IP Library Granted Patent US 12,190,079
Granted Patent B2
US 12,190,079 · App. 17/716,239 · Granted Jan 7, 2025

Semiconductor device comprising operation circuits and a switch circuit

Inventors: Munehiro Kozuma (Atsugi, JP); Takeshi Aoki (Atsugi, JP); Seiichi Yoneda (Isehara, JP); Yoshiyuki Kurokawa (Sagamihara, JP)
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
G06F7/5443G06N3/063
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,190,079
App. No.
17/716,239
Granted
Jan 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device having a novel structure is provided. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of operation circuits that can switch different kinds of operation processing; a plurality of switch circuits that can switch a connection state between the operation circuits; and a controller. The operation circuit includes a first memory that stores data corresponding to a weight parameter used in the plurality of kinds of operation processing. The operation circuit executes a product-sum operation by switching weight data in accordance with a context. The switch circuit includes a second memory that stores data for switching a plurality of connection states in response to switching of a second context signal. The controller generates a second context signal on the basis of a first context signal. The amount of data stored in the second memory can be smaller than the amount of data stored in the first memory in the operation circuit.

Claims (28)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

operation circuits; and

a switch circuit,

wherein each of the operation circuits comprises:

a memory circuit configured to store a plurality of weight data; and

a multiplier circuit configured to perform an operation based on an input data and one of the plurality of weight data selected by a first context signal,

wherein the memory circuit is formed in a first layer,

wherein the multiplier circuit is formed in a second layer,

wherein the switch circuit is configured to switch an electrical connection state between the operation circuits in accordance with a second context signal, and

wherein a number of second contexts switched on the basis of the second context signal is smaller than a number of first contexts switched on the basis of the first context signal.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the memory circuit comprises a transistor including an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region.

3. An integrated circuit comprising:

a circuit portion comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 1 ; and a lead.

4. A semiconductor device comprising:

a controller;

operation circuits; and

a switch circuit,

wherein each of the operation circuits comprises:

a memory circuit configured to store a plurality of weight data; and

a multiplier circuit configured to perform an operation based on an input data and one of the plurality of weight data selected by a first context signal,

wherein the memory circuit is formed in a first layer,

wherein the multiplier circuit is formed in a second layer,

wherein the switch circuit is configured to switch an electrical connection state between the operation circuits in accordance with a second context signal,

wherein the controller is configured to generate the first context signal and the second context signal on the basis of a third context signal, and

wherein a number of second contexts switched on the basis of the second context signal is smaller than a number of first contexts switched on the basis of the first context signal.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 4 , wherein the memory circuit comprises a transistor including an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region.

6. An integrated circuit comprising:

a circuit portion comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 4 ; and a lead.

Priority Claims (2)
JP 2017-099514 · May 19, 2017 · national
JP 2017-133264 · Jul 7, 2017 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16609902
Related Publication 20220276838A1 · Sep 1, 2022
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