COMMUNICATION METHOD AND NETWORK SYSTEM

• US 3,794,983 A
• Filed: 04/17/1973
• Issued: 02/26/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kenan E. Sahin
• Original Assignee: Kenan E. Sahin
• Inventors: Sahin, Kenan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Springborn, Harvey E.
• Application Number:
  US05/351,872
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 340/172.5,146.3 179/18GF
• US Class Current: 382/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/40 Extraction of image or video features

Abstract

Communication methods in networks arranged and interconnected so that each memory-logic module of the network system can initiate an information request that will be propagated to the remaining modules in such manner that a module that is to respond to the information request can have its response transmitted along an efficient path to the module that initiated the request, though totally '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'uninformed'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' as to the location of the same; application of the networks embodying the communication methods to pattern recognition.

Claims

1. A network system comprising a plurality of memory-logic module units each having input and output channels and adapted to receive information request and response messages and, depending upon which of those message types is received, to transmit an output message in a certain manner, means for connecting groups of said module units in polygonic assemblies successively at least in part circumscribing one another and means for connecting each module unit of an assembly to adjacent units of another assembly, said connecting means each comprising connections between an output channel of a unit and an input channel of the unit connected thereto, each unit being provided with means for detecting the channel on which an information request message first arrives at that unit.

2. A network system as claimed in claim 1 and in which any unit may serve as a message source to initiate an information request message having predetermined characteristics that propagates through said connecting means to all other units, the logic of each unit having means operating in accordance with a predetermined algorithm o transmit an output message to the units to which it is connected.

3. A network system as claimed in claim 2 and in which the logic of said units comprises means responsive to receipt of an information request message along input channels for transmitting a response message along an output channel and through said connections back to the message source unit.

4. A network system as claimed in claim 1 and in which the channels of the module units are arranged in accordance with predetermined classes.

5. A network system as claimed in claim 4 and in which the system comprises a combination of module unitS from different classes.

6. A network system as claimed in claim 5 and in which three input and three output channels are provided for each module unit.

7. A network system as claimed in claim 1 and in which each module unit has means for storing information as to the input channel along which an information request message is first received by that unit.

8. A network system as claimed in claim 7 and in which each module unit is further provided with means responsive to a response message for associating that message with the corresponding stored information and transmitting the response message along a channel determined by the stored information.

9. A network system as claimed in claim 7 and in which said module units have means for rejecting subsequent arrivals of earlier received information request messages.

10. A network system as claimed in claim 1 and in which said system has means to produce geometric patterns thereon to be recognized, means for introducing into the system information request messages from a plurality of different regions thereof, means for producing responses to those messages from at least some of the module units disposed within said patterns, and means for detecting the responses, thereby to identify the patterns.

11. A method of communication within a network having a plurality of memory-logic units interconnected by cooperating input and output channels, that comprises, transmitting an information request message from at least one module unit along such channels connected thereto, detecting the first arrival of said message at any module unit and storing information relating to the channel of that module unit which first received the message, re-transmitting the message from that module unit to adjacent module units, receiving a response message at that module unit from another module unit, associating the response message with the stored information, and transmitting the response message from that module unit along a channel depending upon the stored information.

12. A communication network system in which messages may be propagated throughout the system network without the aid of a central processor, which comprises a plurality of module units each having input and output channels, said units being arranged in an array with the output channels of each unit connected to the input channels of adjacent units only, and vice versa, to form the network, but with each module unit communicating with every other module unit in the network through said connections, and means for introducing messages into said network, each of said module units having means for controlling on which output channels thereof messages are to be transmitted therefrom depending upon the arrival pattern of messages received on the input channels thereof.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12 and in which said introducing means comprises means for introducing information request messages into said network and means for introducing response messages into said network in response to said information request messages, said controlling means of said module units having means for recognizing an information request message received on input channels thereof and for transmitting that message on all output channels thereof upon the first receipt of such information request message and having means for transmitting on particular output channels thereof a response message received on input channels thereof depending upon on which of the input channels thereof the corresponding information request message was first received.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13 and in which said controlling means of said module units comprises means for preventing the transmission therefrom of information request messages received thereby subsequent to the first receipt and of response messages for which a corresponding information request message has not been recognized.

15. A system as claimed in claim 13 and in which said controlling means of said module units comprises memOry means for storing identifiers of information request messages and for storing the arrival pattern of such messages.

16. A system as claimed in claim 12 and in which said controlling means of said module units comprises a logic unit having means for switching output channels in accordance with a predetermined algorithm independent of other modules.

17. A system as claimed in claim 12 and in which each of said channels is a one-way channel.

18. A system as claimed in claim 12 and in which said network is hexagonal.

19. A system as claimed in claim 12 and in which said network is star-shaped and has means for introducing messages into the network at the start points thereof.

20. A method of communication and pattern recognition within a network comprising a multiplicity of memory-logic module units interconnected by cooperating input and output channels that comprises applying a geometric pattern to the network to provide a pattern of module units corresponding to such geometric pattern, initiating a plurality of general messages at each of a corresponding plurality of module units disposed near the periphery of the network to communicate such messages throughout the network, returning responses to such messages from certain of the module units of said pattern of module units, and indicating for each general message at least one of:

the number of such returned responses, the time intervals between such responses, the time sequence of such responses, and the average response time.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 and in which the network is star-shaped and the plurality of module units are located at star points of the network.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21 and in which the general messages are initiated at the star points in sequence and the average response time is derived from the responses at the star points in sequence.