| 摘要 |
865,962. Recognizing characters &c. WESTERN ELECTRIC CO. Inc. Sept. 22, 1959 [Oct. 7, 1958], No. 32185/59. Class 106 (1). A spatially-oriented data processing circuit comprises an array of input devices, a corresponding array of threshold-responsive translation devices each connected respectively to its corresponding input device and to adjacent input devices, and an array of output devices for indicating the states of said translation devices. The embodiment comprises photoelectric cells representing an input field, Fig. 1, a translation field, and an output field. Each input is modified according to its immediate neighbours, itself, and various external instructions. Voltages produced by the presence of neighbours are added to which sum its own voltage may be added, subtracted or neither. The final sum has then to overcome a bias before a corresponding output is registered in the output field. The operator may vary at will the bias and the instructions " add," " subtract " and " self " (neither). Operation.-Photo-cell 31, Fig. 3A, corresponds to the centre input 28, Fig. 1, and photo-cells 32-35, Figs. 3A, 3B, correspond to its immediate neighbours. A signal on a line P opens a gate 54 to allow the output of the cell 31 to energize (or not energize) a nip-nop 58 which causes contacts 64, 66 to close to apply a positive, negative or zero potential (corresponding to the " subtract," " add " and " self " instructions) to the transistor 36 whilst positive potentials are applied to transistors 37-40. The transistors 36-40 switch from the cut-off state to the saturated state when the input voltage goes negative. A bias voltage, applied by the actuation of selected ones of relays 86-90, prevents saturation before one, two, &c., as desired, neighbouring photo-cells have been energized. Upon saturation of a transistor the corresponding flip-flop and lamp, e.g. 46, 41, is energized. The output may itself be modified by applying a signal to the lines O, upon which the flip-flops 46-50 operate the device. Reset pulses reset the various components. Specification 862,257 is referred to. |
