Electronic urn decision device

• US 4,023,024 A
• Filed: 05/19/1975
• Issued: 05/10/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Bishop, Walton B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Atkinson, Charles E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Krass, Errol A.
• Application Number:
  US05/578,952
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 235/152, 331/78, 343/6.5 R, 343/6.5 LC
• US Class Current: 377/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/70 using stochastic pulse trains, i.e. randomly occurring pulses the average pulse rates of which represent numbers conversion of analogue signals into stochastic pulse trains and vice versa H03M1/04

Abstract

A probabilistic decision making device produces an "Accept" decision when a predetermined ratio of input 1'"'"'s to 0'"'"'s is established for a predetermined total amount of binary information. The decision making process in essence is an implementation of probability theory relating to a classical "Urn" problem. The device forms a standard reference decision device for similar types of decision making apparatus.

Claims

1. A decision device for making probabilistic decisions regarding the most recent set, W, of a series of binary 1 and 0 sample signals comprising, in combination:

terminal means for connection to separate sources of binary 1 and 0 sample signals;

W-counting means for counting the total number of 1 and 0 sample signals received and providing an output signal when the total exceeds a preselected number, W;

T-counting means for receiving a continuing series of binary 1 and 0 signals and converting them to a number of output signals, T_i, where i is a number from 1 to a preselected value A, T_A corresponding to a probability value of 1'"'"'s relative to the number of 1'"'"'s and 0'"'"'s in said T-counting means which has been selected as the probability level at which an Accept decision will be made;

probability-setting means, connected to said terminal means, said W-counting means and said T-counting means, said probability-setting means including special-purpose, pseudorandom, binary-sequence-generator means, for causing the count of said T-counting means, after the W-counting means has reached a count of W, to be reduced by one unit with a probability of T_i /W if the received input binary sample is a 0, and to be increased by one unit with a probability of W-T_i /W if the received input binary sample is a 1;

M-counting means, connected to said terminal means, for counting said 1 and 0 samples and producing an output signal when the total number of 1'"'"'s and 0'"'"'s becomes equal to M, a preselected binary number related to the maximum number of samples to be considered before a NON-Accept decision is made, M being a number greater than the number W;

logic means, connected to receive the output signal of said M-counting means and the T_A output signal of said T-counting means, for generating a Non-Accept output signal whenever said M-counting means reaches a count of M before said T-counting means reaches a count of T_A and for generating an Accept signal whenever said T-counting means reaches a count of T_A before said M-counting means reaches a count of M.

2. A decision device as in claim 1, further including:

second terminal means for connection to a reset-signal source for resetting the decision device to an initial starting condition, said second terminal means being connected to said M-counting means, said T-counting means, and said logic means.

3. A decision device as in claim 1, wherein said T-counting means produces a further output signal, T_T, which is fed to said logic means, T_T being a number which is smaller than T_A and being produced whenever the count of said T-counting means decreases from a count greater than T_T to T_T.

4. A decision device as in claim 1, wherein said probability-setting means includes means for storing different binary numbers, B_i, corresponding to different preselected probability values, each said T_i output signal from said T-counting means being connected to permit a different one of said B_i numbers to be fed to said binary-sequence-generator means for comparison with a binary number, Y, generated thereby,

said binary-sequence-generator means generating a signal for decreasing by one unit the count of said T-counting means when B_i is less than Y and a binary 0 sample signal is received by the decision device and generating a signal for increasing by one unit the count of said T-counting means when B_i is equal to or greater than Y and a binary 1 sample signal is received by the decision device.

5. A decision device as in claim 4, wherein said probability-setting means includes means for permitting said increasing and decreasing signals to pass to said T-counting means only after the W-counting means has reached a count of W.