One level sorting network

A sorting circuit for sorting three input values into first through third ascendingly ordered output values, said input values being represented by three input sequences, respectively, siad first through said third output values being represented by first through third output sequences, respectively, each of said input and said output sequences being a time sequence having a prescribed number of binary bits arranged from the most significant bit to the least significant bit, said input and said output sequences thereby having corresponding bits each binary bit having either of a logic "0" and a logic "1" level at a time, said sorting circuit comprising:

• state specifying means for specifying any one of an initial state, six first-level states, and six second-level states at a time, each first-level state being accompanied by two second-level states with said two second-level states assigned to two first-level states including said each first-level state, respectively, so that each second-level state may indicate a particular order among said input values, said initial state being a state in which the order of said input values is not yet definite, each first-level state being another state in which the order is determined for only one input value, each of the two second-level states accompanying the last-mentioned first-level state being still another state in which the order is determined for two input values except for said only one input value;
• means for resetting said state specifying means into said initial state;
• checking and driving means coupled to said state specifying means for checking three corresponding bits of the respective input sequences from time to time to drive, when only one bit is checked to have one of the logic "0" and the logic "1" levels with the two binary bits corresponding thereto checked to have the other of the logic "0" and the logic "1" level for the first time after said state specifying means is reset into said initial state, said state specifying means from said initial state to one of said first-level states that is predetermined according to the input sequence in which said only one bit is present, said checking and driving means subsequently driving said state specifying means from said one first-level state to one of the two second-level states accompanying said one first-level state when a particular bit and the binary bit corresponding thereto of two input sequences except for the input sequence in which said only one bit is present are checked to have a predetermined one and the other of the logic "0" and the logic "1" levels, respectively, for the first time after said state specifying means is driven to said one first-level state;
• and
• an output circuit coupled to said state specifying means for arranging said input sequences into said first through said third output sequences according to said initial state, said one first-level state, and said one second-level state.