Methodology for the configuration and repair of unreliable switching elements

• US 7,599,895 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2006
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knowm Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Knowm Tech LLC
• Inventors: Nugent, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): STARKS, WILBERT L
• Application Number:
  US11/476,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20070022064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 706/12, 706/14, 706/15, 706/45, 365/151
• US Class Current: 706/14
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 99/007 Molecular computers, i.e. using inorganic molecules using biomolecules G06N3/002

Abstract

A universal logic gate apparatus is disclosed, which include a plurality of self-assembling chains of nanoparticles having a plurality of resistive connections, wherein the plurality of self-assembling chains of nanoparticles comprise resistive elements. A plasticity mechanism is also provided, which is based on a plasticity rule for creating stable connections from the plurality of self-assembling chains of nanoparticles for use with the universal, reconfigurable logic gate. In addition, the universal logic gate can be configured with a cross-bar architecture, where nanoconnections are formed from a columbic-educed mechanical stress contact.

Claims

1. A meta-stable switching apparatus, comprising:

a neural node comprising at least one synaptic element, said at least one synaptic element having a state input and said neural node having a state output, a plurality of meta-stable switches comprising said at least one synaptic element; and

a plasticity mechanism associated with said at least one synaptic element and neural node, wherein said plasticity mechanism acts on said at least one synaptic element so that said neural node reinforces at least one synaptic state of said at least one synaptic element in such a manner as to facilitate a transfer of said state input to said state output of said neural node.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a voltage source for applying a voltage to increase a probability of switching at least one meta-stable switch among said plurality of meta-stable switches to a non-ground state.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one complimentary electrode in association with said at least one synaptic element to encode said at least one synaptic state.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of synaptic elements including said at least one synaptic element, wherein said plasticity mechanism extracts statistically independent components from a multi-dimensional data stream.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of synaptic elements including said at least one synaptic element, wherein said plurality of synaptic elements encodes a logic state of a circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a multiplicative transfer function based on said at least one synaptic state and a complementary input.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of synaptic elements including said at least one synaptic element, wherein said plasticity mechanism extracts statistically independent components from a multi-dimensional data stream; and

a plurality of synaptic elements including said at least one synaptic element, wherein said plurality of synaptic elements encodes a logic state of a circuit.

7. The apparatus 1 further comprising:

a voltage source for applying a voltage to increase a probability of switching at least one meta-stable switch among said plurality of meta-stable switches to a non-ground state; and

at least one complimentary electrode in association with said at least one synaptic element to encode said synaptic at least one synaptic state.

9. A meta-stable switching apparatus, comprising:

a neural node comprising at least one synaptic element, said at least one synaptic element having a state input and said neural node having a state output, a plurality of metal-stable switches comprising said at least one synaptic element;

a plasticity mechanism associated with said at least one synaptic element and neural node, wherein said plasticity mechanism acts on said at least one synaptic element so that said neural node reinforces at least one synaptic state of said at least one synaptic element in such a manner as to facilitate a transfer of said state input to said state output of said neural node; and

a voltage source for applying a voltage to increase a probability of switching at least one meta-stable switch among said plurality of meta-stable switches to a non-ground state.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising at least one complimentary electrode in association with said at least one synaptic element to encode said at least one synaptic state.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of synaptic elements including said at least one synaptic element, wherein said plasticity mechanism extracts statistically independent components from a multi-dimensional data stream.

12. A meta-stable switching method, comprising:

providing a neural node comprising at least one synaptic element, said at least one synaptic element having a state input and said neural node having a state output, configuring a plurality of metal-stable switches to comprise said at least one synaptic element; and

associating a plasticity mechanism associated with said at least one synaptic element and neural node, wherein said plasticity mechanism acts on said at least one synaptic element so that said neural node reinforces at least one synaptic state of said at least one synaptic element in such a manner as to facilitate a transfer of said state input to said state output of said neural node.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising applying a voltage from a voltage source to increase a probability of switching at least one meta-stable switch among said plurality of meta-stable switches to a non-ground state.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising associating at least one complimentary electrode with said at least one synaptic element to encode said at least one synaptic state.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising configuring a plurality of synaptic elements to include said at least one synaptic element, wherein said plasticity mechanism extracts statistically independent components from a multi-dimensional data stream.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising configuring a plurality of synaptic elements to include said at least one synaptic element, wherein said plurality of synaptic elements encodes a logic state of a circuit.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising configuring a plurality of synaptic elements to include said at least one synaptic element, wherein said plurality of synaptic elements encodes a logic state of a circuit.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing a multiplicative transfer function based on said at least one synaptic state and a complementary input.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

associating at least one complimentary electrode with said at least one synaptic element to encode said at least one synaptic state; and

applying a voltage from a voltage source to increase a probability of switching at least one meta-stable switch among said plurality of meta-stable switches to a non-ground state.

20. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

configuring a plurality of synaptic elements to include said at least one synaptic element, wherein said plasticity mechanism extracts statistically independent components from a multi-dimensional data stream; and

applying a voltage from a voltage source to increase a probability of switching at least one meta-stable switch among said plurality of meta-stable switches to a non-ground state.