Regulating activation threshold levels in a simulated neural circuit

Abstract

A simulated neural element includes a cell body and one or more simulated branches. Simulated branches are configured to receive input signals and to activate when a combination of the signals received during a specified window of time exceeds a branch activation threshold level. The simulated cell body is configured to activate when a combination of activity in the simulated branches during another specified window of time exceeds a cell body activation threshold level. The branch and cell body activation threshold levels may be automatically and locally regulated so that the actual branch activation rates for the simulated branches approximate desired branch activation rates and the actual cell body activation rate for the simulated cell body approximates a desired cell body activation rate. Such “homeostatic” regulation of branch and cell firing thresholds, done locally (i.e. individually for each branch and cell), may enhance the performance of artificial neural circuitry.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A simulated neural element comprising:
 at least two branches, each branch being configured to:
 receive one or more input signals in response to sensory event occurrences, and 
 activate in response to a combination of the input signals received during a first specified window of time exceeding a branch activation threshold level required to activate the branch; and 
   a simulated cell body configured to activate in response to a combination of activity in the branches during a second specified window of time exceeding a cell body activation threshold level, wherein the simulated neural element is configured to:
 regulate the branch activation threshold levels such that some measures of the actual branch activation rates for the branches approximate desired branch activation rate measures; and 
 regulate the cell body activation threshold level such that some measure of the actual cell body activation rate for the simulated cell body approximates a desired cell body activation rate measure.