Mechanism and method for integer divide involving pre-alignment of the divisor relative to the dividend
AssigneeSilicon Graphics, Inc.
InventorWilliam A. Huffman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanism for dividing an integer dividend by an integer divisor to generate an integer quotient operates by aligning the divisor relative to the dividend such that a right-most bit of the divisor is aligned with a bit M of the dividend. The divisor is compared to an integer value whose right-most bits are equal to bits of the dividend which are aligned with bits of the divisor. As a result of this comparison, quotient bits which positionally correspond to the dividend bit M and to bits of the dividend which are located to the left of the dividend bit M are cleared to zero. Also as a result of the comparison, the dividend is divided by the divisor as aligned relative to the dividend to thereby generate values for any uncleared quotient bits.
Claims16
A method of dividing an integer dividend by an integer divisor to generate an integer quotient, comprising the steps of:
- (1) aligning the divisor relative to the dividend such that a right-most bit of the divisor is aligned with a bit M of the dividend, wherein M is an integer value that identifies a bit position of the dividend;
- (2) comparing the divisor to an integer value whose right-most bits are equal to bits of the dividend which are aligned with bits of the divisor;
- (3) clearing to zero, as a result of said comparison, quotient bits which positionally correspond to the dividend bit M and to bits of the dividend which are located to the left of the dividend bit M;
- and
- (4) dividing, as a result of said comparison, the dividend by the divisor as aligned in step (1) to thereby generate values for any uncleared quotient bits.
A mechanism for dividing an integer dividend by an integer divisor to generate an integer quotient, comprising:
- means for aligning the divisor relative to the dividend such that a right-most bit of the divisor is aligned with a bit M of the dividend, wherein M is an integer value that identifies a bit position of the dividend;
- means for comparing the divisor to an integer value whose right-most bits are equal to bits of the dividend which are aligned with bits of the divisor;
- means, responsive to said comparing means, for clearing to zero quotient bits which positionally correspond to the dividend bit M and to bits of the dividend which are located to the left of the dividend bit M;
- and
- means, responsive to said comparing means, for dividing the dividend by the divisor as aligned by said aligning means to thereby generate values for any uncleared quotient bits.
A method of dividing an integer dividend by an integer divisor to generate an integer quotient, comprising the steps of:
- (1) locating a leading non-zero bit in the dividend;
- (2) aligning the divisor relative to the dividend such that a right-most bit of the divisor is aligned with said leading dividend bit;
- (3) clearing to zero quotient bits which positionally correspond to bits of the dividend which are located to the left of the leading dividend bit;
- and
- (4) dividing the dividend by the divisor as aligned in step (2) to thereby generate values for any uncleared quotient bits.
A method of dividing an integer dividend by an integer divisor to generate an integer quotient, comprising the steps of:
- (1) locating a leading non-zero bit in the dividend and a leading non-zero bit in the divisor;
- (2) subtracting a bit position of the leading non-zero divisor bit from a bit position of the leading non-zero dividend bit to thereby generate a pre-alignment bit value;
- (3) aligning the divisor relative to the dividend such that a right-most bit of the divisor is aligned with a bit of the dividend having a bit position equal to the pre-alignment bit value;
- (4) clearing to zero quotient bits having bit positions equal to or greater than the pre-alignment bit value;
- and
- (5) dividing the dividend by the divisor as aligned in step (3) to thereby generate values for any uncleared quotient bits.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.