Constant-distance structure polycellular very large scale integrated circuit

Claim 1

An integrated circuit comprising an array of a plurality of data processing cells, each of said cells comprising: first, second, third and fourth boundaries shared with first, second, third and fourth neighboring cells respectively in unidirectionally sequentially numbered by unit increment and sequentially rotationally displaced first, second, third and fourth respective directions, first, second, third and fourth data links associated respectively with said first, second, third and fourth boundaries, and each selectively operable in a first mode to receive data from that link next lower in number and to provide data to that link next higher in number and is selectively operable in a second mode to couple data received from said link next lower in number across said associated boundary and to receive data from across said associated boundary for coupling to said link next higher in number, a single data processing element coupled intermediately between a first one of said links and that link next higher in number than said first one of said links, a first coupling section coupled to transfer said data between said first data link and said second data link, a second coupling section coupled to transfer said data between said second data link and said third data link, a third coupling section coupled to transfer said data between said third data link and said fourth data link, and a fourth coupling section coupled to transfer said data between said fourth data link and said first data link, where said array comprises two types of cells; a first type of cell wherein said data processing element is associated with said first coupling section and a second type of cell wherein said data processing element is associated with said third coupling section, and where said first and second types of cells are arranged alternately on said integrated circuit such that no cell of said first type can transfer data to another cell of said first type and no cell of said second type can transfer data to another cell of said second type, each cell in said array being coupled to receive a command and being operable to respond thereto to transfer data between itself and a selected neighboring cell by a communicating cell having the link adjacent to said selected neighboring cell selected to operate in said second mode to communicate with the selected neighboring cell and by the link in the selected neighboring cell adjacent to said communicating cell also being selected to operate in said second mode, whereby the path between any one pair of sequential data processing elements in any chain grown in said array is of the same length as any other path between any other pair of sequential data processing elements in the chain.