American Telephone & Telegraph Co., At&t Bell Laboratories

American Telephone and Telegraph, Co.

Calif. Institute of Technology

David W Tank

John J Hopfield

Apparatus that solves the problem of pattern recognition in a temporal signal that is subject to distortions and time warp. The arrangement embodying the invention comprises a neural network, an input interconnection network, and a plurality of signal modification circuits. A plurality of input leads delivers a preselected characteristic stimulus to associated signal modification units, and in response to an applied stimulus, each signal modification unit develops a plurality of output signals that begins at the time of stimulus application, rises to a peak, and decays thereafter. The mean time delay of each output (time to reach the peak) is different for each of the modification unit output signals. The outputs of the signal modification units are applied to the input interconnection unit wherein connections are made in accordance with the sequences that are to be recognized.

Neural computation by time concentration

A network comprising analog amplifiers with a resistive interconnection matrix that connects each amplifier output to the input of all other amplifiers. The connections embodied in the matrix are achieved with conductances whose values are computed in accordance with the set of decomposition functions for which the solution is sought. In addition to the specified connectivity implemented. Further included is a second matrix that connects externally applied voltages to the amplifier inputs via resistors whose values are also computed in accordance with the set of decomposition functions for which the solution is sought. Still further and in accordance with another aspect of the invention, means are included for varying the amplifier gains from an initial low value to an ultimately high value in the process of arriving at a solution to an applied problem.

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Maplewood, NJ, United States of America

David W Tank