Division with rectangular multiplier supporting multiple precisions and operand types
US7962543B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 1, 2007 |
| Grant date | Jun 14, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 11, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2207/5356
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A division method includes determining a precision indicator for the division operation that indicates whether the quotient should be a single precision, double precision, or extended precision floating-point number. The division is performed at a rectangular multiplier using the Goldschmidt or Newton-Raphson algorithm. Each algorithm calculates one or more intermediate values in order to determine the quotient. For example, the Goldschmidt algorithm calculates a complement of a product of the dividend and an estimate of the reciprocal of the divisor. The quotient is determined based on a portion of one or more of these intermediate values. Because only a portion of the intermediate value is used, the division can be performed efficiently at the rectangular multiplier, and therefore the quotient can be determined more quickly and still achieve the desired level of precision.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.