Patent ID: 8250055

Claim:
A method of searching a database, the method comprising: encoding a plurality of information items on an array of nonlinear dynamical elements such that each element of the array has a threshold value that confines a state of each element on a fixed point and uniquely encodes an information item on each element, wherein the nonlinear dynamical elements includes at least one logic gate for implementing logical expressions, each element of the array evolves according to a unimodal map of unimodal probability distribution, and the unimodal map is a tent map defined by an equation x n+1 =2 min(x n ,1−x n ) , where each element of the array is denoted by x and n is a number of elements in the array, the logic gate comprising: at least one input for receiving an input signal; and at least one control reference signal; at least one output for producing an output signal; and a nonlinear updater that operates as a dynamically configurable element to produce a plurality of different logic gates as selected, the nonlinear updater controlled by both the reference control signal and the input signal, the nonlinear updater electrically coupled to the input and electrically coupled to the output, and configured to apply a nonlinear function to the reference signal and the input signal in response to both the reference control signal and the input signal to produce the output signal representing a logical expression being implemented by one of the plurality of different logic gates on the input signal; increasing a state value of each element of the array by a value defining a search key that corresponds to a searched-for information item; and updating the state value of each element of the array by performing a nonlinear folding of each state value of each element of the array on a predetermined pivot.