Optimal Associative Mappings

It was pointed out in Chap. 1 that the most elementary form of associative recall is signal transfer operation in a physical network, whereby a spatial input pattern, the key, is directly transformed into a corresponding output pattern, the recollection. This operation resembles filtering; more accurately the system acts as a “diffusor”which supplements the input key excitation with associated information stored in the system (i.e., in its transfer function).