Cellular network assignment processor using minimum/maximum convergence technique

Claim 1

An information processor (10) having a multi-­dimensional matrix of processing cells (12), each of said cells (12) being arranged in rows and capable of receiving, storing, and transmitting information values, characterized by: - means for assigning an address to each cell (12); - each of said cells (12) being located at an address that represents a particular set of input parameters in an assignment problem; - means (16) for connecting each cell (12) to every other cell (12) that occupies an address represent­ing a conflict with said cell (12) in said assign­ment problem, said conflict being defined as occurring when more than one cell (12) occupies a given row; - means for comparing the information value of any particular cell (12) to the information value of those cells (12) to which it is connected to determine if it is the minimum or the maximum of said information values; - means for setting flags in selected ones of said cells (12), said flagged cells (12) together comprising the maximum information values in cells (12) in each row and said flagged cells (12) representing a particular solution to said assign­ment problem; - means for determining if a conflict exists between said particular cells (12) and said cells (12) which are flagged and connected; - means for unsetting the flags of said cells (12) which have a conflict; and - means (20) for controlling said comparing means, said setting flags means, and said conflict determ­ining means, so that said comparing means, said flag setting means, and said conflict determining means all operate on one row at a time until a cell (12) with no conflict is found for each row, wherein said flags remain set only for said cells (12) with no conflicts, whereby said cells (12) with no conflicts together represent an optimal solution to said assignment problem that minimizes or maximizes said information value.

Claim 9

A method for processing information, characterized by: - assigning processing cells (12) in a multi-dimen­sional matrix to addresses corresponding to loca­tions, wherein each cell's (12) location represents a particular input parameter in an assignment problem, and each cell (12) is arranged in rows and are capable of receiving, storing and trans­mitting information values; - storing said information values in each cell (12); - connecting each cell (12) to every other cell (12) that occupies an address representing a conflict with said cell (12) in said assignment problem, said conflicts being defined as occurring when more than one cell (12) occupies any given row; - comparing the information value of a particular cell (12) to the information value of those cells (12) to which it is connected in a given row to determine if it is the minimum or it is the maximum of the information values in said row; - setting flags in selected ones of said cells (12), said flagged cells (12) together comprising the maximum information cells (12) in each row and said flagged cells (12) representing a potential solution to said assignment problem; - determining if a conflict exists between said particular cell (12) and said cells (12) which are flagged and connected to said particular cell (12); - unsetting said flags of said particular cells (12) which are found to have conflicts; - performing said steps of comparing, setting flags, determining, and unsetting flags on one row at a time until a cell (12) with no conflict is found in each row, wherein said flags remain set for only said cells with no conflicts, whereby said cells (12) with no conflicts represent an optimum solution to said assignment problem which maximizes or minimizes said information values.

Claim 10

A method for processing information, characterized by: - assigning processing cells (12) in a multi-dimen­sional matrix to addresses corresponding to loca­tions, wherein each cell's (12) location represents a particular input parameter in an assignment problem, and each cell (12) is arranged in rows and are capable of receiving, storing and trans­mitting information values; - storing said information values in each cell (12); - connecting each cell (12) to every other cell (12) that occupies an address representing a conflict with said cell (12) in said assignment problem, said conflicts being defined as occurring when more than one cell (12) occupies any given row; - comparing the information value of a particular cell (12) to the information value of those cells (12) to which it is connected in a given row to determine if it is the minimum or it is the maximum of the information values in said row; - setting flags in selected ones of said cells (12), said flagged cells (12) together comprising the maximum information cells (12) in each row and said flagged cells (12) representing a potential solution to said assignment problem; - determining if a conflict exists between said particular cell (12) and said cells (12) which are flagged and connected to said particular cell (12); - unsetting said flags of said particular cells (12) which are found to have conflicts; - performing said steps of comparing, setting flags, determining, and unsetting flags on one row at a time until a cell (12) with no conflict is found in each row, wherein said flags remain set for only said cells with no conflicts, whereby said cells (12) with no conflicts represent an optimum solution to said assignment problem which maximizes or minimizes said information values.

Claim 13

The method of any of claims 7 through 9, character­ized in that said assignment problem is one involving deghosting angle-only target (28) data from multiple sensors (26); - each of said rows represent angles for one of said sensors (26); - said number of rows represent the number of targets (28) in said assignment problem; and - said information values are cost values proportional to an area formed by the intersection of said target (28) data from said multiple sensors (26).