Electronic system for determining a most frequent data value from a plurality of electric signals

An electronic system (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) for determining, during use of the electronic system, a most frequent value in a data array A comprising a plurality of N data values A[i], i=1, . . . , N, N≥4, each data value A[i] corresponding to a respective data signal S[i], i=1, . . . , N, the electronic system comprising a first electronic subsystem (100, 200, 300) comprising:

• (i) a signal input interface (120, 320) for receiving the data signals S[i], i=1, . . . , N,
• (ii) a first set of comparators CAi,j for determining corresponding comparison signals CA[i,j], i=1, . . . , N, j=1, . . . , N, wherein each comparison signal CA[i,j] is representative of whether or not the data value A[i] equals the data value A[j],
• (iii) a set of counters COi, i=1, . . . , N, for determining corresponding count signals CO[i], i=1, . . . , N, wherein each count signal CO[i] is representative of the number of occurrences of the data value A[i] among the plurality of data values A,
• (iv) a set of selectors Seli, i=1, . . . , M, each selector Seli in the set of selectors comprising:
• a first set of signal inputs SelIn1i configured to receive a first signal set {S[j], CA[j], CO[j]}, where 1≤j≤N and CA[j]={CA[j,1], . . . , CA[j,N]}, and
• a second set of signal inputs SelIn2i configured to receive a second signal set {S[k], CA[k], CO[k]}, where 1≤k≤N, k+j,
• a select line SelLinei for receiving a selection signal SelSigi representing whether or not CO[j]>CO[k] as determined by a corresponding select line comparator (171,172,173,221,222,223),
• a set of signal outputs SelOuti, the selector Seli being configured to output the signal set {S[j], CA[j], CO[j]} in case SelSigi represents CO[j]>CO[k] and to output either the signal set {S[j], CA[j], CO[j]} or the signal set
• {S[k], CA[k], CO[k]} in case SelSigi represents CO[j]≤CO[k], the set of selectors Seli, i=1, . . . , M, including an output selector Selout, being interconnected such that the output selector Selout provides as output signals on its set of signal outputs the signal set {S[jmax], CA[jmax], CO[jmax]}, 1≤jmax≤N, wherein the signal set {S[jmax], CA [jmax], CO[jmax]} is characterized in that no other data value A[k], k=1, . . . , N, has a count CO[k] that is higher than the count CO[jmax] of the data value A[jmax].

A method for determining a most frequent value in a data array A comprising a plurality of N data values A[i], i=1, . . . , N, N≤4, each data value A[i] corresponding to a respective data signal S[i], i=1, . . . , N, the method being carried out in an electronic system (100, 200, 300), the method comprising steps of:

• (i) receiving the data signals S[i], i=1, . . . , N, on a signal input interface of the electronic system,
• (ii) determining a set of comparison signals CA[i,j], i=1, . . . , N, j=1, . . . , N, wherein each comparison signal CA[i,j] is representative of whether or not the data value A[i] equals the data value A[j],
• (iii) determining a set of count signals CO[i], i=1, . . . , N, wherein each count signal CO[i] is representative of the number of occurrences of the data value A[i] among the plurality of data values A;
• the data signals, the comparison signals, and the count signals forming a plurality of signal sets {S[i], CA[i], CO[i]}, i=1, . . . , N, where CA[i]={CA[i, 1], . . . , CA[i, N]},
• (iv) in a set of selectors, carrying out a number of signal selections, wherein each of the signal sets {S[i], CA[i], CO[i]}, i=1, . . . , N, is selected or discarded based on a comparison with at least one other signal set {S[j], CA[j], CO[j]}, 1≤j≤N, i≠j, wherein the comparison is based on the respective counts CO[i] and CO[j], each selection comprising:
• in case CO[i]>CO[j], selecting the signal set {S[i], CA[i], CO[i]} for comparison with another signal set {S[k], CA[k], CO[k]}, i≠j≠k, in one of the selectors and discarding the signal set {S[j], CA[j], CO[j]}, or
• in case CO[i]≤CO[j], selecting one of the signal sets {S[i], CA[i], CO[i]} and {S[j], CA[j], CO[j]} for comparison with another signal set {S[k], CA[k], CO[k]}, 1≤k≤N, i≠j≠k, in one of the selectors and discarding the other of the signal sets {S[i], CA[i], CO[i]} and {S[j], CA[j], CO[j]},
• (v) continuing step (iv) until all except a single signal set {S[jmax], CA[jmax], CO[jmax]}, 1≤jmax≤N, have been discarded in one of the comparisons, and
• (vi) providing the signal set {S[jmax], CA[jmax], CO[jmax]} on a signal output interface of the electronic system.