Multi-function switched-current magnitude sorter
AssigneeUnited Microelectronics Corp.
InventorsBingxue Shi, Gu Lin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A signal sorter for magnitude sorting among a number of signals is disclosed that allows for magnitude sorting of a number of signals in an ascending or descending ordered manner governed by the clock controlling signals. The sorter can generate sorted outputs fast enough for real-time applications and has a circuit structure suitable for implementation as integrated circuit devices. The sorter has a signal input section, maximum-deriving section, a feedback control and voltage output section and a sorted output section. All four sections are controlled by a set of timing clock input signals to manipulate the signal magnitude sorting.
Claims5
A magnitude sorter circuit apparatus for sorting to output a plurality of input signals into an ascending or descending ordered manner based on the magnitudes of the input signals, comprising:
- a signal input section, including a plurality of signal input unit circuits, each of the signal input unit circuits having an input for receiving a corresponding one of the input signals and generating an output signal, and further having a feedback input for receiving a feedback signal;
- and each of the signal input unit circuits is driven by a first clock control signal;
- a maximum-deriving section, including a plurality of maximizing unit circuits, each of the maximizing unit circuits receiving the output signal output by the corresponding signal input unit circuit, and generating an output signal that is connected together with those generated by other maximizing unit circuits to form the maximized output of the maximum-deriving section;
- a feedback control and voltage output section, including a plurality of feedback control/voltage output unit circuits, each of the feedback control/voltage output unit circuits receiving the output signal output by the corresponding signal input unit circuit, and generating a feedback control signal for feedback into the feedback input of the corresponding signal input unit circuit, and each of the feedback control/voltage output unit circuits is driven by a second clock control signal, and each having a first and second input voltage signals;
- and
- a sorted output section, having a plurality of sorted outputs, and input for receiving the maximized output of the maximum-deriving section and a plurality of timing clock inputs each receiving a corresponding one of a plurality of timing clock control signals, and the sorted output section generates the sorted output signals at the plurality of sorted outputs in the sorted ascending or descending ordered manner controlled by the timing clock control signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.