Converting numbers between binary and another base
US4792793A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 28, 1987 |
| Grant date | Dec 20, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 28, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03M7/06
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Dedicated convert hardware is disclosed for performing bidirectional conversions of numbers between binary and another base b (illustratively decimal) for use in a data processing system. The dedicated convert hardware comprises a special purpose multiply-and-add unit and a convert register. The output of the multiply-and-add unit is coupled to the input of the convert register, and the output of the convert register is recycled to the inputs of the multiply-and-add unit. The multiply-and-add unit is hardwired to multiply the input by b and concurrently add the value at a separate digit input. Means are also provided for initializing the convert register with zero or with any desired number. The convert hardware is operated to convert a number from radix-b to binary by first initializing the convert register to zero and then iteratively clocking the multiply-and-add unit output into the convert register while presenting to the digit input of the multiply-and-add unit successively high- to low-order digits of the radix-b number. The convert hardware is operated to convert a binary number to radix-b by first initializing the convert register with the fractional part of a product N*b.…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.