US5164913A — General purpose optical computer

Claim 1

Independent Claim 515 words

A general purpose optical computer for operating upon input data words in accordance with instructions specified by a user, wherein each of the input data words have a predetermined plurality of bits and the specified instructions are implementable by forming combinatorial functionals and combinatorial summations of bits selected from the input data words, from previously formed combinatorial functionals and from previously formed combinatorial summations, the general purpose optical computer comprising light source means responsive to a predetermined number of input bits, for providing a plurality of rays of light of predetermined width which propagate along a plurality of associated optical paths, wherein each of the predetermined number of input bits is associated with a different one of the plurality of rays of light, and further wherein the intensity of each of the plurality of rays of light is determined as a function of the logical state of the associated input bit; detector means positioned in the plurality of optical paths for focusing light which is propagating in each of the plurality of optical paths onto a predetermined point and for detecting the presence or absence of light at the predetermined point, wherein the detector means provide inverted and noninverted outputs of the detected result; control operator means positioned in the plurality of optical paths between the light source means and the detector means, and responsive to control words, for controlling the propagation of light along each of the plurality of optical paths as a function of the control words, wherein each control word has a plurality of bits at least as great in number as the number of input bits being supplied to the light source means, and each bit of any particular control word controls a different one of the plurality of optical paths; and controller means receiving the input data words and the inverted and on-inverted outputs of the detector means, and responsive to the specified instructions, for supplying the input bits to the light source means and for providing control words to the control operator means, to cause the combinatorial functionals and combinatorial summations which implement the specified instruction to be formed at the outputs of the detector means, wherein the input bits are selected from among the bits of the input data words, the previously formed combinatorial functionals and the previously formed combinatorial summations; wherein the control words, which cause combinatorial functionals to be formed, cause selected ones of the selected input bits to be logically ORed with one another, the result of which is detected by the detector means, inverted and provided as an inverted output of the detector means, to represent the logical AND of the complement of the selected input bits to thereby provide the combinatorial functionals for the specified instruction, and further wherein the control words, which cause combinatorial summations to be formed, cause selected ones of the selected input bits to be logically ORed with one another, the result of which is detected by the detector means and provided as a non-inverted output of the detector means to provide the combinatorial summations for the specified instruction.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 515 words

A general purpose optical computer for operating upon input data words in accordance with instructions specified by a user, wherein each of the input data words have a predetermined plurality of bits and the specified instructions are implementable by forming combinatorial functionals and combinatorial summations of bits selected from the input data words, from previously formed combinatorial functionals and from previously formed combinatorial summations, the general purpose optical computer comprising light source means responsive to a predetermined number of input bits, for providing a plurality of rays of light of predetermined width which propagate along a plurality of associated optical paths, wherein each of the predetermined number of input bits is associated with a different one of the plurality of rays of light, and further wherein the intensity of each of the plurality of rays of light is determined as a function of the logical state of the associated input bit; detector means positioned in the plurality of optical paths for focusing light which is propagating in each of the plurality of optical paths onto a predetermined point and for detecting the presence or absence of light at the predetermined point, wherein the detector means provide inverted and noninverted outputs of the detected result; control operator means positioned in the plurality of optical paths between the light source means and the detector means, and responsive to control words, for controlling the propagation of light along each of the plurality of optical paths as a function of the control words, wherein each control word has a plurality of bits at least as great in number as the number of input bits being supplied to the light source means, and each bit of any particular control word controls a different one of the plurality of optical paths; and controller means receiving the input data words and the inverted and on-inverted outputs of the detector means, and responsive to the specified instructions, for supplying the input bits to the light source means and for providing control words to the control operator means, to cause the combinatorial functionals and combinatorial summations which implement the specified instruction to be formed at the outputs of the detector means, wherein the input bits are selected from among the bits of the input data words, the previously formed combinatorial functionals and the previously formed combinatorial summations; wherein the control words, which cause combinatorial functionals to be formed, cause selected ones of the selected input bits to be logically ORed with one another, the result of which is detected by the detector means, inverted and provided as an inverted output of the detector means, to represent the logical AND of the complement of the selected input bits to thereby provide the combinatorial functionals for the specified instruction, and further wherein the control words, which cause combinatorial summations to be formed, cause selected ones of the selected input bits to be logically ORed with one another, the result of which is detected by the detector means and provided as a non-inverted output of the detector means to provide the combinatorial summations for the specified instruction.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 83 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source means comprise a source of light; means positioned with respect to the source of light and responsive to the input bits for modulating the light from the source of light so that the plurality of rays of light are provided, the intensity of each being determined by the logical state of an associated bit from the input data; and lens means for projecting the modulated plurality of rays of light onto the operator means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 50 words

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the operator means comprise means responsive to the control words and positioned in the plurality of optical paths for further controlling the propagation of the modulated plurality of light rays as a function of the logical state of the bits of the control word.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 78 words

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the means for modulating the light from the source of light includes a Bragg cell having a transducer stack dimension; a first pair of telecentric imaging lenses; and a second pair of telecentric imaging lenses positioned with respect to the first pair of telecentric imaging lenses and the Bragg cell to form a planar image of the light from the source of light onto the Bragg cell along its transducer stack dimension.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 140 words

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the plurality of optical paths are positioned about a center optical axis and the Bragg cell has a Bragg angle, and further wherein each of the first pair of telecentric imaging lenses have a lens axis, and each of the second pair of telecentric imaging lenses has a lens axis which is positioned along the center optical axis of the optical paths, wherein the first and second pairs of telecentric imaging lenses are positioned to form a light wedge which has a center and which is incident on the Bragg cell, and further wherein the lens axes of the first pair of telecentric imaging lenses are positioned off of the center axis of the optical paths such that the center of the light wedge is incident on the Bragg cell at the Bragg angle.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 110 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller means comprise means responsive to the instruction supplied by the user for defining a sequence of control words which form combinatorial functionals, combinatorial summations, and designate bits from among the input data words, the previously formed combinatorial functionals, and the previously formed combinatorial summations to be operated upon by the combinatorial functionals and combinatorial summations, which when executed will implement the instruction; and means responsive to the control words and to the bits designated for supplying the control words for forming the combinatorial functionals and combinatorial summations to the operator means, and for supplying the designated bits to the light source means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 122 words

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for defining a sequence of control words comprise memory means for storing a plurality of sequences of control words and data designations at predetermined addresses, each of the plurality of sequences corresponding to a different possible computational primitive; a host processor which is responsive to the instruction from the user for defining the addresses of a series of primitives in the memory means which when executed will implement the instruction from the user; and means responsive to the primitive address from the host processor for addressing the memory means to read out the sequence of control words for each of the primitives in the series of primitives which implement the instruction from the user.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 215 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of associated optical paths are arranges so that each of the plurality of rays of light provided by the light source means is broadcast across its associated optical path to form rows of light across the control operator means, wherein the intensity of the light in each row is determined as a function of the logical state of the associated input bit; wherein the control operator means is positioned across the plurality of associated optical paths, and the control operator means has a plurality of light propagation control regions arranged in columns and rows, with each row of the light propagation control regions being associated with a particular optical path, so that each of the plurality of light propagation control regions in any particular row control the propagation of a corresponding portion of an associated broadcast light ray which is propagating along the associated optical path, and wherein the plurality of light propagation control regions in any particular column are each controlled by bits from a particular control word; and further wherein the detector means focus light propagating through each column of the light propagation control regions onto a different predetermined point and detects the presence or absence of light at each of the different predetermined points.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 67 words

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a plurality of control words are identified by the controller means for the specified instruction, and further wherein each of the bits of the plurality of control words is simultaneously applied to different ones of the columns of light propagation control regions of the control operator means, so that a plurality of combinatorial functionals are simultaneously formed at the detector means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 218 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of associated optical paths are arranged so that each of the plurality of rays of light provided by the light source means is broadcast across its associated optical path to form rows of light across the control operator means, wherein the intensity of the light in each row is determined as a function of the logical state of the associated input bit; wherein the control operator means is positioned across the plurality of associated optical paths, and the control operator means has a plurality of light propagation control regions arranged in columns and rows, with each row of the light propagation control regions being associated with a particular optical path, so that each of the plurality of light propagation control regions in any particular row controls the propagation of a corresponding portion of an associated broadcast light ray which is propagating along the associated optical path; and wherein the state of each of the plurality of light propagation control regions in any particular column is preselected to correspond to a preselected control word; and further wherein the detector means focus light from each column of the light propagation control regions onto a different predetermined point and detects the presence or absence of light at each of the different predetermined points.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control operator means is an optical mask.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 246 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light rays provided by the light source means illuminate the control operator means in a row and column format; and further wherein the input bits supplied to the light source means are in the form of a plurality of input word supplied time sequentially so that each of the input words propagate through the light source means to sequentially control successive columns of the illumination of the control operator means by the light source means; wherein the control operator means is positioned across the plurality of associated optical paths, and has a plurality of light propagation control regions arranged in columns and rows, with each row of the light propagation control regions being associated with a particular optical path, so that each of the plurality of light propagation control regions in any particular row controls the propagation of a corresponding one of the plurality of light rays propagating along the associated optical path, and wherein the state of each of the plurality of light propagation control regions in any particular column are controlled by the logical state of any associated control word; and further wherein the detector means focus light from each column of the light propagation control regions onto a different predetermined point, detects the presence or absence of light at each of the different predetermined points, and provides an output for each of the different predetermined points indicative of whether light is present or absent.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus of claim 12, further wherein the associated control words which control each column of light propagation control regions in the control operator means are supplied simultaneously to provide a fixed control operator plane in the control operator means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 48 words

The apparatus of claim 12, further wherein the controller means supplies control words to the control operator means time sequentially so that each of the control words propagate through the control operator means to sequentially control successive columns of light propagation control regions in the control operator means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control operator means is a spatial light modulator.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus of claim 12, further including means responsive to the outputs provided by the detector means for combining and shifting outputs from the detector means for each of the different predetermined points.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 94 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein combining and shifting means comprise a plurality of storage means each having an input and an output for storing data applied to the input; a plurality of logic means for coupling each of the plurality of storage means to one another in a serial path, and each of which is responsive to a different one of the plurality of outputs of the detector means and to an output of a different one of the plurality of storage means for providing an output which is the logical OR thereof.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 63 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the light source means comprise a source of light; spatial light modulator means having a planar shape for controlling the propagation of light therethrough in a row and column pattern in response to the plurality of control words; means for imaging the light from the source of light onto the spatial light modulator means in parallel beams.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-11-17	1996-05-18	1996-11-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-11-17	2000-05-18	2000-11-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-11-17	2004-05-18	2004-11-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

General purpose optical computer

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag