Memristor code comparator to compare sensor signals to reference signals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10786171-B2
Application number	US-201616343865-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2016
Priority date	Oct 25, 2016
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

One example of a device includes a sensor, a memristor code comparator, and a controller. The sensor is to provide a sensor signal. The memristor code comparator is to compare the sensor signal to a reference signal. The controller is to determine a status of the sensor signal based on the comparison.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a sensor to provide a sensor signal;
a memristor code comparator to compare the sensor signal to a reference signal;
a read and write circuit to read the state of the memristors of the memristor code comparator after each comparison and to write each memristor that changed states during the comparison back to an initial state; and
a controller to determine a status of the sensor signal based on the comparison.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the memristor code comparator comprises a plurality of row lines, a plurality of column lines, and a plurality of unipolar memristors, wherein each of the memristors is coupled between a row line and a column line.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is to write the sensor signal to a storage medium in response to determining the status of the sensor signal is abnormal.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor provides an analog sensor signal.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an electrocardiography (ECG) sensor.

6. A device comprising:
a sensor to provide a sensor signal;
a storage medium storing a reference signal;
a memristor code comparator to compare the sensor signal to the reference signal;
a read and write circuit to read the state of the memristors of the memristor code comparator after each comparison and to write each memristor that changed states during the comparison back to an initial state; and
a controller to trigger an action in response to a memristor changing states during the comparison indicating the sensor signal does not match the reference signal.

7. The device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a sample and hold circuit to receive the sensor signal from the sensor and provide a plurality of analog sensor values representative of the sensor signal at different points in time to the memristor code comparator; and
a digital to analog converter to convert a plurality of digital reference values stored in the storage medium to provide a plurality of analog reference values representative of the reference signal at the different points in time to the memristor code comparator.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein the sensor signal comprises a multibit digital sensor signal, and
wherein the reference signal comprises a multibit digital reference signal.

9. The device of claim 6 , wherein the memristor code comparator comprises a memristor array comprising a plurality of row lines, a plurality of column lines, and a plurality of memristors, wherein each of the memristors is coupled between a unique combination of a row line and a column line,
wherein the sensor signal is applied to the row lines, and
wherein the reference signal is applied to the column lines.

10. The device of claim 6 , wherein the sensor signal comprises an electrocardiography (ECG) signal, and
wherein the reference signal comprises a standard normalized ECG reference signal.

11. A method comprising:
receiving a sensor signal;
comparing, via a memristor code comparator, the sensor signal to a reference signal; and
reading the memristor code comparator to determine whether the sensor signal is normal or abnormal based on whether any memristors of the memristor code comparator changed states during the comparison,
wherein comparing, via the memristor code comparator, the sensor signal to the reference signal comprises changing the state of a corresponding memristor of the memristor code comparator in response to a voltage difference between a corresponding value of the sensor signal and a corresponding value of the reference signal exceeding a threshold value of the corresponding memristor.

12. A method comprising:
receiving a sensor signal;
comparing, via a memristor code comparator, the sensor signal to a reference signal;
reading the memristor code comparator to determine whether the sensor signal is normal or abnormal based on whether any memristors of the memristor code comparator changed states during the comparison; and
resetting memristors of the memristor code comparator to an initial state in response to memristors of the memristor code comparator changing states during the comparison.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
storing the sensor signal to a storage medium in response to determining the sensor signal is abnormal; and
storing an indicator to the storage medium indicating the sensor signal is normal in response to determining the sensor signal is normal.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving a sensor signal comprises receiving an electrocardiography (ECG) signal from an ECG sensor of a wearable device.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving the sensor signal comprises receiving an analog sensor signal.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
storing the sensor signal to a storage medium in response to determining the sensor signal is abnormal; and
storing an indicator to the storage medium indicating the sensor signal is normal in response to determining the sensor signal is normal.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving a sensor signal comprises receiving an electrocardiography (ECG) signal from an ECG sensor of a wearable device.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving the sensor signal comprises receiving an analog sensor signal.

19. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sample and hold circuit to receive the sensor signal from the sensor and provide a plurality of analog sensor values representative of the sensor signal at different points in time to the memristor code comparator; and
a digital to analog converter to convert a plurality of digital reference values to provide a plurality of analog reference values representative of the reference signal at the different points in time to the memristor code comparator.

20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor signal comprises a multibit digital sensor signal, and
wherein the reference signal comprises a multibit digital reference signal.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Ge Ning
• Morales Ralph A
• Oshea Terrance J
• Holder Helen A
• George David
• Hamadene Hafid

Classifications

• A61B5/335 Primary

  using integrated circuit memory devices · CPC title

• A61B5/282

  Holders for multiple electrodes (for introduction into the body A61B5/287) · CPC title

• A61B5/7221 Primary

  Determining signal validity, reliability or quality (preventing, reducing or removing noise induced by motion artefacts A61B5/7207; noise originating from a therapeutic or surgical apparatus A61B5/7217) · CPC title

• G11C13/0069

  Writing or programming circuits or methods · CPC title

• G11C13/0028

  Word-line or row circuits · CPC title