A Parallel Picture Processing Machine

A parallel picture processing machine (PPM) is presented. The proposed machine can perform local operations of both logical and arithmetical character on three by three neighborhoods of digitized pictures. It is essentially a two-dimensional machine but in a restricted sense it can be regarded as three-dimensional. The instruction repertoire is thoroughly discussed and several program examples are presented. In thelast section the implementation of the machine is described and v various tradeoffs between speed and economy are discussed. A dynamically programmable microprogram store is shown to give great freedom in program design.