Programmable indexing networks
Kenneth James Thurber · 1970
One of the most important functions that must be performed in a digital machine is the handling and routing of data. This may be done in routing logic (computers), in permutation switching networks (computers and telephone traffic), sorting networks, etc. In some parallel processing computers being envisioned the handling of large blocks of data in a parallel fashion is a very important function that must be performed. For a special-purpose machine a fixed-wire permutation network could be acceptable for the handling of data; however, for a general-purpose machine more sophisticated reprogrammable networks are required.