar cells as determined by the address in the selected word; means for executing at least two instructions, one being a duplication instruction, wherein information is moved from one set of cells to another set of cells, and the other being a branching instruction, wherein alternative sets of cells are activated for executing their respective instructions; and means connected to said executing means for utilizing signals from a deactivating means for the purpose of stopping the execution of instructions within the cell.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
A cell according to claim 15, wherein there are additionally provided means for functionally connecting a digital storing and transferring machine to said cell, and means for inserting information into or using information from said machine in accordance with the instructions of said cell.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
A cell according to claim 15, wherein there are additionally provided means for exchanging information with other digital devices external to the cell; and means for supplying from the cell information for the operation of said devices.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
154 words
A storage and transferring cell of word organized type, comprising at least one control submodule, having means for exchanging control signals with other such control submodules in said cell or similar cells, and having means for sending control signals to double-register submodules of said cell and having means for decoding any received signals in order to send out the appropriate, subsequent control signals; at least two double-register submodules, each having means for storing two words of information, and means for receiving a transmitted word in the first register from other submodules of said cell or other similar cells, and means for transferring the information to the second register of the said double-register submodule as controlled by signals from a control submodule of said cell; and information transferring means adapted to functionally connect the second register of the double-register submodule to the first register of various similar submodules in said cell and in similar cells.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
154 words
A storage and transferring cell of word organized type, comprising at least one control submodule, having means for exchanging control signals with other such control submodules in said cell or similar cells, and having means for sending control signals to double-register submodules of said cell and having means for decoding any received signals in order to send out the appropriate, subsequent control signals; at least two double-register submodules, each having means for storing two words of information, and means for receiving a transmitted word in the first register from other submodules of said cell or other similar cells, and means for transferring the information to the second register of the said double-register submodule as controlled by signals from a control submodule of said cell; and information transferring means adapted to functionally connect the second register of the double-register submodule to the first register of various similar submodules in said cell and in similar cells.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
147 words
A digital circuit for storing information and for transferring the stored information to other digital circuits if and when required, comprising digital information storing means; additional means for storing and sensing digital information that determined direction and extent of information transfer to other digital circuits, said additional means being connected to said digital information storing means; means for transferring information from said digital information storing means to other digital transferring circuits and being connected to said additional means; means connected to the said additional means for storing and sensing digital information for automatically changing the digital information that determines direction and extent of information transfer so as to indicate in that digital information the fact that it has passed through said digital circuit; and additional means connected to said digital information storing means for transferring digital information therefrom to other digital circuits that are not transferring circuits.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
147 words
A digital circuit for storing information and for transferring the stored information to other digital circuits if and when required, comprising digital information storing means; additional means for storing and sensing digital information that determined direction and extent of information transfer to other digital circuits, said additional means being connected to said digital information storing means; means for transferring information from said digital information storing means to other digital transferring circuits and being connected to said additional means; means connected to the said additional means for storing and sensing digital information for automatically changing the digital information that determines direction and extent of information transfer so as to indicate in that digital information the fact that it has passed through said digital circuit; and additional means connected to said digital information storing means for transferring digital information therefrom to other digital circuits that are not transferring circuits.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
67 words
A digital circuit according to claim 19, wherein the digital information storing means is a shift register circuit; the additional means for storing and sensing information determining direction and extent of information transfer comprise shift register and decoder circuits; the means for transferring information to other digital circuits are conductors for power pulses; and the means for automatically changing the digital information is an arithmetical reducing circuit.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
67 words
A digital information processing cell of word-organized type including a digital circuit in accordance with claim 19, and additionally including means for storing and sensing in instruction and for executing other instructions from other digital processing information processing cells of word-organized type in an array of such cells; and means connected with the first-named meaNs for receiving and sensing other instructions from other cells in said array.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
32 words
A digital information processing cell according to claim 21, wherein the additional means for storing and sensing an instruction comprises storage register and decoder circuits connected to the digital information storing means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
46 words
A digital information processing cell of word-organized type in accordance with claim 21, wherein the means for transferring information from the digital information storing means to other digital transferring cells is constructed and arranged to transfer said information to a plurality of said other cells simultaneously.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-02 | 1975-02-01 | 1975-08-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-02 | 1979-02-01 | 1979-08-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-02 | 1983-02-01 | 1983-08-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |