Adaptive self-repairing processor array

An adaptive self-repairing processor processor array comprising

• a plurality of identical processing cells arranged in parallel orthogonal columns and rows to form a two dimensional matrix,
• the first row of said cells in the array forming a parallel input to the array, each cell of said first row adapted to receive an input signal from a signal source,
• subsequent rows of said cells coupled to immediate neighborhood cells in both orthogonal and diagonal directions relative to said parallel orthogonal rows and columns,
• means in each of said cells to receive an input signal from said coupled cells in a previous cell row and from coupled neighbor cells in the same cell row,
• means in each of said cells to transmit an output signal to coupled cells in a subsequent cell row and to coupled adjacent cells in the same cell row,
• memory means in each cell to store a data value therein,
• logic means to perform simultaneous iterative calculations in the cells of each row based upon said input signals wherein the cells of each cell row calculate new values based upon said input signals and its present memory value and compare the new value with new values attained by said coupled adjacent cells,
• means to update the memory value in each of said cells to store said new value if the new value is different from the present memory value,
• the last row of said cells in the array forming a parallel output from the array, said parallel output representative of a corresponding enhancement of the original signal source parallel input of said array regardless of any inappropriate changes to the instantaneous value of one or more of said array cells due to an abnormality of malfunction in any such affected array cells.

A method of parallel processing of a plurality of input signals from a source, representative of a wave of data, to provide an enhancement to the values of said data wave based upon the difference in signal values between adjacent input signals of the data wave comprising the steps of

• extending said input signals in parallel fashion through an orthogonal array of processor cells wherein cell rows are connected to some neighborhood cells of a previous cell row and to some neighborhood cells of a subsequent cell row and to some neighborhood cells of the same cell row and characterized in that said method relative to an observed cell in each cell row further comprises the steps of:
• computing a new data value in the observed cell which has at least one input from a cell in a previous cell row,
• comparing the new data value of the observed cell with the new data value of at least one adjacent neighbor row cell,
• updating the present data value of the observed cell to the new value if the new data value is the greater or lesser of the compared new value of at least one adjacent neighbor row cell,
• maintaining the present data value of the observed cell if the new data value is the same or not the greater or lesser of the compared new value of said at least one adjacent neighbor row cell,
• outputting the new data value of the observed cell to at least one cell in a subsequent cell row.