Abstract: A network structure configures a blocking network having constraint against such a combination of said network input terminal and network output terminal as to make it unfeasible to further connect, when connecting first network input terminals to first network output terminals, second network input terminals to any one of the second network output terminals, and operation elements and the network output terminals are connected so as to minimize a constraint strength between the plurality of network output terminals inputting to the same operation element with respect to the constraint strength defined as the number of network input terminals contained in tuples of network input terminals to which the two network output terminals in the network output terminals can not be simultaneously connected.

Abstract: A signal transmission system is constructed to transmit data over a signal transmission line without requiring precharging the signal transmission line for every bit, by eliminating the intersymbol interference component introduced by preceding data. The signal transmission line has a plurality of switchable signal transmission lines organized in a branching structure or a hierarchical structure, at least one target unit from which to read data is connected to each of the plurality of signal transmission lines, and a readout circuit including a circuit for eliminating the intersymbol interference component is connected to the signal transmission line, wherein the intersymbol interference component elimination circuit reduces noise introduced when the signal transmission line is switched between the plurality of signal transmission lines, and thereby provides a smooth intersymbol interference component elimination operation when the signal transmission line is switched.

Abstract: In a processor, an operating unit executes an instruction within an instruction set, and a second operating unit executes other custom instructions. The second operating unit consists of a plurality of AND circuits, OR circuits, adders, selectors, and multiplexers. The information about which circuit should be combined with which circuit when the instruction is input is held in advance as structure information in a configuration memory. One piece of structure information corresponds to one custom instruction. The second operating unit in an optimum circuit structure determined based on this structure information executes the instruction. With this arrangement, it is possible to increase the processing speed than when the operating unit executes the processing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reconfigurable processing apparatus enabling clusters to utilize a shared functional unit by using data and a validity signal received from the clusters by way of a network therebetween. In the reconfigurable processing apparatus comprising one or more clusters which are reconfigured based on configuration information, the shared functional unit accepts an input data and an input valid signal from the clusters, the input valid signal starts up the shared functional unit so as to operate the input data received with the input valid signal and output, to the cluster, an output data as the operation result and an output valid signal for notifying of the cluster as an output destination of the aforementioned output data.

Abstract: A reconfigurable operation apparatus consists of a plurality of operation units capable of reconfiguring themselves by using a piece of given first configuration data and of operating simultaneously with one another; RAMs; diverse processor elements required for constituting an operation apparatus; an inter-resource network interconnecting the operation units, the RAMs and the diverse processor elements, performing data transfers between resources connected thereto in a uniform transfer time independent of positions and kinds of the resources, and being reconfigurable by using a given second configuration data; and a configuration memory storing the first and the second configuration data. Configuration data is loaded from an external storage apparatus onto the configuration memory, and the first and the second configuration data are supplied to the reconfigurable processor resources in appropriate sequence and timing based on data available from a plurality of operation units.

Abstract: An operation apparatus includes a sequencer controlling states of a plurality of operation devices and a configuration memory storing therein configuration information as setting information for each state in the operation device. In the operation apparatus, a path which requires a data buffer and another path which requires no such a data buffer are provided for inputting data to the operation device, a data buffer control part is provided for controlling selection from these two paths and operation of the data buffer, and contents of path selection and operation control of the data buffer carried out by the data buffer control part are set according to the configuration information.

Abstract: An operation apparatus includes a plurality of operation device units; a configuration memory storing setting information provided for each predetermined state of the plurality of operation device units; and a sequencer controlling the plurality of operation device units by outputting transition destination addresses designating relevant information from configuration information comprising the setting information provided for each state of the operation device units stored in the configuration memory, wherein the sequencer carries out operation based on task information previously loaded and a change-over condition signal output from the plurality of operation device units, and generates the transition destination address to output to the configuration memory.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of memories, a sequencer which outputs configuration information, and a memory reconfiguring circuit which reconfigures the memory area in accordance with the configuration information supplied from the sequencer. Since the memory reconfiguring circuit dynamically changes the allocation of the memories, it is possible to reconfigure the memory configuration and freely change the memory size in accordance with the purpose of use.

Abstract: In a processor, an operating unit executes an instruction within an instruction set, and a second operating unit executes other custom instructions. The second operating unit consists of a plurality of AND circuits, OR circuits, adders, selectors, and multiplexers. The information about which circuit should be combined with which circuit when the instruction is input is held in advance as structure information in a configuration memory. One piece of structure information corresponds to one custom instruction. The second operating unit in an optimum circuit structure determined based on this structure information executes the instruction. With this arrangement, it is possible to increase the processing speed than when the operating unit executes the processing.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a processor. An arithmetic logic circuit group includes a plurality of operation units and a connection channel connecting the operation units in a reconfigurable manner. Parameter-based dedicated hardware can change a process specification thereof by parameter setting. An intermodule interface connects the processor, the arithmetic logic circuit group, and the parameter-based hardware to each other.

Abstract: A signal transmission system has a response time of a signal transmission line which is set approximately equal to or longer than the length of a transmitted symbol. More specifically, terminal resistance is set larger than the characteristic impedance of the signal transmission line, driver output resistance is set to a large value, or a damping resistor is provided in series with the signal transmission line. With this configuration, signal power can be reduced drastically.

Abstract: A signal transmission system has a response time of a signal transmission line which is set approximately equal to or longer than the length of a transmitted symbol. More specifically, terminal resistance is set larger than the characteristic impedance of the signal transmission line, driver output resistance is set to a large value, or a damping resistor is provided in series with the signal transmission line. With this configuration, signal power can be reduced drastically.

Abstract: A signal transmission system has a response time of a signal transmission line which is set approximately equal to or longer than the length of a transmitted symbol. More specifically, terminal resistance is set larger than the characteristic impedance of the signal transmission line, driver output resistance is set to a large value, or a damping resistor is provided in series with the signal transmission line. With this configuration, signal power can be reduced drastically.

Abstract: A restoring circuit 24, provided for each of the memory blocks 191 and 192, having registers and a selector for selecting one of the present row address and the output of the registers, provides the output of the selector to a word decoder 26. The present row address is held in one of the registers. When amplification is started by a sense amplifier 15, transfer gates 10 and 11 connected between the bit lines BL1 and *BL1 and the sense amplifier 15 are turned off to decrease the load of the sense amplifier 15, the amplified signal is stored in a buffer memory cell circuit 18, and accessing is completed with omitting restoring to the memory cell 12. While the memory cell block 191 is not selected, the data held in the buffer memory cell circuit 18 is stored into the memory cell row addressed by the content of the selected register. The sense amplifier 15 has PMOS and NMOS sense amplifiers.

Abstract: A restoring circuit 24, provided for each of the memory blocks 191 and 192, having registers and a selector for selecting one of the present row address and the output of the registers, provides the output of the selector to a word decoder 26. The present row address is held in one of the registers. When amplification is started by a sense amplifier 15, transfer gates 10 and 11 connected between the bit lines BL1 and *BL1 and the sense amplifier 15 are turned off to decrease the load of the sense amplifier 15, the amplified signal is stored in a buffer memory cell circuit 18, and accessing is completed with omitting restoring to the memory cell 12. While the memory cell block 191 is not selected, the data held in the buffer memory cell circuit 18 is stored into the memory cell row addressed by the content of the selected register. The sense amplifier 15 has PMOS and NMOS sense amplifiers.

Abstract: A restoring circuit 24, provided for each of the memory blocks 191 and 192, having registers and a selector for selecting one of the present row address and the output of the registers, provides the output of the selector to a word decoder 26. The present row address is held in one of the registers. When amplification is started by a sense amplifier 15, transfer gates 10 and 11 connected between the bit lines BL1 and *BL1 and the sense amplifier 15 are turned off to decrease the load of the sense amplifier 15, the amplified signal is stored in a buffer memory cell circuit 18, and accessing is completed with omitting restoring to the memory cell 12. While the memory cell block 191 is not selected, the data held in the buffer memory cell circuit 18 is stored into the memory cell row addressed by the content of the selected register. The sense amplifier 15 has PMOS and NMOS sense amplifiers.

Abstract: A signal transmission system is constructed to transmit data over a signal transmission line without requiring precharging the signal transmission line for every bit, by eliminating the intersymbol interference component introduced by preceding data. The signal transmission line has a plurality of switchable signal transmission lines organized in a branching structure or a hierarchical structure, at least one target unit from which to read data is connected to each of the plurality of signal transmission lines, and a readout circuit including a circuit for eliminating the intersymbol interference component is connected to the signal transmission line, wherein the intersymbol interference component elimination circuit reduces noise introduced when the signal transmission line is switched between the plurality of signal transmission lines, and thereby provides a smooth intersymbol interference component elimination operation when the signal transmission line is switched.

Abstract: A signal transmission system has a response time of a signal transmission line which is set approximately equal to or longer than the length of a transmitted symbol. More specifically, terminal resistance is set larger than the characteristic impedance of the signal transmission line, driver output resistance is set to a large value, or a damping resistor is provided in series with the signal transmission line. With this configuration, signal power can be reduced drastically.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop circuit is constituted in such a manner that a delayed signal created by causing an input signal to loop through a delay stage a plurality of times is compared in terms of phase with the input signal, and an amount of delay in the delay stage is controlled in accordance with the comparison result of the delayed signal and the input signal. Therefore, the circuit size can be reduced with a reduced number of delay units constituting the delay stage.

Abstract: A capacitor is connected between the gate of a transistor that is an object of threshold voltage compensation and an input terminal. A switching device is connected between a current source connected to one terminal of the transistor and the gate of the transistor. A second switching device is connected between the input terminal and a terminal to which a reference voltage is applied. The switching device is turned ON so that the transistor is diode-connected. The switching device is turned ON, thus applying the reference voltage to the input terminal. A reference voltage is applied to a current inflow terminal connected to another terminal of the transistor. After charge dependent on the threshold voltage of the transistor is accumulated in the capacitor, the switching device is turned OFF. With this control, a difference of a threshold voltage from another deriving from the fine structure of transistors as well as a difference in threshold voltage between adjoining transistors can be compensated for.