Method and apparatus for early quotient completion in arithmetic division

Apparatus for computing repeating digits in a divider, comprising:

• a quotient digit generator that generates a succession of quotient digits;
• at least one quotient digit storage memory that stores a series of the generated quotient digits, each quotient digit storage memory coupled to the quotient digit generator for receiving the quotient digits, each quotient digit storage memory including a linked plurality of storage areas having a most significant reset storage area and lesser reset significant storage areas, the quotient digit storage memory propagating and storing a last received quotient digit along the linked plurality of storage areas to the most significant reset storage area, the propagation duplicating and storing the last received quotient digit at the lesser significant reset storage areas;
• and
• a remainder comparator coupled to the quotient digit generator for receiving a current remainder of the division process and for determining when the current remainder has repeated, the remainder comparator further coupled to each quotient digit storage memory for resetting the storage areas of all quotient digit storage memories containing duplicates of the last received quotient digit, when the current remainder differs from a previous remainder;
• the remainder comparator terminating quotient digit generation by the quotient digit generator upon determining that the current remainder has repeated;
• the quotient digit storage memories, upon quotient digit generation termination, providing a final quotient including quotient digits stored in all quotient digit storage areas.

A method for terminating computations of repeating quotient digits early in a divider, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) generating a quotient digit and a current remainder;
• (b) transmitting the generated quotient digit to a quotient digit storage memory having a linked plurality of storage areas including a most significant reset storage area and lesser significant reset storage areas;
• (c) propagating the generated quotient digit along the linked plurality of storage areas, storing the quotient digit at the most significant reset storage area, and duplicating the received quotient digit at the lesser significant reset storage areas;
• (d) repeating steps (a) through (c) for a number of times equal to the number of quotient digit storage memories;
• (e) comparing the current remainder with a previous remainder;
• (f) resetting the storage areas of all quotient digit storage memories containing duplicates of a last received quotient digits, and repeating steps (a) through (e), when the current remainder differs from the previous remainder, and saving the current remainder as the previous remainder;
• (g) terminating quotient digit generation when the current remainder is the same as the previous remainder;
• and
• (h) providing a quotient including quotient digits from all of the storage areas of all the quotient digit storage memories, upon termination of quotient digit generation.

Apparatus for computing repeating digits in a divider, comprising:

• a quotient digit generator for generating a succession of quotient digits;
• at least one quotient digit storage memory for storing a series of the generated quotient digits, each quotient digit storage memory coupled to the quotient digit generator for receiving the quotient digits in a current division process, each quotient digit storage memory including a linked plurality of storage areas having a most significant reset storage area and lesser reset significant storage areas, the quotient digit storage memory propagaging and storing a quotient digit along the linked plurality of storage areas to the most significant reset storage area, the propagation duplicating and storing the quotient digit at the lesser significant reset storage areas;
• a last quotient digit storage memory coupled to the quotient digit generator for receiving and storing a last received quotient digit from a previous division process;
• a quotient digit comparator coupled to the last quotient digit storage memory and a lesser significant reset storage area for comparing the last received quotient digit from a previous division process and a quotient digit from the current division process, and resetting the storage areas of all quotient digit storage memories containing duplicates of the quotient digit, when the quotient digit differs from the last received quotient digit;
• and
• a remainder comparator coupled to the quotient digit generator for receiving a current remainder of the division process, for determining when the current remainder has repeated, the remainder comparator terminating quotient digit generation by the quotient digit generator upon determining that the current remainder has repeated;
• the quotient digit storage memories, upon quotient digit generation termination, providing a final quotient including quotient digits stored in all quotient digit storage areas.

A method for terminating computations of repeating quotient digits early in a divider, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) generating a current quotient digit and a current remainder;
• (b) transmitting the current quotient digit to a quotient digit storage memory having a linked plurality of storage areas including a most significant reset storage area and lesser significant reset storage areas;
• (c) propagating the current quotient digit along the linked plurality of storage areas, storing the current quotient digit at the most significant reset storage area, and duplicating the current quotient digit at the lesser significant reset storage areas;
• (d) repeating steps (a) through (c) for a number of times equal to the number of quotient digit storage memories;
• (e) comparing the current quotient digit with a previous quotient digit from a previous division process;
• (f) resetting the storage areas of all quotient digit storage memories containing duplicates of the current quotient digit, and repeating steps (a) through (e), when the current quotient digit differs from the previous quotient digit, and saving the current quotient digit as the previous quotient digit,;
• (g) comparing the current remainder with a previous remainder;
• (h) terminating quotient digit generation when the current remainder is the same as the previous remainder, otherwise storing the current remainder as the previous remainder;
• and
• (i) providing a quotient including quotient digits from all of the storage areas of all the quotient digit storage memories, upon termination of quotient digit generation.