"... the contribution of the 336 is the tracking between the CPU and the ring oscillator, which has never been done and is absolutely novel."

Isn't that something like - peanut butter sandwiches were consumed for a long time as well as jelly sandwiches but someone had a GREAT and NOVEL IDEA of putting them together to form a PB&Y. Brilliant! Obvious? Now yes but not then.

That's the way I see it. Is that a suitable & fitting analogy?

Cheers & GLTATL, DW