Ripple Counter Multiply-Accumulate Circuit for Low-Power Scaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multiply-accumulate circuits are costly in terms of size and power consumption, and require additional circuitry when dealing with non-binary values, often necessitating counters and registers for value preparation.
Innovation Solution
A multiply-accumulate circuit utilizing a series of ripple counter units, where each ripple counter is controlled by stop count values to adjust its sampling period, allowing for scaled counter outputs to perform multiplication-accumulate operations without a dedicated multiplier, using digital logic circuits and adder circuits to sum count values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a dedicated multiplier and adder circuit is used for multiply-accumulate operations, then computation speed and precision are improved, but circuit size and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses simple, low-cost ripple counter circuits instead of expensive dedicated multiplier circuits. The ripple counters are basic digital components that count clock cycles, replacing complex combinational logic multipliers. This substitution dramatically reduces circuit size and power consumption while maintaining functional capability for multiply-accumulate operations through software-controlled timing sequences.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/combinational logic system (dedicated multiplier circuit) with a software-controlled temporal system. Instead of using hardware multipliers that perform multiplication through combinational logic, the invention uses software routines that control ripple counters to accumulate values over time periods proportional to the multiplier operands, effectively performing multiplication through time-based integration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional circuitry such as counters and registers is added to prepare non-binary values, then versatility for handling different data formats is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses software to copy and manipulate data representations rather than adding hardware conversion circuits. The software can load values into the ripple counters, control the counting duration to represent multiplication factors, and accumulate results. This software-based approach allows flexible handling of different data formats without requiring additional physical conversion circuitry for each format type.
Data Source
AI summary
A multiply-accumulate computation is performed using digital logic circuits. To perform the computation, a plurality of target signals are received at a respective plurality of ripple counters. The counter outputs of the respective ripple counters are scaled by setting stop count values. Counter outputs of the respective ripple counters are adjusted with respective constant values by setting counter reset values at the respective ripple counters. Each count pulses of the target signals for an adjusted period. The count values of the ripple counters are summed. The results may be used to calculate an average value for an adaptive voltage and frequency scaling process.