Analog Semiconductor Circuit for Product-Sum and Activation Arithmetic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor devices face challenges in performing product-sum operations and arithmetic operations of activation functions efficiently, leading to increased circuit area and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device is designed with a configuration that includes multiple cells, current mirror circuits, and wiring connections, allowing for the performance of product-sum operations and activation function arithmetic with reduced power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If digital multiplication circuit and digital addition circuit with multi-bit arithmetic operation specifications are used, then the arithmetic operation accuracy is improved, but the circuit area and power consumption are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces digital multiplication and addition circuits with an analog circuit that performs product-sum operations using continuous voltage signals. The analog circuit uses operational amplifiers and resistors to compute weighted sums of input signals, eliminating the need for digital multipliers and adders. This substitution reduces circuit area and power consumption while maintaining arithmetic operation accuracy through the analog computation process.
2Use of energy by moving object
If analog circuit is used for product-sum operation, then the circuit area and power consumption are reduced, but the signal conversion complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the analog circuit to perform multiple functions including product-sum operations, activation function computations, and signal processing within a single integrated circuit. The operational amplifiers and resistor networks are configured to handle various neural network operations without requiring separate digital-analog conversion stages for each function, thereby reducing overall signal conversion complexity while maintaining low power consumption.
3Measurement precision
If digital circuit is used for activation function arithmetic, then the computational precision is improved, but the circuit area is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces digital computation circuits with analog computational elements that perform activation function arithmetic using continuous voltage signals and operational amplifiers. The analog circuit uses nonlinear resistor networks and feedback mechanisms to compute activation functions such as sigmoid and tanh, achieving sufficient computational precision for neural network applications while occupying significantly less circuit area compared to digital implementations.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device with a small circuit area and low power consumption is provided. The semiconductor device includes first to fourth cells, a current mirror circuit, and first to fourth wirings, and the first to fourth cells each include a first transistor, a second transistor, and a capacitor. In each of the first to fourth cells, a first terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first terminal of the capacitor and a gate of the second transistor. The first wiring is electrically connected to first terminals of the second transistors in the first cell and the second cell, the second wiring is electrically connected to first terminals of the second transistors in the third cell and the fourth cell, the third wiring is electrically connected to second terminals of the capacitors in the first cell and the third cell, and the fourth wiring is electrically connected to second terminals of the capacitors in the second cell and the fourth cell. The current mirror circuit is electrically connected to the first wiring and the second wiring.