Conversion of a normalized n-bit value into a normalized m-bit value

A processing unit comprising logic configured to convert a normalized n-bit value into a normalized m-bit value in accordance with a predetermined rounding mode, the logic comprising:

• an initial module configured to:
• receive the normalized n-bit value, and
• determine an initial m-bit value such that the bits of said initial m-bit value are equal to the m most significant bits of a concatenation of one or more copies of a group of one or more bits derived from the received normalized n-bit value;
• a selection module configured to select an output state based on bits of the normalized n-bit value and in accordance with the predetermined rounding mode, said output state indicating how the normalized m-bit value is to be determined from the initial m-bit value;
• and
• an output module configured to:
• determine the normalized m-bit value, in accordance with the selected output state, to be equal to one of a plurality of candidate m-bit values, the plurality of candidate m-bit values consisting of the initial m-bit value and at least one of:
• (i) the initial m-bit value incremented by one, and (ii) the initial m-bit value decremented by one;
• and
• output the determined normalized m-bit value.

A computer readable storage medium having encoded thereon computer readable program code for generating logic configured to convert a normalized n-bit value into a normalized m-bit value in accordance with a predetermined rounding mode by:

• receiving the normalized n-bit value at the logic;
• determining an initial m-bit value, wherein the bits of said initial m-bit value are determined to be equal to the m most significant bits of a concatenation of one or more copies of a group of one or more bits derived from the received normalized n-bit value;
• based on bits of the normalized n-bit value and in accordance with the predetermined rounding mode, selecting an output state indicating how the normalized m-bit value is to be determined from the initial m-bit value;
• in accordance with the selected output state, determining the normalized m-bit value to be equal to one of a plurality of candidate m-bit values, the plurality of candidate m-bit values consisting of the initial m-bit value and at least one of:
• (i) the initial m-bit value incremented by one, and (ii) the initial m-bit value decremented by one;
• and
• outputting, from the logic, the determined normalized m-bit value.