Calculating arithmetic sums in a single operation with light
US11137664B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 25, 2020 |
| Grant date | Oct 5, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 13, 2040 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06E3/001
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A light-based apparatus has an input device, accepting two or more numerical inputs and an output command. It has a logic unit that receives the two numerical inputs from the input device, and is adapted to combine various lights, in amplitudes based on the respective values of the numerical inputs, to produce an output light sum representing a sum of the two numerical inputs. The logic unit also has an output sensing circuit to sense the output light sum. The logic unit is responsive to the output command to output a value representing the output light sum. The device uses a computing method that includes comingling light from multiple sources, at the same time, in a light containment area to provide comingled light. The method includes using light amplitude sensing circuitry to sense an amplitude of the comingled light, outputting an arithmetic sum, based on the amplitude of the comingled light, without using a binary computer to compute the arithmetic sum.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.