Analog processing system

An information processing system includes a digital computing system, an analog processing device with an arrangement for converting electrical information to information of analog form, and an arrangement responsive to the analog information energy for producing output electrical information. Output data from the digital computing system is applied to the analog processing system via a D/A converter, and an A/D converter applies the output electrical information to the digital computing system. Data modified by the analog processing system may be employed to supplement data applied thereto in a random manner, or in a manner with a known transfer function, in order to introduce perturbations in the data to aid in subsequent processing thereof in the digital computing system.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention is directed to the provision of an analog processing system 
adapted for coupling to a digital processing system, for example a 
microcomputer, in order to enhance the processing capabilities of the 
system. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In conventional data processing systems, data is treated by predetermined 
programs, so that the result of the processing of the data is always 
predictable, even though it may be complex and hence predictable only with 
difficulty. This result occurs since the data processing system has 
employed one or more fixed algorithms in the processing of the data. 
As discussed in my Application Ser. No. 933,165, the method and apparatus 
of the invention are especially adapted for use in artificial intelligence 
systems. The various prior art publications cited therein are encorporated 
herein by reference. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Briefly stated, the invention provides an information processing system 
comprising a digital computing system, an analog processing device 
comprising means for converting electrical information to information of 
analog form, and means responsive to the analog information energy for 
producing output electrical information. A digital-to-analog converter 
applies output data from the digital computing system to the analog 
processing system, and analog-to-digital converter applies the output 
electrical information to the digital computing system. 
By using an analog device for modification of the data, the data may be 
modified in a not completely predictable manner, or at least a not readily 
predictable manner. Thus, in accordance with the invention, the 
information that is applied to the device is known. The device introduces 
a variability to the information that, while perhaps determinable from a 
knowledge of the information and the device, is not readily capable of 
being produced by a computer program operating on the same data. The 
system in accordance with the invention is thus useful in the type of 
situation where the computer does not have sufficient information stored 
in its memory banks to solve a given problem, since the analog area can 
introduce a variability to the stored information. Consequently, if input 
data is received that cannot be directly processed due to lack of 
conformance to stored data requirements, perturbations may be introduced 
into the data that may result in processable data that can be processed 
and learned. 
The analog processing system, or analog area, may be coupled to the 
microcomputer system via conventional digital to analog and analog to 
digital conversion devises, and the microcomputer is provided with 
conventional I/O devices and memory. The input devices may include various 
sensing devices, including, for example, smell, taste, visual, data and 
voice inputs, and the output devices may include visual, data and voice 
output device. The memory may include memory banks for the necessary 
processing, such as linguistic banks, mathematical banks, historical 
banks, etc. 
The analog area comprises a signal processor, receives information or data 
from the microcomputer, and returns information or data to the 
microcomputer. The analog area modifies the data for return to the 
microcomputer, the type of modification being of course dependent upon the 
type of analog area employed. 
For example, in a learning process, data is applied to the analog area. The 
analog area reacts to the data in a manner dependent upon the data and 
upon the analog area itself, to return the modified data. Thus, if one 
type of data is applied to the device that may be considered to the 
"incorrect" data, the device may react thereto, in accordance with the 
transfer function of the device, to provide output data that indicates to 
the microprocessor that the input data was incorrect. The microprocessor 
program must then direct other data to the device, following for example a 
give program, until the device responds with data indicating that a 
"correct" data had been applied thereto. 
The primary concept of the invention, then, resides in the use of an analog 
device, for example of the above type, for processing data received from a 
digital computer, in order to introduce a variability or perturbation in 
the information, so that the computer can employ the modified information 
in obtaining solutions that could not be achieved merely by the use of a 
preset program.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 illustrates generally a system which may encorporate the method and 
apparatus of the invention. A conventional microcomputer 20 is provided 
with program memory 21, data memory 22 and a keyboard input 23, in the 
conventional manner. In addition, other input and output devices may be 
coupled to the microcomputer, depending upon the specific application of 
the invention. For example, a visual input device may be comprised of 
visual sensors, such as one or more CCD's, a sound input device 24 such as 
an ultrasonic detector, a voice input device 25, a visual output device 26 
such as a screen, and a sound output device 27. In addition, in accordance 
with the invention, the microcomputer 20 is coupled to an analog processor 
30, which will be discussed in greater detail in the following paragraphs. 
It is of course apparent that other sensory inputs may be employed in 
accordance with the invention, such as, for example only, tactile sensing 
device, taste sensing device, odor sensing devices, resistance sensing 
devices, as well as text input devices. 
The general form of an analog processor 30 in accordance with the invention 
is illustrated in FIG. 2. In this arrangement, digital signals output from 
an output port 31 of the microcomputer are converted to analog form in a 
conventional digital-to-analog converter 32, the analog signals being 
applied to a transducer 33 coupled to an "analog area" 34. This area 
constitutes a region or device adapted to act upon analog signal, and 
embodiments thereof will be disclosed in greater detail in the following 
paragraphs. An analog output of the analog area is provided by transducer 
35, and applied to the analog-to-digital converter 36 for application to 
the digital port 37 of the microcomputer. The analog area is preferably, 
but not necessarily, subject to an external influence 38. 
The analog area 34 is adapted to influence the analog signals applied 
thereto in a given manner, which may be random, pseudorandom or in 
accordance with one or more algorithms, so that the signals applied to the 
port 37 are modifications of the signals output from port 31. 
FIG. 3 illustrates a generalized flow diagram for processing in accordance 
with one embodiment of the invention, employing an analog processor. The 
process is directed to a solution to a processing program that exists when 
input data does not conform for some reason to data stored in the 
computer, so that the microcomputer cannot readily process the data. This 
may occur, for example, in a recognition system in which it has not been 
feasible to store all possible input conditions, or if input conditions 
have changed in an unforeseeable manner so that the processing of data 
becomes difficult or impossible. 
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the input data 40, in digital form or converted 
to digital form, is tested at block 41 to determine if it corresponds to 
data that can be processed or recognized. If not, it is converted to 
analog form at block 42, processed in analog form at block 43 in an analog 
processor in accordance with the invention, and reconverted to digital 
form at block 44. The modified data is now tested, at block 45, to 
determine if it can be recognized or processed by the digital system. If 
not, the modified data is reintroduced to the digital to analog converter 
for further modification. If the unmodified data or modified data is 
accepted for processing by the digital system, it is processed normally, 
in accordance with the stored program, at blocks 46, 47, respectively. 
In accordance with a further feature, if the data is acceptable for 
processing after modification, the input data prior to such modification 
may be added to the data base at block 48, the system thereby learning 
that such data is now acceptable without analog processing. 
FIG. 3 further illustrated that the analog processor may be provided with 
an additional input device or system 49, for controlling the transfer 
function of the analog device in a random or determinable manner. 
A modification of a portion of the process of FIG. 3 is illustrated in FIG. 
4, wherein the unmodified data is initially stored at block 50 and, if the 
modified data is not suitable for processing, the system is controlled by 
block 51 to reprocess the unmodified stored data. This process of course 
assumes that the transfer function of the analog processing is random or a 
changes in other manners as a function of time. 
A still further modification of the process is illustrated in FIG. 5, 
wherein the input data is compared with data base, at block 55 so that the 
data base may be modified, at block 56, if necessary, upon any successful 
comparison. 
FIG. 6 illustrates a further process in accordance with the invention, 
wherein the input data is applied directly to the digital-to-analog 
converter 61, or via the microcomputer in modified or unmodified form, for 
processing by the analog processor 62. The modified analog data is 
reconverted to digital form in block 63, to provide the system output. In 
this embodiment of the invention, the transfer function of the analog 
processor is either known or reproducible. The output may thus comprise an 
encryption of the input data that is capable of being decrypted. 
FIG. 7 illustrates a more specific embodiment of the process described, for 
example, with reference to FIG. 3. In this example the invention, the is 
adapted to recognize input voice signals, or to translate input voice 
signals into another form such a ASCII code. It is further assumed that 
the program of the system, and its database, has been prepared for the 
recognition of specific frequency characteristics of the voice of a given 
individual, as input at block 70. The input voice signals are converted to 
digital form representative of the frequency components thereof, at block 
71, by conventional means, and these frequency components are compared 
with the stored frequency components of speech sounds, syllables, etc., of 
that individual, at block 72. If the frequency components of the input 
signal match those of the stored data, the program proceeds normally at 
block 73 to recognize the individual or otherwise process the signals and 
then return to receive a further input. 
On some occasions, however, some frequency components of the voice of the 
individual may vary, for example due to illness, changes in the teeth, 
etc. In such an instance, the frequency data stored in the data base may 
not adequately match that of the input signals for recognition to occur, 
or for translation of the input signals to occur. In this event, the 
signals corresponding to the frequency components are converted to analog 
form at block 42, processed in the analog area at block 43, and 
reconverted to digital form at block 44. These reconverted signals are 
then compared with the data base at block 72, and the above procedure is 
repeated. 
If desired, the number or times that modifications are made on given 
signals may be counted, at block 57, to reject any further processing of 
those signals after a predetermined number of modifications thereof, at 
block 76. 
The modifications to the frequency component signals introduced by the 
analog area may be random, as illustrated for example in FIG. 8. Thus, the 
output of a random frequency generator 80, generating frequency components 
in a random manner, is converted to analog form at block 81, to introduce 
a variable into the analog area, to influence the frequency components of 
the voice signals as output from the analog area in a random manner. 
The system in accordance with the invention thus enables the modification 
of data in a predictable manner, or an unpredictable manner if desired, in 
order to enable processing of the signals by techniques that are either 
impossible or not readily possible when the signals are processed solely 
by digital processing equipment. The resultant perturbations of the 
signals, which may follow statistical laws, thus enabling the achieving in 
a simple manner of results that would be difficult to achieve when 
employing fixed digital processing programs. 
FIGS. 9-15 are simplified illustrations of several embodiment of analog 
areas that may be employed, in accordance with the invention. 
In one embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in FIG. 9, a container 
90 filled with a chemical solution 91, is provided with an input electrode 
93 connected to receive the input analog voltage, an output electrode 94 
connected to the analog output, and a reference electrode 95. The 
characteristics of the chemical solution are varied by a number of 
factors, such as the voltage at the electrode 93, and exterior influences 
such as temperature, light, etc., to couple a voltage to the electrode 94. 
In a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 9, as illustrated in FIG. 10, 
the container 90 is filled with a potassium iodide/iodine solution, and 
the analog input voltage is applied between a pair of spaced electrodes 
100,101. The analog output of obtained from a pair of spaced electrodes 
102, 103, which may be silver and platinum respectively. If desired, the 
electrodes 102, 103 may be adapted to be moved in the solution, as 
indicated by the arrow 104, or additional pairs of such electrodes may be 
provided at a number of locations in the solution, in order to provide 
different outputs corresponding to the positions of the electrodes in the 
solution. 
In the embodiment of the analog area of the invention as illustrated in 
FIG. 11, the analog input is employed to control the voltage of a voltage 
multiplier, e.g. a power amplifier, whose output is connected as the 
source of power for an arc lamp 111. A resistor 112 is provided in the 
current path of the arc lamp in order to sense an analog output voltage 
representative of the current flow in the arc. 
In the modification of the arrangement of FIG. 11, as illustrated in FIG. 
12, the output of the analog area is coupled to a photosensor 120 
positioned to sense the light output of the arc lamp. 
In the embodiment of the analog area illustrated in FIG. 13, the analog 
input voltage is applied to a silicon light sensor 130, with the analog 
output voltage being take across a resistor 131 in series with the light 
sensor. It is of course apparent that other light sensing devices may be 
employed for the purpose. The analog output is hence a function of the 
physical characteristics of the sensing device, as well as the analog 
input and ambient light conditions. 
As illustrated in FIG. 14, a phosphorescent layer 140 is provided inside of 
a spherical shell 141 defined by a semiconductive silicon transducer 
layer. The shell is provided with terminals encircling the shell for 
receiving the input analog signals. This transducer transforms the input 
energy to energize the phosphorescent substance to glow inside of the 
spherical shell. This glow is received by the silicon layer to produce an 
output for application to the microcomputer. The output signals are thus a 
function of the input signal, as well as the response of the 
phosphorescent material to the energy produced by the silicon layer and 
the algorithm of the response of the silicon layer to the glow that is 
thereby produced. The response of the silicon layer is not be entirely 
predictable in view of the complexity of the system, as well as the fact 
that many variable factors are involved. 
In a still further embodiment of the analog area, as illustrated in FIG. 
15, The analog input voltage is applied to a heating element 150, such as 
a resistor. The temperature of the element is sensed by a thermocouple 
151, to provide the analog output voltage. The output voltage is a 
function not only of the input analog voltage, but also ambient 
conditions. 
It is of course apparent that other devices may be employed for the analog 
area, and that the invention is not limited to use of the above disclosed 
devices. For example, the analog area may employ device using variable 
magnetic, pneumatic, nuclear, mechanical, thermal, etc. characteristics. 
Thus, in a magnetic system, input energy may be applied to a develop a 
magnetic field that is adapted to be influenced be external energy, such 
as a counter field, with the analog output being a function of a current 
in the system. In a mechanical system, the position of a mechanical 
element as a function of time, such as a harmonically movable element, may 
determine the transfer function of the device. 
The analog area device thus has a pass or transfer function for the data or 
other signals that is dependent upon the device itself, but the function 
is not necessarily entirely predictable in any given situation in view of 
the physical nature of the device. The information that comes out of the 
device is thus different from the information that was applied to it. This 
change of information represents a variability that enables the 
microcomputer to process information in a manner that could not have been 
done if the information were merely digitally modified in accordance with 
any desired algorithm. 
While the invention has been disclosed and described with reference to a 
single embodiment, it will be apparent that variations and modification 
may be made therein, and it is therefore intended in the following claims 
to cover each such variation and modification as falls within the true 
spirit and scope of the invention.