Efficient encoding methods
AssigneeImagination Technologies Limited
InventorsPeter Malcolm Lacey, Simon Fenney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of encoding data values comprises mapping each of a plurality of input values to one of a pre-defined set of codes based on a probability distribution of the input values. In various examples an input value may be mapped to a code having the same bit-length as the input value and in other examples, the code may be longer than the input value. In various examples, the input values may be grouped into data words and may additionally comprise one or more padding bits.
Claims18
A method of reducing power consumption of read/write operations of a processor by encoding data values, the method comprising:
- receiving at a computing entity a plurality of input data values, the input data values representing data that is to be processed by said processor;
- mapping, by said computing entity, each input data value to one of a pre-defined set of codes based on a probability distribution of the input data values and a characteristic of the code of the pre-defined set of codes, wherein the characteristic of the code of the pre-defined set of codes comprises a number of bit flips within the code of the pre-defined set of codes;
- outputting the codes corresponding to the received input data values;
- and
- transmitting the outputted codes, optionally over a data bus, to a memory to be stored therein for processing by said processor.
A computing entity comprising an encoding hardware block reducing power consumption of read/write operations of a processor, the encoding hardware block comprising:
- an input configured to receive a plurality of input data values, the input data values representing data that is to be processed by at least one processor;
- mapping hardware logic arranged to map each input data value to one of a pre-defined set of codes based on a probability distribution of the input data values and a characteristic of the code of the pre-defined set of codes, wherein the characteristic of the code of the pre-defined set of codes comprises a number of bit flips within the code of the pre-defined set of codes;
- and
- an output for outputting the codes corresponding to the received input data values and transmitting the outputted codes, optionally over a data bus, to a memory to be stored therein for processing by said processor.
A method of reducing power consumption of read/write operations of a processor, comprising:
- receiving at a computing entity a plurality of input codes, the input codes representing data that is to be processed by said processor;
- mapping, by said computing entity, each input code to one of a pre-defined set of previously decoded values based on a probability distribution of the decoded values and a characteristic of the code of the pre-defined set of codes, wherein the characteristic of the code of the pre-defined set of codes comprises a number of bit flips within the code of the pre-defined set of codes;
- outputting the decoded values corresponding to the received input codes;
- and
- transmitting the decoded values, optionally over a data bus, to a memory to be stored therein for processing by said processor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.