Associative network method and apparatus

An interactive network apparatus, arranged in a fixed physical configuration, dynamically reconfigurable to a plurality of logical configurations for user-selected associative recall, comprising:

• a plurality of electrically-activated elements;
• a plurality of input circuits, electrically coupled to said plurality of electrically-activated elements;
• a data bus, electrically coupled to each of said plurality of input circuits, for transmitting a plurality of input signals, with a particular set of input signals comprising a logical name corresponding to and activating a particular electrically-activated element of said plurality of electrically-activated elements;
• a control bus, electrically coupled to each of said plurality of input circuits, for enabling the plurality of input signals;
• a plurality of logical polarity input switches, each of said plurality of logical polarity input switches electrically coupled to a respective input circuit as a configuration control mechanism, the configuration control mechanism electrically coupled to said plurality of electrically-activated elements for setting and resetting a logical polarity of the respective input circuit to determine a network configuration based on a logical polarity of input patterns, the configuration control mechanism also electrically coupled to said data bus and to said control bus;
• a polarity control circuit, electrically coupled to each of said plurality of logical polarity input switches and to said control bus;
• an input control circuit, electrically coupled to each of said plurality of input circuits and to said control bus;
• a plurality of selection level input circuits, electrically coupled to said plurality of electrically-activated elements, respectively, and to said data bus, each of said plurality of selection level input circuits responsive to an activation selection level;
• a selection level control circuit, electrically coupled to said control bus and to each of said plurality of selection level input circuits, for setting and resetting the activation selection level, the activation selection level allowing a multiplicity of electrically-activated elements to be selected concurrently responsive to a partial logical name corresponding to the multiplicity of electrically-activated elements;
• a network element set/reset input circuit, electrically coupled to said plurality of electrically-activated elements and to said data bus, for setting and resetting a state of an electrically-activated element;
• and
• a network element set/reset control circuit, electrically coupled to said control bus and to said network element set/reset input circuit for clearing a state set by at least one of said input control circuit, said logical polarity control circuit, said selection level control circuit, and said network element set/reset input circuit and for resetting the state to a known state.

A process for dynamically configuring a polymorphic network apparatus and for selecting an element of a plurality of elements configured as an N-dimensional object space, said polymorphic network apparatus including a plurality of input circuits, a data bus with a plurality of signal paths, and a control bus, comprising the steps of:

• configuring the plurality of elements for a logical N-dimensional configuration;
• inputting, using the data bus, a polarity selection signal for each of the plurality of input circuits;
• setting, responsive to a first setting of the polarity selection signals, a logical polarity for each of the plurality of input circuits, respectively;
• activating, responsive to the first setting of the logical polarity defining a first partial logical name, a first selected set of elements within the plurality of elements, the first selected set of elements defined by the first partial logical name;
• switching responsive to a second setting of the polarity selection signals, a logical polarity for a plurality of input circuits, respectively;
• and
• activating, responsive to the second setting of logical polarity defining a second partial logical name, a second selected set of elements within the plurality of elements, the second selected set of elements defined by the second partial logical name.

A process for dynamically configuring a polymorphic network apparatus having a plurality of elements, arranged in a fixed physical configuration, into a plurality of logical configurations for associative recall, said polymorphic network apparatus including a plurality of input circuits, a data bus with a plurality of signal paths, and a control bus, comprising the steps of:

• configuring a plurality of elements arranged in a fixed, physical, network configuration for a logical N-dimensional configuration;
• inputting one of a first polarity selection signal and a second polarity selection signal for each of the plurality of signal paths, with the first polarity selection signal corresponding to reversing a logical polarity of a related input circuit and the second polarity selection signal corresponding to restoring the logical polarity of the related input circuit;
• inputting a control signal on the control bus corresponding to a polarity switch enable signal, with the plurality of signal paths accessed by a plurality of polarity control switches;
• inputting an output pattern configuration signal, corresponding to an input data pattern, on the data bus;
• inputting a control signal, corresponding to an input/output pattern configuration enable signal, on the control bus with the plurality of signal paths accessed by a plurality of output pattern configuration circuits;
• and
• associating, during a configuration phase of an associative process, active signals corresponding to wanted input patterns and distinguishing the active signals corresponding to wanted input patterns from signals corresponding to unwanted input patterns.

A process for dynamically configuring and operating a dynamically reconfigurable polymorphic network for mapping a first set of codewords to a second set of codewords, said polymorphic network apparatus including a plurality of input circuits, a data bus having a plurality of signal paths, and a control bus, comprising the steps of:

• configuring a plurality of elements arranged in a fixed, physical network configuration for a logical N-dimensional configuration;
• inputting one of a first polarity selection signal and a second polarity selection signal for each of the plurality of signal paths with the first polarity selection signal corresponding to reversing a logical polarity of a related input circuit and the second polarity selection signal corresponding to restoring the logical polarity of the related input circuit;
• inputting a control signal, corresponding to a polarity switch enable signal, on the control bus with the plurality of signal paths accessed by a plurality of polarity control switches;
• inputting an output pattern configuration signal, corresponding to an input data pattern, on the data bus;
• inputting a control signal, corresponding to an input/output pattern configuration enable signal, on the control bus with the plurality of signal paths accessed by a plurality of output pattern configuration circuits;
• inputting a reference pattern signal, corresponding to an input pattern and an associated output pattern, on the data bus;
• inputting a control signal, corresponding to an input pattern enable signal, on the control bus with the plurality of signal paths accessed by the plurality of input circuits;
• and
• generating, responsive to a particular input pattern of said first set of codewords, an output pattern of said second set of codewords.

A process for adaptively configuring a keyboard for particular user capabilities and preferences using an associative network apparatus including a data bus having a plurality of signal paths, a control bus, and a plurality of electrically-activated elements arranged in a fixed, physical network configuration, with user capabilities and preferences determining a range of available key layout configurations, the process comprising the steps of:

• a. configuring the plurality of electrically-activated elements for a mixed resolution, N-dimensional logical configuration;
• b. inputting on the data bus an output pattern configuration signal, corresponding to an input data pattern, representing a plurality of operational states;
• c. inputting on the control bus a control signal, corresponding to an input/output pattern configuration enable signal, with the plurality of signal paths accessed by a plurality of output pattern configuration circuits;
• d. inputting on the data bus a first reference pattern signal, corresponding to an input pattern representing a first set of user preferences and capabilities and an associated output pattern representing one of a plurality of operational states;
• e. inputting on the control bus a control signal, corresponding to an input pattern enable signal, with the plurality of signal paths accessed by a plurality of input circuits;
• f. inputting on the data bus a next reference pattern signal, corresponding to an input pattern representing a next set of user preferences and capabilities and an associated output pattern representing one of a plurality of operational states;
• g. inputting on the control bus a control signal, corresponding to an input pattern enable signal, with the plurality of signal paths accessed by a plurality of input circuits;
• and
• h. repeating steps f and g for configuring an association between all desired reference patterns for user preferences and capabilities and associated respective output patterns.

A process for adaptively configuring a keyboard for user capabilities and preferences relating to the digits of one hand, using a reconfigurable associative network apparatus including a data bus having a plurality of signal paths, a control bus, and a plurality of elements arranged in a fixed, physical network configuration, comprising the steps of:

• a. configuring the plurality of elements for a logical N-dimensional configuration with each dimension corresponding to a two-state key activation associated with a particular digit of one hand;
• b. inputting, on the data bus, an output pattern configuration signal corresponding to an input data pattern representing a response to a plurality of possible key activations for an input key pattern;
• c. inputting, on the control bus, a control signal corresponding to an input/output pattern configuration enable signal, with the plurality of signal paths accessed by a plurality of output pattern configuration circuits;
• d. inputting, on the data bus, a first reference pattern signal corresponding to an input pattern representing a first combination of keys for an input key pattern;
• e. inputting, on the control bus, a control signal corresponding to an input pattern enable signal, with the plurality of signal paths accessed by a plurality of input circuits;
• f. inputting, on the data bus, a next reference pattern signal corresponding to an input pattern representing a next combination of keys for an input key pattern;
• g. inputting, on the control bus, a control signal corresponding to an input pattern enable signal, with the plurality of signal paths accessed by a plurality of input circuits;
• and
• h. repeating steps f and g for configuring an association between a plurality of combinations of keys for input key patterns and a respective plurality of output patterns.

A process for adaptively configuring a plurality of logically-related input activations permitting any number of actuator means, including all actuator means, to be activated and deactivated simultaneously or sequentially in any sequence, for configuring an associative network apparatus for controlling asynchronously formed message transitions in response to a plurality of logically-related input activations, comprising the steps of:

• a. configuring a plurality of elements arranged in a fixed, physical network configuration for a logical N-dimensional configuration with each dimension corresponding to a two-state key activation;
• b. inputting an output pattern configuration signal on a data bus corresponding to an input data pattern representing a response to a plurality of possible key activations for an input key pattern;
• c. inputting a control signal on a control bus corresponding to an input/output pattern configuration enable signal, with a plurality of signal paths within the data bus accessed by a plurality of output pattern configuration circuits;
• d. inputting a first reference pattern signal on the data bus corresponding to an input pattern corresponding to a first combination of keys for an input key pattern;
• e. inputting a control signal on the control bus corresponding to an input pattern enable signal, with the plurality of signal paths accessed by a plurality of input circuits;
• f. inputting a next reference pattern signal on the data bus corresponding to an input pattern corresponding to a next combination of keys for an input key pattern;
• g. inputting a control signal on the control bus corresponding to an input pattern enable signal, with the plurality of signal paths accessed by a plurality of input circuits;
• and
• h. repeating steps f and g for configuring an association between a plurality of reference patterns for possible combinations of keys for input key patterns and respective output patterns.

A process for adaptively configuring a keyboard for a particular symbol system, comprising the steps of:

• a. configuring a plurality of elements arranged in a fixed, physical network configuration for a mixed-resolution, N-dimensional logical configuration with each dimension corresponding to at least one key pattern;
• b. inputting an output pattern configuration signal on a data bus corresponding to an input data pattern representing a response to a plurality of possible key activations for an input key pattern;
• c. inputting a control signal on a control bus corresponding to an input/output pattern configuration enable signal, with signal paths of the data bus accessed by a plurality of output pattern configuration circuits;
• d. inputting a first reference pattern signal on the data bus corresponding to an input pattern representing a first combination of keys for an input key pattern associated with an instance of a plurality of symbols in a symbol system;
• e. inputting a control signal on said control bus corresponding to an input pattern enable signal, with the signal paths of the data bus accessed by a plurality of input circuits;
• f. inputting a next reference pattern signal on the data bus corresponding to an input pattern representing a next combination of keys for an input key pattern associated with an instance of a plurality of symbols in a symbol system;
• g. inputting a control signal on the control bus corresponding to an input pattern enable signal, with the signal paths of the data bus accessed by a plurality of input circuits;
• and
• h. repeating steps f and g for configuring an association between selected reference patterns for possible combinations of keys for input key patterns and respective symbols.