Data processor architecture
First Claim
1. A data processor system comprising:
- an analog memory for storing a program, said analog memory including means for storing the program as a plurality of analog signals;
analog refresh circuitry for refreshing the analog signals stored in said analog memory;
accessing circuitry for accessing the program of stored analog signals from said analog memory; and
a stored program digital data processor for processing data under control of the program of stored analog signals accessed from said analog memory with said accessing circuitry.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to an improved data processor architecture. In a preferred embodiment, this architecture provides a hybrid stored program computer having analog and digital signals, where this architecture utilizes the combination of an integrated circuit analog read only memory, an integrated circuit analog alterable memory, and digital processing logic to achieve a low cost monolithic hybrid data processor. Analog CCD memories are provided for obtaining high capacity storage at low cost. Digital processing is provided for flexibility and capability. Analog to digital converters and digital to analog converters are used for communication between analog and digital portions of the data processor. Adaptive compensation having stored reference signals enhances analog signal precision.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. A data processor system comprising:
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an analog memory for storing a program, said analog memory including means for storing the program as a plurality of analog signals; analog refresh circuitry for refreshing the analog signals stored in said analog memory; accessing circuitry for accessing the program of stored analog signals from said analog memory; and a stored program digital data processor for processing data under control of the program of stored analog signals accessed from said analog memory with said accessing circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A stored program digital computer for processing digital data in response to a stored program, said digital computer comprising:
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an analog main memory for storing a computer program in analog signal form; accessing means for accessing the computer program stored in said analog main memory; a digital operand memory for storing digital operands; and digital processing logic for processing the digital operands stored in said digital operand memory under control of the computer program accessed from said analog main memory with said accessing means. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A data processor system for processing data in response to stored program instructions wherein said data processor comprises:
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an analog main memory for storing program instructions in analog signal form; means for accessing stored program instructions from said analog main memory; and a stored program data processor for processing data in response to the program instructions accessed from said analog main memory with said accessing means. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A memory system comprising:
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an analog memory for storing analog signals; an analog refresh circuit for refreshing the analog signals stored in said analog memory; an analog to digital converter for generating digital signals in response to the stored analog signals from said analog memory; a digital processor for processing the digital signals generated with said converter; and a digital to analog converter for generating analog signals in response to the digital signals processed with said digital processor; wherein said analog memory includes means for storing the analog signals generated with said digital to analog converter. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A data processor system comprising:
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an analog memory for storing analog information, wherein said analog memory includes (a) a nonvolatile memory for storing analog information in nonvolatile signal form, (b) a volatile memory for storing analog information in volatile signal form, (c) a read only memory for storing analog information in read only signal form, (d) an alterable memory for storing analog information in alterable signal form, (e) adaptive control circuitry for adaptively controlling storage of analog information, and (f) shift circuitry for shifting stored analog information; a digital memory for storing digital information, said digital memory including (a) a nonvolatile digital memory for storing digital information in nonvolatile signal form, (b) a volatile digital memory for storing digital information in volatile signal form, (c) a digital read only memory for storing permanent digital information, and (d) an alterable digital memory for storing alterable digital information; accessing circuitry for accessing stored information, said accessing circuitry including (a) analog online accessing circuitry for accessing analog information stored in said analog memory as online analog information, (b) analog offline accessing circuitry for accessing the analog information stored in said analog memory for offline processing, (c) online digital accessing circuitry for accessing digital information stored in said digital memory for online processing, (d) offline digital accessing circuitry for accessing digital information stored in said digital memory for offline processing, (e) a converter for generating digital accessed information in response to the analog information accessed from said analog memory, (f) analog block accessing circuitry for accessing a block of analog information stored in said analog memory, and (g) digital block accessing circuitry for accessing a block of digital information stored in said digital memory; a stored program data processor for processing information in response to a stored program, said data processor including (a) a first processor for processing analog information stored in said analog memory in response to an analog program stored in said analog memory, (b) a second processor for processing digital information stored in said digital memory in response to an analog program stored in said analog memory, (c) a third processor for processing analog information stored in said analog memory in response to a digital program stored in said digital memory, and (d) a fourth processor for processing digital information stored in said digital memory in response to a digital program stored in said digital memory; and a special purpose data processor, said special purpose data processor including (a) a fifth data processor for generating analog output information in response to analog information stored in said analog memory, (b) a sixth data processor for generating digital output information in response to analog information stored in said analog memory, (c) a seventh data processor for generating analog output information in response to digital information stored in said digital memory, and (d) an eighth data processor for generating digital output information in response to digital information stored in said digital memory.
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29. A stored program computer comprising:
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an analog program memory for storing program instructions; means for accessing program instructions from said analog program memory; an operand memory for storing an operand; a digital processor for processing the operand stored in said operand memory in response to the program instructions accessed from said analog program memory with said accessing means. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A stored program analog computer comprising:
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an analog main memory for storing a program in analog signal form; accessing means for accessing the program stored in said analog main memory; an analog scratched memory for storing an operand in analog signal form; and analog circuitry for processing the operand stored in analog signal form in said analog scratchpad memory in response to the program accessed from said analog main memory with said accessing means.
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43. A stored program hybrid computer comprising:
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an analog program memory for storing a program in analog signal form; accessing means for accessing the program from said analog program memory; a digital operand memory for storing an operand in digital signal form; and a stored program digital processor for processing the operand stored in said digital operand memory in digital signal form in response to the program accessed from said analog program memory in analog signal form.
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44. A stored program computer system comprising:
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an analog program memory for storing a computer program as a plurality of analog signals; means for accessing the computer program from said analog program memory; an operand memory for storing a computer operand; and a stored program computer for processing the computer operand stored in said operand memory in response to the computer program accessed from said analog program memory. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A data processor system comprising:
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a magnetic bubble memory for storing analog information in magnetic bubble form, wherein the analog information includes analog program information, and wherein said magnetic bubble memory is a data processor main memory; accessing circuitry for accessing the stored analog information from said magnetic bubble memory in response to an access signal, wherein the analog information accessed with said accessing circuitry is analog program information; and a data processor for generating the access signal, wherein said data processor is a stored program data processor for processing data in response to the analog program information accessed from said main memory with said accessing circuitry.
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Specification