System with plurality of processing elememts each generates respective instruction based upon portions of individual word received from a crossbar switch

Claim 1

A data processing system for processing signals presented at an input as a stream of digital data, comprising at least one data processing unit comprising: (a) at least one processor module comprising a plurality of processor elements disposed to function in parallel with one another, said processor elements including at least one processor element chosen from the group consisting of an arithmetic processor element, a logic processor element and a memory processor element; (b) a crossbar switch to which input signals for a first processor module and output signals from processor elements belonging to additional processor modules are supplied and from which input signals for said processor elements belonging to said additional processor modules and output signals from said first processor module are obtained, and from which a plurality of data words are obtained. said arithmetic and logic processor elements each further comprising: (i) a program memory coupled to said crossbar switch; (ii) constructing means coupled to said program memory and said crossbar switch, for obtaining from said crossbar switch, synchronously with said stream of digital data, said data words and for constructing a stream of instructions comprising portions of said data words and portions of words stored in said program memory, and (iii) an arithmetic logic unit having an instruction input for receiving said stream of instructions.