Patent classifications
H03M1/66
Tiny factorized data-converters for artificial intelligence signal processing
Multipliers and Multiply-Accumulate (MAC) circuits are fundamental building blocks in signal processing, including in emerging applications such as machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) that predominantly utilize digital-mode multipliers and MACs. Generally, digital multipliers and MACs can operate at high speed with high resolution, and synchronously. As the resolution and speed of digital multipliers and MACs increase, generally the dynamic power consumption and chip size of digital implementations increases substantially that makes them impractical for some ML and AI segments, including in portable, mobile, near edge, or near sensor applications. The multipliers and MACs utilizing the disclosed current mode data-converters are manufacturable in main-stream digital CMOS process, and they can have medium to high resolutions, capable of low power consumptions, having low sensitivity to power supply and temperature variations, as well as operating asynchronously, which makes them suitable for high-volume, low cost, and low power ML and AI applications.
Superposition operation circuit and float-voltage digital-to-analog conversion circuit
A superposition operation circuit and a float-voltage digital-to-analog conversion circuit to superpose analog elements according to an indirect current superposition principle, where a voltage follower is implemented using a first operational amplifier such that an output end of the voltage follower is clamped to a voltage that is input to a positive-phase input end, namely, a to-be-superposed analog element. Then a current generation circuit converts a voltage signal to a current signal, a voltage drop for the current signal is generated on a first resistor coupled to an output end of the first operational amplifier, and the voltage drop is superposed on a voltage signal output by the first operational amplifier.
Superposition operation circuit and float-voltage digital-to-analog conversion circuit
A superposition operation circuit and a float-voltage digital-to-analog conversion circuit to superpose analog elements according to an indirect current superposition principle, where a voltage follower is implemented using a first operational amplifier such that an output end of the voltage follower is clamped to a voltage that is input to a positive-phase input end, namely, a to-be-superposed analog element. Then a current generation circuit converts a voltage signal to a current signal, a voltage drop for the current signal is generated on a first resistor coupled to an output end of the first operational amplifier, and the voltage drop is superposed on a voltage signal output by the first operational amplifier.
DA conversion device
A DA conversion device includes a level determiner determining whether a level of the digital signal or the analog signal is higher than a predetermined threshold value; a DA converter including plural capacitors, an operational amplifier which generates the analog signal, and a plurality of transistors which connects each of the plural capacitors to a first or a second reference voltage according to the digital signal in a first connection state and connects the plural capacitors between an input terminal and an output terminal of the operational amplifier in a second connection state; and a setting part which receives a clock signal and sets gate-source voltages of the plurality of transistors such that the plurality of transistors is in the first connection state in a first period of the clock signal and the plurality of transistors is in the second connection state in a second period of the clock signal.
DA conversion device
A DA conversion device includes a level determiner determining whether a level of the digital signal or the analog signal is higher than a predetermined threshold value; a DA converter including plural capacitors, an operational amplifier which generates the analog signal, and a plurality of transistors which connects each of the plural capacitors to a first or a second reference voltage according to the digital signal in a first connection state and connects the plural capacitors between an input terminal and an output terminal of the operational amplifier in a second connection state; and a setting part which receives a clock signal and sets gate-source voltages of the plurality of transistors such that the plurality of transistors is in the first connection state in a first period of the clock signal and the plurality of transistors is in the second connection state in a second period of the clock signal.
Method of operating Digital-to-Analog processing chains, corresponding device, apparatus and computer program product
A signal processing chain, such as an audio chain, produces an analog output signal from a digital input signal. The signal processing chain is operated by generating a first flag signal for the analog output signal and one or more second flag signals for the digital input signal. Each flag signal assumes a first level or a second level and is set to the first level when a signal from which the flag is generated has a value within an amplitude window. An amount the first flag signal for the analog output signal and the second flag signal for the digital input signal match each other may be calculated for issuing an alert flag which indicates an impaired operation of the signal processing chain.
RECEIVER FOR A TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM
A receiver is described, the receiver comprising an ABB filter stage, an ADC stage. The ABB filter stage comprises an ABB filter stage input configured to receive an analog baseband, BB, signal and an ABB filter stage output configured to provide a filtered analog BB signal. The ADC stage comprises an ADC stage input configured to receive the filtered analog BB signal and an ADC stage output configured to provide a digital BB signal. The ADC stage comprises an ADC comprising an ADC input configured to receive the filtered analog BB signal or a signal derived therefrom as an ADC input signal, and wherein the ADC is configured to perform an analog-to-digital, A/D, conversion of the ADC input signal to derive the digital BB signal.
RECEIVER FOR A TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM
A receiver is described, the receiver comprising an ABB filter stage, an ADC stage. The ABB filter stage comprises an ABB filter stage input configured to receive an analog baseband, BB, signal and an ABB filter stage output configured to provide a filtered analog BB signal. The ADC stage comprises an ADC stage input configured to receive the filtered analog BB signal and an ADC stage output configured to provide a digital BB signal. The ADC stage comprises an ADC comprising an ADC input configured to receive the filtered analog BB signal or a signal derived therefrom as an ADC input signal, and wherein the ADC is configured to perform an analog-to-digital, A/D, conversion of the ADC input signal to derive the digital BB signal.
RESISTOR REPLICATOR
In an example, a device comprises a first resistor coupled to a second resistor and to a trim resistor, the second resistor and the trim resistor coupled to a port configured to couple to a third resistor. The device also comprises a comparator having an inverting input coupled to a first node between the second resistor and the port and a non-inverting input coupled to a second node between the first resistor and the trim resistor. The device further includes a trim control circuit coupled to an output of the comparator and having an output coupled to the trim resistor, the trim control circuit configured to couple to multiple integrated trim resistors external to the device.
RESISTOR REPLICATOR
In an example, a device comprises a first resistor coupled to a second resistor and to a trim resistor, the second resistor and the trim resistor coupled to a port configured to couple to a third resistor. The device also comprises a comparator having an inverting input coupled to a first node between the second resistor and the port and a non-inverting input coupled to a second node between the first resistor and the trim resistor. The device further includes a trim control circuit coupled to an output of the comparator and having an output coupled to the trim resistor, the trim control circuit configured to couple to multiple integrated trim resistors external to the device.