Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling current consumption by an electrical load of a first circuit board are described. In an example, a device of a first circuit board can measure a current being drawn by the electrical load of the first circuit board from a second circuit board. The device can generate a control signal based on a current difference between the measured current and a target current. The control signal can represent a load control parameter. The device can apply the control signal to the electrical load of the first circuit board to adjust a current consumption by the electrical load.

Abstract: A system comprises an analog resistive processing unit (RPU) system, and one or more processors. The analog RPU system comprises an array of RPU cells. The one or more processors are configured to: configure the analog RPU system to implement a convolutional neural network comprising a convolutional layer comprising at least one kernel matrix; program the at least one array of RPU cells to store a transformed kernel matrix which is generated by applying a first transformation process to the kernel matrix using a first predefined transformation matrix; and utilize the analog RPU system to perform an analog convolution operation by performing analog matrix-vector multiplication operations using the transformed kernel matrix and input vectors of a transformed data matrix, to thereby generate a transformed convolution output matrix, wherein the transformed data matrix is generated by applying a second transformation process to a data matrix using a second predefined transformation matrix.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling current consumption by an electrical load of a first circuit board are described. In an example, a device of a first circuit board can measure a current being drawn by the electrical load of the first circuit board from a second circuit board. The device can generate a control signal based on a current difference between the measured current and a target current. The control signal can represent a load control parameter. The device can apply the control signal to the electrical load of the first circuit board to adjust a current consumption by the electrical load.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a time-division multiplexed neurosynaptic module with implicit memory addressing for implementing a neural network. One embodiment comprises maintaining neuron attributes for multiple neurons and maintaining incoming firing events for different time steps. For each time step, incoming firing events for said time step are integrated in a time-division multiplexing manner. Incoming firing events are integrated based on the neuron attributes maintained. For each time step, the neuron attributes maintained are updated in parallel based on the integrated incoming firing events for said time step.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a Deep Neural Network (DNN). The method includes quantizing deep learning data structures of the DNN into at least two modes using at least two scale factors, respectively. Each of the at least two modes corresponds to a respective one of the at least two scale factors. The method further includes identifying which of the at least two scale factors to use for a given one of the data structures based on a data distribution of the given one of the data structures. The quantizing step includes identifying when a tail of the given one of the data structures starts by (i) building a histogram of values in the given one of the data structures using successive bins; (ii) identifying a ratio of density between the successive bins; and (iii) checking whether the ratio of density is greater than a ratio of density threshold.

Abstract: Voltage on the output terminal of an inductor is obtained as a first input signal to a control block (CB); the inductor has an input terminal connected to a power switch and driver block at a switching node. A sense input voltage is obtained on an output terminal of a sensing circuit that is not directly connected to the switching node, as a second input signal to the CB. A voltage is generated on a first output terminal of the CB and is selected such that the CB can use its first and second input signals to infer the current through the inductor. A pulse width modulation (PWM) signal is generated on a second output terminal of the CB, based on the inferred current through the inductor; the second output signal from the CB is provided to a PWM input terminal of the power switch and driver block.

Abstract: A multi-phase buck switching converter having grouped pairs of phases, each phase using two magnetically coupled air-core inductors. For each group, a first driver circuit controlling switching of a first power transistor switching circuit coupled to a first air-core inductor output for driving an output load at the first phase. A second driver circuit controlling switching of a second power transistor switching circuit coupled to a second air-core inductor output for driving said output load at the second phase. The first and second phases are spaced 180° apart. The coupled air-core inductors per group of such orientation, separation distance and mutual inductance polarity relative to each other such that magnetic coupling between the two or more inductors at each phase results in a net increase in effective inductance per unit volume. Each air-core inductor is a metal slab of defined length, height and thickness formed using back-end-of-line semiconductor manufacturing process.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a Deep Neural Network (DNN). The method includes quantizing deep learning data structures of the DNN into at least two modes using at least two scale factors, respectively. Each of the at least two modes corresponds to a respective one of the at least two scale factors. The method further includes identifying which of the at least two scale factors to use for a given one of the data structures based on a data distribution of the given one of the data structures. The quantizing step includes identifying when a tail of the given one of the data structures starts by (i) building a histogram of values in the given one of the data structures using successive bins; (ii) identifying a ratio of density between the successive bins; and (iii) checking whether the ratio of density is greater than a ratio of density threshold.

Abstract: Voltage on the output terminal of an inductor is obtained as a first input signal to a control block (CB); the inductor has an input terminal connected to a power switch and driver block at a switching node. A sense input voltage is obtained on an output terminal of a sensing circuit that is not directly connected to the switching node, as a second input signal to the CB. A voltage is generated on a first output terminal of the CB and is selected such that the CB can use its first and second input signals to infer the current through the inductor. A pulse width modulation (PWM) signal is generated on a second output terminal of the CB, based on the inferred current through the inductor; the second output signal from the CB is provided to a PWM input terminal of the power switch and driver block.

Abstract: A reconfigurable neural network circuit is provided. The reconfigurable neural network circuit comprises an electronic synapse array including multiple synapses interconnecting a plurality of digital electronic neurons. Each neuron comprises an integrator that integrates input spikes and generates a signal when the integrated inputs exceed a threshold. The circuit further comprises a control module for reconfiguring the synapse array. The control module comprises a global final state machine that controls timing for operation of the circuit, and a priority encoder that allows spiking neurons to sequentially access the synapse array.

Abstract: A reconfigurable neural network circuit is provided. The reconfigurable neural network circuit comprises an electronic synapse array including multiple synapses interconnecting a plurality of digital electronic neurons. Each neuron comprises an integrator that integrates input spikes and generates a signal when the integrated inputs exceed a threshold. The circuit further comprises a control module for reconfiguring the synapse array. The control module comprises a global final state machine that controls timing for operation of the circuit, and a priority encoder that allows spiking neurons to sequentially access the synapse array.

Abstract: A multi-phase buck switching converter having grouped pairs of phases, each phase using two magnetically coupled air-core inductors. For each group, a first driver circuit controlling switching of a first power transistor switching circuit coupled to a first air-core inductor output for driving an output load at the first phase. A second driver circuit controlling switching of a second power transistor switching circuit coupled to a second air-core inductor output for driving said output load at the second phase. The first and second phases are spaced 180° apart. The coupled air-core inductors per group of such orientation, separation distance and mutual inductance polarity relative to each other such that magnetic coupling between the two or more inductors at each phase results in a net increase in effective inductance per unit volume. Each air-core inductor is a metal slab of defined length, height and thickness formed using back-end-of-line semiconductor manufacturing process.

Abstract: Technical solutions are described to accelerate training of a multi-layer convolutional neural network. According to one aspect, a computer implemented method is described. A convolutional layer includes input maps, convolutional kernels, and output maps. The method includes a forward pass, a backward pass, and an update pass that each include convolution calculations. The described method performs the convolutional operations involved in the forward, the backward, and the update passes based on a first, a second, and a third perforation map respectively. The perforation maps are stochastically generated, and distinct from each other. The method further includes interpolating results of the selective convolution operations to obtain remaining results. The method includes iteratively repeating the forward pass, the backward pass, and the update pass until the convolutional neural network is trained. Other aspects such as a system, apparatus, and computer program product are also described.

Abstract: A compensated deep neural network (compensated-DNN) is provided. A first vector having a set of components and a second vector having a set of corresponding components are received. A component of the first vector includes a first quantized value and a first compensation instruction, and a corresponding component of the second vector includes a second quantized value and a second compensation instruction. The first quantized value is multiplied with the second quantized value to compute a raw product value. The raw product value is compensated for a quantization error according to the first and second compensation instructions to produce a compensated product value. The compensated product value is added into an accumulated value for the dot product. The accumulated value is converted into an output vector of the dot product. The output vector includes an output quantized value and an output compensation instruction.

Abstract: A multi-phase buck switching converter having grouped pairs of phases, each phase using two magnetically coupled air-core inductors. For each group, a first driver circuit controlling switching of a first power transistor switching circuit coupled to a first air-core inductor output for driving an output load at the first phase. A second driver circuit controlling switching of a second power transistor switching circuit coupled to a second air-core inductor output for driving said output load at the second phase. The first and second phases are spaced 180° apart. The coupled air-core inductors per group of such orientation, separation distance and mutual inductance polarity relative to each other such that magnetic coupling between the two or more inductors at each phase results in a net increase in effective inductance per unit volume. Each air-core inductor is a metal slab of defined length, height and thickness formed using back-end-of-line semiconductor manufacturing process.

Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator substrate which includes a semiconductor substrate, a buried oxide layer, and a semiconductor layer is provided. A hard mask layer is formed over a first region of the silicon-on-insulator substrate. A first silicon-germanium layer is epitaxially grown on the semiconductor layer within a second region of the silicon-on-insulator substrate. The second region is at least a portion of the semiconductor layer not covered by the hard mask layer. A thermal annealing process is performed, such that germanium atoms from the first silicon-germanium layer are migrated to the portion of the semiconductor layer to form a second silicon-germanium layer. The hard mask layer is removed. A layer of semiconductor material is epitaxially grown on top of the semiconductor layer and the second silicon-germanium layer, where the layer of semiconductor material composed of the same material as semiconductor layer.

Abstract: Technical solutions are described to accelerate training of a multi-layer convolutional neural network. According to one aspect, a computer implemented method is described. A convolutional layer includes input maps, convolutional kernels, and output maps. The method includes a forward pass, a backward pass, and an update pass that each include convolution calculations. The described method performs the convolutional operations involved in the forward, the backward, and the update passes based on a first, a second, and a third perforation map respectively. The perforation maps are stochastically generated, and distinct from each other. The method further includes interpolating results of the selective convolution operations to obtain remaining results. The method includes iteratively repeating the forward pass, the backward pass, and the update pass until the convolutional neural network is trained. Other aspects such as a system, apparatus, and computer program product are also described.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a time-division multiplexed neurosynaptic module with implicit memory addressing for implementing a neural network. One embodiment comprises maintaining neuron attributes for multiple neurons and maintaining incoming firing events for different time steps. For each time step, incoming firing events for said time step are integrated in a time-division multiplexing manner. Incoming firing events are integrated based on the neuron attributes maintained. For each time step, the neuron attributes maintained are updated in parallel based on the integrated incoming firing events for said time step.

Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator substrate which includes a semiconductor substrate, a buried oxide layer, and a semiconductor layer is provided. A hard mask layer is formed over a first region of the silicon-on-insulator substrate. A first silicon-germanium layer is epitaxially grown on the semiconductor layer within a second region of the silicon-on-insulator substrate. The second region is at least a portion of the semiconductor layer not covered by the hard mask layer. A thermal annealing process is performed, such that germanium atoms from the first silicon-germanium layer are migrated to the portion of the semiconductor layer to form a second silicon-germanium layer. The hard mask layer is removed. A layer of semiconductor material is epitaxially grown on top of the semiconductor layer and the second silicon-germanium layer, where the layer of semiconductor material composed of the same material as semiconductor layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a time-division multiplexed neurosynaptic module with implicit memory addressing for implementing a neural network. One embodiment comprises maintaining neuron attributes for multiple neurons and maintaining incoming firing events for different time steps. For each time step, incoming firing events for said time step are integrated in a time-division multiplexing manner. Incoming firing events are integrated based on the neuron attributes maintained. For each time step, the neuron attributes maintained are updated in parallel based on the integrated incoming firing events for said time step.