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MicrosoftPatent applicationChips & hardwareInterest 3/10

Microsoft patents flexible chip design that reconfigures math units on the fly

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

Microsoft has filed a patent for a circuit design that allows multiple math units to share the same input data storage. The system changes how these units connect to the data based on the specific calculation or data type being processed, allowing one hardware block to handle different tasks without needing separate parts for each job.

Why it mattersThis type of flexible hardware design can make computer chips more efficient by reducing the need for dedicated circuits for every possible calculation, potentially improving performance in specialized processors.

In the filing’s own words

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a multipurpose multiply-accumulator (MAC) array circuit comprising one or more input memories for receiving operands and a plurality of multiply-accumulator circuits each selectively coupled to the one or more input memories to receive at least a pair of operands and generate a result. Each of the plurality of multiply-accumulator circuits receives operands from the one or more input memories independently. Additionally, selection of operands from the one or more input memories is controlled based on at least an operation and/or data types, where different operation and/or data types configure the plurality of multiply-accumulator circuits to receive different pairs of operands from the one or more input memories to execute particular operation types.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A multipurpose multiply-accumulator (MAC) array circuit comprising: one or more input memories for receiving operands; and a plurality of multiply-accumulator circuits each selectively coupled to the one or more input memories to receive at least a pair of operands and generate a result, wherein each of the plurality of multiply-accumulator circuits receives operands from the one or more input memories independently, wherein selection of operands from the one or more input memories is controlled based on at least an operation type, wherein different operation types configure the plurality of multiply-accumulator circuits to receive different pairs of operands from the one or more input memories to execute particular operation types.

Facts

Company
Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)
Official title
MULTIPURPOSE MULTIPLY-ACCUMULATOR ARRAY
Publication number
US20260299885A1
Application number
19562462
Filed
Mar 10, 2026
Published
Oct 1, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
20

Classified under

G06F 7/5443 Physics & computingG06F 5/06 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.