Dynamic activity-creating data-driven computer architecture

Claim 1

In a computer architecture of the Petri Net type wherein a plurality of pre-established sub-functions, defining a total function, process portions of the common input data asynchronously to generate a single combined output reflecting the total function as applied to input data, an improvement comprising: (a) a plurality of data processors; (b) means for subdividing said total function when said total function is beyond the capability of an individual one of said data processors. (c) function library means coupled to said data processors for storing each unique sub-function in a storage area as a replicator which can be copied and used by said data processors as needed on a dynamic basis; (d) data queue means for recirculating data to be processed by said data processors continuously past said data processors until data is removed from said data queue means by one of said data processors, and for supplying said data to selected data processors; (e) activity queue means for storing a plurality of sets of instructions for operating on selected corresponding data by said data processors, and for recirculating said instructions past said data processors until one of said instructions is taken from said queue by one of said data processors, said activity queue means including means for supplying to all of said data processors, instruction codes, for causing said data processors, (1) to remove particular labeled data from the data queue means, (2) to perform a computational function on said data (3) to introduce output labelled data into said data queue means, (4) to retrieve from the function library stored generalized instruction sequences, and (5) to introduce additional instruction codes into the activity queue means; (f) means for associating one of said sets of instructions from said activity queue with an idle one of said processors; (g) means for applying selected data from said data queue to said one processor, said selected data corresponding to said instructions selected from said activity queue; and (h) said means for subdividing including means for applying subdivided data to the data queue, means for applying sub-function instructions to the activity queue such that further processing by a plurality of idle ones of said data processors can be accomplished and means for recombining the separately processed sub-functions whereby the processing of said total function is accomplished.