Refreshing of data stored by memristors

A hardware platform for a network that is at least one of an artificial neural network and a neuromorphic network, the network including an internal processing chain that includes a plurality of neurons that are connected to one another, the hardware platform comprising:

• at least one memory in which weights, present as discrete values, of connections between neurons are encoded in the form of electrical resistance values of memristors;
• and
• an actuating unit comprising a sensor, a discretizer, a comparator, and a driver, wherein, for each of the memristors:
• the sensor is configured to measure a resistance value of the respective memristor;
• the discretizer is configured to allocate to the respective measured resistance value one of the discrete storable values as a read value;
• the comparator is configured to ascertain a difference between (a) a nominal resistance value of the respective memristor that corresponds to the read value and (b) the measured resistance value of the respective memristor;
• and
• the driver is configured to refresh a memory cell of the respective memristor by applying, to the respective memristor and based on the ascertained difference, a current-time profile that drives the resistance value of the respective memristor towards the nominal resistance value that corresponds to the read value of the respective memristor.

An analog computing module comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• an actuating element comprising a sensor, a discretizer, a comparator, and a driver;
• wherein:
• the analog computing module is configured to allocate one or a plurality of output signals to one or a plurality of analog input signals in accordance with at least one computing operation;
• the at least computing operation and/or at least one discrete parameter specifying the computing operation is encoded in the memory in the form of at least one of a plurality of discrete storable values that each is a respective electrical resistance value of a memristor of the memory;
• the sensor is configured to measure a resistance value of the memristor;
• the discretizer is configured to allocate to the measured resistance value one of the discrete storable values as a read value;
• the comparator is configured to ascertain a difference between (a) a nominal resistance value of the memristor that corresponds to the read value and (b) the measured resistance value of the memristor;
• and
• the driver is configured to refresh a memory cell of the memristor by applying, to the memristor and based on the ascertained difference, a current-time profile that drives the resistance value of the memristor towards the nominal resistance value that corresponds to the read value of the memristor.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which are stored instructions that are executable by a processor and that, when executed by the processor is configured to cause the processor to perform a method of an actuating unit for a memory, the memory including at least one memory cell, one of a plurality of discrete storable values being encodable in the memory cell by an electrical resistance value of a memristor, the method comprising:

• obtaining a resistance value of the memristor;
• allocating to the measured resistance value one of the plurality of discrete storable values as a read value;
• ascertaining a difference between (a) a nominal resistance value of the memristor that corresponds to the read value and (b) the measured resistance value of the memristor;
• and
• refreshing the memory cell by applying, to the memristor and based on the ascertained difference, a current-time profile that drives the resistance value of the memristor towards the nominal resistance value that corresponds to the read value.