Abstract: A methodology is disclosed for traffic control administered locally at each individual node in a packet network. Packet level controls at a node pertain to whether to admit a new packet into the network and whether to momentarily detain passing-through packets. The nodes apply the "back-pressure" of congestion on one another and thereby cooperate to smooth traffic and alleviate the accumulation of packets at any single node. The decision process in packet level control involves two basic operations. First, the address of the packet is translated into a binary word via a static routing table and then, secondly, the binary word and control data representative of dynamic traffic information are operated on logically; traffic control decisions, such as detain a passing-through packet or permit entry of a packet into the network, are based primarily on the result of the logical operation.

Abstract: Domino boards exploit an array of dominoes rotatably mounted to the top surface of each of the boards so that the array may be quickly reset by a single manipulation of the board by a user. A plurality of board shapes may be linked into modules and each module may also be reset by a single manipulative action. A plurality of modules are combined to form a game configuration.A game of challenge is introduced by mounting dominoes at strategic locations on a specially designed board. An identifier such as color is associated with each of the dominoes on the board and a mathematical algorithm founded in "game theory" is deployed to generate a location for each domino based on its identifier. According to one set of game rules, there are two players, each player controls a color and the players alternate turns in knocking down a domino under one's control. Because of the placement of dominoes, one or more dominoes may be toppled by a single move by a player.

Abstract: Planar puzzles and a game utilizing these puzzles exploit simple geometric shapes for the design of a plurality of initial configurations that make up each of the puzzles. Each of the initial configurations may be further subdivided into elementary pieceparts. For each puzzle, it is possible to rearrange certain of the initial configurations to form a new puzzle configuration having the identical shape of the initial configurations by reassembling the pieceparts of each of the configurations. By proceeding in a series of merger steps, it is possible to rearrange all of the initial configurations into a single merged configuration that also has the same shape as the original configurations. The game aspect furnishes each player with the opportunity to generate mergers from configurations under control of the other players. The strategy is to generate as many mergers as possible in the time allowed while blocking other players from merger opportunities.

Abstract: A methodology is disclosed for effecting contention-free communication over a plurality of Collision-type lines interconnecting numerous synchronized stations. In broad terms, each station having a message to transmit executes a prescribed encoding/algorithm. Each station also monitors the states of the lines and depending upon the dynamic states of the lines, the lines are associated with prescribed ones of the lines during each bit interval. At any stage of the detection process, if it is determined that a line broadcasts of unique message, then this line is assigned to the station generating the unique message for the remainder of the frame. The remaining lines are then available for reassignment in subsequent bit intervals. The pattern of bits detected at the end of the frame by each of the lines determines successfully transmitted messages.

Abstract: A methodology is disclosed for effecting contention-free communication over a plurality of OR-type lines interconnecting numerous synchronized stations. In broad terms, each station having a message to transmit executes a prescribed encoding/decoding algorithm. Each station also monitors the states of all the lines, collectively rather than individually, and prepares a station response each bit interval in correspondence to the collective states. During each bit interval, message candidates corresponding to the set of messages are identified and then assigned to selected ones of the lines. Based on the assignment, logic signals are propagated from each station over one of the assigned lines. By monitoring, each station senses the composite line signal on each of the lines and then generates new message candidates for the next bit interval.

Abstract: Methodology and associated circuitry (131,141-143, 151,152,161,162,171-174,181) are disclosed for achieving contention-free broadcasting over one or more buses interconnecting a plurality of synchronized stations. In broad terms for the multiple bus case, each station that intends to utilize the buses prepares candidate message frames equalling the number of buses. The first candidate message of each station (301), after a first perturbation, is propagated over the first bus (311); also, the second candidate message of each station (302), after a second perturbation, is propagated over the second bus (312); this process occurs for all buses. Then, any station detecting a mismatch between its most recently propagated bit on a particular bus and the state of that bus deactivates further propagation of the candidate message on that bus. To arrive at the correct candidate message revealed by each bus, the inverse of the original perturbation must be applied to the revealed message.