Patent ID: 7512581

Claim:
An electronic circuit for use in computational decision making based on a using a hierarchical tree structure, including: a) a plurality of positions having modified values which positions may correspond to outputs, b) a plurality of supporting and objecting arguments having values each of which is associated with one of said positions and which may correspond to input data and c) a plurality of linkages between said positions and arguments representing functional relationships between said positions and arguments, the hierarchical tree structure operating according to the steps of: a) sequentially selecting each of said positions in said tree structure; b) calculating a position modified value for each selected position by accumulating and mathematically combining the supporting arguments and objecting arguments associated with the position; and c) adjusting a plurality of position and argument related values for all other positions after said modified position value for each selected position is calculated based on the functional relationships defined in said linkage data structure to arrive at adjusted values for said other positions and arguments; wherein the positions are implemented by circuitry cells accepting as inputs the supporting and objecting arguments and producing as outputs the modified values, the linkages between positions represented by electrical interconnections between the circuitry cells.