Analog Sorter
AssigneesAT&T Mobility II LLC, AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
InventorsSheldon K. Meredith, William C. Cottrill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A list of digital elements to be sorted are converted to a group of analog signals. The group of analog signals are simultaneously compared to each other to determine the largest analog signal in the group. The largest analog signal is then compared to each of the analog signals in the group to determine which one or more of the analog signals in the group matches the largest analog signal. The matching one or more of the analog signals is removed from the group and the process is repeated until the group of analog signals have been sorted.
Claims20
A sorting apparatus comprising:
- a sequential loader to load elements of a list to be sorted into a respective plurality of list element blocks;
- each of the list element blocks including,
- a digital storage to store a digital element value of a list element that has been loaded;
- a digital to analog converter to convert the digital element value into an analog signal;
- an analog comparator to compare the analog signal to a peak analog signal and supply a match signal indicative thereof, wherein the analog comparator asserts the match signal when the analog signal matches the peak analog signal;
- and
- a peak detect and hold circuit coupled to receive analog signals from the list element blocks, determine the peak analog signal therefrom, and to supply the peak analog signal to the analog comparators of the list element blocks.
A method comprising:
- receiving list elements of a list to be sorted;
- loading the list elements into respective list element blocks;
- converting the list elements to respective analog signals;
- comparing the respective analog signals to determine a first largest analog signal;
- comparing the first largest analog signal to the respective analog signals to determine which one or more of the respective analog signals matches the first largest analog signal;
- removing the one or more of the respective analog signals that match the first largest analog signal to generate remaining analog signals;
- comparing the remaining analog signals to determine a second largest analog signal;
- comparing the second largest analog signal to the remaining analog signals to determine which one or more of the remaining analog signals matches the second largest analog signal;
- and
- removing the one or more of the remaining analog signals that match the second largest analog signal to generate second remaining analog signals.
A method of sorting comprising:
- comparing a plurality of analog signals corresponding respectively to elements of a list to be sorted;
- selecting, based on the comparing, one of the analog signals;
- determining one or more matches by comparing the one of the analog signals to each of the analog signals to determine which one or more of the analog signals match the one of the analog signals;
- removing from the plurality of analog signals the one or more of the analog signals that match;
- and
- repeating the comparing, selecting, and determining until all of the plurality of analog signals have been sorted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.