Low power analog vector-matrix multiplier
Methods and apparatuses enable a general-purpose low power analog vector-matrix multiplier. This Abstract is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.
1. An analog matrix multiplier, comprising:
a plurality of successive approximation registers (SAR) operating in parallel, each successive approximation register (SAR) having an SAR digital output;
a plurality of scaling and recombining circuits for scaling and recombining each SAR's digital output, each SAR digital output resulting from quantization of a bit-wise multiplication of a digital weight matrix with an input analog voltage vector, each scaling and recombining circuit connected in series to a successive approximation register (SAR) of the plurality of successive approximation registers (SAR); and
a plurality of charge transfer circuits, each charge transfer circuit connected in series to a successive approximation register (SAR) of the plurality of successive approximation registers (SAR).
2. The analog matrix multiplier of claim 1 , wherein a successive approximation register comprises:
a plurality of successive approximation register (SAR) circuits connected in parallel;
a comparator; and
a state machine.
3. The analog matrix multiplier of claim 2 , wherein a successive approximation register (SAR) circuit comprises:
a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch, wherein the first switch and the second switch are complementary; and
a successive approximation register (SAR) circuit capacitor.
4. The analog matrix multiplier of claim 3 , wherein the third switch is open in a sampling operation of the analog matrix multiplier and closed in a quantization operation of the analog matrix multiplier.
5. The analog matrix multiplier of claim 3 , wherein:
when a bit-wise weight value is high, the first switch is closed and the second switch is open and vice versa; and
when a bit-wise weight value is low, the first switch is open and the second switch is closed.
6. The analog matrix multiplier of claim 3 , wherein the successive approximation register (SAR) further comprises a successive approximation register (SAR) local memory.
7. The analog matrix multiplier of claim 6 , wherein the successive approximation register (SAR) local memory is configured to store bit-wise weight values.
8. The analog matrix multiplier of claim 2 , wherein the comparator compares a reference voltage Vref to an output voltage of the plurality of SAR circuits.
9. The analog matrix multiplier of claim 2 , wherein an output of the comparator is an input to the state machine.
10. The analog matrix multiplier of claim 2 , wherein the successive approximation register (SAR) further comprises a reset switch that is closed in a sampling operation of the analog matrix multiplier and open in a quantization operation of the analog matrix multiplier.
11. The analog matrix multiplier of claim 1 , wherein a scaling and recombining circuit comprises:
a delay element;
a sampling switch;
an adder; and
a divider.
12. The analog matrix multiplier of claim 1 , wherein a charge transfer circuit comprises:
an operational amplifier; and
a charge transfer circuit capacitor.
13. The analog matrix multiplier of claim 12 , wherein the charge transfer circuit transfers a charge from a first stage to a second stage.
14. The analog matrix multiplier of claim 1 , wherein the bit-wise multiplication of a digital weight matrix with an input analog voltage vector is performed by the successive approximation registers (SAR) using only the successive approximation register (SAR) capacitors.