This paper focuses on continuous-time analog rank extractors, with an
emphasis on MOS circuits. Sources of errors in previous analog impleme
ntations are analyzed, and an improved multiple-input min/max circuit
configuration is proposed. A generalized analog rank extractor is disc
ussed as well as its limitations on the number of inputs and rank. In
a sorting network approach, the presorting and path combination techni
ques are used to reduce the rank selector implementation.