MAC Unit Feedback Path for Area and Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multiply-accumulate (MAC) units require large amounts of combinatorial logic, resulting in significant area and power consumption, which is undesirable for smaller and more energy-efficient electronic devices.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a MAC unit with a feedback path containing an arithmetic element, such as a bit-shift element, to reduce the number of bits needed in the data path, thereby minimizing power and area requirements, including examples where bit-shift elements are used to discard least significant bits and reduce the size of the multiplier and adder.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional binary logic MAC unit is used, then calculation speed is fast, but area and power consumption are large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the numerical base parameter from binary (base-2) to decimal (base-10) representation. By representing numbers in decimal form within the MAC unit, the design reduces the number of bits required to represent the same numerical value, thereby reducing the area of combinational logic components while maintaining calculation speed. This parameter change fundamentally alters how data is stored and processed in the arithmetic elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional binary mechanical logic system with a decimal-based arithmetic system. Instead of using traditional binary multipliers and adders that require extensive combinational logic, the invention uses decimal representation with modified arithmetic elements that operate on decimal digits, substituting the underlying numerical system to reduce hardware complexity and area.
2Speed
If conventional binary logic MAC unit is used, then calculation speed is fast, but power consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the numerical representation from binary to decimal, the patent reduces the number of logic gates and computational steps required for arithmetic operations. This parameter change directly reduces power consumption since fewer transistors are switching and less energy is dissipated in the combinational logic, while the decimal arithmetic operations maintain comparable speed to binary operations.
3Measurement precision
If more bits are used in data path, then calculation accuracy is improved, but area and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent exploits the parameter change from binary to decimal representation to achieve better precision with fewer physical bits. Since decimal digits can represent values more efficiently than binary bits, the same or better calculation accuracy is achieved with reduced bit width, thereby reducing the area of the MAC unit while maintaining or improving measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
In order to reduce the area and power consumption of MAC units, some aspects of the present disclosure relate to MAC units having a feedback path with an arithmetic element disposed thereon. The arithmetic element is often controlled so as to limit the number of bits needed in the data path, thereby limiting power and area required for the MAC unit.