A high-precision high-resolution WTA-MAX circuit of O(N) complexity

The design and implementation of a high-precision, high-resolution winner-takes-all-maximum (WTA-MAX) circuit of O(N) complexity are presented. The proposed technique also allows straightforward implementation of loser-takes-all-minimum (LTA-MIN) circuit. To satisfy a given precision specification, conventional techniques rely on matching of an N-size transistor array, where N is the input count of the circuit. Thanks to the algorithmic structure of the proposed technique, the circuit performs the computation locally, which makes the precision of the overall system independent of the input count. Some circuit topologies use positive feedback to assure selection of a unique winner. Instead proposed technique relies on priority assignment to the inputs, making it well-suitable for continuous-time operation. Finally, a WTA-MAX circuit is designed in AMS 0.8-μm double-poly double-metal 5-V CMOS process, and the simulation results are presented for several input counts