Patent · US Expired

Floating point/integer processor with divide and square root functions

US4878190A · kind A · utility

57Cited by
5References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 29, 1988
Grant dateOct 31, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 29, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F2207/5355
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A processor (10) operable to calculate division and square root functions comprises a multiplier (48) having a multiplier array (116), a pipeline register (50), a correction generator (122), and a converter/rounder (52). The products generated by the multiplier array (116) are fed back to the multiplier (48) to avoid delays associated with the remainder of the multiplier circuitry. The correction generator (122) which performs a subtraction of the product output form the multiplier array (116) from a constant, is disposed between the multiplier array (116) and the converter/rounder (52). Hence, the subtraction necessry to compute the next estimate may be performed in parallel with other multiplications, further reducing the time necessary to perform the calculation. Compare circuitry (120) is operable to compare the final approximation with an operand to quickly determine the direction of rounding.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.