Patent US3868655A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3868655A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Three dimensional optical associative memory
Assignee: Bull HN Information Systems Italia SpA
•
Filing: 1973-11-01
•
Granted: 1975-02-25
•
Expires: 1993-11-01
Abstract
Abstract A three dimensional optical associative memory includes a plurality of optical supports arranged in a stack. Each optical support has a plurality of bit regions, each region comprising three areas, one of which is always transparent and the other two of which are respectively transparent or opaque, or vice versa, according to the binary value of the recorded bit. Collimated beams of polarized light illuminate the different bit regions, and electrically controlled beam shifting devices, including polarization rotators, are interleaved between the supports for shifting the beams to strike selectively ones of the three areas of the bit regions. Photodetectors are employed for detecting the light emerging from each word line formed by the bit regions in order to interrogate contemporaneously all of the optical supports.
Inventors
- 👤 Franco Filippazzi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 13:50
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C13/00; G11C13/04; G11C13/048; G11C15/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
285 words
An associative optical memory system for storing in memory locations binary information arranged in words composed of a plurality of bits and for retrieving the locations containing words matching at least in part with an interrogating word composed of a plurality of bits, comprising: a plurality of optical recording supports, each for recording one bit of each of said words, each support comprising a plurality of bit recording regions, each region comprising a first bit area and a second bit area, each bit being recorded in said first area in either opaque or transparent form according to its value and being recorded in said second bit area in opposite form with respect to said first area, said recording supports being arranged in a stack with bit recording regions of each word in alignment; radiation means for supplying at least a radiation beam for illuminating one of said bit areas of all the bit recording regions of a word; a plurality of electrooptical beam shifting devices for transversely shifting said beam in response to shift control signals, each said beam shifting device being interposed between two subsequent recording supports and between said radiation means and a first of said recording supports; shift control signal generating means coupled to said shifting device for generating signals according to an interrogating word and for shifting said beam in alignment with a predetermined one of said first or second bit area of each bit recording regiOn of the same word, depending on the value of each bit of the interrogating word; and detecting means for detecting the beam emerging from said stack, when said beam is shifted to cross transparent areas in all the bit recording regions of said word.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
285 words
An associative optical memory system for storing in memory locations binary information arranged in words composed of a plurality of bits and for retrieving the locations containing words matching at least in part with an interrogating word composed of a plurality of bits, comprising: a plurality of optical recording supports, each for recording one bit of each of said words, each support comprising a plurality of bit recording regions, each region comprising a first bit area and a second bit area, each bit being recorded in said first area in either opaque or transparent form according to its value and being recorded in said second bit area in opposite form with respect to said first area, said recording supports being arranged in a stack with bit recording regions of each word in alignment; radiation means for supplying at least a radiation beam for illuminating one of said bit areas of all the bit recording regions of a word; a plurality of electrooptical beam shifting devices for transversely shifting said beam in response to shift control signals, each said beam shifting device being interposed between two subsequent recording supports and between said radiation means and a first of said recording supports; shift control signal generating means coupled to said shifting device for generating signals according to an interrogating word and for shifting said beam in alignment with a predetermined one of said first or second bit area of each bit recording regiOn of the same word, depending on the value of each bit of the interrogating word; and detecting means for detecting the beam emerging from said stack, when said beam is shifted to cross transparent areas in all the bit recording regions of said word.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
113 words
An associative optical memory, comprising: a plurality of optical recording supports for recording binary information as a function of the transparency of predetermined areas of said supports, each support comprising a bit recording region, each region comprising two bit recording areas, one of which is opaque and the other of which is transparent according to the binary values of the recorded bit, said recording supports being arranged in an aligned stack with said bit recording regions of each support in alignment; means for directing a beam of radiation through selected areas in each of said aligned bit recording regions; and means for detecting when said beam emerges from said stack of optical supports.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
113 words
An associative optical memory, comprising: a plurality of optical recording supports for recording binary information as a function of the transparency of predetermined areas of said supports, each support comprising a bit recording region, each region comprising two bit recording areas, one of which is opaque and the other of which is transparent according to the binary values of the recorded bit, said recording supports being arranged in an aligned stack with said bit recording regions of each support in alignment; means for directing a beam of radiation through selected areas in each of said aligned bit recording regions; and means for detecting when said beam emerges from said stack of optical supports.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
An associative optical memory, as recited in claim 2, wherein said regions further comprise a third transparent area.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
An associative optical memory, as recited in claim 2, wherein said means for directing said beam comprises polarization rotators and means for controlling said polarization rotators and wherein said beam is a polarized beam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
266 words
An associative optical memory system, comprising: a plurality of optical recording supports for recording binary information as a function of the transparency of predetermined areas of such supports to radiation of a suitable wavelength, each support comprising a plurality of bit recording regions, each region comprising a transparent area, and two bit recording areas, one of which is opaque and the other of which is transparent according to the binary value of the recorded bit, said recording supports being arranged in a stack, wherein the bit recording regions are aligned in word recording lines, each support recording all the bits of the same order of a word; an illuminating device for supplying as many collimated beams of said radiation as there are word recording lines, each beam being in register with a word recording line; a plurality of electrooptical beam shifting devices, for transversely shifting the beams in response to shift control signals, each said beam shifting device being interposed between two subsequent recording supports, in such a way, that all beams may be controlled for striking, on each support, a corresponding selected one among the three areas comprised in each bit recording region; and a photoelectric detecting device for detecting any beam emerging from said stack of said optical recording support, the shift control signals of said beam shifting devices being set in accordance to an interrogating word, in such a way, that in case the interrogating word matches at least one of the recorded words, the beam corresponding to said matching words meets only transparent areas along the word recording lines of such words.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
266 words
An associative optical memory system, comprising: a plurality of optical recording supports for recording binary information as a function of the transparency of predetermined areas of such supports to radiation of a suitable wavelength, each support comprising a plurality of bit recording regions, each region comprising a transparent area, and two bit recording areas, one of which is opaque and the other of which is transparent according to the binary value of the recorded bit, said recording supports being arranged in a stack, wherein the bit recording regions are aligned in word recording lines, each support recording all the bits of the same order of a word; an illuminating device for supplying as many collimated beams of said radiation as there are word recording lines, each beam being in register with a word recording line; a plurality of electrooptical beam shifting devices, for transversely shifting the beams in response to shift control signals, each said beam shifting device being interposed between two subsequent recording supports, in such a way, that all beams may be controlled for striking, on each support, a corresponding selected one among the three areas comprised in each bit recording region; and a photoelectric detecting device for detecting any beam emerging from said stack of said optical recording support, the shift control signals of said beam shifting devices being set in accordance to an interrogating word, in such a way, that in case the interrogating word matches at least one of the recorded words, the beam corresponding to said matching words meets only transparent areas along the word recording lines of such words.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The associative optical memory system of claim 5, comprising a plurality of electronic devices interposed between each recording support and the following beam shifting device for restoring the beam emerging from each recording support in a predetermined position in response to an electronic signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The associative optical memory system of claim 5, wherein each bit recording region is substantially square in shape, the transparent area being a rectangle substantially equal to the half of said square, and the bit recording areas occupying the two halves of the remaining rectangle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The associative optical memory system of claim 5, wherein each bit recording region is substantially rectangular in shape, comprising three areas of substantially square shape, one of which is transparent and the other two are said bit recording areas.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3407393A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-24 | 1978-08-26 | 1979-02-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-24 | 1982-08-26 | 1983-02-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-24 | 1986-08-26 | 1987-02-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |