Patent attributes
An artificial-neuron device includes an integration-generation circuit coupled between an input at which an input signal is received and an output at which an output signal is delivered, and a refractory circuit inhibiting the integrator circuit after the delivery of the output signal. The refractory circuit is formed by a first MOS transistor having a first conduction-terminal coupled to a supply node, a second conduction-terminal coupled to a common node, and a control-terminal coupled to the output, and a second MOS transistor having a first conduction-terminal coupled to the input, a second conduction-terminal coupled to a reference node at which a reference voltage is received, and a control-terminal coupled to the common node. A resistive-capacitive circuit is coupled between the supply node and the reference node and having a tap coupled to the common node, with the inhibition duration being dependent upon a time constant of the resistive-capacitive circuit.