Associative Processing And Processors PDF Download

A major goal of the Association-Storing Processor project has been the development of an associative processor for general non-arithmetic computer applications which can be used in a time-sharing on-line mode of operation, which makes efficient use of parallel associative hardware to achieve high processing speed, and which uses an inexpensive serial-access bulk memory for data storage. To achieve this goal, the ASP-Dynabit system has been defined. It makes use of a set of parallel-access content-addressable memories, and a new memory device, called the Dynabit, as the central system components. The Dynabit is a magnetic wire shift register from which a serial-acess bulk memory having no moving parts can be constructed. Since it can be shifted at any rate, from and including zero to its maximum shift rate, it eliminates the need for external buffering. Also, using the Dynabit in conjunction with the associative memories, very complex data searches and modifications can be performed at nearly the maximum rate of data access, and with almost no block transfer of data from bulk storage. Because the ASP-Dynabit system uses associative hardware, it is well suited to LSI fabrication, and thus achieves its orders-of-magnitude improvement in processing speed without a commensurate increase in cost as compared with systems using serial processors. (Author).