Patent ID: 8027587

Claim:
A vector-matrix multiplier for multiplying an N×1 vector and an M×N matrix to generate an M×1 vector-matrix product, comprising: an optical multiplexer to receive a plurality of N different wavelengths of light corresponding to a number N of rows in the vector and to combine the plurality of N different wavelengths of light into an input wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) light stream, with each different wavelength of light being modulated with an amplitude which represents a row element a i of the vector with i=1, 2 . . . N; an optical splitter to receive the input WDM light stream from the optical multiplexer and to split the input WDM light stream into a plurality of M light streamlets, with each light streamlet being guided out of the optical splitter into a transfer waveguide; a plurality of M×N optical amplitude modulators arranged in M rows, with each row containing N of the optical amplitude modulators, and with each optical amplitude modulator in each of the M rows being coupled to one of the transfer waveguides to receive one of the N different wavelengths of light from the light streamlet in that transfer waveguide and to amplitude modulate that wavelength of light for a second time in response to an input signal which represents a column element b ji of the matrix which is provided to that optical amplitude modulator; and a plurality of M output waveguides, with each output waveguide being coupled to each optical amplitude modulator located in one of the M rows to receive each of the N different wavelengths of light from that row which have been amplitude-modulated for the second time and to form therefrom an output WDM light stream having an overall amplitude which represents a row element c j =Σa i b ji of the M×1 vector-matrix product.