Method for finding global extrema of a set of shorts distributed across an array of parallel processing elements

An n-dimensional array of processing elements, comprising:

• a plurality of processing elements interconnected to form an n-dimensional array, each processing element comprising:
• an arithmetic logic unit;
• condition logic responsive to said arithmetic logic unit;
• a plurality of registers connected to a bus and responsive to said arithmetic logic unit;
• a result pipeline responsive to said arithmetic logic unit;
• an interface;
• and
• register files connected between said interface and said result pipeline;
• said processing elements configured to:
• determine a local extrema for each of said processing elements, said local extrema having a most significant byte and a least significant byte;
• serially output in bursts said most significant bytes and said least significant bytes of said local extrema from each of said processing elements to a neighboring processing element until every processing element in a first dimension has received all local extrema along said first dimension, where a burst length is selected to optimize use of each processing elements arithmetic logic unit;
• determine within each of said processing elements a first dimensional extrema for said first dimension of said n-dimensional array, wherein said first dimensional extrema is determined from a plurality of local extrema most significant bytes and least significant bytes stored in said processing elements in said first dimension and wherein said first dimensional extrema has a most significant byte and a least significant byte;
• and
• saving said dimensional extrema.