Data processing: structural design – modeling – simulation – and em – Simulating electronic device or electrical system – Circuit simulation
Reexamination Certificate
1996-03-26
2001-11-20
Kemper, M. (Department: 2123)
Data processing: structural design, modeling, simulation, and em
Simulating electronic device or electrical system
Circuit simulation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321182
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a signal processing apparatus, and to a method for predicting the result of processing of the apparatus, and more particularly, to a signal processing apparatus for processing a signal formed by very small number of quanta, and to a method for predicting the result of processing of the apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional information processing apparatuses, information is represented by a signal having a continuous waveform, and the signal is processed by various elements. At that time, an input signal branches, in some cases, into a plurality of signals if necessary, and each of the signals branched is processed by the element in branch circuit.
In the current area of multimedia, when receiving and transmitting high-quality image information on an information communication network, the amount of information to be processed in unit time greatly increases at a terminal device of the network. Accordingly, the degree of integration of devices for processing the information more and more increases, and the line width of signal processing circuits becomes narrower. Parallel processing of information will be more frequently performed.
In such a case, the intensity of a signal transmitted through a circuit becomes weaker, and the signal cannot be represented by a continuous waveform as in the conventional apparatuses, but is formed by respective quanta which are discretely distributed on the time base, as a quantum-pulse-train signal shown in FIG.
6
. In
FIG. 6
, each region surrounded by broken lines represents a signal with a rectangular waveform, and each pulse indicated by a solid line represents a quantum. In order to perform signal processing, a quantum circuit which divides such a quantum-pulse-train signal into two signals will now be considered.
Usually, in the stage of designing a quantum circuit used under various circumstances, even when an element to which a signal after branching is input generates quantum noise, in order to check if the element has a sufficient function, it is necessary to know the quantum-pulse-train signal to be input to the element.
The lowest limit of the intensity of a signal for which a circuit incorporating such signal processing elements works well becomes reference when determining an input signal intensity for using an apparatus incorporating the circuit with high reliability, and supply of a signal having an intensity more than necessary can be thereby avoided. Hence, this knowledge concerning the lowest limit of the signal intensity is very important also from the viewpoint of energy saving.
In conventional techniques, however, when a quantum-pulse train shown in
FIG. 6
enters a branching point, it is impossible to predict each signal of quantum-pulse train which should be enter into each branch circuit. This is because according to conventional quantum mechanics, when a quanta enters a branch point, it is prohibited to consider that the quanta enters certain one of branch circuits.
That is, according to Dirac, when a photon is incident upon an interferometer, it must be considered that a single photon is divided into two components into which the photon enters (see P. A. M. Dirac “The principles of Quantum Mechanics” (Oxford University Press, London, 1985) 4th ed., pp. 7-9). This indicates that the concept that the photon enters only a certain one of the components is invalid. The same holds true also for other quanta than a photon.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a signal processing apparatus for processing a quantum-pulse-train signal while causing it to branch with a predetermined branching ratio.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for predicting quantum-pulse signals obtained after branching at a branch point of a quantum circuit, and an apparatus which adopts such a method.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method for evaluating the function of a signal processing element for processing a quantum-pulse-train signal, and an apparatus which adopts such a method.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for evaluating the intensity of a signal necessary for causing a quantum circuit for processing a quantum-pulse-train signal to operate, and an apparatus which adopts such a method.
According to one aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to a signal processing apparatus comprising input means for inputting a signal formed by quanta discretely distributed on a time base, and branch means for causing the signal input from the input means to branch into a plurality of signals formed by quanta discretely distributed on the time base. Said branch means causes each of the quanta of the input signal to branch as a quantum of one of the signals after branching so that the ratio of the numbers of quanta in the respective signals after branching equals a predetermined branching ratio.
According to another aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to a method for predicting a result of processing by a signal processing apparatus for causing a signal formed by quanta discretely distributed on a time base to branch into a plurality of destination locations, the method comprising the steps of generating an input signal pattern representing a signal to be input to the signal processing apparatus, allocating one of the destination circuits for each quantum in quantum patterns representing respective quanta in the input signal pattern generated in the generating step so that the ratio of the number of quantum patterns of the respective destination locations equals a predetermined branching ratio, and generating branched signal patterns representing signals to be output to the respective destination circuits based on the allocation in the allocating step.
Other objectives and advantages besides those discussed above shall be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which follow. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof, and which illustrate an example of the invention. Such an example, however, is not exhaustive of the various embodiments of the invention, and therefore reference is made to the claims which follow the description for determining the scope of the invention.
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patent: 5684899 (1997-11-01), Ota
patent: 5696955 (1997-12-01), Goddard et al.
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Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Kemper M.
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