Abstract
A method of finding a minimum and a minimum finder utilizing the same are provided. The method, adopted by the minimum finder, determining a minimum and a probabilistic second minimum from a plurality of inputs, includes: providing a plurality of Minimum-Value Generators (MVG) to form a binary tree, wherein each MVG receives two of the plurality of inputs, compares the values of the two inputs to output a comparison result; and receiving, by a minimum-and-second-minimum generator, the comparison results of two of the plurality of MVGs to generate the minimum and the probabilistic second minimum; wherein the minimum-and-second-minimum generator is not connected to a MVG in a top layer of the binary tree.